The day Portillo abused Alex and his classmates that way should have been her last day as a teacher. Ever. Anywhere.

I am not sure whether Douglas is a shill for Portillo or her lawyer, or whether he is emotionally disturbed. But he is clearly in complete denial of all the facts, and at best flooding comments with irrelevant anecdotes shows his judgment is almost as poor as Portillo’s.

SCHOOL — 1957 vs. 2007

Scenario :
Jack goes rabbit shooting before school, pulls into school parking lot with rifle in gun rack.

1957 – Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack’s rifle, goes to his car and gets his rifle & chats with Jack about guns.

2007 – School goes into lock down, Star Force called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his ute or gun again.. Counsellors called in for traumatized students and teachers.

Scenario:
Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.

1957 – Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.

2007 – Police called, arrests Johnny and Mark. Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it. Both children go to anger management programs for 3 months. School board hold meeting to impliment bullying prevention programs

Scenario:
Robbie won’t be still in class, disrupts other students.

1957 – Robbie sent to office and given 6 of the best by the Principal. Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.

2007 – Robbie given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. Tested for ADD. Robbie’s parents get fortnightly disability payments and School gets extra funding from state because Robbie has a disability.

Scenario :
Billy breaks a window in his neighbor’s car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.

1957 – Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.

2007 – Billy’s dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy removed to foster care and joins a gang. State psychologist tells Billy’s sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison.

Scenario :
Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.

1957 – Mark gets glass of water from Principal to take aspirin with.

2007 – Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug violations. Car searched for drugs and weapons.

Scenario :
Pedro fails high school English.

1957 – Pedro goes to summer school, passes English and goes to college.

2007 – Pedro’s cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. AFRE files class action lawsuit against state school system and Pedro’s English teacher. English banned from core curriculum. Pedro given diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.

Scenario :
Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from 4th of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, blows up a bullant nest.

1957 – Ants die.

2007- Star Force, Federal Police & Anti-terrorism Squad called. Johnny charged with domestic terrorism, Feds investigate parents, siblings removed from home, computers confiscated. Johnny’s Dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.

Scenario :
Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary hugs him to comfort him.

1957 – In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.

2007 – Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy.

I cannot imagine how any compassionate human being could possibly conceive a math lesson plan that targets a student in such a malicious way. Creating a tally chart of all the things the class dislikes about a peer?! There is no other way to describe this other than pure evil.

Even if Ms. Portillo is an accomplished veteran teacher, it is clear it is time for her to walk away from the profession. This was way beyond “poor judgement”.

Poor judgement is raising your voice in anger to a student in public instead of pulling them for a private conference about their behavior and feeling guilty when you see their eyes lower to the floor in shame that you caused. Asking peers to publicly verbalize a child’s faults and using it as a whole group math lesson to create a tally graph is so far over the line I am in shock.

She should have her certificate stripped. Dedicated teachers don’t need the likes of her bringing us down. We work too hard to make a positive difference for all children to be lumped into a group of degenerates like Ms. Portillo.

One does not jump to such a shocking level of emotional abuse of a child as a first transgression. Lord knows how many other students Ms. Portillo has gotten away with emotionally abusing.

Shame on you Ms. Portillo. You should have the integrity to walk away from teaching. Even if at one time you were an asset to the teaching profession, it is quite clear by your actions that you are well past your prime in making a positive difference for children.

I am a teacher in Florida and that sounds to me like he had at least an IEP (individual education plan) and maybe even a 504 plan (list of issues and accommodations the student will receive) in place.

As a teacher and a mother, I have to say Ms. Portillo’s actions are absolutely apalling and reprehensible. A teaching moment? She was teaching them to tally and graph how many kids don’t like another student in the class? Now the kid has auditory and visual memories of the trauma he lived. That is just plain evil.

I don’t care if she has taught 30 successful years. If she is willing to ostricize and humiliate a 5 year old, she has no business in a classroom or anywhere near children. Where there is smoke there is fire… Lord knows how many other children she has emotionally abused and never got caught.

If you agree with Wendy Portillo, you either do not have any children of your own, or, do not grasp what a teachers job is.

Remember, Alex’s Mom TRIED to get a resolution, BUT, the School didn’t think that THEY did anything wrong. I would sue the School District too.