Tuesday, October 15, 2024

There was a trouble in sub-dom yesterday. It had nothing to do with me – thank goodness. I was at a small elementary school, in third grade, which has the smallest number of kids of any grade. Like way smaller. I had 18 kids in my class, and three were gone. Fifteen kids is so incredibly doable, you can’t even imagine.

They are still kids, though. I had a bit of time to watch them and it occurred to me that third graders are not particularly able to be independent. We think they are. They are soooo much bigger than kindergarteners. They are bigger than second graders (yeah, I get how that works). Anyway, we think they are in third grade – they got this – they can do stuff. And they can! They can follow the patterns of what they do every day.

If you throw something new at them – like a substitute does because she doesn’t know exactly how the regular teacher does it – they are (kind of hilariously) lost.

“Take out your math packet and find page 51.”
They start getting out binders.
“Nope. Not your binders. We will use those later, but right now I just want you to get out your math packet.” Holds up math packet.
Stares of disbelief and slight terror. One kid just gets it out and sets it on her desk. One kid walks to me and whispers, “That’s not what we do now.” I repeat cheerfully and encourage opening of desks and finding packet, like the one I am waving. Several kids defeatedly just walk away from their desks. I suppress the urge to just giggle and wrangle them back to their seats. I get their packets and they look relieved. I ask them to help their neighbors. They all really like to help their neighbors (where does that go?!?) It takes six minutes for 15 kids to get their math packets out.

You might know a third grader, or have had one in the past, and you are thinking, “No. My kid would have been the one that could get it out right away.”

Maybe, but the odds aren’t good. An 8 or 9 year old at home is a whole different story from the one at school. You give a new direction to a kid at home and you immediately start explaining what you see they don’t get. Get your shoes. They’re by the door. The red ones. Right by the scarf and the book on the floor. Over to your left. Yes.

You don’t even realize you are giving five or six or fifteen extra directions, because you only had one kid you were dealing with at that moment. In school, you give a direction and they weren’t listening, didn’t care, didn’t understand, weren’t interested in doing it, or a myriad of other stuff. If you just watch them and watch what they do, it is absolutely adorable – except you really only have a half hour to do the math and the packets need to come out.

They really aren’t very independent at all.

I had two kids tell me today that they forgot it was lunchtime when I suggested they hurry to finish eating because we only had five minutes left.

Kids are great.

Sometimes subs are not. I try really hard to be good at being a sub. Last week I had a sub for a team teacher who came in, sat down, ate a yogurt, then looked at her phone for the whole hour. Huh. I know you can get a short term sub license with a 4 year degree, even if it is not in teaching. I think those people are really at a disadvantage. I don’t know why it doesn’t occur to people that classes teachers take in college are not (just) about the topics they are teaching – they are about TEACHING – understanding how to disseminate the information (whatever it is) AND how to talk to students and what can be talked about with students and what NOT TO DO.

So, here’s the article from the Woodbury Roundabout about yesterday at WHS.

Substitute Teacher Banned After Reenacting George Floyd Restraint At Woodbury High

Students Reported Disturbing Behavior To School Administrators

by Pat Mack
Published October 15, 2024

On Monday, a substitute English teacher at Woodbury High School placed a student on the ground during class to reenact the police restraint used in the murder of George Floyd. It was just one of several “racially harmful” actions by the teacher, according to an email from the school and district to students, staff and families. The substitute has been banned from the district.

“I specifically want to acknowledge racial harm that occurred when the substitute teacher reenacted the prone restraint that resulted in the murder of George Floyd,” the email states. “This reported behavior is reprehensible. I am embarrassed, and I am sorry this happened to our students. We will take as much time as students need to listen and create open space for courageous conversations that lead to healing, action and education.”

The email was signed by Sarah Sorenson-Wagner, Woodbury High School principal, Julie Nielsen, South Washington County Schools superintendent, and Kristine Schaefer, assistant superintendent.

This reported behavior is reprehensible. I am embarrassed, and I am sorry this happened to our students

— Email from School & District

Floyd, 46, died in May 2020 after Minneapolis police officers pinned him to the ground and ignored his pleas that he could not breathe. His killing sparked protests of racial injustice in Minneapolis and around the world.

The substitute said he thought students in the English classes he was teaching would want to hear about his life as a police officer. The district does not believe the individual is a licensed police officer in the state. 

During classes the substitute also:

• Twisted a student’s arm behind the student’s back and showed pressure points on the chin
• Fake punched a student with his fist “really close” to the student’s face
• Mimicked holding up a gun and pointing it at students
• Repeatedly made racially-harmful comments and told sexist jokes
• Spoke in disturbing detail about dead bodies he had seen and shared explicit details about two sexual assault cases he investigated
• Stated cops would be the best criminals because they know how to get away with stuff, adding that he once received an “A” grade on a paper about how to get away with murder
• Stated police brutality isn’t real

“This information is being shared with you so you can have a conversation with your child about what your child may have experienced in the class, what your child may have heard at school, and any other harm as a result of these actions,” the email states.

The school says it met with each of the English classes taught by the substitute and listened to feedback from students. Staff was available throughout the day to talk with any student about what happened. Students will have more chances to meet with staff next week to process the incident. 

“I want to thank the students who reported this incident to me,” Sorenson-Wagner stated. “It takes courage to stand up for and uphold our school’s values in the face of inappropriate and racially-harmful actions by an adult.”

The substitute, whose name was not released, has been banned from teaching in the district and prohibited from setting foot on any district property. The district says it is working with the Woodbury Police Department to investigate the incident. The district also says it has requested that Teachers on Call, its contracted vendor that supplies substitutes, ensure this person is removed from the list of substitute teachers.

The district also filed a report on the incident with the Minnesota Department of Education and its educator licensing department.

Full text of email:

A message from WOODBURY HIGH SCHOOL

Dear Woodbury High School students, staff and families,

I am writing to follow up on the communication that was sent to families on Monday about inappropriate and racially-harmful behavior involving a substitute teacher at Woodbury High School.

As I’ve learned more about what transpired on Monday, I want to share that this person’s actions were not contained to one class period. I believe it is important for our school community to have additional information about what occurred.

Students reported that the substitute teacher said he thought students would want to hear about his life as a police officer. The substitute teacher is not a police officer in the State of Minnesota.

The following bullet points are a brief summary of things the substitute teacher said in front of four classes on Monday (English 10 and English 12), unprovoked by anyone.

The full report has been submitted to the Minnesota Department of Education and PELSB (educator licensing department). We have trespassed this person from stepping foot on any district property and are collaborating with the Woodbury Police Department to investigate this incident.

During class time, some of the things students reported were that the substitute teacher:

Put a student on the ground in front of the class as part of a reenactment of the police actions that resulted in the murder of George Floyd.

Twisted a student’s arm behind the student’s back and showed pressure points on the chin.

Spoke about a bar fight and fake punched a student with his fist “really close” to the student’s face.

“Invaded students’ space” and mimicked holding up a gun and pointing it at students.

Repeatedly made racially-harmful comments.

Told sexist jokes.

Spoke in disturbing detail about dead bodies he had seen, and shared explicit details about two sexual assault cases he investigated.

Shared specific names of people he arrested.

Stated that “cops would be the best criminals” and that “they know how to get away with stuff,” stating that he once got an “A” on a paper about how to get away with murder.

Spoke at length about his gun collection.

Stated that “police brutality isn’t real.”

This information is being shared with you so you can have a conversation with your child about what your child may have experienced in the class, what your child may have heard at school, and any other harm as a result of these actions.

I specifically want to acknowledge racial harm that occurred when the substitute teacher reenacted the prone restraint that resulted in the murder of George Floyd.

This reported behavior is reprehensible. I am embarrassed, and I am sorry this happened to our students. We will take as much time as students need to listen and create open space for courageous conversations that lead to healing, action and education.

The reported actions are not, and will not, be tolerated at Woodbury High School or in South Washington County Schools. We are partnering with Teachers on Call, our substitute contracted vendor, to ensure that this person is removed from the Teachers on Call substitute list and will never be allowed to fill any vacancies in our school district.

Steps for Healing

Today, we met with each of the English classes that had the substitute teacher on Monday. We listened to students and gave them space to process what happened. Our staff remained available throughout the day to talk with any student who wanted to talk further about what happened.

Next week students will have additional opportunities to meet with school staff to talk through and process the impact of what happened. School staff and administration, our Director of Equity and Inclusion, and district leaders will continue working with student leaders and community partners about next steps for repairing the harm done to students and staff at Woodbury High School.

I want to thank the students who reported this incident to me. It takes courage to stand up for and uphold our school’s values in the face of inappropriate and racially-harmful actions by an adult.

We value and will be working closely with the Woodbury Police Department, who we have always had a great relationship with as they serve our schools and our community.

Please reach out to any of us if you have questions or concerns. We greatly appreciate your partnership in creating a safe and inclusive school community.

Sincerely,

Sarah Sorenson-Wagner

Principal

Woodbury High School