https://www.12news.com/news/investigative/bullied-belittled-and-berated-did-scottsdale-community-college-turn-a-blind-eye/207602847
As a former instructor of students in the criminal justice
system, I found this report by Ms. Halloran disturbing and shocking that
nothing was done before a death occurred. I honestly feel that if there was
some type of intervention was taken by the college, prevention of a suicide was
possible. Certainly, as a former chief of the basic training section at a
Nationally Accredited Corrections Academy, I saw deep flaws in the entire performance
of this teacher.
First and foremost, much sympathy to the family of this beautiful
child. Wendy Halloran humanized this story to the point that the viewer can
feel the pain of this gross mistreatment by an instructor who is best
identified as an ‘abuser’ rather than a teacher.
The details of her death comes to a sad conclusion that she
was driven by various factors to her desperate state of mind when she decided
to commit suicide. Factors that are clearly describing a pattern of behaviors
that should have been observed and managed by her supervisors and the college, who
are ultimately, responsible for her actions and ‘enabling’ her to act out in
ways, that destroys, damages or leads to a serious mental status that is
similar to humiliating someone to death. Being “direct” does not include being
abusive. In fact, had the college cared enough about their own credibility,
integrity and abilities to teach young adults the art of equinox training, they
would have seen an incompatibility in this instructor from the beginning rather
than “enabling” her to act like this.
It is hard for the college to admit they abused this
student. Just like it was hard for the student to admit to anyone she was
shamed into a despicable state of despair and hopeless mindset by a form of
mental torture that resembles a ‘boot camp’ mentality but in this case, the
teacher forgets or neglects to build these kids back up after tearing them
down. I heard nothing that was labeled or tagged positive reinforcements for
their accomplishments.
We have to ask – why did the college give this instructor so
much control and why didn’t they ‘rein her in’ when she demonstrated harsh and ‘direct’
dialogues with people vulnerable to such bullying and attending school to seek
life quality improvements rather than punishments. They had the power over the
teacher but did nothing to stop her. So you have to ask – who was in control? Because
they let her get away with her sadistic mannerisms, she created pawns in her
hand rather than students wanting to learn and not be afraid of failure or
admonishment for falling short of the teacher’s expectations.
This instructor was a manipulator. She manipulated these
kids for her own ego and narcissistic needs. She might have appeared normal but
she needs help badly. Her obsessive control shows in her mannerism of teaching
class. Perhaps she sees her students as she sees these horses, mindless and in
need of strict control.
I think she scared the hell out of everybody, perhaps even
her own supervisors. Her insecurity lashed out on her students who were very
young, impressionable and eager to please adults especially their teachers.
They followed her will and she took advantage of that relationship.
To shame someone that they aren’t good enough hurts deeply
and creates an abyss of hope and promise that success is even possible. It cuts
so deep, they feel through the manipulation, torture and constant abuse, they
aren’t worth the time, effort or even the attention to be someone that is able
to learn anything, whether it be a horse or another vocation.
This is absolutely an abuse of authority. I can’t even begin
to rationalize what would drive a teacher to abuse a student like this except
to believe perhaps, at one time in her life, she was abused and now has the
authority to ‘get even’ with others.
In some ways, she deserves sympathy for the pathetic person
she is or has become. Her future as a teacher in now in deep doubt as the
college will have to decide to retain her or fire her. This relationship by the
instructor and her students was most unnecessarily rude in nature and
unmannerly as an employee or educator. The college was left with no other
choice to defend her actions because to fire her, would be an admission of
guilt that they failed to act to protect the students and that’s a gross
violation of trust and integrity for educators.
Let me list the factors of shaming this student to her death
– she was likely a very bright girl and threatened the teacher’s own
intelligence or control of their conversations. This caused resentment and more
abuse because the student had the power instead of the teacher.
Since this relationship was based on power and authority
rather than intellectual or educational grounds, the teacher wanted to take
control and she did by being direct and harsh and at times, intimidating and
cruel.
Tantrums in the classroom are very disruptive and the
student usually gets the blame for any interruptions due to the manipulation factor.
I am certain that this teacher never attempted to fix any flaws but rather, focused
on flaws and shamed her by bullying her in front of her classmates or when
isolated.
She not only shamed her to death, she scared her to death.
She knew the student needed her approval to successfully finish the college
course and move on. When the teacher took control and exerted her power over
her, she threatened the student with failure and that’s a no win position for the
student.
This entire episode is about abuse and control. Sad it had
to end like this. However, Wendy
Halloran did a fantastic job revealing the background factors that gave me
insight on this instructor. I might be wrong on some of my comments but
overall, this teach was unfit and unqualified to teach our young people in a structured
and what was supposed to be an educational environment.
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