Catastrophe Award

[Z-man]

The mother of an 8-year-old Arizona girl who was presented with a "Catastrophe Award" for apparently having the most excuses for not having homework believes her child was humiliated by her teacher.

Christina Valdez said her daughter, Cassandra Garcia, came home one day from class at Desert Springs Academy in Tucson, Ariz., with the paper award.

The document, which looks like a colorful card, contained the following message: "You're Tops! Catastrophe Award. Awarded to Cassandra Garcia. For Most Excuses for Not Having Homework."

The teacher signed the card "Ms. Plowman," added the date - May 18, 2012 - and even included a smiley face.

The teacher announced the award in front of the entire class, and the other students laughed at her daughter, Valdez said in a Thursday interview with ABC TV affiliate KGUN-TV in Tucson.

When she contacted the school to complain, the principal "blew me off," Valdez added. "She said it was a joke that was played and that the teachers joke around with the children."

But Valdez told KGUN that she didn't find any of it funny.

"I think it's cruel and no child should be given an award like this. It's disturbing," she said, adding that she was not aware her daughter had a problem with homework, and that the girl had been enrolled in an after-school homework assistance program.

Desert Springs Academy's principal declined to comment to a KGUN reporter, the affiliate reported.

Linky

The fact that the parent was unaware that her daughter had a problem with homework is what I find to be catastrophic!

I hope that teacher, principal, and school stand their ground. About time parents and students were held accountable, instead of blaming the education system!

Discuss...

[Jim Richards]

That parent needs a pimp slapping. Wasn't aware of the problem? It's the parents' job to be aware (and involved) in their kids' education.

[ossiblue]

Not only was the parent "unaware her daughter had a problem with homework", she was unaware that her daughter was enrolled in an after-school homework assistance program! Where did she think her daughter was after school was over and not home? Did she even care about that?

I taught eighth grade for forty years and, believe me, humor is one of the most effective tools in classroom management. Unfortunately, when someone takes the humor out of the context of a long-running relationship between teacher and students, things can look rather different and we get reports of "abuse" as exampled, above.

[Eric 951]

Terrible--parent claims daughter is "humiliated", yet goes to the media--yeah right. Buck up lady and be a better parent.

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

Yes, the real idiocy is the parent(s?) not knowing the child was not completing their homework. Guess they never looked at the grades or did school really NOT matter in the household until they discovered a way to sue the system???


In Oklahoma right now parents are WORKING HARD to have their children certified as special needs or special education. Appears the state is PAYING the parents about $600.00 per month per child to assist the families.

[sammyg2]

Looks to me like Ms. Valdez is just trying to hit the personal lawsuit lottery.
I hope the only thing she gets is beotch-slapped.

[sc_rufctr]

Nothing new here. Since the beginning of civilisation parents have blamed teachers for their children's failures or problems.
And when a teacher tries to do something about it a parents will often intervene and try and stop it.

Parents with troubled children rarely back the teacher. I've seen it first hand. They drag them out of the school and enrole them somewhere else.
The problems are never properly addressed.

[quicksix]

Maybe her mother would be willing to let her go live in Texas with Ms. Tran.

[Head416]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

Nothing new here. Since the beginning of civilisation parents have blamed teachers for their children's failures or problems.

Really? It always seems to me that parents and kids took more responsibility in the past, before the last few decades of eroding personal accountability. I don't have any proof of that, it's the just the impression I've had based on people's personal accounts of "back then".

[dhoward]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

Nothing new here. Since the beginning of civilisation parents have blamed teachers for their children's failures or problems....snipped.

Not where I grew up.

[peppy]

Originally Posted by dhoward

not where i grew up.

+1

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by dhoward

Not where I grew up.

Sad but True......

[Baz]

In agreement with all previous posts.

This parent should have THANKED the teacher for helping her kid. Stupid parent doesn't realize the "attention" her daughter received was a positive in the big picture.

Unfortunately the kid is the one who loses here....thanks to yet another STUPID parent!

[Moses]

The primary goal of public education is is to build self esteem. In building unconditional self esteem, it is necessary to break the punitive linkage between performance and achievement. The teacher has failed and should be fired immediately.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by Moses

The teacher has failed and should be fired immediately.

FIFY......

Sometimes you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet.....

[VINMAN]

I'm pretty sure she would have been in second place after me for that award.

My parents would have had that hangin on the fridge. ( after I got the crap beat out of me for not doing my homework..)

[Z-man]

Originally Posted by Moses

The primary goal of public education is is to build self esteem. In building unconditional self esteem, it is necessary to break the punitive linkage between performance and achievement. The teacher has failed and should be fired immediately.

Yes - and here in America, EVERYONE's a winner and nobody's a loser!

And we wonder why the rest of the world is passing us by when it comes to intelligence, advancements in technology, talent, and on and on and on...

That Hulu TV commercial about our minds turning into gelatinous goop is quite appropriate, methinks...
-Z-man.

[Moses]

Originally Posted by Z-man

Yes - and here in America, EVERYONE's a winner and nobody's a loser!
-Z-man.

A recent international study of developed countries concluded that the USA ranks 19th in math and science, but #1 in self esteem! We are proudly delusional!

[Tobra]

I had a grade school teacher that I saw for the guy I used to work for, he was out of town. I gave her a shot, did what I do, and she was quite shocked at how painless it was compared to the other guy. She came in the Monday he came back, knowing we both met to go over what the coming week held. She gave me a little certificate, complete with gold star, for "PPainless Injection Technique." He sort of laughed it off while she was there, but was pretty pissed at me when she left. "That is not cool for you to put her up to that." Of course I had not, and told him she must have wanted to make an impression on him about hurting people needlessly.

He missed the point, like the parent mentioned here.

[oldE]

Originally Posted by ossiblue

I taught eighth grade for forty years and, believe me, humor is one of the most effective tools in classroom management. Unfortunately, when someone takes the humor out of the context of a long-running relationship between teacher and students, things can look rather different and we get reports of "abuse" as exampled, above.

I quite agree, but I think there was a tactical error made in creating the 'award' and sending it home. That communication should have been in another form.

Once, many years ago, I was disgusted with the number of errors which had been made in our orders from the main plant and made up a poster which read:

"Here at ******* Dairy we hire the Mentally Handicapped.
We didn't mean to, but we did."

I faxed the poster to the order desk and received a call from my boss in which he said, "Les, you might think that and you might even say it, but for God's sake don't put it on paper!"

Best
Les