Update on child-abusing Obama teacher: Superintendent responds
The superintendent of the school where child-abusing Obama supporter Diatha Harris teaches has posted a statement on his district’s website. He is investigating. (Thanks to Pat at BelchSpeak, who first called attention to the appalling video of Harris bullying the daughter of a soldier for supporting John McCain).
CCS Headline News – Superintendent’s Response to YouTube
I was shocked when I saw the clip of an interaction between a Cumberland County Schools teacher and her students as posted on YouTube. While neutral discussion of the political process is appropriate, at no time, particularly with elementary students, should a teacher infuse his/her political views into the discussion. Most disconcerting was the military slant that made its way into this discussion. We are a military community, serving over 15,000 military students and their families. We value the sacrifices, not only of the military parents but also those of their families.
We believe that military children are our children, military spouses are many of our employees, and military service men and women are our heroes. We proudly serve our military children and have received national awards for our support of military families.
I was particularly disturbed to see the uncomfortable position in which our children were placed due to the inappropriate actions of one of our teachers. Please be assured that the actions exhibited in this video are not consistent with the vision of the CCS. Moreover, the actions of one teacher do not represent the 7000 employees in our organization.
Once the video was brought to my attention, I immediately launched an investigation. Personnel laws prevent me from releasing information regarding individual employees and personnel action taken. I can assure you that upon completion of the investigation, I will take appropriate action.
Dr. William Harrison
CCS’ Superintendent
Do the right thing, Dr. Harrison.
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Good enough if she doesn’t just end up with a slap on the wrist. fire her sorry butt.
This woman should be made to serve tour in Iraq. Make this wench stand a post, and carry a weapon. Have her on patrol, with a huge pack on her back.
I bet you her appreciation for the military would grow by leaps and bounds.
Fire this b!tch. Send her packing.
Dr. Harrison, a slap on the wrist and sensitivity training ain’t gonna cut it.
The action this superintendant needs to take is unequivocal firing.
Well, at least he talks like he’s got his head screwed on right. Let’s see some results, Doctor.
This woman should be fired. She is no teacher. I will be watching to see the “appropriate action”.
Lions and tigers and child-abusing Obama supporters, oh my.
Great to see the superintendent is investigating this. With the teachers unions, this person probably won’t have a thing done to her. To the family of this girl, I thank you for your husband, dads service to our country.
L
It almost goes without saying that the teacher will not — indeed, can not be fired. Union rules will prevent this line of action.
Sadly, a slap on the wrist would be likely considered ‘racist’ or ‘undue punishment’.
I put my money on nothing more than a moderately stern talk.
Michelle, the trust in our institutions and how they are run is gone. Ronald Reagan said it best to Mr. Gorbachev: “doverai no proverai” meaning trust but verify. Can you please follow this story and verify what action is taken. This teacher does not deserve to be anywhere near children again. In fact, wherever she moves she should knock on the doors of all the neighbors and report herself as a child abuser.
Let’s hope it’s just 1 of 7000. Hard to believe though. I’m sure the teacher’s union will back her up and claim it’s “free speech”.
Not holding my breath that anything will be done to her.
Thanks for letting us know that talking down to a child like that, and bringing said child to tears over comments made to her is absolutely fine in YOUR playbook, mr obama supporter. You’re as classless and ignorant as the teacher in question.
Michelle, PLEASE let us know how this turns out.
I agree with abstractmind. Send her on tour in Iraq. Let her know what it means to be in the military.
He doesn’t sound like the typical “liberal” administrator type…I hope the outcome is purposeful.
Let’s pray his head doesn’t roll should he take punitive action against this educational pariah.
This pathetic excuse for a teacher needs to be fired immediately. There is too much politics in schools… something which I’m sure many Dems and liberals approve.
I’m sorry but you don’t do this to kids. You don’t abuse and hurt a child like this….EVER.
Dr. Harrison at first blush sounds concerned if not upset. He has 7000 employees to oversee. He has been caught off guard – fair enough – you cannot watch every single one.
However, I’d also like to think the Principal of the school probably does and should know about how the teaching staff operates at his/her school.
I’d ring the Principal up on this one too – it probably isn’t the first offense or the only wingnut at that school.
I hope Dr. Harrison fires the teacher and puts that school and the Principal on notice of what is considereed acceptable and not acceptable – using Diantha Harris as an example of what is not acceptable.
This is one of those cases where even if Diantha is in a teacher’s union, I don’t think they’d have the guts to back her up given the way Dr. Harrison describes the surrounding community’s makeup.
well, i am glad to see the superintendent is taking the right approach. investigate (even though the video says it all), but i do hope that this teacher loses her job. at best, if she is tenured it is very difficult to fire, but i think you can prove abusive behavior and she should not be teaching young children. besides, how can she be a teacher, when she does not speak well? is this the best the system of education has to offer? we are in trouble. as my daughter said, “mom, my generation is way to liberal, and they are going to destroy this country.”
this is why, they have indoctrinating teachers within a monoply of an educational system. we need to stop talking and fight back now. we have to take this country back and it begins with the youth and it begins in the educational system!
Ignoring that callous terrifying of the young girl, that is the most browbeaten elementary school class I have seen in years, and since I have recent substituting experience I have seen dozens.
Notice how the excitement of learning is missing — the kids are reluctant to speak out. Even the boy who speaks for Obama seems reluctant to put his idea forward, for fear of the teacher’s reaction.
The pedagogical technique is not one I like. It is not asking the kids what they already *know* about the new subject material, it is asking the kids how they FEEL, and then reinforcing the approved feeling, and mocking the non-approved.
Even when polling the class for the *facts* (not feelings) they know, it is important to set-up some narrative, a prequel first. That sets the positive tone and topic-focus for student reactions, queues up their thinking processes, and inspires them to participate. The teacher just jumped into the topic cold.
Until you and other fellow insipid Obummer supporters stop condescending and looking down on the military, this type of behavior will continue to occur. There are a lot of brave, smart, and awesome people in the military that you will never understand or recognize because you and millions of other Americans (of all political persuasions) think the military beneath them.
I’ve never met so many bright people, both spouses and military members, in my life. I count them among my friends. However, I do look down on Obummer supporters who have lost touch with reality and treat their vote like it’s an American Idol phone vote.
I would feel such pity for you if I didn’t already recognize you for the reckless fool you are. You really have no clue, do you?
Tragically, this captured instance of classroom bullying is just the tip of an enormous iceburg of political indoctrination, professional incompetence and lax supervision that pervades the union-dominated public education system. Commentators who expect that the principal will do little more than a gentle verbal chastisement in this “learning moment” are absolutely correct.
Better yet – giver her 1000 hours of community service at the VA Vet Cebter in Fayetteville.
I vote for her to have to listen to Rush Limbaugh daily for the next four years…after she is unemployed,placed on indefinite leave, then terminated and waterboarded. That should do it.
That lady is an idiot and should not have embarrassed the student for sharing the views of her military family, but we have a VERY different definition of “child abuse.”
I endured much worse than that as a Dem schoolkid in a red state, but I became better for it, and this girl will too if she holds true to her convictions.
How dare you denigrate bears in this way!
Red State Septictank said:
So you’d be ok with a teacher railing against a child for supporting a Marxist?
Understand your point, but she would be a risk to everyone around her.
Now a 6 month tour of basic training…. that sounds good….maybe the McCain supporters parent could be her CO!
Knuckling under to the ACLU, most likely.
I guess its “Change” to be a barackamanic and attacking a 5th grade student is “Good” for her.
Obamaspeak at its finest.
Does this family have standing in a lawsuit to bring forth an action against this teacher?
I have a few bucks to donate toward that end.
Funny.
That’s all fine, but what are they going to do for that child. She needs to know that the teacher was wrong. When something like this happens to a young child it will either cause her to shy away from such confrontation or, hopefully, she learns that she needs to stand up to this type of intimidation.
Rubbish.
No the family said in an interveiw that they arent even upset by the video so they just want it all to go away.
What a shame William
What a shame
This school district serves the Fort Bragg community if I’m not mistaken. This man knows that the parents of most of his kids there will be very upset and demand action. He sounds like he understands the outrage that will be coming his way, and he will have to deal with this. I hope he does so.
Military families are heroes too. Everyone should understand this in that school district particularly. That “teacher” is clearly uneducated herself about American history, and the role of our volunteer military today.
Maybe that cute little girl’s parents and their friends can educate this “teacher” at a face to face meeting arranged by the Superintendent.
She should also be harshly disciplined, but I agree that the NEA won’t allow any termination. They never do. To be fired, the “teacher” would have to physically strike the child on video. Anything less, and the corrupt union will defend her to the hilt.
Just like the Alaska State Trooper case, they will only allow minor paper discipline to one of their members. Whatever is recommended, they will appeal to have it reduced to almost nothing. Screw the girl and her family.
The only answer to that is public pressure from the united Ft. Bragg community, and supporters of military families like us around the country.
This is unacceptable, period. All you have to do to come to that conclusion is look at this adorable girl’s face when this stupid woman uses her daddy’s military service to make her scared out of saying good things about John McCain, another who served above and beyond the call of duty.
This makes me sick and angry, and I will follow this one to see what happens.
If you want to do some “community organizing” Michelle, I’m awaiting orders.
Had not heard that. That is truely sad.
Story here
That said the schoolboard has standards and is likely this teacher broke those standards.
DITTO
NC is a red state, especially around FT Bragg. At least it was when I was there.
Barack and the UNION will cover the nut of this NUT! And who wants to take book on this piece of trash using her freedom of speach and the constitution that Barack wants to change!
I am sure that this type of thing is quite common and often is undocummented. I can’t beleive the teacher would display this type of ignorance in front of the camera though. I bet the superintendent can’t legally fire her when all is said and done.
Michelle,
Investigated? Are you kidding? This teacher is part of the new Obamanation. Her methods will become standard curriculum in the next four years.
There is no way in Hell the teachers’ unions are going to let anything happen to this teacher.
She will skate. Maybe she will be forced to mumble a pro-forma and obviously fraudulent apology, but I doubt even that.
Hmm just read it again the SCHOOL spokeswoman said that the parents werent upset. So we really only have her word to go on.
great idea…that’ll should make her a bit more knowledgeable about the sacrifices that our soldiers do “voluntarily” so that she has the right to hold her opinions…firing is too good…ensure she looses tenure and any benefits as well….and her license to teach is pulled nation wide…
We have no reason to deny Dr. Harrison the benefit of the doubt. Making a concerned and thoughtful statement is certainly encouraging, since looking the other way would have been much easier. Let’s see what he does – although the teachers’ union is likely to make it difficult to effectively investigate and discipline this disgraceful “teacher”.
I guess now she can hope that Obama will fill her tank and pay her mortgage?
She’s going to find out quite soon that she will be responsible for her actions, and for paying her bills!
ooops that should….fat fingers typing too fast…lol
Abstractmind, the way I heard it put before is; if you won’t stand behind our troops, then stand in front of them.
Good God.. Investigation??
easy 4 step process:
1. Open eyes.
2. See video.
3. Sign Pink Slip.
4. Tell Teacher’s Union to go Fornicate themselves.
BTW, what does one expect in a public school. You turn your children over to the state, and the state is going to do this sort of thing, whether you like it or not.
I’m glad to see the superintendent take the first step. Dismissal of the teacher is the only fair conclusion, after she formally and publically apologizes to the student and her parents.
Investigating union supported teachers has the same result as filing papers using the circular file. It is another way of saying, I hope the public forgets. I hope this time I get proven wrong.
I didnt say child abuse…I said the teacher talked down to her like that.
And yes, i remember the good old days of how teachers were alot worse than this…but i didnt see you condemn her for it first. i saw a sarcastic remark over something that should be dealt with.
After an investigation – lasting 5 years – I will take appropriate action – nothing.
Just knowing that conservatives have given this woman to fear for her job just gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling all over. Thank you to all of you that contacted this superintendent! Ain’t activism grand? I may have to get a T-shirt with a flag and a constitution on it and a really LOUD bullhorn and start protesting against liberal idiocy for recreation, like the guys over at protestwarrior.com
“Soylent Green is people!”
…and that broad could feed a family of four for a month…
Amen! Bingo! Right-on! Word-up! 55555, etc…
Would we let the government take over the press in America and then get all upset that all of the news that we got was lefty government propaganda? No. In fact, we’d never let something as precious as the press be taken over by the government.
But we let them take over our kid’s education. And then we get all upset when they teach lefty politics and ethics.
No offense. But Belchspeak is not the first one to call attention to that video. It was Tundra Tabloids in Finland, then me, both on November 4th.
Ken Sikorski of Finland who maintains Tundra Tabloids really deserves the credit here.
Good to hear of a responsible school Superintendent. She should definately be fired.
Amen. This is by far the strongest statement against a liberal teacher that I’ve seen in a long time (we see plenty of ridiculous statements against conservative teachers all the time). Give the guy the benefit of the doubt, but keep him in your sights so this doesn’t just go away.
“Trust, but Verify” — Ronald Reagan
Investigating?
Nothing to see here, people, move along. What ever happened to, “You’re fired!”
I failed in making appropriate comments on another thread last night… all I’ll say on this one is……. I’m angry and I will ,when I am involved ,respond within the law, peacefully and with dignity… but I will respond to these patterns of activity I sense will happen more and more as the Anointed One takes over.
if they don’t or can’t fire this
womencow. perhaps the neighborhood will make it very uncomfortable for her to stay there. Until she gets the message & decides to pack up and waddle down the road.I saw no mention of the “teacher’s” appalling use of the English language. If you ask me, that’s grounds enough for dismissal. Let her go find a job where she might actually have some skills. Teaching doesn’t seem to be her strong suit.
The teacher should be fired and any Teacher’s Union colleagues who try to thwart the process as well should go down the chute.
We all need to combat this lunacy immediately.
The loons of the left did all the whining the last eight years, we need to stand united and combat their lunacy, calling them out on the floor, and winning every battle.
Never Rest Until It is Over.
This teacher should be fired. She doesn’t have the temperament to educate children. But who else thinks the teachers will just change their tactics if this is stopped.
Teacher whispering to the class bully.
“Tommy, I heard Jimmy saying bad things about Obama. I think you know what you have to do at recess today.”
:puts on truth converter:
blah blah blah I am not going to do a damn thing about it.
Debbie,
Do you think you will ever get over the idea that you do not need to come here and cry about how you posted something first? It is old.
If the school that employs this idiot as any standards, they are obviously quite low. How people like this get jobs in education is beyond me. Oh, wait, they’re hired by OTHER people who are just like her. The blind leading the blind, all on your tax dollars.
How ignorant.
Michelle, we have to stay on top of this one, or they’ll wait for the hype to die down and just forget about their little “investigation.”
By the way, what’s to investigate? It’s right there on tape. Fire that bitch!
the Dark Side will stall ….(law classes teach-post-pone…post-pone…post-pone…)
until Our Side gives up or Forgets…
then -Harris and others like her – will continue their propaganda routine….
Our Side always gives up…
or goes to the next issue W/o clearing the previous one…
C-CS
Realize that a camera changes people behavior. As bad as this is, I’ll bet subconsciously she did dial down her rhetoric. I wonder what she says when there are no cameras.
Also, notice the audacity of the way she lies and says she allows others their choices. She was just caught on tape doing the exact opposite. She isn’t smart enough to be that skilled a liar. In her mind, she is tolerant.
Proof liberalism is a mental disease.
Thats the same BS argument thrown up by the state I live in when a state employee killed one of my patients. Might as well just say we’ll sweep that under the rug.
Insists that she apologize to her class and specifically this child. She must admit to this girl that her behavior was inappropriate and that she is sorry for making the girl feel uncomfortable. Then fire her and make sure she never teaches again
Thank you, Dr. William Harrison. As a loyal girlfriend to a soldier serving in Iraq, I appreciate your statement. I really do.
I also realize the teacher won’t receive the punishment she’s earned. It’s the way of the educational system to protect guilty teachers. Someday, maybe, we will protect the children instead but we’re not there yet.
My heart goes out to the little girl and her family.
HOW ABOUT THE POOR GRAMMAR AND DICTION USED BY A TEACHER…ISN’T THE DISCTRICT ASHAMED OF THAT?
sorry for caps
Oh, and I hope she is as fully investigated and reported on as our friend Joe the Plumber was. I want to know this woman’s tax records, and see if her teaching credentials are up to date.
And if Debbie posted it first, it should be noted. It’s only right (which I’m sure escapes “on my soap box’).
Send Ms Harris to work in Obama’s White House. She’ll fit right in.
No point in saddling the troops with that. Besides, she’d just end up a military disability pension.
Who made her feel emboldened in the first place? She must have felt it was safe. Who gave her the idea she could act out this way among children? Really they are vunerable, and she was taking advantage..who made her think that this was acceptable? She is EMPLOYED by the School system they don’t just turn them loose with no rules of conduct. Ignorance of the Law is NOT a defense.
I call BS.
No reshirt, not much escapes me. Debbie (on a good day) might get 12 posts. Michelle gets (on the average) over 100. When Debbie does bother to post it is usually about being ripped off. I am afraid you’re missing the boat here. I love Debbie’s blog and read it almost daily. She is informative, to the point and for the most part, great material. I just think she should move beyond the “I posted it first – I am being ripped off” rhetoric. She is way better than that. But, hey, if you think it is becoming, I stand corrected.
William “The Refrigerator” Jefferson, anyone?
Bueller?
Bueller?
I would love to be a fly on the wall at the parent-teacher conference.
Michelle, if you’re there, I’d still like to know if there’s a place we can send flowers and teddy bears to this girl.
Its time for an end to our “Educational Industrial Complex!”
…and many similar comments.
I’m guessing it’s that pesky Rule of Law thing standing in the way again. Teachers work under contracts that are negotiated and backed up by unions, and those contracts contain explicit, detailed procedures that must be followed in cases of misconduct. School boards operate under similar rules of conduct, and are obligated both by the district and, in some cases, by the state to conduct investigations in a manner which is clearly prescribed.
Following the law. What a nuisance.
My own son was involved in a similar but much, much milder incident a few years ago, in middle school. A couple of letters to the principle and the school board, and the teacher in question was gone in less than a year to seek other career opportunities. That was acceptable to me; the incident didn’t rise anywhere near the level of this one, which clearly crosses the line into heavy-handed emotional abuse.
I think the superintendent is acting quite swiftly – the first emails on this topic didn’t hit his inbox until late yesterday, and he probably didn’t see them until this morning. He can’t summarily fire anyone. He might – possibly – be able to place someone on paid leave pending the results of his investigation, but there are typically strict rules concerning what circumstances even that step can be taken in. Without any support from the parents, apparently, there isn’t much to back up such a step; they’re saying they aren’t concerned, and that their daughter is fine. Basically, the administrator’s hands are tied in many ways.
He sounds like he’s a straight shooter. I’m hoping he turns up enough evidence to put abuse charges forward, which even with the teacher’s union backing Diatha up will pretty much guarantee dismissal.
Let’s save the torches and pitchforks until they’re needed, and let the process wind itself out a while longer. Things seem to be moving in the right direction, although as others have said, it’s a story that needs watching.
This lone teacher is, alas, a very small tip of a monstrous iceberg.
I saw this one on a t-shirt recently:
“If won’t stand behind our soldiers, feel free to stand IN FRONT of them.”
She definitely should follow that advice.
This is one I know because it hung on the wall when I was in the service:
“For those who fought for it, freedom has a taste the protected will never know.”
After following the advice of the first she might understand that one.
Just listening to it again – did she actually say “…as long as I don’t brown beat another person for the candidate that they support?”
ah huh…you said it so we believe it ..
These entrenched libtards like Dr. Harrison are the very problem with our system and I don’t believe him for a second.
Time to end the “Educational Industrial Complex!”
I suspect this stuff goes on all the time i public schools. It is one more reason we don’t have our kids in public school. They never spent a day there and, by the Grace of God, nevery will.
The incredible part is that this moron spouted off like this in front of a camera. Frankly, I suspect she is not “teacher of the year” material. I guess since it was a foreign crew she figured no one here would see it. You have to be stupid to tape your crimes but it happens a lot these days.
It would be nice to do something for the kid. She needs to know that this teacher was wrong. Maybe the disciplinary process will take care of this. But, someone needs to follow up in a month and then a month later.
You can have my kids when you pry them from my cold, dead hands. I have used force to protect them in the past and I will do so again.
Diatha Harris needs to be fired.
She not only emotionally abused the student, but she lied about it afterwards.
She’s a slimy weasel who should not be allowed in the classroom.
Coming from a Gov’t job., I am happy to translate. The Superintendent is really angry, would like very much to fire the moron and is admitting that other teacher came to him to complain that this idiot is making them look bad. Would not be surprised if some of those teachers were related to people serving in the military. That moron’s time in the lunchroom is going to be pretty lonely from now on. Try to remember that if the Superintendent offers too much information about his true feelings, the review process and the upcoming lawsuit that is sure to be arriving soon, he causes some major headaches for the District’s lawyers. This woman is done in this county and her reputation will follow her. Unless she moves to the Bay Area or Boston, she is unemployable from now on.
It’s true that Tundra Tabloids broke this story, and has followed up with corrections to errors that appeared in their first report.
It should also be noted that Tundra Tabloids is apparently a strong backer of European neo-Fascist groups, a rather unpleasant association that I’m not at all comfortable with. Personally, I thank them for bringing this story to light, but I won’t be directing anyone to their site or associating with them in any way.
They have a very serious bug up their behinds about LGF. And apparently, they’re turning the vitriol hose in this direction as well. Rather typical of their ilk.
They’re bad people over there. Nice scoop; bad agenda.
How ignorant indeed. Of course, snotty condescension is the hallmark of leftists / Zero-bots.
To me the saddest thing is that child ending up on YouTube. She was obviously upset at the time and I can only imagine how she feels now if she’s aware that this is all over the internet.
In truth, I didn’t find the video to be as bad as I expected and neither did my husband who is involved in our school board.
We both agreed the teacher was very wrong for putting the child on the spot like she did and interjecting her obvious bias into what should have been a non-partisan discussion of politics. The teacher needs a severe reprimanding but it’s true that she will probably not be fired.
Political discussion and personal opinions should be allowed between students and teachers, in my opinion, but not in the classroom. In the classroom the discussion should be non-partisan and that includes student opinion to a degree. I say this as a parent with a headstrong child who has had no qualms with voicing his opinion (or wearing his Nobama shirts) at school during this election. I’m sure he’s irritated teachers and I’ve had to explain to him not to go overboard with his opinions as some teachers could feel put on the spot as well if voicing their political opinion, even outside of the classroom, made them uncomfortable. It would not and has not bothered me that a teacher voiced their opposing opinion to him, it’s a good lesson to him that we live in a country where this is our right, but within the classroom is another story. I do hope the woman is reprimanded and that the board pays attention to her classes for a long while.
I, personally, would pull my child out of that woman’s class for putting her on the spot like that and for not holding an unbiased classroom discussion.