Catastrophe Award

[Z-man]

Originally Posted by oldE

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

Les:
Your actions were offensive and derrogotary in nature. The teacher's actions, though humiliating, were not meant to offend any people group, handicap, race...etc. I believe it was meant to show that the winner of the award seemed to have many catastrophies in her life that prevented her from doing her homework.

And just as the student obviously didn't take her homework assignments seriously, the teacher didn't take her excuses seriously either.

-Z-man.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by 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 "Painless 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.

Most of my PF is resolved now but I still have some of it and do exercises for it every day. When I first got it - a year and a half ago - of course I went to a local podiatrist for his opinion. He recommended a Cort. shot. - something I had never had before. he couldn't get it in the first try and muttered within' my earshot something to the effect "Well there goes my profit...." Well, eventually he got it in but apparently he missed the target but it still hurt like heck. When I returned the following week he only wanted to sell me orthodics and that was it. I paid my stupid tax and left - never to return. Had you been my practitioner Tobra - I know things would have been hunky dory.

But your point is a good one - some people miss the big picture.....a sign of our times, huh?

[Zeke]

Sorta reminds me of the dunce hat which was inappropriate just as this "award" was.

I had a lot of problems in grade school that carried somewhat over into high school. One thing that I was adamant about was fairness. If I got called out on something, no one else would ever get away with that something again if I had anything to do with it.

When I spotted cheating on tests in class and the teacher didn't, I'd stand up, walk to the front and rip my test paper up and leave it on their desk and walk out. Of course that was a one way trip to the office where I would just say, if you're going to use a curve to grade, I don't play when there is cheating.

Kinda made my own way in school and have ever since. I have no respect for the educational process as it existed then, when my kids were in school, and now. All I can say for it is that it is better than nothing.

The teacher who is the subject of this thread would have experienced 100% of my wrath, but for different reasons than the personal reasons suggested here as Mrs Valdez' motives.

[ninelevenick]

The teaching profession is a people business. As an educator I constantly assess my students' academic performance as well as behavior. Good teachers understand that each child is unique and each must be treated as such. Think about it; the kid who received the award had come up with many excuses for not having his homework completed. He can take a little playful jab from his teacher. No harm done to the kid IMHO.

[Z-man]

Update. Parent speaks out more, and says pretty much nothing...

.........Mom of Girl Who Got 'Catastrophe Award' for Homework Excuses Responds to Parenting Critics
..By Lauren Sher


The mother of an 8-year-old Arizona girl whose daughter was presented with a "Catastrophe Award" for having the most homework excuses in the class fired back against those criticizing her for poor parenting.
Christina Valdez first told ABC affiliate KGUN-TV that her third grade daughter, Cassandra Garcia, received the controversial award from her teacher in front of her classmates at the Desert Springs Academy in Tucson, Ariz.

Since the story was first reported, it has sparked a heated discussion online, with thousands weighing in on both sides. Many took issue with the teacher, saying that the award was completely inappropriate, but even more lashed out at the girl's parents, asking why her mom and dad didn't know that their daughter was having problems with her homework in the first place and didn't check on her or take steps to help get her on track.

One commenter on the "Good Morning America" website said she deserves the "Out-of-Touch Mom of the Year" award and others told her to "step up as a parent."

Valdez said she brushed off the harsh comments and insisted that she made sure that her daughter's homework assignments were completed.

"It's not the case that I was MIA. I am there 24-7 with my kids and they do have a routine that they follow with homework and things they have to do around the house," she said, adding that she can only recall three or four times where her daughter's assignments were left uncompleted over the course of the school year.

"There are a few assignments that weren't turned in and that I didn't know of because Cassandra didn't write them in the homework book," she said.

Her daughter had been enrolled in an after-school homework assistance program, where she completed the bulk of her assignments each day, Valdez added.

Valdez said she never imagined the story would "go viral" and that she just wanted an apology.

"All I ever wanted was just an apology, for the principal to acknowledge that [the award] wasn't acceptable … and they have not yet apologized," she said.

A spokesperson from Desert Springs Academy could not be reached for comment for this story. The principal declined to comment to a KGUN reporter, who first covered the story.

Valdez said her daughter is still humiliated by the award, which looked like a colorful card and read: "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.

When she contacted the school to complain, Valdez said the principal told her it was a joke and that, "Some teachers joke around with the students."

Some of Christina's classmates received awards for superlatives such as "Math Wizard" and "Class Clown," Valdez said, but she still didn't find anything funny about her daughter's award.

"If that's the joke, then give her a 'Miss Busybody' Award or 'Most Talkative in Class' or something in that category, not 'Catastrophe Award,'" Valdez said. "I'd rather her not receive any award and pout and complain. It's just ridiculous."

She said it was not the first time her daughter had been singled out by the teacher and reprimanded, but that she never received complaints from previous teachers about her daughter's performance.

Valdez took her daughter out of school for the last week, saying she didn't want her to be humiliated and embarrassed again. She said she did not plan on enrolling her daughter at the school next year.

ABC News' Suzan Clarke contributed to this report.

Linky

Hey lady, if you want an apology, how about you apologize to your child for not caring for her!!??!!??

Some people need to learn when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em...
-Z-man.

[flipper35]

Our daughter is in 4th grade and usually has homework. One week she went a few days without bringing it home and when asked she said she got it done at school. Turned out she just stuffed it in the bottom of her desk so when my wife stopped at school to pick her up rather than have her ride the bus home, the teacher asked to talk with my wife. I can't imagine this girl's teacher didn't try to send a note home at least if she had that much missing homework.

[Baz]

Yes - that mother hasn't a clue! She's thinks this is all about pride. Doesn't see the big picture.....poor daughter!

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by oldE

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

It was probably intended for the mother as well. Obviously she missed the point. Here's to another future leach on the back of society.