Teachers trick students with fake Disney trip

[sam_gordon]

So if you heard a rumor at work that layoffs were coming, and you got called in to a meeting where they started talking about unemployment benefits, you wouldn't start to believe it? And then if the employer said it was a hoax to stop rumors, you wouldn't be upset? Wow, I'm impressed.

Actually, I'd be relieved that layoffs WEREN'T in the offering.

If the kids hadn't heard the rumor, would they be as disappointed & "traumatized"? I think that's where joviroxx is getting the "20 minutes" from.

 

[design_mom]

I have no problem with leaving the fake materials on the desk to teach snoopers a lesson. The children have no business looking there, and had they behaved, nobody would have been disappointed.

But I'm not sure I understand the slide presentation part. If they actually told all the student they were going to Disney, then I consider that part a mean prank.

I agree. The stuff on the desk would be fine. The slide presentation was too much and I would likely be "annoyed," although unlikely to be "outraged."

(As an aside, at a previous company that I worked for, the lease on the building we used was expiring. The company called all the employees into the auditorium to talk about the lease. The executive team presented three options they'd considered: closing the office and combining operations with our parent company (out of state); moving the office to a new development on the other side of town; or renewing the existing lease. They REALLY made it sound like we were moving to the other side of town, but in the end they said "Surprise! We've renewed this lease for another 10 years!" Their "joke" just managed to annoy everyone. Some people were thrilled with the prospect of moving and were furious that it had been promised and revoked. Some were very upset at the prospect of moving and were furious that they'd "been played." I didn't have a strong reaction (I live between the two proposed sites), but still felt annoyed that they'd toyed with us. )

I think the teachers taking an active part in the deception was a bad idea all around (leaving the brochure was passive, but the slide show was active). It sounds like the teachers made a bad call on the joke. Going bowling in your home town would have sounded like a fun field trip, if the prospect of WDW hadn't been on the table.

 

[joviroxx]

Maybe you have bigger issues. As an adult, have you ever anticipated something, and then it couldn't happen? A *tad* upsetting, right? For the record, these would be 13 yr olds.

Most, if not all, *would* have been aware, as news like that would have spread like wild fire from the *snoopers*.

It went as far as saying how many would be in a hotel room together, teacher got *cheap* airfares, etc.

They also felt very foolish in the eyes of other students for being *taken*.
You can have your opinion, but I've had 3 *13* year olds, and I can say the meanness of this act is *worse* at 13 than at 5. Little ones get hurt (get over it fast, though wouldn't want it to happen to them either) not so when you are at this age in life with all the other things they are going through.

Maybe you do not have/had a 13 year old, or watched them face disappointments not of their making from an authority figure?

I have a 15yr old son and a 13 yr old daughter. I know exactly what these kids are like. I'm surrounded by them all the time. I also know that we are raising "weak" kids. Get over it and move on. Its a trip to Disney with anticipation that lasted that length of a slide show. If this causes such emotional distress, Im sorry, but that is frightening to me. Its also a lesson FOR THE KIDS, not the teachers.

I can also see the amount of kids that are just mad and loving that fact that their teachers are getting in trouble. I get that they weren't all guilty, but I like the lesson of keeping each other in check. If someone else is messing up, it can affect you. Stop treating teenagers as if they are fragile glass figurines.

 

[shellybaxter]

This is part of what is wrong in education today. First of all, don't put stuff on your desk thatt can't be seen. It's out in the open and kids are likely to see it, accidentially or on purpose. Secondly, act like adults and treat the students with respect so they will learn to respect others. There was NO respect in this situation. If there was "snooping" that was a perfect teachable moment but the teacher sure messed that up. Talk with the student about respecting privacy. Instead the teacher stooped to the teens level and that was unfortunate.

 

[joviroxx]

Actually, I'd be relieved that layoffs WEREN'T in the offering.

If the kids hadn't heard the rumor, would they be as disappointed & "traumatized"? I think that's where joviroxx is getting the "20 minutes" from.

Yes, exactly. Those that had a bigger disappointment were those involved in snooping or hearing about the snooping. It was an assumption the kids had based on snooping, not a lie from a teacher.

 

[dadddio]

I have a 15yr old son and a 13 yr old daughter. I know exactly what these kids are like. I'm surrounded by them all the time. I also know that we are raising "weak" kids. Get over it and move on. Its a trip to Disney with anticipation that lasted that length of a slide show. If this causes such emotional distress, Im sorry, but that is frightening to me. Its also a lesson FOR THE KIDS, not the teachers.

I can also see the amount of kids that are just mad and loving that fact that their teachers are getting in trouble. I get that they weren't all guilty, but I like the lesson of keeping each other in check. If someone else is messing up, it can affect you. Stop treating teenagers as if they are fragile glass figurines.

I guess that we'll just have to disagree as I think that it's OK for my kids to have feelings, even if it means that we have to pick up the pieces when those feelings get hurt for silly reasons sometimes.

 

[sam_gordon]

So if you heard a rumor at work that layoffs were coming, and you got called in to a meeting where they started talking about unemployment benefits, you wouldn't start to believe it? And then if the employer said it was a hoax to stop rumors, you wouldn't be upset? Wow, I'm impressed.

I think a better analogy would be...

A coworker sees a memo on a supervisor's desk/computer that everyone is getting a 2 week bonus and tells everyone what he saw. The company has meeting and talks about how sales are through the roof, expenses are down, the company is just raking in the money. As a "Thank you" to the employees for all the hard work they've done, here's a $50 gift card to a restaurant for all employees. Now, would you be disappointed you weren't getting 2 weeks extra pay? Yes. Would you be upset at the company because they didn't give you what you THOUGHT they were going to give you?

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

I think a better analogy would be...

A coworker sees a memo on a supervisor's desk/computer that everyone is getting a 2 week bonus and tells everyone what he saw. The company has meeting and talks about how sales are through the roof, expenses are down, the company is just raking in the money. As a "Thank you" to the employees for all the hard work they've done, here's a $50 gift card to a restaurant for all employees. Now, would you be disappointed you weren't getting 2 weeks extra pay? Yes. Would you be upset at the company because they didn't give you what you THOUGHT they were going to give you?

But would the employer record the whole thing to have a record of our reaction?

 

[PollyannaMom]

...I find that 13 year olds tend to hold grudges and make black and white decisions even though they are capable of gray! . My opinion.

I agree!

As I said before, I'm not sure I really understand the slide show part. - If it was a generic thing, and the kids interpreted it as Disney because of the rumors, they'll probably stop trusting rumors (not a bad result at all).

But if the slide show was a direct lie, it will change their opinion of their teachers. One of the "jobs" of growing up at that age is developing your own opinions. (Raise you hand if you were briefly a vegetarian, or tried a different religion, or...) If they decide these teachers are not truthful in one area, they'll distrust them in other areas as well - and that certainly doesn't make for a good learning environment.

 

[dadddio]

This is part of what is wrong in education today. First of all, don't put stuff on your desk thatt can't be seen. It's out in the open and kids are likely to see it, accidentially or on purpose. Secondly, act like adults and treat the students with respect so they will learn to respect others. There was NO respect in this situation. If there was "snooping" that was a perfect teachable moment but the teacher sure messed that up. Talk with the student about respecting privacy. Instead the teacher stooped to the teens level and that was unfortunate.

Exactly. The primary takeaway for a teacher who believes that students are snooping on her desk is to make sure that anything that could be of interest is secured. It shouldn't be the impetus to play a trick on the entire class.

 

[sam_gordon]

But would the employer record the whole thing to have a record of our reaction?

Maybe. So what? You still didn't answer the question.

I agree with those who say this is an example of catering to kids. Grow up buttercup (meant to the kids, not to anyone in this thread).

 

[Planogirl]

I wouldn't be upset if this had happened to DS. Sometimes there are unpleasant consequences to actions and whole classes tend to be punished for the acts of a few. Do I like it? No but it's reality and the kids come to expect it.

 

[okeydokey]

I have a 14 year old, a daughter at that. So I've seen her go through plenty of disappointment. Some at the hands of my wife and I, some from her siblings, some from teachers & coaches. Disappointment is a fact of life. Is this disappointment really that big a deal? Again, if the kids hadn't "known" they were going to Disney World, would they have been as disappointed?

And what article are you reading that talks about what was in the presentation (number of kids in the room, cheap airfare)?

They were purposely set up to be disappointed by teachers that should have their best interests at heart. Who does that? I think it is a horrible joke. Wonder if all the teachers had a good laugh at the kids expense afterward while showing the video around.

If one kid snooped, then that one can be faulted. If the other 49 kids just heard the story and believed it and got hopeful and excited, then they were punished for simply being members of the same class as the snooper. Not cool.

 

[Tuffcookie]

Just wait...There will be 2 8th grade classes going to WDW in the near future!

TC

 

[luvsJack]

I wouldn't be upset if this had happened to DS. Sometimes there are unpleasant consequences to actions and whole classes tend to be punished for the acts of a few. Do I like it? No but it's reality and the kids come to expect it.

But, you know, several schools/teachers have found that punishing everyone for something one or two did doesn't work. All that happens is you end up with the non-trouble causing kids being resentful of the teachers and the school for getting punished for something they didn't do in the first place. Or you get some kids that figure they may go ahead and do something because they are getting punished anyway.

DD just left a school that was infamous for class wide or grade wide punishments. Now they have a new principal and she took that away. Punishments are reserved for the guilty parties only and things are going a whole lot smoother.

 

[okeydokey]

I have a 15yr old son and a 13 yr old daughter. I know exactly what these kids are like. I'm surrounded by them all the time. I also know that we are raising "weak" kids. Get over it and move on. Its a trip to Disney with anticipation that lasted that length of a slide show. If this causes such emotional distress, Im sorry, but that is frightening to me. Its also a lesson FOR THE KIDS, not the teachers.

I can also see the amount of kids that are just mad and loving that fact that their teachers are getting in trouble. I get that they weren't all guilty, but I like the lesson of keeping each other in check. If someone else is messing up, it can affect you. Stop treating teenagers as if they are fragile glass figurines.

The trick lasted for a week, not the length of the slide show. I can't believe you are faulting kids for hearing about the trip and believing it. How cruel.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Just wait...There will be 2 8th grade classes going to WDW in the near future!

TC

Oh, goodness, I hope not! Even if I think the prank was rude, that would be too much entitlement for me.

 

[design_mom]

They were purposely set up to be disappointed by teachers that should have their best interests at heart. Who does that? I think it is a horrible joke. Wonder if all the teachers had a good laugh at the kids expense afterward while showing the video around.

If one kid snooped, then that one can be faulted. If the other 49 kids just heard the story and believed it and got hopeful and excited, then they were punished for simply being members of the same class as the snooper. Not cool.

I agree. I think the teachers took it too far by taking it to the whole class.

If one kid snooped and saw planted evidence, that's one thing. Shame on you, kid.

If other kids heard a rumor from the snooper, got excited, then were disappointed when the teacher said "the class trip is bowling." Well, that's a lesson in listening to rumors.

But if the teachers "fed" the rumors and made it sound like the class was going to WDW (which it sounds like they did), then "pulled the rug out from under them", then that's just mean.

 

[Planogirl]

But, you know, several schools/teachers have found that punishing everyone for something one or two did doesn't work. All that happens is you end up with the non-trouble causing kids being resentful of the teachers and the school for getting punished for something they didn't do in the first place. Or you get some kids that figure they may go ahead and do something because they are getting punished anyway.

DD just left a school that was infamous for class wide or grade wide punishments. Now they have a new principal and she took that away. Punishments are reserved for the guilty parties only and things are going a whole lot smoother.

That school handling the punishments differently is impressive. However I suspect that that's not the norm.

We also deal with this in the workplace. We regularly lose privileges and get chastised because a handful of people did something wrong or took advantage in some way. Again I don't like it but haven't ever seen anything different.

 

[sam_gordon]

They were purposely set up to be disappointed by teachers that should have their best interests at heart. Who does that? I think it is a horrible joke. Wonder if all the teachers had a good laugh at the kids expense afterward while showing the video around.

If one kid snooped, then that one can be faulted. If the other 49 kids just heard the story and believed it and got hopeful and excited, then they were punished for simply being members of the same class as the snooper. Not cool.

My kids have been in classes where recess has been cancelled because 1-2 students wouldn't behave. Fair? No. I guess I should have gone to media and complained about how disappointed my kids were.

Here's a lesson kids... LIFE ISN'T FAIR!