Charter school teacher suspended for "disturbing" note

I know that in this day and age everyone is super sensitive to things of this nature, however, this story seems to be blown way out of proportion to me. It quotes multiple sources as saying the note threatened nobody, and that they didn't believe he was a danger to anyone in the school. He doodled on a piece of paper during a movie, a student stole the note and showed it to his parents. I think everyone involved could have behaved, and handled the situation better. It's quite possible all of the facts haven't been presented to the public, but to be charged with disturbing a school assembly, and disorderly conduct seems a little too harsh for doodling words that, although violent in nature, weren't threatening.

He was doodling to himself, and he's been charged with disorderly conduct. How far are we from Thought Police?

No words could be as disturbing as criminally charging someone for writing them, then refusing to tell the public what they are.

Wow .. yeah, I think this is a bit of overkill. The school administration is making things worse by, admittingly, sending home a note with students which "vaguely" described what happened?

If they're going to suspend this teacher, it seems only fair that they fully disclose what his suspension is based on! Maybe Police Chief Suurhans has an ax to grind?

An offshoot of Political Correctness run amok. Censorship is a slippery slope and potentially more dangerous to all of us than 'harmful' speach. Be wary of what you wish for...

The cops will charge you with anything even remotely connected to your transgression, that way the DA can plea bargain down the charges. So if they are going to charge this guy with disturbing a school assembly why don't they charge the thieving little rodent with theft of private property. Why did the kid steal the note? Does he have something against this particular teacher? and to take it home and show it to his mommy and daddy sounds like he is a miscreant little back stabber, probably doesn't have a lot of friends in school....we all know the type, the one kid that says at the end of class "Hey teacher, you forgot to give us our homework for tonight"
Yeah it sounds like this got completely blown out of proportion, and maybe should have stopped with the principle having the teacher and the kid in the office to try and figure out what the issue was. And if that didn't work put 'em in the ring with the gloves on and let them work it out themselves.

This is just another case of people over-reacting to a situation where an incomplete picture is presented and everyone jumps to a conclusion. The atmosphere in the US is always FIX THE BLAME and not FIX THE PROBLEM. There always has to be a scapegoat of some sort and this guy was a perfect mark. Were these "words" written repeatedly and in a row, were they just splashed on the paper, were they doodled and decorated? Was there some imagery or language in the movie that he was just imitating? If he had framed this, could it have been called art? All this is just ludicrous and I'm sure the reason he got singled out was because he pissed off the wrong person. Maybe the administrators didn't like the fact that he was young, maybe they didn't like how he dressed or maybe he didn't say hi to someone one day. And how about the student taking something off the teacher's desk? Why is that student not cited for theft of personal property or disturbing the classroom? Does everyone see how ridiculous all this is becoming? If they were all adults, the Director Goodale should've just looked at him like he was crazy and then left it at that. But because that student decides to show a parent and school administrations typically fold faster than Superman on laundry day, something had to be done and this guy was the scapegoat...

note read....."get milk, dogfood"

Whether or not Yarmolinsky was doodling or a serious threat, this was a completely immature and unnecessary act on his part. Someone who doesn't understand that fact clearly do not belong in the educational system. Trust me, we are miles away from the thought police, but in dire need of common sense police.

so the student found the note on the teacher's desk and then brought it home to his parents intead of giving it directly to a school official before he left for the day or IMMEDIATELY? sounds fishy to me...

I agree this blown way out of proportion. Disorderly conduct? Disturbing an assembly? How are those laws written than he could even remotely be charged with them. It sounds to me like the disturbing was done AFTER the assembly by the kid whole stole the scribblings. There's no doubt the kid was out to cause trouble. And it's interesting the the school won't release any examples of the words used. Maybe it's because it would make them look like fools.

ENOUGH! I am sick and tired of having to walk on egg shells so not to offend anyone. The teacher had something taken from his desk. That is considered illegal search and siezure. This would be thrown out in court if it got that far. A teacher doodling may be thinking creative thoughts for a future project of his own. Either way if a person is unable to even have random nothings laying about what is this saying about the establishement??? Sounds a little communist to me.

Since I was not there, I'll agree with sum of the other wingers commenting hear. Two much thought police, to much regulation of speech. This should have bean settled between the teecher and the student, with gloves, like adults.

As a fameus Preznit once sed: "Rarely is the questioned asked: Is our children learning?

Brian, WHAT???

Until the words are known, no one can make a comment.

You state that doodling, while the class is watching a movie, is immature and unnecessary, and the person does not belong in the educational system.

Good to know that you are "in the know." You must know more then we do.

I'm amazed at all the know-it-alls on this thread who actually have NO IDEA what this guy wrote, but are all ready to start spouting "political correctness" and other conservative garbage. Incredible.

Well if the teacher is being charged then surely the student who TOOK(STOLE) the note from the teachers desk should be charged with theft.

the student just decided to take something off the teacher's desk without permission? why wasn't the student suspended? i don't think it's "okay" for student's to EVER touch anything on a teacher's desk without asking permission.

who's common sense, yours, his, the administration? The funny thing about common sense is that it's not all that common.

Any concern that this student walked up to the teacher's desk and swiped the note and then showed it to Mommy and Daddy? Check the kid's pockets and see if he swiped something else that did not belong to him nor had any business touching.

While I agree that the reaction is likely blown out of proportion, and that it is asinine to not reveal what is so concerning about the note to the public, it was poor judgement for a teacher to write anything potentially bad while on the job. He is an employee and agent of the state, and as such, should know to be incredibly careful about what he says and does while on the job.

I bet the note said something like," I heart Palin". or perhaps he scrawled the fox news logo..........both high crimes and misdemeanors.

I like how everyone assumes this is blown out of proportion while admitting they have no idea what the note said. If it said something about molesting children, or something to that effect, would you still say it was blown out of proportion? Just because it didn't directly "threaten" someone does not mean it was harmless. Don't form an opinion without all the relevant facts to do so.

As the student appears to have jumped to conclusions, so did many of the posters agonizing about "thought police". None of us know a thing, but one must suspect that the note was something disturbing and if your child was in the classroom and harm was prevented, would you be more accepting of the actions taken? Wait until more comes out! In the meantime, you've all been listening to too much hate radio.

It's like the whole world has just gone crazy...the teacher could've been doodling "Satan rules and Jesus drools" and drawing pentagrams while throwing gang signs and insulting Palin's daughters and still be well within his rights to draw whatever he wants and have it on his desk without some snot-nose little brat pilfering it to cause trouble. And the kid doesn't take it to another teacher? or an administrator? or even a security guard or janitor but takes it home to mommy and daddy? That kid clearly had an agenda to try to hurt this teacher. What kind of grade is this kid getting from this teacher? And what are they going to do to punish this kid for stealing off a teacher's desk. If the student took a gold Rolex off the teacher's desk, it's the same as taking this doodle. And the irony is, that doodling could be for a personal project that he's working on depicting how sad society has become...

People wonder why we can't get men to teach; why would you spend years getting a master's in education when it can all be destroyed in a misunderstanding?

I smell a rat here. the kid took the note after class.how did he know to look for it?
what was he doing at the teachers desk?sounds like a set up to me. I wonder what the nosey brats grades are.

@Confused - the teacher wrote "violent" and "disturbing" things down, which is clearly stated. did you miss that part? therefore it's innapropriate in a school environment. yes, brian is right, the teacher should know a xxxl of a lot better.

and i do believe in innocence until proven guilty, but the article provides little information on this incident and many people are already assuming it's a non-issue. just because the paper doesn't have the information doesn't mean that the police don't.

Nobody here - NOBODY - knows what was written on that "doodle", so how can any of you POSSIBLY comment on whether the actions taken were warranted? If this teacher HAD caused trouble down the line and it was revealed that he'd written violent and disturbing" notes earlier, you'd all be incredulous that nothing was done at that time. So, without ANY of the pertinent facts, you have no restraint about spouting your conclusions on the matter. Unreal.

The whole thing sounds so preposterous that you have to believe what the teacher wrote is pretty serious. I am willing to give the police and school officials that much credit. Otherwise, I’d have to ask: “WHAT THE HE DOUBLE HOCKEY STICK?! You people are getting to destroy that young teacher’s career based on that? I’ve watched enough “Law And Order” and “The Practice” to know that if the police had retrieved what they consider evidence without the proper warrant, they wouldn’t be allowed to produce it in court. If that’s true in real life, why are they then building a case against that young man based on something a kid stole from his desk? Again, I am willing to give them school and police officials the credit that they have good reasons to overreact.

#11 - mscodpiec:

How is it illegale search and seizure? The police didnt search anything, or even seize it from himm. If your going to throw around Constitutional protections, why dont you look at the First (freedom of speech) which states that even though First Amendment Rights are not shead the the schoolhouse gate, Constitutional protections are not the same in educational settings as they are in other settings. For example, school authroitirs have the right to control what goes on (written or spoekn) and whats approproaite so long as its related to legitimate educational concerns.

This 'story' is pointless and pointelss to argue if you do not report WHAT was written.
But as pointed out, as the story stands now, I have more of a problem with the student taking this off his desk, than anything.

Corboomr, it doesn't matter what he was writing. If he didn't show it to anybody he wasn't disturbing the assembly or being disorderly, or spreading terror, or making threats, or anything else.

Yes Andrea, I would still say it was blown out of proportion. I'm concerned about what he DOES, not what he THINKS.

Johnny Wignut, I wonder why you're faking being a bad speller. I don't know you, but looking at your writing, there is no way you're that bad a speller.

I don't know why these day the educators don't take their professional more seriously, I remembered back when I was in high school, I like not all but most of
my teachers, and they are so careing and professional, now I see many of them
play poltic too much, they should not do that. It is school, a role model for the young
not there to get popular with the parents, or their boss.

People... have you ever heard of "American Psycho"?? I highly recommend the read- it will put this all in perspective... if the teacher was also sited for disturbing a school assembly & disorderly conduct... he needs to be evaluated. Whether the kid should have been looking at the teachers papers on his desk or not- something must have struck him as strange and enough so to take it to his parents. Also-- We don't know what grade he was teaching, which would help a lot in how the children would react. I did not enjoy the book, but it did give some insight into some psychos who are really out there... ignorance is bliss- but i would rather be armed with this knowledge than not.

OK, name me one public school teacher who has NOT written threatening notes in the waning days of the school year. They are usually addressed to the administration or fellow faculty but why is this even news?

This is Retarded; Norwelll School System should be ashamed of itself or at least the adults of Norwell should be ashamed of calling themselves adult. Let the man be > All he was doing was venting. Super Sensitive People Scare Me; they're the ones that Trade 'Liberty' for security.

The poor guy was frustrated......and wrote something down in privacy to keep from exploding....his students were probably being disrespectful and he was frustarted. If someone can be accused of "ëvil and violent" thoughts.....and his "thoughts"are stolen from his own desk....then doesn't this put more than teachers at risk?

No Problem - Soon enough ( If we don't wake up ) we will all be
micro-chipped, and our very thoughts themselves will be monitored directly ....
.......

Unfortunately for this teacher, most charter schools are not unionized. If this had happened in a union school, there is no way the school department would have released his name or anything to do with the situation until and unless he had been arrested. Note to this article's reporter: I take issue with the use of the word "note" in this story. There is no evidence that the teacher wrote a “note," to himself or anyone else. It seems that he was doodling on a sheet of paper. Even if he doodled words, they do not necessarily comprise a "note.” And the article would have been stronger had the reporter quoted directly from the “vague note” describing the incident that was sent home to parents. This is a story that was not yet ripe for telling and was a disservice to the teacher, whose reputation was impugned. For that, I mostly blame Director Goodale.

"If this teacher HAD caused trouble down the line and it was revealed that he'd written violent and disturbing" notes earlier, you'd all be incredulous that nothing was done at that time." -Slash @ comment #27

This comment bears repeating. Because if anything ever did happen with this guy the same right wingnuts that are screaming about the thought police right now would be blaming political correctness (and of course the liberals) for keeping him there even though he'd written disturbing, violent notes. After all, everything that ever happens gives the wingnuts something to scream about and to blame on somebody else.

Interesting riddle. So, about this note...
- It didn't threaten anyone.
- No one has referred to it as obscene.
- It was taken from his desk (and not handed out).

BUT as a result of the note being found he was charged with misdemeanor, suspended from his job, and barred from the school.

PUBLISH THE NOTE ALREADY!

Why was the student not charged with theft? Regardless what else happened, taking private property without permission is larceny.
I'm trying to imagine what words could be "disturbing" and "violent" without being "threatening". If there was no danger to students or staff, what else could be serious enough to prompt a teacher's removal? Bad judgement? In that case, we're all at risk.

It is utterly terrifying that people are treated this way. Even if this turns out to be nothing, this teacher will be affected for the rest of his life.

The problem is the system and the unrealistic expectations we have. This should have been dismissed as nothing. The problem is though that had the school done nothing and 20 years from now this guy went and killed 20 people at school. Some (meaning a LOT) of the general public would want to sue and crucify and even imprison the school because they didn't do enough to prevent it.

Contrary to popluar belief not all crime is preventable. And stomping on someones rights in order to prevent possible crimes that may or may not even happen is not the solution. But it will continue to be what we get because it is what we ask for by holding those in power to impossible standards.

Tell me the local DA is not going to proceed with the charges? Who is the principal? Who is the student thief?

Seems to me that the busybodies who stole the note which is a private communication never intended to be shown to anyone, are liable for invasion of privacy. The police & prosecutor have been called in to cover the administration's actions. I'd say Max should get a good lawyer and sue the lot.

This guy has a cloud hanging over his future now because people don't know what the doodle was. What is stopping him from revealing what was in the doodle.
The truth will set you free.