The final week before Christmas break can be very enjoyable and very stressful for both teachers and students. We often hear of an increase in students fighting during these weeks as several months worth of stressors reach a boiling point. The pressure of semester exams mixed with the social ills facing many of these kids can, for some, be too much to handle. What about the teachers? As school districts across the nation are facing budget and staffing issues, state testing woes, and lack of morale, how are the teachers responding? Teachers are usually looked upon to be the mediators of most of these problems. No one expects the teachers to snap.
This past week in Poughkeepsie, New York, one of those teachers snapped. While students filled the halls between periods, a 40 year old English teacher, who heard rumors of her upcoming firing attacked a fellow English teacher, a 54 year old female, with an 8 inch screwdriver. Here's a quote from this story;
“And then time seemed to stand still. Dozens of teens and teachers froze as they say 40-year-old Ronette Ricketts began viciously stabbing fellow English teacher Cynthia Glozier. 3 wounds to the head, 2 puncture wounds to the neck, a dozen more to her back and body.”
As details unfold, one thing has been confirmed. The rumors of the attacking teacher’s firing were untruthful. Her job was safe.
A senior football player witnessed the attack and decided to step in. He rushed the attacking teacher and jammed the screwdriver out of her hand. Many have since hailed Justin Richardson as a hero. He credits his coach’s training as kicking in at the right time.
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