Classroom Chronicles

Administrators and Teachers put their lives on the line.

In my district, a principal was assaulted by a 16-year-old female student. This incident happened at a high school in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston. The principal, a woman in her 60s, lost consciousness after the student attacked her, grabbing her hair and repeatedly punching her. Another staff member was injured in the melee as well.

While an attack on a female principal is relatively new, teachers and other support staff have been verbally and physically abused by students for decades. Teachers have been punched, shoved, and grabbed. Teachers have been verbally and psychologically abused by students. Swears and threats go hand in hand with the daily lessons. Generally, administrators give students a slap on the wrist or a suspension. It depends on the school and the administrator. Often, the teacher is blamed for the incident.

If the general public knew what teachers go through on a daily basis, I believe support for teachers would increase. Every day I leave my job exhausted. I have to walk a tightrope between teaching students and maintaining my mental health. Some students are abusive, criticizing everything from my teaching to my appearance. If I had self-esteem issues, I would not have survived in an urban school for nearly twenty years.

I was told that students act badly because “hurt people hurt people.” Ok, but what about the people who have been hurt? The public tends to forget that teachers are people, too. We have families. We’re taking care of parents. We’re pursuing personal interests. Teachers devote a lot of their energy to their students. This often leaves us too drained to do much else. And society isn’t sympathetic.

An administrator was injured at my school today. He was breaking up a fight and was knocked into a locker. He suffered an abrasion to his head. The administrator went to the hospital for treatment and was resting at home. I’m relieved that the injury wasn’t more serious. However, fighting among students has been a constant problem in schools across the district. Students are having a hard time adjusting to in-person learning.

Instead of returning to “normal”, schools should focus more on social-emotional support for students. It’s important for students to deal with their emotions. Interpersonal skills need to be taught. Social media drama needs to be quashed. Rumors and gossip have to be addressed. Students must learn how to get along even if they don’t agree with each other. A misunderstanding can lead to trouble. Fighting only leads to more fighting.

Teachers need help. It’s not just in my district. It’s all across the state and around the country. How is it November and we’re feeling like it’s May? The fighting, the drama, the tension is taking a toll on teachers. We need more support. We want to educate our students. Teachers shouldn’t be in fear of their lives. No one learns if everyone is afraid.