What Not to Do in Discipline

Hello everyone,

I've been talking to administrators and deans more than any other time in my career, and I am seeing more of the legal side of education than I ever saw before. The deans and administrators keep telling me about all sorts of ways that teachers get into trouble, get sued, or get fired, and they want me to warn you about some of the sorts of things you must not do.

This is not a comprehensive list, but it's a good start.

1. DO NOT TOUCH STUDENTS. If someone is giving you trouble, call campus security. Don't touch them to move them or send them out. While we work in a society that greets with abrazos and besos (hugs and kisses), the sad truth is that teachers put themselves at all sorts of risks by any kind of physical contact.

2. DO NOT USE SEXUALLY CHARGED LANGUAGE OR BEHAVIOR. You may be surprised what students would consider sexually charged. Don't tell someone they are attractive, for instance. Don't even pretend to flirt. Be careful with literature and music that has sexual references. Avoid quoting things that use sexual words or innuendo. Don't make references to your personal life if it can be interpreted sexually. I know this is difficult to do when we live in a pornographic society, but you must put yourself above it or risk all sorts of legal problems. We discussed this in literature and classroom vocabulary, but I ought to re-emphasize it here. (I've even heard students complain about teachers that chose too much sexually oriented literature.) Avoid the very appearance of evil.

3. NEVER BE ALONE WITH A STUDENT. Do not be alone in your classroom. Do not give students rides. Never be in a room with a student with the door closed. I can think of occasions when it would not be good even to be with more than one student. It's a sign of the times, everyone. Read it and keep yourselves safe.

4. LEARN AND BE SENSITIVE TO OFFENSIVE WORDS. Don't even use the word "stupid" in class. It's extremely offensive in Spanish, and it is considered far more offensive to people from a Spanish-speaking background than it is to those of an English speaking background. All references to race are likely to cause you trouble and must be handled with the utmost sensitivity. Likewise politics, religion, and gender. The idea here is not to be PC or to restrict academic freedom; just be aware that certain words open big cans of worms that may not be worth opening.

Above all, be professional.

Jeff Combe