N.J. Vice Principal Makes Students Eat On Floor

Black School Official Punished 15 Hispanic Elementary School Students For Behavioral Problems

TRENTON (CBS/AP) ― State education officials say 15 Hispanic elementary students in Camden got inappropriate punishment, but not because of their ethnicity.

The investigation found a black vice principal forced students in a fifth grade bilingual class to eat their lunches while sitting on the gymnasium floor. The weeklong 'lunch detention' stemmed from behavioral problems in the class.

The report, released this week, found the punishment was demeaning and unsafe, but not biased since it was common for non-Hispanic students as well.

Parents and activists called the incident an example of prejudice against Hispanics, noting the Hispanic teacher who complained was fired. However, the investigation found his firing was merited by poor performance and lack of classroom control.

http://wcbstv.com/local/students.eat.on.2.719336.html

Sitting on the gym floor eating lunch doesn't seem demeaning to me. Shit, we were downright beaten when I was in school. I remember routinely trading "licks" for detention. I always chose licks. ;)

You're a teacher, right? Give me a different perspective. Maybe I'm just missing something.

We literally scream if we have to do lunch duty. It's horrible.

So yes, kids misbehave at lunch. Goes with the territory.

Do I think it's demeaning or cruel to make kids eat on the floor? Not really, but I also don't understand why it is a punishment. Sitting alone, facing the wall - that's a punishment at lunch. Eating in the gym with your friends doesn't sound much like a punishment to me.

I was actually more interested in the racial aspect of the story.

But it looks like this guy used this on all the kids.

that cause them to have to be seperated during lunch and address that.

the floor is so not a big deal. that is just stupid. lol. bad

Asking the parent to come up and spend the day with their little darling. Of course he is extremely well-behaved while Mom is there and Mom gets to see what we expect and how the well-behaved kids act. Works nearly every time.

so what? sitting on the floor? I work at a high school and kids routinely sit on the floor and eat - get a grip

It's true. :D

That would have been beyond outrageous. Having students sit on the gymnasium floor while eating instead of sitting in chairs in the cafeteria isn't that bad, to me, if the students were being particularly unruly.