Dad punches teacher for innapropriate behavior!!

[N.Bailey]

Not that it really matters much at all, but the whole, "Innocent until proven guilty theory" ONLY applies to a court of law. More specifically, to the judge and the jurors. It's not even an obligation law enforcement has to follow. Of course law enforcement and the whole prosecution team has to feel the defendant is guilty, or there wouldn't be on trial to begin with.

It certainly does not and has never applied to the court of public opinion.

 

[Free4Life11]

You know because of way our society is today...all a girl has to do is say," this man touched me" and boom the man is guilty even if there is no proof.

That what scares me. At my one job, there are these two 16-year-olds. They are very slutty and suggestive. Like to rub people, touch them, etc. It makes me very uncomfortable but like you said, they say one thing and you're screwed. This is one case where women have more power than men. I have the feeling that is a MALE made an allegation they wouldn't be taken nearly as seriously.

 

[grlpwrd]

I would like it investigated, too.

We had a male teacher at my dd's school who was fired for allegedly slamming a student into the wall and twisting his arm. He lost his job over it. After an intensive investigation it was found that the boy lied. Because of incidents like this I am not quick to make judgment.

Yup, innocent until proven guilty.

 

[Sleepy]

I don't know exactly what I would do in this situation, but I think the dad should've waited. However, if my DD came home and told me that, I'd probably be on the warpath.

Yes, I would be on the warpath too. And I would start out by trying to get some answers from the officials as to WHY this aide was still in a teaching environment with children after such an accusation. I mean, if a girl says "He touched me", keeping her out of his classroom (I'm assuming this is what was done) is not going to solve anything because if he really is a creep, he can still find her in the hallway or he can find someone else to pursue.
OF course, we don't know exactly what was said during the meeting, so it's difficult to comment on the events that took place other than Dad walking into the classroom and punching the guy.

 

[inaminute]

Whether the aide is guilty is up to the authorities to decide.

The Dad did well in standing up for his daughter but he was dead wrong in attacking the aide. It's disgusting that a grown man would resort to that. That method of handling problems only works in the WWE.

This may have more repercussions than the father intended. If my child were in the classroom when he attacked the aide, you can bet he/she would not be allowed at that girls house ever again. It's my job to protect them from anything that could harm them. If her father behaved like this in public, in a class full of kids, how is he at home?

I really hope the aide is innocent.

 

[Sleepy]

We had a male teacher at my dd's school who was fired for allegedly slamming a student into the wall and twisting his arm. He lost his job over it. After an intensive investigation it was found that the boy lied. Because of incidents like this I am not quick to make judgment.

And because of incidents like these, it is making it harder for those who actually ARE victims (both sides of the fence), to have people believe them. Sadly, the focus is no longer on the accused, but rather the accuser because so many times, the accuser as been found to lie.

 

[Dreamer04]

Innocent until proven guilty, applies to courtrooms and holding cells. I believe that the only thing that father showed his daughter is that he'll protect her.

 

[declansdad]

Innocent until proven guilty, applies to courtrooms and holding cells. I believe that the only thing that father showed his daughter is that he'll protect her.

if you mean that he'll protect her by becoming violent and ataacking people without all the facts, then you are 100% correct.

 

[poohandwendy]

It does not matter how many allegations have been made falsely or how many have been true. Every case has to be dealt with on it's own. So, I will not make any judgements as to his guilt or innocence.

However, the issue I have with this situation is that it should never have had the opportunity to happen. As soon as an allegation like this is made, the accused needs to be IMMEDIATELY placed on paid leave until investigated. This man should not have been in the building, period. I guess I am just asking why was he in a classroom with other students while the administrators were discussing allegations of his inappropriate behavior in another part of the building?

Consider this, how would any parent feel if the accused would have done something inappropriate AFTER the school was made aware that he was already currently accused of inappropriate behavior with another student? He should not have been in the building. If the school would have taken immediate action, which they should have, the father would not have had the opportunity to do this, at least on school grounds.

They placed this man on paid leave after the father punched him, it should have happened before. He should not have been around ANY students, or even in that building, until this was investigated fully. The father was wrong for his actions and should be dealt with accordingly, but the school dropped the ball here.

 

[taximomfor4]

Not, I repeat NOT, saying this is the situation here. But one of my biggest fears for dh (a hs public school teacher) is that a girl will make something like this up. It happens. I KNOW it happens...I just advise DH to NEVER NEVER be alone in his room with a student, esp a female student, and esp with the door shut. IF the conversation is one on one with a student, to make a point of opening the door, and stay on opposite sidess of the desk. Man, I sort of wish they had security cameras in the classrooms so that he could prove his innocence if an accusation DID ever happen! (DH, I mean).

With zero info, I have no opinion whatsoever on whether the aide is guilty or not...not even going to TOUCH that one! But, it is known that many many sex crimes go unreported...it is also known that many are falsely reported. What a mess.

 

[declansdad]

It does not matter how many allegations have been made falsely or how many have been true. Every case has to be dealt with on it's own. So, I will not make any judgements as to his guilt or innocence.

However, the issue I have with this situation is that it should never have had the opportunity to happen. As soon as an allegation like this is made, the accused needs to be IMMEDIATELY placed on paid leave until investigated. This man should not have been in the building, period. I guess I am just asking why was he in a classroom with other students while the administrators were discussing allegations of his inappropriate behavior in another part of the building?

Consider this, how would any parent feel if the accused would have done something inappropriate AFTER the school was made aware that he was already currently accused of inappropriate behavior with another student? He should not have been in the building. If the school would have taken immediate action, which they should have, the father would not have had the opportunity to do this, at least on school grounds.

They placed this man on paid leave after the father punched him, it should have happened before. He should not have been around ANY students, or even in that building, until this was investigated fully. The father was wrong for his actions and should be dealt with accordingly, but the school dropped the ball here.

My response to this would be, did the school already know about the allegation or did the father simply come in and demand a meeting because of what his daughter just told him.

If they already knew then the school has failed in its duty to protect both the students and the accused. If they hadn't been told, the only thing they did wrong was to allow this father to march through the school.

 

[poohandwendy]

My response to this would be, did the school already know about the allegation or did the father simply come in and demand a meeting because of what his daughter just told him.

The article states:

Swafford said he came to school to meet with officials about his 15-year-old daughter's allegations. When he saw that the aide was not at the meeting, Swafford asked his daughter to take him to the man.

This tells me they knew about the allegations before the father came in.

 

[Christine]

Coming into this thread very late: I heard on the radio this morning that the school surveillance cameras "proved" that no inappropriate action had taken place. That gives me the impression that the child indicated something took place at a specific location and time. Tapes were reviewed and nothing was found. Anyone hear this?

 

[mickeyfan2]

Can't say I blame him...

Me either.

 

[Tarheel Tink]

My BIL resigned his teaching position when accused falsely- was hired the same day by the same school system to work in maintenance and his pay increased by over 5,000.00 a year!?
He says he will never teach again after what he went through- although proven innocent you can't unring that bell.

 

[WebmasterAlex]

OMG I found this in the Bradenton newspaper!!!Swafford's daughter was in the in-school suspension program for pouring Coke on a classmate last week.

On Wednesday, Swafford's daughter went home early from school after a group of girls harassed her, according to the daughter.

Prior to being hired at Lakewood Ranch High in 2002, Mathis was a counselor with the Department of Children and Families from 1996 to 1999. He worked at Daughtrey Elementary School from August 1999 to October 1999, and he also worked at Manatee Palms, a mental health facility for juveniles, in 2003, but was terminated, according to court records.

Mathis was fired by Manatee Palms officials Sept. 10, 2003. Following his termination, he damaged numerous doors in the building, confronted another employee and was charged with criminal mischief, a first-degree misdemeanor for which a judge later withheld adjudication, according to court records.

Swafford has been arrested on four different occasions over the past 20 years on charges including battery, disorderly conduct, resisting without violence and obstruction. All charges were dropped except a 1991 disorderly conduct and obstruction charge for which he was sentenced to community service and probation, according to court records.

If convicted of the battery on a school employee charge, Swafford faces up to five years in prison. An arraignment is scheduled for Feb. 24.

Swafford said it doesn't matter to him whether he's convicted.

"I don't care about the charges. I just want to make sure he (Mathis) never teaches again, not here, not anywhere. School is the only place your child goes where you can't protect them. Teachers are supposed to be special and love the kids, not harm them."

Swafford's 69-year-old Bradenton father, James, was arrested in 1999 and charged with a lewd and lascivious act on a child under 16 years of age, according to court records.

David Swafford says his dad made a bad call, but claims that the girl was willing.

"He should have pleaded not guilty, but he didn't. He didn't know what he was getting himself into by pleading guilty. He lost his business and had to beg my mom to stay with him," he said.

James R. Swafford was convicted and received two years of community control and 13 years of probation, which ends in 2016. A six-year prison sentence was suspended, but if he violates probation he would automatically be forced to serve the sentence, according to Clerk of Circuit Court officials.

David Swafford said he "smacked" his dad for what the charge did to his mother, but there are two different types of predators


EVERYBODY involved in this is a COMPLETE freak!

 

[declansdad]

The article states:

This tells me they knew about the allegations before the father came in.

I agree with you that they should have had the aide out of the classroom. When I read the article, I too can reach the conclusion that they knew about the allegation but it does not specificaly state they knew.

Regardless, it still does not excuse the father's actions.

 

[chobie]

Not, I repeat NOT, saying this is the situation here. But one of my biggest fears for dh (a hs public school teacher) is that a girl will make something like this up. It happens. I KNOW it happens...I just advise DH to NEVER NEVER be alone in his room with a student, esp a female student, and esp with the door shut. IF the conversation is one on one with a student, to make a point of opening the door, and stay on opposite sidess of the desk. Man, I sort of wish they had security cameras in the classrooms so that he could prove his innocence if an accusation DID ever happen! (DH, I mean).

With zero info, I have no opinion whatsoever on whether the aide is guilty or not...not even going to TOUCH that one! But, it is known that many many sex crimes go unreported...it is also known that many are falsely reported. What a mess.

Yep, my DH is a public highschool teacher and I have drilled that into his head as well.

My first tendency is to always believe the child in cases like these, however I seen too many mentally unbalanced teenagers who would make false allegations just to get attention. It's sad on all sides, but male teachers really do need to protect themselves.

 

[cardaway]

makes you wonder, who was the adult in this situation.

 

[Dreamer04]

Innocent until proven guilty, applies to courtrooms and holding cells. I believe that the only thing that father showed his daughter is that he'll protect her.

Boy, did I ever jump to conclusions! (Dreamer04 eats humble pie)

But I have to say I am not sure how I would react if my DD came home with an accusation like that!

The lesson (which I needed-more humble pie) is to RESPOND not REACT. I was just answering from my gut-not the brain!


Thanks for posting the truth!