She should have fought. Fight for you f****** art girl! They flat out blamed themselves for what they consider a "misfortune" for you and the students. So, you get fired and the kids don't get a spring musical for the new administrations mistake, which they also admit brings in money and gives 300 kids a productive curricular activity...The problem is not this teacher but the "new administration". Can't this legally be argued?
“Procedures were not in place for the proper articulation of expectations and goals for the drama department,” he said. “There was a breakdown internally in communicating this, which resulted in the circulating of misinformation, which is unfortunate for ... our district, our students and Mrs. Hansen.”
As I previously said, passive, ineffective "talking-to's" via email and phone, and "prayers" are insulting garbage to the victim.
They do not make the victim feel better; they make YOU feel better.
They make you feel like you are doing something, when in reality, you are doing nothing but watching an invested professional be violated.
You truly support this teacher? Then do something. Send her money so that she can buy groceries or pay her house note. Offer her your legal consultation & representation for free. Direct her to gainful employment via your connections. Offer to pay for part of her legal fees. Get her a full-time job. Pay her AT&T bill. Do something immediate to alleviate this bureaucratic injustice. NONE of her former colleagues will support her for fear of retaliation.
Well-wishes and "support" do nothing but reinforce the fact that she is justified but can do nothing about it while you watch, shake your head for 4 seconds, and then re-focus on your "problems".
Please help this woman. Do not let go of her cause. She will have bills to pay long after the holiday spirit has come to rest at the bottom of your snow globe.
To be fair, she obviously should have stayed, and seems like a devoted teacher, but it was a nearly volunteer job that got her $2000 a year, apparently. She obviously didn't do it for the money--and I'm not sure sending her money or paying for something is really what she wants right now.
PattyO'Furniture, and how much money did you send to her? Did you set her up with a lawyer?
If these actions taken by the school board (firing her, canceling the spring musical) receive no REACTIONS from the community (and beyond), then the school administration thinks nothing about what they did. In their view, they dealt with a problem and that's that. But for every e-mail, phone call, and letter they receive causes them to take a moment to review their actions. Whether the administration still think they are right or not, for every voice that responds (and they stated that they read every e-mail), if anything, it makes the administration realize that their actions may not have as much support than they thought.
And Patty -- if each person here were to respond to an injustice in the world by the suggestions you offer, we'd all be broke. Everyone looks out for number one: themselves, followed by those closest to us. Is it a crime to have empathy for a stranger's injustice? Is it a crime to want to do something? We do what we can based on our own situations and motivation.
Our e-mails and calls don't make the victim feel better? I have no idea why on Earth you think this. If I were the teacher in that situation, and strangers I don't even know were voicing concern over the situation, I'd be THANKFUL.
Our e-mails and calls only make US feel better? Well...that's the point, isn't it?
Let's see all the things that are wrong: 1. They made them take out all the parts of Grease that are about pregnancy -- well, THAT'S illegal. 2. They are using the excuse that the OLD admin approved the play, so only the director is involved. 3. The told the kids they can't wear yoga pants without a long shirt? 4. She made 2k to direct TWO musicals? I make more than that for EACH of the shows I direct. 5. The admin change has NOTHING to do with this. 6. This wasn't appropriate for elementary and middle school students? So don't let them see the show. These are HIGH school kids involved. Do they have to do children's theater (ugh) all the time? In educational settings, the priority/value is those working on it. My spring show faced being cancelled due to budget cuts, my principal expressing concerns with our low attendance. We talked, pointing out she wasn't considering cutting the tennis team because they had low spectator turn out. It never came up again.
I STILL don't have a problem if the school had banned them from performing the show at the begining of the year (Still think its stupid - but different communities have different standards -- I guess. My principal has NEVER told me we couldn't do a show, in fact, my principal helps me brainstorm to avoid just that, and even when we run into opposition -- my principal has my back -- 100%.) But the director did NOTHING wrong.
dramamama611, I like your points 2 & 5. Definite back-peddling on the part of the school. I hate how they use (pardon me) last year's GREASE to fuel the fire NOW, but seemingly said nothing at the time.
Anyone know if the union helped her out? She could have been probationary, as the article did not list her length of employment with the district.
I can empathize (not just sympathize) with her as she is not merely out of a $2,000-a-year stipend. Judging from the following, she is no longer employed at the school in any capacity:
"Loveland school officials announced Thursday that Sonja Hansen is leaving after undisclosed complaints surfaced about adult themes or dialogue in the school’s performance of “Legally Blonde” and the high school’s prior musical, “Grease.” The district said Hansen’s departure was a mutual decision, a result of Loveland High expanding its drama program to include plays and other kinds of stage productions, besides musicals."
Since she did not pursue the legal route, I hope they reached a closed-door compromise with her. It would be nice if they offered to pay out her contract; finding a mid-year theater position has got to be nearly impossible. Hopefully, the dust will settle so that she may take her talent and initiative to a not-so-far community that will appreciate and support her.
Maybe this resignation will drive LHS students to avidly pursue theater endeavors in honor of this teacher's efforts.
Mercades is right. She would not have been a member of any union. When no one within the school or district wants a stipened job, they can hire just about anyone they want. While most jobs like this (coaches, club advisors, etc) ARE filled by teaching/admin staff, there are often a small percentage that is not.
I obviously misinterpreted. I did not know she was part-time. I assumed she was a full-time theater teacher who earned an additional $2,000-a-year stipend for putting on the programs. So much for assuming!
I am still puzzled by the need to complain about LEGALLY BLONDE. I know that GREASE has its moments but what does BLONDE have that is so objectionable?
Sororities? Oh - wait - I have it! A woman going to Harvard Law!
I don't AGREE but I'm sure it has to do with much of the following:
Language: whore, slut Sexuality: EVERYWHERE including an orgasm (So Much Better), the way all the sorority girls dress, think, the choreography (Positive), ALL of Gay or European (oh my! ACCEPTANCE of a gay characer? Yikes!) Threatened violence: Positive, Ireland, and the Dewey references Drinking: What You Want
Yes, you can yell all you want that kids SEE/hear worse then the above on tv, movies and in their music. Heck, they read worse in most literature that is worth reading. However, many feel its entirely different to have kids perform/say the same things. People don't like to see THEIR kids sexualized in any way. (Except in Shakespeare -- because most people are too stupid to realize HOW sexual it is.)
I love how people think they should be able to control what a drama club PEFORMS (which is totally voluntary both as a particpant OR audience member) but make no noise about CURRICULM related material(which is mandatory).
Thanks for the lesson about BLONDE. I guess most of it comes across as so appropriate contextually that I don't even "hear" it. A bunch of college kids having sex and drinking - what a shock. Ah, me.
My Catholic school cut all mention of pregnancy from Grease when we put it on. They also made some really fascinating edits to Guys and Dolls. Yay Catholic school!!!
An injustice laid at the feet of a clearly dedicated volunteer educator by a cowardly administration and school board. From what I have read, she inspired so many kids and gave them a safe space to come out to the arts and express themselves and be welcomed.
As a school teacher myself, this is a true travesty - one in which the teacher, as in many such situations, was made the scapegoat by community and school officiall bullies. A true shame!
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joined:5/27/05
Posted: 12/21/12 at 10:28pm