TEACHER ABUSE IS STUDENT ABUSE

---- Original Message -----
From: Jane Doe
To: Darlene Goodman (New Mexico teacher that was allegedly terminated for sitting on the floor at a staff meeting, after she had filed an assault lawsuit against her principal.)

Sent: Thursday, May 02, 2002 6:32 PM
Subject: good news!!!

Hi there!! I have some good news for you, as I'm sure you know, I along with 350 some odd other seniors will be graduating on May 18, 2002. I can finally say that I have made it. Believe it or not, I don't think that I would have done it without you. You for about a year were my teacher, mentor, and above all, my friend. That means so much to me that I'm not sure if I can stress it enough. I wish you were still teaching up at the high school, but sometimes wishes don't come true. I just wanted to let you know that (if you haven't moved) there will be a graduation announcement in the mail, and it would mean the world to me if you can make it. Thank you for everything you helped me to accomplish and most of all, for helping me to believe in the one person who really matters, myself.
Always,
Jane Doe
Los Lunas High School Class of 2002

There is something wrong with a system whereby a dedicated teacher, beloved by her students, has to be afraid to attend their graduation, for fear she will be hauled away by police. Darlene Goodman has already been hauled away once, and she is more afraid now that she has spoken out.

We ridicule the Soviet Union, Nazi Germany, the Taliban and many other oppressive governments. The main difference is that we are free to protest and try to make a difference, yet people believe teachers shouldn't protest this outrage? Why would they want to take away what makes America great?

There is something wrong with a system whereby a student accepts that it is a "dream to have a good teacher to whom she connected still teaching at the high school." Keep in mind that this student is able to express her feelings and submit to injustice, whereas the Columbine boys developed rage at the hypocrisy of the system that spawned bullying. Don't you realize that our gifted and critically thinking students see what is going on? They know teachers are being bullied too.

We can never justify the violence that occurred at Columbine, but we can begin to understand it when we admit to the psychological violence occurring in many of our schools. Some children see good teachers mistreated and retreat; others use it to justify violent behavior and rejection of parental values. When we ignore teacher abuse, we do much more than hurt teachers. We jeopardize our children and our society. Teacher abuse has to stop.

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