Conflict in the classroom is inevitable, and teachers have a legal responsibility to diffuse and deal with it no matter which form it is in. Classroom curriculum standards, classroom management strategies, school or district-based policies, as well as state and federal legislation are the tools that a teacher has to work with to gain the skills and information necessary to achieve what is legally expected of them. Conflict in classrooms comes in many forms and while it usually falls into a broad category, each situation has unique factors which require a more narrowed focus. For example, the broad category of academic conflict is when a student is “fighting” understanding. This type of conflict can be linked to possible learning disorders,
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Teachers have an ethical and legal responsibility to diffuse this conflict and provide support for all parties involved. Bullying is a type of conflict which can combine aspects of physical, social, emotional, and behavioral conflict. Bullying is defined as unwanted aggressive behavior which is repeated over time, and both kids who are bullied and who bully others may have lasting serious problems (Stopbullying.gov, 2014). Teachers who fail to adequately address or diffuse these situations can be subject to prosecution for negligence. Tort laws are laws based on the legal premise that individuals are liable for the consequences of their conduct if it results in injury to others. Tort laws are applicable to teachers because they are legally responsible for the safety and welfare of students assigned to their classroom, and if circumstances the teacher could reasonably foresee cause damage or injury then liability will rest with the teacher (Ripps, 1975, p.25). This does not mean that a teacher is negligently liable for every incident of bullying, but they do have a legal responsibility to adhere to policies and procedures defined by the school district and State Department to protect and support their …show more content…
I was beaten up, shoved in lockers, put in garbage cans, and publicly humiliated regularly. At first I did what I was taught and told a trusted teacher. However, the response only made the situation worse. I learned to hide what was happening from teachers so that the bullying would not escalate. The result was that I became a bully. I began lashing out at my peers, acting disrespectfully toward teachers and tormenting anyone I perceived weaker than me. Since I would not tell anyone what was happening to me, I was considered a behavior problem. My only outlet was my writing, and it was through my words that a teacher finally caught on to what was going on with me. Flash forward approximately 20 years. A few years ago I was working as a long term substitute teacher in an eighth grade ELA classroom. At an IEP team meeting I was directed to observe and record the behavior of a particular student to see if a Behavioral Intervention Plan was needed. After some observation I noticed something familiar. This student was lashing out at peers, acting disrespectful towards teachers, and tormenting others. I designed a lesson which required the students to write a fictional short story about a kid who was being bullied and suddenly developed superpowers. This student’s story was cause for concern as he mentioned suicide. I took my concerns to the administration and then we made contact with his
Teachers have an ethical and legal responsibility to diffuse this conflict and provide support for all parties involved. Bullying is a type of conflict which can combine aspects of physical, social, emotional, and behavioral conflict. Bullying is defined as unwanted aggressive behavior which is repeated over time, and both kids who are bullied and who bully others may have lasting serious problems (Stopbullying.gov, 2014). Teachers who fail to adequately address or diffuse these situations can be subject to prosecution for negligence. Tort laws are laws based on the legal premise that individuals are liable for the consequences of their conduct if it results in injury to others. Tort laws are applicable to teachers because they are legally responsible for the safety and welfare of students assigned to their classroom, and if circumstances the teacher could reasonably foresee cause damage or injury then liability will rest with the teacher (Ripps, 1975, p.25). This does not mean that a teacher is negligently liable for every incident of bullying, but they do have a legal responsibility to adhere to policies and procedures defined by the school district and State Department to protect and support their …show more content…
I was beaten up, shoved in lockers, put in garbage cans, and publicly humiliated regularly. At first I did what I was taught and told a trusted teacher. However, the response only made the situation worse. I learned to hide what was happening from teachers so that the bullying would not escalate. The result was that I became a bully. I began lashing out at my peers, acting disrespectfully toward teachers and tormenting anyone I perceived weaker than me. Since I would not tell anyone what was happening to me, I was considered a behavior problem. My only outlet was my writing, and it was through my words that a teacher finally caught on to what was going on with me. Flash forward approximately 20 years. A few years ago I was working as a long term substitute teacher in an eighth grade ELA classroom. At an IEP team meeting I was directed to observe and record the behavior of a particular student to see if a Behavioral Intervention Plan was needed. After some observation I noticed something familiar. This student was lashing out at peers, acting disrespectful towards teachers, and tormenting others. I designed a lesson which required the students to write a fictional short story about a kid who was being bullied and suddenly developed superpowers. This student’s story was cause for concern as he mentioned suicide. I took my concerns to the administration and then we made contact with his