Case closed against Ann Arbor gym teacher fired for shutting students in dark supply room
The idea that "boys will be boys" didn't fly in William Harris' gym class.
Haisley Elementary School
From AAPS
But when the students arrived at the gym at Haisley Elementary School in Ann Arbor the following day, their punishment had changed.
Harris had placed three chairs in a dimly lit, windowless room behind the gym teacher's office. Harris herded the fifth-graders into the room and shut the door. Depending on whom you believe, he may or may not have put a chair in front of the door. He also shut the door to his office, resulting in two doors separating him from the boys.
Former University of Michigan football player William "Billy" Harris waits outside St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Ann Arbor to pay his respects to former U-M coach Glenn "Bo" Edward Schembechler at a public tribute Sunday, Nov. 19, 2006. Harris was employed as a physical education teacher in the Ann Arbor Public Schools at the time.
Ann Arbor News file photo
Ultimately, Harris' decision to shut the boys in the room led the Ann Arbor Public Schools to fire him, and after more than three years of investigations and tenure hearings, multiple courts now have ruled the district was justified in dismissing him, though Harris said he did nothing wrong.
History of problems
The day in October 2009 when Harris shut the boys in the closet was not the first time he had run afoul of district policy.
William "Billy" Jerome Harris came to Haisley Elementary for the 2008-09 school year after running into trouble while working as a coach at Huron High School.
The district hired Harris prior to the 2003-04 academic year to serve as head football coach and physical education teacher at Huron. Court documents show Harris had a history of disciplinary problems while employed at the Ann Arbor Public Schools — including the alleged assault and battery of a student, which resulted in criminal charges in November 2004.
Harris went to jury trial on the charges and was found not guilty, said officials with the Washtenaw County Prosecutor's Office.
The details of the alleged assault and battery are not known. Officials with the prosecutor's office said the file on the case has been purged. AAPS spokeswoman Liz Margolis declined to comment for this story. Neither Harris nor his lawyer returned phone calls seeking comment.
Although Harris was acquitted of the criminal charges, the district suspended him for three days without pay in April 2007 for his misconduct in the 2004 incident, according to court documents.
Harris' coaching contract was not renewed after the 2004-05 school year and his physical education teaching assignment was changed to Pioneer High School for 2006-07. Harris, who was a former University of Michigan football player and coach at U-M and Eastern Michigan University, was transferred to Haisley Elementary School in 2008-09. He had never taught elementary physical education before.
'Disturbed' and 'Furious'
When the school day ended on Oct. 8, 2009, one of the boys Harris had shut in the small room went home and told his mother. She was immediately "disturbed" and complained to both Haisley Principal Mary Ann Jaeger and the superintendent. When the father of another boy found out what happened, he was "furious," and the investigation into Harris' discipline methods began.
The district put Harris on administrative leave in late October. During their investigation, district officials discovered he had disciplined at least one other student in the same manner, by shutting the boy in the supply room behind his office. The first student was punished for yelling "four" on the fourth step of a dance routine that Harris was teaching the class and was exiled to the room for 10 to 20 minutes.
Harris was accused of shutting a fourth-grade student in the room as a punishment during the previous year.
Harris admitted to placing students in the "back room" or the "dark room," as he referred to it, for unsupervised confinement, but he argued there was nothing "obviously inappropriate" about it, court documents say.
The supply room is out of sight from the gym and approximately 8-by-8 feet in size with no windows and four doors, one door on each wall. There is a door between the back room and Harris' office, one between the back room and a computer lab, one between a bathroom and the back room and one between the back room and a storage closet.
There is an unlocked cabinet in the back room that houses poisonous chemicals and cleaning supplies, gym equipment and a vacuum, according to reports.
The district said Harris placed a chair in front of the door to the supply room while the students were inside. But Harris denied those allegations, court documents show.
Jaeger had previously told Harris that he had been sending students to the main office too frequently for minor infractions, such as forgetting to bring their gym shoes to class. Jaeger said Harris should handle these infractions on his own by having the child sit on the sidelines or in Harris' office, which is connected to the gym, for a timeout. But according to court documents, Jaeger said the students should remain in his view.
Tenure charges
The Ann Arbor Board of Education voted on Dec. 15, 2010, to pursue tenure charges against Harris. Harris' case went before an administrative law judge for a tenure hearing in May and June of 2011.
Three of the four students punished in the room testified, as did at least one parent of each boy, court documents show.
The first boy said he told no one about the incident because he did not believe it was a big deal and he did not want to get into more trouble. One of the students testified he was not afraid while in the back room, but rather he was angry because he thought he just would have to do push-ups and then would be allowed to rejoin the activities. The third boy said he was relieved to miss gym class.
The judge ruled Harris had been wrong to punish the students by shutting them in the room.
"Mr. Harris failed to supervise his students, the judge wrote. "The failure to supervise students results in an increased risk of harm to students."
The court documents also contain testimony from teachers, Jaeger, other students and a paraeducator. Some of those who testified said Harris picked on special needs children and singled out students who were not athletic in his class.
They said Harris made negative and inappropriate comments about special education students, calling them "mindless." The paraeducator said Harris frequently had students perform exercises in the middle of a large circle of their peers until the students did the exercises correctly. She also said Harris' created an atmosphere in which students hated coming to gym class and were fearful of him.
Paul Morrison, the former executive director of the Ann Arbor Education Association, testified in Harris' defense, stating the gym teacher was treated more harshly than other teachers who were being investigated by the human resources department at the time.
His testimony referenced a teacher accused of giving a student a wedgie, a teacher who reported that she lost 70 Vicodin pills and an art teacher who emptied a wet sponge over a student's head, court documents say. Morrison said the most severe punishment these teachers received was a single day without pay.
William "Billy" Harris was hired as a Huron football coach and gym teacher in 2003-04.
Huron yearbook photo
The judge was unimpressed.
"Mr. Harris engaged in a pattern of intentionally embarrassing and degrading students," the administrative law judge wrote. "There are numerous instances recounted where Mr. Harris humiliated students because they were unable to perform the physical activities, such as 'donkey kicks,' dribbling a basketball, jumping rope and dancing.
"Mr. Harris also made a demeaning comment regarding POHI (physically and otherwise health impaired) students. (His) conduct in this regard violates common decency. This conduct is unacceptable and so obviously inappropriate that it is unnecessary to give Mr. Harris warning or an opportunity to correct his behavior."
The State Teacher Tenure Commission, to which Harris appealed, agreed with the judge, ruling that the incidents Morrison cited could not be "reasonably characterized as the same as or substantially similar to" Harris' actions, court documents say.
Cases resolved
The same night the school board unanimously approved tenure charges against Harris, it also pursued charges against former Huron orchestra teacher Christopher Mark, who was accused of "grooming" a female student for a romantic relationship.
Mark's tenure case also recently came to a close when, in March, he — like Harris — was denied an appeal of his dismissal by the Michigan Court of Appeals. The court cited a "lack of merit on the grounds presented" as the reason both Harris and Mark were denied a hearing.
In teacher tenure cases, an administrative law judge with the Michigan Department of Education serves as the initial decision-maker, and he or she issues a preliminary order on all cases, granting or denying the district's request to discharge the tenured teacher.
It is the judge's responsibility to determine whether the school district had a reasonable and just cause for firing the teacher in question.
The teacher can then appeal to the State Teacher Tenure Commission. In Harris' case, the commission upheld the administrative law judge's ruling and the Michigan Court of Appeals decided not to hear his case, letting his firing stand.
Danielle Arndt covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. Follow her on Twitter @DanielleArndt or email her at daniellearndt@annarbor.com.
Comments
15crown00
Thu, May 23, 2013 : 7:48 p.m.
these two sound like truly bad guys who should not be teachers.
BHarding
Thu, May 23, 2013 : 1:57 p.m.
This headline is a little misleading........it wasn't the supply room incident so much as a culmination of events that lead to his dismissal. There is no excuse for deliberately humiliating kids, especially in front of others, as he had done.
concerned
Thu, May 23, 2013 : 1:38 p.m.
What gets a tenured teacher fired? The fact that this took three years is not at all surprising to me. At Ann Arbor Open School several years back, under an as since resigned principal (not the fantastic principal we have now), the gym teacher was accused more than once of sexual misconduct toward girls, and his behavior deemed "inappropriate, if not strictly criminal" after a police investigation. The police recommended he not work with children, but be given a "desk job." The teacher, despite many complaints of abuse of children over the course of several years from parents to both the principal and the superintendent (not to mention the police), was never disciplined . He was finally gone (but not through disciplinary measures) when our new and wonderful principal took over. I can't weigh in on Harris' case, but I can say that there is a lot that is unfair and thoroughly subjective about teacher discipline.
Tru2Blu76
Thu, May 23, 2013 : 1:19 p.m.
What is age appropriate, age appropriate, age appropriate?!! THAT is the underlying problem in this and many other incidents during any child's K-12 development. No consideration is given to what is age (and ability) appropriate. No mention is made of the grade level or age of these boys. No mention is made of their ability to handle the "discipline" level applied. Educators today have vastly more knowledge of child development than before. A mass production system for a rapidly developing & widely varied child-student population is just plain and simple BROKEN from the start. NOT every kid in grades 1-6 is equally capable and few if any are future football players. Good motivation is the key to "discipline" - kids in gym class need to be taught the value of "getting good" and "getting better" at various physical skills. If they're enthused, they'll be far more likely to be accepting of the "discipline required." Teaching a kid that he must be afraid to do wrong is much different and much less likely to succeed than teaching a kid they can LEARN SOMETHING USEFUL to them. Gym teachers who use regimented concepts to intimidate and force kids to do things they aren't suited for (according to their age & development) only contribute to the building resentment which can lead to rampage retaliation when they're older. Kids are all about learning and potential: the job of education isn't to develop future sports stars, it's to develop future adults who can turn out to be many things: chemists, engineers, writers, nationally renowned dancers, top chefs; on and on. We don't need more than a finite number of future Michigan football stars. We need ALL kinds of future contributing adults.
Tru2Blu76
Thu, May 23, 2013 : 4:13 p.m.
@ViSHa: What you say about the parents' attitude applies. I think there's too much "projection" going on in parents' heads. Some want their sons to be football stars and get a football scholarship and they darned-well intend to make it happen - even though all the other boys and their parents have their own set of expectations and abilities. For that matter, some parents want football stars when their son is actually a potential physicist. Duh! It's about the kids and their desires and potential, not about the parents wishes for something they loved (or hated). In this case, the boys are not yet in middle school and already Mr. Harris is using quasi-military discipline methods. His implicit message is: "If you won't respect me, then I'll make you fear me." That's not the kind of lesson we should want teachers teaching or (especially male) students learning.
ViSHa
Thu, May 23, 2013 : 2:52 p.m.
I feel like many of the posters who think the parents and kids are being "wimps" would have had a fit if it were their kids and be saying "all they did was kick some balls around--boys will be boys, teacher overreacted, etc..".
Ypsituckyguy
Thu, May 23, 2013 : 12:48 p.m.
I think the point that many are missing is, regardless of what we as adults may have experienced growing up in the public school system, there are very clear guidelines for restraint and (as in this case) seclusion in the public school system. He could have put these students individually in a seclusion situation, if it was done in a sancitioned area of the school set up for this purpose, where he wouldhave been able to supervise the students. This was not at all the case in this situation. He violated the law and thus he is subject to the penalties of the law.
Charles Curtis
Thu, May 23, 2013 : 12:20 p.m.
AAPS took a problem and just moved it to another school. History of discipline issues and AAPS thought this guy would do better with younger children. Great leadership there. Stop asking why many are choosing other schooling options. Tenured too, so if this guy was still at AAPS, we would fire a newer teacher instead of this guy with the new layoffs coming. Great system.
tim
Thu, May 23, 2013 : 10:21 a.m.
And to think they use to whack us with a paddle.
Joe_Citizen
Thu, May 23, 2013 : 2:28 a.m.
haha a dark dimly lit prison cell is much more permanent, and where these kids will head without any discipline. I knew as soon as it was illegal to spank a kid in class that all the next generation will be spoiled and undisciplined. I believe the teacher made the right choice, and what else did he have at his disposal to discipline kids these days. Suspending them for a day or five is what they want. I loved getting suspended when i was a kid. Me and the other kid hung out all day.
TeedOff
Thu, May 23, 2013 : 1:42 a.m.
Extremely sad story for many reasons. Every student deserves a positive Physical Education experience. Unfortunate example of a "bad apple" spoiling the work of many excellent teachers. Bad stories such as this make us reflect back to our own bad experiences in school. It is easy, everybody has something negative they remember, but I also remember those special caring teachers who made a difference in my life and inspired me. Today, with budget problems and data/achievement/testing demands, people are losing sight of the personal connection between teachers and students and the critical role they play in the emotional health and wellness of each child. I wanted to take an opportunity to highlight some of the amazing AAPS teachers I had specific to PHYSICAL EDUCATION who made a positive impact in my life: Ms Wahl (Wines), Mrs. Newell (Slauson), Mrs. Hart (Logan), and Mr. Rodriquez (Pioneer). Who was your special AAPS teacher? Please name them and let's start some positive press!
lynel
Thu, May 23, 2013 : 2:24 a.m.
Mike Stewart at Lawton
ViSHa
Thu, May 23, 2013 : midnight
Mr Harris appears to have a short fuse and should have never been placed with elementary students (although it doesn't sound like he was much better with high school students). Its very hard to believe that this case is just now closed yet any previous documentation on past behavior is purged or unavailable, etc.. I would really like to hear more about the incident at Huron and why after Huron he only spent one year at Pioneer before being transferred to Haisley.
J. A. Pieper
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 11:26 p.m.
I would not question anything related to tenure, but it is a relief when a poor teacher is finally let go. As teachers, we all know who in our ranks should never have become an educator. When we see these kind of teachers being granted tenure, it breaks our hearts. The building level administrator has to do his/her job to prevent this from happening. It takes documentation, which requires work on the part of the principal! Too many have let this go, especially here in AAPS. On the other hand, I agree with the posters here who are pointing out that many children have no consequences these days, and parents believe their kids can do no wrong. Add to this the current AAPS policy related to the "Discipline Gap Initiative" where we are not allowed to discipline specific students, and we all should be worried!
OLDTIMER3
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 11:03 p.m.
When a music teacher locked 2 of us boys in the instrument room years ago for something we did (don't remember what it was now) I didn't tell my folks because I knew I would be in more trouble with them for what I had done. They knew I wasn't always such an innocent boy.
A A Resident
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 9:45 p.m.
Some students didn't follow instructions, so the teacher had them wait out the class in a side room? Ohmygawd! Tar and feather him, and run him out of town!
a2citizen
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 8:49 p.m.
A photo of "disturbed" and "furious" parents standing in front of trophies for last place would be a nice touch to the article.
AnnArbor
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 8:49 p.m.
Wow...I don't even know where to begin! As a parent of one of the mentioned students, I am appalled by the title of this article! The children being shut in the dark room was one of 100's of reasons this teacher was fired! The saying, "the straw that broke the camels back" is most appropriate here. My child was the straw that broke the camels back and in this case...I am proud! I am proud of my current 8th grader (yes...this event was 3 years ago!!), Student of the Month, Student-Athlete that knows the difference between right and wrong. For all you future AAPS students and parents... you are welcome... that I have raised a solid son, full of character that was a part of this unfortunate series of events that led to the firing of this teacher!
AnnArbor
Thu, May 23, 2013 : 2:39 a.m.
Kris, I totally agree...that's why I didn't like the title of the article.
kris
Thu, May 23, 2013 : 2:23 a.m.
Well, I actually think the article explains fairly well all the problems with this teacher...several paragraphs go into detail under the sub-heading "History of Problems."
AnnArbor
Thu, May 23, 2013 : 1:34 a.m.
Kris...I guess what I find so appalling is that the article makes it seem like the sole reason this teacher was fired was for placing students in a dark room. That is so not the case!! There were NUMEROUS reasons, for MANY years from MULTIPLE schools. He had no business working with children and I am relieved no other students will be succumbed to his completely irrational and inappropriate "teaching" methods. I appreciate your question, I hope that answered it.
kris
Thu, May 23, 2013 : 1:10 a.m.
What is so appalling about the headline?
thecompound
Thu, May 23, 2013 : 12:15 a.m.
What I find most disturbing was that he didn't do this punishment out of frustration. He had all night to think and decide how he was going to handle it and this is what he came up with.
towncryer
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 8:15 p.m.
This guy is lucky those boys didn't get into the unlocked chemicals or physically turn on each other. I agree a lot of kids are coddled now and need more discipline but it sounds like this guy had a track record for bad behavior. A kid may not like coming to class.....but he/she shouldn't be FEARFUL to go to class. Also, AAPS should be ashamed of their continuous musical chairs of teachers and principals who obviously should not be working with/around kids.
Mi resident
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 7:39 p.m.
Though we (as usual) don't know all the details, I think it was fitting. Teachers are expected to put up with way to much nonsense and entilted distrespectful kids. There would be a lot less 'riff-raff' if kids had some disclipine. No body got hurt.. but the kids DID learn to cry to mommy and daddy and make it all go away.. Brilliant examples for the future..
Sue_Z_Q
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 7:32 p.m.
Really? A teacher gets fired for making kids sit out gym class in a dark room? It seems really overblown to me but I guess maybe this was just a last straw in string of questionable incidents. I saw crazy things being allowed by teachers in the AA school system when I grew up, including a teacher that hit students and threw at least one of them to the ground causing a back injury. This teacher personally shook me very hard and held me down in a chair. Zip, zero, zilch punishment for him but sitting out kids from gym class? Wow. Oh well. I guess times are changing. Maybe not a bad thing.
treetowncartel
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 7:27 p.m.
I was locked in an AAPS elementary bathroom during music many years ago and lived to post about it on A2.com. These three at least had chairs at their disposal.
treetowncartel
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 9:35 p.m.
@aamom, Late 70's early 80's, and I wasn't the only one in music who might find themselves in there.
aamom
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 8:45 p.m.
Mind if I ask which decade this occurred in? I never saw this kind of thing in school. I went to school mostly in the 80's. I was also well behaved so maybe it happened to kids and I didn't realize it?
justcary
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 7:14 p.m.
Totally justifiable termination. Humiliation and intimidation will not stand as consequences for classroom behavior. The AAPS must take some of the blame for hiring a man who had never taught phys ed before!!! He was clearly hired as a coach and thrown into classrooms at the expense of children. The AAPS is culpable for that! By hiring a coach who is not qualified to teach they spoke very LOUDLY about how important the classroom is. Sure, anyone can do it...
Bear
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 6:44 p.m.
Wow! such a calamity over this issue. When I was in school, if they put me into a dark room for punishment, I would take a nap. Big whoop! What, you afraid of the dark? Listening to the reaction of the students who testified about how they felt about the situation makes more sense than a lot of the comments posted here. That said, if he was singling out "special needs" (what does that euphemism mean, anyways?) kids and those who weren't jocks, I can see that being an issue. But get over it, anyone who expects life and school to be a bed of roses is a fool and it is good learning that you sometimes have to put up and deal with situations you don't like or enjoy. I didn't really like physical education either, when I was a kid. The army taught me more than phys ed did and I excelled then. And I will tell you this much, phys ed is nothing compared to the 'breaking down of the civilian and the building of a soldier' done in basic training. I agree that kids shouldn't be tormented, but I also agree that kids shouldn't be coddled.
Ann English
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 7:22 p.m.
When I read that the teacher told them to do push-ups as punishment, I was reminded of martial arts instructors disciplining students that way.
anotherannarborite
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 6:24 p.m.
I remember being so disappointed and disgusted when AAPS put this bully in an elementray building, and an elementary that has a large population of the most vulnerable students, those with disabilities. Putting the boys in the closet was one of many many complaints, just the one that was easiest to quantify and act upon. As far as excessively sending kids to the office, that's what teachers who can't manage their class do. It feeds upon itself and is the number one indicator of a teacher who is out of touch with his/her students and/or does not have an adequately commanding presence in the classroom (or gym).
a2schoolparent
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 5:38 p.m.
I'm glad to hear this. This is not a question about whether children should be disciplined. It's a question about whether teachers understand how to safely and appropriately discipline the children. If teachers misuse their powers, children will be subject to danger and abuse, and that should not be tolerated.
easy123
Thu, May 23, 2013 : 12:03 p.m.
It is also a question for the kids to get punished.
Linda Peck
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 5:10 p.m.
Why is this turning out to be a racial issue? At least, that seems to be a thread going through these comments. I thought this was about abuse of children and firing of a bad teacher.
ThinkingOne
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 11:04 p.m.
I am with lynel. There is currently no 'racial issue' post until now. Of course, there are several comments that have been blocked. Perhaps you should have responded to the post you are referring to - then we would have seen that you are referring to a particular post that was blocked.
lynel
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 9:56 p.m.
Unless I missed something your post is the first that mentioned this was a racial issue.
Angry Moderate
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 5:17 p.m.
If a white teacher had physically assaulted a black student, he wouldnt get to continue teaching for another 5+ years, or get a second chance before being fired.
Linda Peck
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 5:04 p.m.
This kind of mean, cruel, and criminal behavior toward children is not uncommon in public schools. It just goes undiscovered or unpunished.
aamom
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 8:41 p.m.
It's amazing how much better "they had to stay in a dimly lit room" sounds than "they were locked in a closet."
Elaine F. Owsley
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 7:32 p.m.
Mean? Cruel? Criminal? Get serious. They had to stay in a dimly lit room.
Soft Paw
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 5:02 p.m.
30 or 40 years nothing this teacher did would seem unusual. Times change though.
aamom
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 8:39 p.m.
Actually, many comments above from older folks make it sound like teachers 30 or 40 years ago were locking kids in closets as punishment also but that it was just more socially accepted.
Usual Suspect
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 7:10 p.m.
30 or 40 years this sort of thing wasn't necessary. Parents disciplined their kids. Now they leave it up to teachers to raise them, and then get upset when the teachers do that job..
Dena
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 4:56 p.m.
I would think that by now that schools would have a standard procedure for dealing with kids who are disruptive, etc. Sounds like this school allows each teacher to determine the punishment. Maybe this kids need a class on listening instead of gym.
Vinnymass
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 4:44 p.m.
Although i do not agree with picking on the disabled, the administration gave him the ability to punish his students as he feel fit when they would not let him send kids to the principals office for minor offenses. If the school would have not turned their backs on disciplining his students instead of telling him to deal with it himself this never would have happened. Back when I was a student and we acted up my teacher gave us the option of the paddle or the principal's office; which meant calling your parents and detention. Very few kids acted up in his class for that reason. Fear was and can be a great motivating factor.
ThinkingOne
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 11 p.m.
Elaine Please read the article. Although these 4 apparently weren't 'disabled', there is discussion in the article about other things he has been accused of.
Elaine F. Owsley
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 7:30 p.m.
Where did "disabled" come from? One of the parents said the kid has "health issues". That could have been a cold for all we know. Apparently the kids thought it was no big deal.
Angry Moderate
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 3:45 p.m.
The incident at Huron High School involved Coach Harris physically assaulting a 14 year old boy during gym class (grabbing him and putting his hands around his neck) in front of other students. It is absolutely unbelievable that an accusation of violence resulting in criminal charges against an employee has been "purged" from the district's records, and I would love to hear some more information about whatever policy caused that to happen. What kind of operation are they running over there that they don't keep a PERMANENT record of such an incident? Of course it wouldn't be the first time that AAPS has been more lenient with wrongdoing by athletic coaches than they are with wrongdoing by students...or the first time they let an employee who adds to their "diversity" numbers slide without punishment.
easy123
Thu, May 23, 2013 : 12:01 p.m.
I would probably side with the teacher on some instances. There have are/have been quite a few fights in the public schools. Keep going this way, and the kids with concened parents will pull their kids out. If you do not believe it - take a look at Ypsi. Bottomline, your kids are ther to study - not for social engineering.
Angry Moderate
Thu, May 23, 2013 : 4:24 a.m.
You are correct about the prosecutor purging the records rather than the AAPS. As for being found not guilty, so were OJ Simpson and Casey Anthony. All it would take to acquit is 1 juror who is overly-sympathetic to sports jocks who think they're above the law.
Rob Pollard
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 7:20 p.m.
Angry Moderate, a few things: it was NOT the "district" that purged the records -- it was the prosecutor's office. From the story: "Officials with the prosecutor's office said the file on the case has been purged." Also: what does "If that's what happened, the county prosecutor would not have charged him with battery" mean? He was acquitted. I have no idea what happened but prosecutors charge people with things that did NOT happen all the time. Just b/c you're charged doesn't mean you're guilty. And I don't even know what to say "It's true because it happened" - that's circular reasoning. if it so obvious, why didn't the prosecutor prove that in court? Was their prosecutorial incompetence or something else? Again, I have no idea what happened at Huron in 2004, so it would be great if there were more details. But that's not provided here, beyond the fact he was found not guilty.
Jrileyhoff
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 6:14 p.m.
He assaults a high school student, and AAPS thought it would be a good idea to move him to an elementary school???
Angry Moderate
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 4:24 p.m.
It's true because it happened, not because the prosecutor said so. Numerous students witnessed the whole thing. Why would anyone believe anything Harris says given what we now know about his character? The district's response of moving him to a different school reminds me of the Catholic Church shuffling abusive priests to different churches every time they get accused of something.
jcj
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 4:19 p.m.
So now if the prosecutor said it was one way that must be gospel. What was your position on the football player being charged.
Angry Moderate
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 4:09 p.m.
Oh please. If that's what happened, the county prosecutor would not have charged him with battery, and the district would not have forced him to switch to a different school. It's amazing that people still believe Harris' stories now that we know there have been numerous instances of him mistreating kids, including special ed students, and ignoring orders from his boss (that kids must be supervised when they are put in a time out, not shut in a room).
Dexterdriver
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 4:01 p.m.
You don't know what happened at Huron. Harris was breaking up a fight and used minimal force to try to prevent a worse situation. Don't spread false reports and rumors.
jcj
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 3:43 p.m.
Heaven help these kids because they will NEVER encounter anyone else in the real world that does not pamper them! Actually the kids thought it was no big deal. It was a couple over protective parents that don't think listening in school is important!
jcj
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 9:26 p.m.
sHa This incident did NOT involve disabled students! I do not condone harsh treatment of students with with learning disabilities, however depending on the type of disability some of them still need discipline. Do you actually think that putting three students in a dark room, unsupervised, with poisons and chemicals accessible to them, is a good idea? No. But I also do not think over reacting to this incident does the students any good.They will now more than likely feel no teacher has a right to tell them what to do.
sHa
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 4:11 p.m.
Do you seriously believe that public humiliation of disabled students is appropriate? I wouldn't call it "pampering", by any stretch of the imagination. Do you actually think that putting three students in a dark room, unsupervised, with poisons and chemicals accessible to them, is a good idea? Discipline is NOT the same thing as abuse. I don't think you know the difference, jcj.
Dexterdriver
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 3:41 p.m.
This is a lot of trumped up baloney. There seems to have been some type of vendetta against this individual. Some of the comments from allegedly aggrieved or fearful parents, some of whom stated they would take physical action against Harris, good luck, are a joke too. The coddled little darlings should probably have been given trophies for being brave and enduring the big bad man's punishments!
B2Pilot
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 4:49 p.m.
Trumped up baloney? every position he had was full of controversy your saying that is normal? Tell us your not a bus driver!
Angry Moderate
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 3:55 p.m.
Why, exactly, should special needs (read: disabled) students be punished and publicly humiliated for being unable to meet this monster's demands?
jcj
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 3:44 p.m.
Gotta agree. It is real brave to say what you will do when you are not facing the person. These parents can't even stand up to their own kids. LOL.
Greg
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 3:38 p.m.
One comment for Bubbap: You just remove the kid from the class. What poor teacher ends up with your rejects then and has to deal with them? Most school systems will no longer let the kids be suspended, they just get shuffeled off to another class to see another teacher can hanle or put up with them.
Bubbap
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 3:43 p.m.
No, they get removed from class temporarily, while they get their act together (and meet with the administration). This allows the education to continue in a safe and positive way as opposed to an environment of hostility and aggression. I have never had a kid permanently removed from my class because like I said I teach the hardest to reach and their is no where else for them to go. Sorry to disappoint you that I dont pass the buck like you imply, most students enjoy my class because it will be their safest class of the day.
leezee
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 2:58 p.m.
Sound like these young men were traumatized......not. It is just crazy to me how much the world has changed. When I was in school, this would have been no big deal. Remember the Bic pens with the pointy cap? In 7th grade our teacher would take one of those pens with the cap on it and jam it into that little soft spot on top of your shoulder near your neck if you did something wrong. He was known for doing this and all the parents knew he did this, but they figured if you behaved, you had nothing to worry about. Today, parents say, "Discipline my kids" and then they say, "Don't you dare discipline my kids". Make up your minds folks. I have no problem with punishment for degrading students, but I don't think making students sit in a dark room warrants all this fuss.
Judy Freedman
Thu, May 23, 2013 : 12:17 p.m.
Hahahaha, my seventh grade teacher picked the boys up by the knot in their ties when they misbehaved, circa 1965.
sHa
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 5:01 p.m.
My kids are now 29 and 27. Both are college educated. One is an Aerospace Engineer and the other is a Financial Analyist. They know the difference between right and wrong, and we didn't threaten them or use physical force to teach them that difference. http://www.child-abuse-effects.com/abuse-and-discipline.html
jcj
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 4:21 p.m.
sHa how old are your kids? What is your definition of abuse vs discipline?
sHa
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 3:24 p.m.
Discipline is not the same thing as abuse. Your 7th grade teacher was abusive, whether your parents okayed it or not.
jcj
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 2:56 p.m.
Was it dimly lit or dark? There is a difference.
ThinkingOne
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 10:53 p.m.
Quit trying to change subjects and picking on aa.com. The fact that different people called it by different names - what do you want them to do, change someone's usage? Should the author go in the room and personally make a determination and override everyone else? BTW back in the olden days, film was developed in a 'dark room' and everyone could see in there. Dark does not mean pitch black.
Usual Suspect
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 7:08 p.m.
"dimly lit and dark both work" No, they don't.
jcj
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 4:14 p.m.
Danielle We know why you used "dark" in the headline. And so do you!
Craig Lounsbury
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 3:29 p.m.
I agree with jcj. It may be semantics, but to me dark is "can't see my hand in front of my face", dimly lit is can't read a comic book.
Danielle Arndt
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 3:15 p.m.
Not really. It wasn't pitch black or unlit, so dimly lit and dark both work. The court documents described the room as "dimly lit" and said Harris called it the "dark room" when threatening students with the punishment, so both were used in the article.
walker101
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 2:42 p.m.
The first boy said he told no one about the incident because he did not believe it was a big deal and he did not want to get into more trouble. One of the students testified he was not afraid while in the back room, but rather he was angry because he thought he just would have to do push-ups and then would be allowed to rejoin the activities. The third boy said he was relieved to miss gym class. Sounds like a lack of parental disciplinary methods at home, kids get out of hand and if you let them they only reflect their actions in school since no one at home will bother to tell them them to behave, what would you expect at school if they don't behave at home.
Billy
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 2:52 p.m.
"One of the students testified he was not afraid while in the back room, but rather he was angry because he thought he just would have to do push-ups and then would be allowed to rejoin the activities." So this was EXACTLY the discipline that student needed. "The third boy said he was relieved to miss gym class." And this was EXACTLY the WRONG kind of discipline this student needed.
Craig Lounsbury
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 2:41 p.m.
If I came home from school and complained to my parents about getting put in a dimly lite room for misbehaving at school the dimly lite room would have been the least of my worries. After my parents got done adding their punishment I would be apologizing to the gym teacher. But that was in a day when more parents realized their kids could in fact do some wrong.
Susie Q
Thu, May 23, 2013 : 2:21 a.m.
Craig, I believe Mr Harris probably earned his dismissal; but your post is very amusing. I chuckled about this all day. My parents wouldn't have cared so much about the dimly lit room, but I would have been in major trouble if I had been given a "time out" like this. Keep up the good work!
Elaine F. Owsley
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 7:22 p.m.
It was not uncommon for this kind of thing to happen. In elementary school it was the coat closet. In middle school one classmate was parked under the kneehole of the teacher's desk. He'd probably have been given ridelin now days and been labeled ATDD. Guess what? He is now a professor emeritus of the Yale Drama School. Amazing what some discipline can accomplish and no drugs!
evenyoubrutus
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 6:17 p.m.
I get what you're saying and I'm all about discipline, and I probably would have punished my kids too if I had found out they deliberately disobeyed their teacher. HOWEVER locking them in a room by themselves is not a good idea. Both my kids have medical issues, including a history of seizures in one, and I would have been furious too if I found out they were locked in a room without an adult for what may have been as much as an hour.
Smiley
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 6:04 p.m.
I think the issue turns on whether or not there was a chair against the door locking them in. If not, I'm good with it; if so, they shouldn't have been locked in.
ordmad
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 4:23 p.m.
If you have kids, god help them.
Arieswoman
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 3:59 p.m.
Craig, I so agree with you. My feelings exactly.
SadieButtons
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 3:40 p.m.
I agree. If my kids came home and told me that happened, I'd ask, "What did you do?"
aamom
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 3:19 p.m.
I understand what you are saying about some parents defending their kids no matter what and that does happen too often. However, in this case, locking a child in a closet is irresponsible and never appropriate. If someone's child told me their parent locks them in a closet to punish them, I would feel obligated to contact CPS.
Billy
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 2:51 p.m.
I was thinking the same thing. Regardless of his past transgressions...this kind of "punishment" sounds EXACTLY what kids need. This kinda forces them to have a quiet time, and to think about what they did. I'd much prefer that form of discipline over doing some push-ups for my child....that's just laughable if that was a method of discipline.
Usual Suspect
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 2:46 p.m.
Good points.
Major
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 2:26 p.m.
That's right, fire him, we wouldn't want to raise a bunch of rule following, strong in character, hard working people..oh no...lets keep with the status quo and raise soft, no character, entitled brats with no fear of consequences...that grow up to be soft, no character, entitled, narcissistic grown ups! This "change" in America is down right sickening!
B2Pilot
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 11:11 p.m.
The kids if acting out or not obeying could be sent to the principals office for a 'time out' I don't care where you think this type of treatment is OK. We don't know these kids homelives but I've been around enough to know some of these kids home lives are horrific and when the one possibly person that can shape and show them a different way shuts them in a closet what is that telling these kids? No one cares about them is what I'm thinking. And I'm here to tell you an adult in charge of kids needs to know how to take control of a situation in a way that does not result to shutting them in a dark closet where they don't have to deal with the issue.
Major
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 6:02 p.m.
OH...and the fact on more than one occasion..in AA schools...I received way worse treatment than that from teachers...a time out in a dimly lit room...give me a break! Wah!
Major
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 5:58 p.m.
I missed the taunting of special needs kids, and wasn't commenting about this particular teacher or the students involved....more of a rip on the wussifacation of kids theses days and the "PC" hypocrisy burning up this country.....I stand defiantly by my statement, a whole lot of denial going on here for sure!
Stupid Hick
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 5:51 p.m.
When I was growing up, we were indoctrinated to believe that gym class was the appropriate place for instructor-led intimidation and harassment. But special education students weren't the only targets.
Judi Jones
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 5:14 p.m.
There are other, more appropriate and more successful ways to discipline. Glad parents followed through on this. Obviously this teacher has some unresolved issues and should not be in an authoritative positive around kids.
B2Pilot
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 4:44 p.m.
Major I hope you are kidding with your comments!! I believe in strong charcter and teaching kids to stand up for themselves and for they think is right. But I also teach respect for all. Teaching humilation and intimidation will only repeat itself in kids lives later on. Kids ... .need some understanding patience and guidance not a sadistic drill sergeant
jcj
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 4:12 p.m.
I did miss that. My mistake.
Jen Eyer
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 4:10 p.m.
"The court documents also contain testimony from teachers, Jaeger, other students and a paraeducator. Some of those who testified said Harris picked on special needs children and singled out students who were not athletic in his class. They said Harris made negative and inappropriate comments about special education students, calling them "mindless." The paraeducator said Harris frequently had students perform exercises in the middle of a large circle of their peers until the students did the exercises correctly. She also said Harris' created an atmosphere in which students hated coming to gym class and were fearful of him."
jcj
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 3:38 p.m.
oyxclean WHERE did it sat ANYTHING about these being special needs kids?I missed that.
oyxclean
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 2:51 p.m.
Yes, taunting special needs kids will toughen them right up and give them character.
Billy
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 2:19 p.m.
"Ultimately, Harris' decision to shut the boys in the room led the Ann Arbor Public Schools to fire him, and after more than three years of investigations and tenure hearings, multiple courts now have ruled the district was justified in dismissing him, though Harris said he did nothing wrong." And this is why Tenure needs to be abolished. This man had a history of discipline problems...it should NOT have taken 3 years to come to a conclusion.
DonBee
Thu, May 23, 2013 : 3:33 a.m.
justcary - "The Ann Arbor Board of Education voted on Dec. 15, 2010, to pursue tenure charges against Harris. Harris' case went before an administrative law judge for a tenure hearing in May and June of 2011." This was all about Tenure, per the article above.
justcary
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 7:57 p.m.
I think you are incorrect in conflating this issue with tenure. This man was summarily fired, I am 90% sure he did not have tenure charges pursued against him. The three years had everything to do with lawsuits and appeals, not tenure proceedings. If you want good teachers, you have to offer job security. Otherwise bright people have much more lucrative careers available to them. Schools are ALWAYS improving the process for separating out and eliminating weak teachers.
Usual Suspect
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 1:58 p.m.
Teaching dance steps in physical education? It's no wonder one of the boys in the dark (or dimly-lit, depending on which part of the article) didn't mind missing the class.
Paul Taylor
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 3:26 p.m.
A proper reply here would get deleted. Dance is physical, and learning it is education.
TB
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 3:17 p.m.
When I was in elementary school they taught us the YMCA and the Macarena. Now I bet they do the same thing but maybe add the "Cha-Cha Slide" or the "Soulja Boy"
RuralMom
Wed, May 22, 2013 : 2:31 p.m.
Nothing new about this, they usually do it in the spring so that students in middle school learn how to dance appropriately to the "latest" styles, hoping to avert the bumping and grinding issues. You didn't think English or History classes were more appropriate place for it did you?