Story Archive

Demotivated

Donna Dixon, 56, a teacher at Escambia Westgate school in Escambia County, Fla. Dixon says that she had asked all her students to move to another classroom, and they all did, except one: a non-verbal student with Down syndrome, who had her head down on her desk. Dixon says she put on her “little mean face” and lifted the front of the girl’s desk to get her to stand up. That not only didn’t work, she admits she flipped the desk over on top of the child. Despite that, Dixon claims she didn’t help lift the girl up because she’s “not strong enough,” and admitted she was “exasperated” because she “didn’t have an aide” in her class. She didn’t report the incident because she “was busy,” and if she reported every incident she “wouldn’t get anything accomplished.” Dixon was charged with child cruelty, and suspended by the school district. Other school staff said that when dealing with this student they usually talk to her until she complies, and told police it “wasn’t school policy” to flip desks over when children are seated. (MS/Pensacola News Journal) ...Here’s a policy to try: treat all people like human beings.