School district: Substitute violated rules
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on October 22, 2014 1:46 PM
pmoore@newsargus.com
A Wayne County substitute teacher was removed from the public school system's call list last week after a video of her trying to break up a fight at Goldsboro High School surfaced on Facebook.
Janet Barnes, a veteran teacher, used a yardstick to try to separate two girls who were involved in an altercation. The incident took place on Sept. 4, school officials said, but only became public when it hit the Internet Oct. 14.
Officials were following school system policy when they removed Ms. Barnes, but the policy itself raises the question of exactly what a teacher is supposed to do in such situations.
"There's not a set script-type thing," said Dr. Marvin McCoy, assistant superintendent for human resource services. "It's more in the line of common sense so that you wouldn't get hurt, trying to separate individuals in a fight.
"It's something that a situation dictates. The situation will dictate the actions taken. Certainly, if the arms are swinging, you wouldn't charge in and jump between them, when the children are bigger than you are or in such a violent scuffle, (make sure) that you wouldn't hurt yourself, and of course immediately call for help."
McCoy suggested those having to handle a brawl should attempt, "within reason," to separate the individuals.
"It's very hard to put your thumb on, but the best thing is to use common sense," McCoy said. "The variable that we don't have control over is when the children come in with issues themselves, and issues that have nothing to do with school.
"The teacher's best option of course is common sense, to keep and maintain a safe and orderly environment."
District policy states that all school system employees have a duty to be alert at all times to situations that may pose a threat to the safety of students, school spokesman Ken Derksen said.
"Teachers, teacher assistants, coaches and other employees with responsibility for supervising students will use appropriate student behavior management techniques to maintain order and discipline on school property," the policy reads, going on to suggest that employees use their "personal judgment to determine how best to address the situation to protect the safety of everyone in the vicinity."
Even when the students are communicating threats to teachers, the handling by educators can turn into a policy violation, McCoy said.
Teachers walk a fine line, he said, and have to quickly assess a situation when it arises.
"But if the fists are flying or feet are kicking, the teacher has to decide whether I can get in this safely. We don't condone the use of a ruler or anything like this, which is the center of all the stuff that's going on," McCoy said. "Of course, in looking at the video, it wasn't malicious intent to do bodily harm.
"It's a very unfortunate situation for us. It does raise a lot of questions -- what do the teachers do to protect themselves?"
McCoy maintained the personnel matter was handled as well as it could be.
"At this time, it was something they had to do, was to remove her from the substitute teacher list," he said.
Which is not to say that the decision is not reversible.
"That's something that would end up having to be a board decision," McCoy said.