Gamer's Girlfriend
Banned
Minneapolis to pay $50,000 to student made to crawl in the hall
His teachers said it was a joke. But a boy who crawled between classrooms wins settlement for "humiliation."
James Walsh, Star Tribune
Minneapolis schools seek academic calm amid shake-up
A 112-foot crawl has cost the Minneapolis School District more than $50,000.
That’s what the school district has agreed to pay Jordan Harper, a former Anthony Middle School student who said his teachers made him crawl the hallway between their classrooms. The teachers reportedly viewed it as a joke. Jordan said they threatened to rip up a history project if he didn’t get down on his hands and knees.
Days after the incident, district officials acknowledged that the teachers' actions were improper. The boy crawled in front of other students and was later teased about it, officials said.
The teachers, Jennifer Hansen and Theresa Agerter, had had good relations with Jordan. Neither they nor Jordan had had trouble before. But, just days before Jordan was to graduate from middle school in June 2004, he crawled.
The settlement was filed in Hennepin County District Court and still must be approved by the judge. Allen Giles, general counsel for the district who negotiated the settlement, declined to comment until it's final, a spokesman said.
According to details in the settlement:
Jordan was in Hansen's class when Hansen told him he couldn't work on his year-end U.S. history project there. Because Jordan believed he had to finish the project to graduate, he went down the hall to Agerter's class to work. While he was there, Agerter got a telephone call. After she hung up, she jokingly told Jordan he had to go back to Hansen and "beg for forgiveness."
When he returned to Hansen's room, she became angry and demanded that Jordan crawl back to Agerter's room or she would tear up the project. The teachers denied making that threat.
Jordan said he at first wasn't going to do it, but then got down and began crawling. Agerter stood in her doorway, clapped and said, "Come on!" The distance between Hansen's and Agerter's rooms: 112 feet.
There were about 10 people -- students and staff members -- in the hall. According to the settlement, Jordan suffered "humiliation, embarrassment, mental and emotional distress and damage to his reputation," although he has since been doing well in school. The teachers no longer work in the Minneapolis schools, according to the district's staff directory.
Hansen could not be reached for comment. A call to Agerter was not immediately returned.
Harley Ogata, general counsel for Education Minnesota, represented the teachers after the incident was first reported. But, he said Friday, the district represented them in the lawsuit. Two years ago, Ogata gave the Star Tribune a different account of what happened. He said one of the teachers told Jordan he needed to make up class time he had missed. "She said you better go back and ask the other teacher about how you can make up that time," Ogata said. When Jordan asked how, he said, "She told him to beg for forgiveness. Eventually, it led to what seemed to be at the time like a joke that the student crawl on his hands and knees to the other teacher."
On Friday, Michael C. Davis, Jordan's attorney said: "The teachers tried to characterize it as a joke. But it wasn't real funny to Jordan."
James Walsh • 612-673-7428
http://www.startribune.com/1592/story/457449.html
His teachers said it was a joke. But a boy who crawled between classrooms wins settlement for "humiliation."
James Walsh, Star Tribune
Minneapolis schools seek academic calm amid shake-up
A 112-foot crawl has cost the Minneapolis School District more than $50,000.
That’s what the school district has agreed to pay Jordan Harper, a former Anthony Middle School student who said his teachers made him crawl the hallway between their classrooms. The teachers reportedly viewed it as a joke. Jordan said they threatened to rip up a history project if he didn’t get down on his hands and knees.
Days after the incident, district officials acknowledged that the teachers' actions were improper. The boy crawled in front of other students and was later teased about it, officials said.
The teachers, Jennifer Hansen and Theresa Agerter, had had good relations with Jordan. Neither they nor Jordan had had trouble before. But, just days before Jordan was to graduate from middle school in June 2004, he crawled.
The settlement was filed in Hennepin County District Court and still must be approved by the judge. Allen Giles, general counsel for the district who negotiated the settlement, declined to comment until it's final, a spokesman said.
According to details in the settlement:
Jordan was in Hansen's class when Hansen told him he couldn't work on his year-end U.S. history project there. Because Jordan believed he had to finish the project to graduate, he went down the hall to Agerter's class to work. While he was there, Agerter got a telephone call. After she hung up, she jokingly told Jordan he had to go back to Hansen and "beg for forgiveness."
When he returned to Hansen's room, she became angry and demanded that Jordan crawl back to Agerter's room or she would tear up the project. The teachers denied making that threat.
Jordan said he at first wasn't going to do it, but then got down and began crawling. Agerter stood in her doorway, clapped and said, "Come on!" The distance between Hansen's and Agerter's rooms: 112 feet.
There were about 10 people -- students and staff members -- in the hall. According to the settlement, Jordan suffered "humiliation, embarrassment, mental and emotional distress and damage to his reputation," although he has since been doing well in school. The teachers no longer work in the Minneapolis schools, according to the district's staff directory.
Hansen could not be reached for comment. A call to Agerter was not immediately returned.
Harley Ogata, general counsel for Education Minnesota, represented the teachers after the incident was first reported. But, he said Friday, the district represented them in the lawsuit. Two years ago, Ogata gave the Star Tribune a different account of what happened. He said one of the teachers told Jordan he needed to make up class time he had missed. "She said you better go back and ask the other teacher about how you can make up that time," Ogata said. When Jordan asked how, he said, "She told him to beg for forgiveness. Eventually, it led to what seemed to be at the time like a joke that the student crawl on his hands and knees to the other teacher."
On Friday, Michael C. Davis, Jordan's attorney said: "The teachers tried to characterize it as a joke. But it wasn't real funny to Jordan."
James Walsh • 612-673-7428
http://www.startribune.com/1592/story/457449.html
were the teachers smoking? Damn, how come my teachers didn't try that shit?! I want 50K....
