Would You Fire This Teacher?

[wuapinmon]

http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/...sauce-d/nHQpf/

A special needs teacher in Osceola County could be fired for allegedly using hot sauce to discipline her students.

Lillian Gomez is currently suspended from her job at Sunrise Elementary School in Kissimmee.

She’s accused of pouring the hot sauce on crayons to stop autistic children from putting them in their mouths.

If she gets fired, I imagine that this is going to become a much bigger story. Would you fire her? Do you agree that it's cruel? Do you think it's just learning to associate crayons in the mouth with an unpleasant taste?

[Indy Coug]

How hot? How much did she use? Food allergies? School guidelines on acceptable food? Maybe the hot sauce was powerful enough to sterilize the crayons to reduce the communicability of disease. Did the students sign a waiver? Do their parents use stronger spices in their cooking? Did she use some hot sauce made in -- NEW YORK CITY???

[San Juan Sun]

Yes.

Edit: I'm surprised you'd even think that an argument otherwise could be considered.

[wuapinmon]

Yes.

Edit: I'm surprised you'd even think that an argument otherwise could be considered.

Please don't confuse my posting this with my supporting her. I'm just intrigued by the responses that people give to these kinds of incidents. Some people get irate about hot sauce, others dismiss it.

[myboynoah]

I can't imagine this is an approved practice or that she had parental permission to do so. I suspect she was doing this to keep the kids from eating the crayons, not to be cruel. I don't know what the rules are for "firing" people. Can she be reprimanded and provided training without firing her?

[San Juan Sun]

I'm just intrigued by the responses that people give to these kinds of incidents.

What some people call trolling, I call "observing the human condition".

[wuapinmon]

I can't imagine this is an approved practice or that she had parental permission to do so. I suspect she was doing this to keep the kids from eating the crayons, not to be cruel. I don't know what the rules are for "firing" people. Can she be reprimanded and provided training without firing her?

Probably, but there are politics involved. Parents are demanding her ouster, and the superintendent wants to fire her.

[TripletDaddy]

Were any of the students Hispanic? I would have to know this before I answer.

[Jacob]

This pales in comparison to the story out today about the teacher forcing kids to eat seamen

[Pelado]

This pales in comparison to the story out today about the teacher forcing kids to eat seamen

I didn't realize "hot sauce" was a euphemism.

[Lost Student]

This pales in comparison to the story out today about the teacher forcing kids to eat seamen

[dabrockster]

Hmmmm. Going to share a story here.. I request you do not make light of it OR I'LL KICK YOUR ASS!!!!!

As a kid I had the habit of sucking my index finger on my left hand.. You would think over time this habit would break and I would move on. And it kind of did. I remember sucking my finger all the way up into the 2nd or 3rd grade. However, I modified my habit and only did it at home and when I went to bed... My parents did everything to get me to stop. Positive reinforcement, punishment, rewards etc.. But to no avail...

We lived in Tucson, Az. at the time. My father who was a Spanish teacher and spoke it fluently (Served a Spanish speaking mission) loved the culture and food. He made his own Salsa so we had can and cans of Jalapenos, Bags of Salitos etc....

One of the last resorts my Dad did was have me stick my finger in a can of Jalapenos juice for roughly an hour and afterwards had me remain at the table an additional hour to allow the juice to soak in and dry.. he had hoped that having done this I would not have a desire to suck my finger and if I did I would stop immediately due to the spicyness of the Jalapeno juice socked into my finger..

The funny part is.. I continued to suck my finger and found the jalapeno juice to be very yummy. My Dad at that point could not believe I did not think it was hot and just gave up and let me quit on my own.. Which I ended up doing rather quickly after that last attempt..

When we would get together as a family and tell old stories. i would bring this one up and we would all get a chuckle out of it. But I would always Thank my Dad for helping me acquire my love for Jalapenos.. Even today the thought of eating them makes my mouth water.. They are so tasty to me..

Anyway. Should my father had been arrested for this?? Reported to Child Welfare?? Looked down upon?? I don't think so..




Is it a horrific example of modifying someone's behavior?? For what my parents were attempting to do I see no issue with it. But in the case of a Developmentally Disabled child who has obsessive complusive behavior's on top of his Autism, I think it is a very bad idea.. I understood what my father was attempting to do and knew I needed to stop this habit.... These kids do not nor would they understand what is trying to be accomplished. I think we see this and look at the Autistic person and look at them as an innocent child much like an infant (Which they are.) and any wrong-doing of such a child causes the public to be more critical of that person... Interesting discussion..