Moral Side

Moral Side Topics for Sunday, May 6, 2012

TOPIC 1: New Jersey Autistic Boy Records Teachers' Alleged Abuse

A New Jersey dad who suspected something was "horrifyingly wrong" at school when his autistic son began acting violently had the boy wear a digital recorder and discovered teachers verbally abusing him.  Stuart Chaifetz, 44, described his 10-year-old son Akian as a "sweet and gentle child" with a penchant for acrobatics and a deep bond with his three dogs.  So Chaifetz said it was totally out of character when he began receiving reports from Horace Mann Elementary School that Akian was hitting his teacher and a teacher's aide.  "The thing that said to me that something horrifyingly wrong was going on was that he was hitting the teacher and the aide. I have never seen him hit anyone. He's just not a violent kid," Chaifetz told ABCNews.com.

Akian spent six months working with behaviorists and other specialists who were trying to find the problem. Finally, Akian was put in a controlled scenario that pushed him to his limits and, still, he did not lash out violently.  "I realized that there was something terrible going on in that classroom and I needed to know what it was," Chaifetz said.

Chaifetz put a digital recorder in Akian's pocket on a February school day. Akian is in a self-contained autism class with five other students and the device recorded six-and-a-half hours of audio.  When Akian came home from school and Chaifetz listened to the audio, he was shocked by what he heard. "When I listened to what they had done to him, I just shattered inside," Chaifetz said.

Chaifetz heard the teacher and aide calling Akian names, making fun of him, yelling at him and having inappropriate conversations in front of the children.  "The culture was so dysfunctional that an adult felt she could make fun of a child with a disability and nothing would happen to her," Chaifetz said. "If it wasn't captured on the audio, she probably would still be making fun of my son. That's a bully."

Akian, according to Chaifetz, has a tendency to speak softly to himself. When he was doing so in class, a teacher or aide can be heard saying angrily, "Who are you talking to? Nobody. Knock it off." Akian is also told several times to shut his mouth.  After being scolded several times, Akian begins to cry and the administrator said, "Go ahead and scream because guess what? You're going to get nothing until your mouth is shut."

At another point, the teacher or aide calls Akian a "bastard" when he will not stop crying.  "He's the best human being I've ever met and these people were taking it away because they were crushing his spirit," Chaifetz said. "If I had not spoken out and released that video, it would have been like it never happened, except to Akian because it happened to him and he knows it."

Chaifetz took the audio to school officials.  "They were shocked and horrified as I was and I appreciate the fact that they took immediate action and fired one of the aides in the class," he said. "The problem is that they didn't fire the teacher because of tenure and she was moved to another school."

Chaifetz was outraged that the teacher was not fired.  "I don't want her teaching anyone ever again," he said. "She lost her privilege to do that."

The Cherry Hill school district issued a statement on its website regarding the incident, which included the following:  We strongly believe that the district acted swiftly, appropriately and judiciously with regard to the staff in the classroom," Board of Education President Seth Klukoff wrote. "What's more, we are confident that these decisions were informed first and foremost by compassion for the students."

Superintendent Dr. Maureen Reusche added, "Although this is a personnel matter and there are specifics that I cannot legally address publicly, I want to assure our parents that the individuals who are heard on the recording raising their voices and inappropriately addressing children no longer work in the district and have not since shortly after we received the copy of the recording."

CONTINUE READING: http://abcnews.go.com/US/jersey-autistic-boy-records-teachers-alleged-abuse/story?id=16209626

QUESTION: What are your thoughts on this? Do you think the school board’s reaction was sufficient?

TOPIC 2: N.Y. Mom Fired After Donating Kidney to Help Her Boss

A New York Long Island woman said she was fired after she donated a kidney to help save the life of her boss.  Debbie Stevens, a 47-year-old divorced mother of two, filed a formal complaint with the New York State Human Rights Commission last Friday, claiming her boss used her for her organ then fired her "after the woman got what she wanted." Stevens' boss, 61-year-old Jackie Brucia, is one of the West Islip controllers for Atlantic Automotive Group, a billion-dollar dealership operator. Brucia hired Stevens in January 2009 as an assistant.  "She just started treating me horribly, viciously, inhumanly after the surgery," Stevens told ABCNews.com. "It was almost like she hired me just to get my kidney." Although Stevens turned out to be less than a perfect kidney match for Brucia, Stevens donated her organ to an out-of-state stranger so that Brucia could move up on the organ donor list.

Stevens left the company in June 2010 to move to Florida. She returned to New York in September to visit her daughter, and decided to stop in at the dealership, according to the complaint. It was during this visit that Brucia told Stevens of her need for a kidney transplant.  "She said she had a possible donor, a friend or something," Stevens said. "But I told her if anything happened that I'd be willing to donate my kidney. She kind of jokingly replied, 'You never know, I may have to take you up on that one day.'"

A few months later, Stevens moved back to Long Island and asked Brucia if she had any job openings. Brucia hired her within weeks.  Then, in January 2011, Stevens said her boss called her into her office and asked if she was serious about donating her kidney.  "I said, 'Yeah, sure. This isn't a joking matter,'" Stevens said. "I did not do it for job security. I didn't do it to get a raise. I did it because it's who I am.

"I didn't want her to die," Stevens said.

When tests revealed that Stevens was not the best match, doctors agreed to let her give her kidney to someone in Missouri, which gave Brucia a higher place on the organ donor list.  Stevens underwent surgery on Aug. 10, 2011. She said doctors hit a nerve in her leg, causing her discomfort and digestive problems.  She returned to work four weeks later, and said that's when the problems began.  "I don't have words strong enough or large enough to describe her treatment of me," Stevens said. "Screaming at me about things I never did, carrying on to the point where she wouldn't even let me leave my desk. It was constant, constant screaming."

Stevens said she was demoted and moved to a car dealership 50 miles from her home. She said the mental stress got even worse, with her supervisor calling her an "actress."

"It got so bad that I'd start to tear up at times," Stevens said.  After consulting a psychiatrist for her mental stress, Stevens' hired attorneys who sent a letter to Atlantic Automotive Group.  Stevens was fired within a week.  When reached by ABC News, AAG referred all calls about the case to Jackie Brucia, Stevens' supervisor, who could not be reached for comment, at either the car dealership or her home. It is not known whether Brucia has legal representation at this time.  Stevens' attorney, civil rights lawyer Lenard Leeds, said he planned to file a discrimination lawsuit against AAG, and would likely seek millions of dollars in compensation.  "Our ultimate goal is to bring this before federal court," Leeds said. "We're alleging they discriminated against her for her disability and they retaliated against her when she complained about the harassment."

Leeds said the damages sought will be for Stevens' lost pay, psychological and physical well being.  "I have no comment on her. I'm just going walk ahead and live my life," Stevens said.

WATCH STORY: http://abcnews.go.com/News/york-mom-fired-donating-kidney-boss/story?id=16195691

QUESTION: What are your thoughts on this?

 

Moral Side Topics for Sunday, April 29, 2012

TOPIC 1: Louisville attorney asks for restraining order against JCPS 4th grader

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) -- The mother of a fourth grade girl at Stephen Foster Traditional Academy is seeking a restraining order to keep a boy alleged to have bullied her daughter at least 500 feet away.

"Just make sure she has a last safe 25 days in school and that JCPS does what they are supposed to do and protect any kid in their care," said the family's attorney, Ted Gordon.

Joy Furman is suing the ten-year-old boy, his guardian(s), the school's principal and two teachers.  After the boy bruised the girl's sternum with a "karate chop" in May, 2011, the school put the same two children in the same classroom this year - where the girl has been bullied again, said Gordon.  "We've had two additional incidents in the last 60 days," Gordon told WHAS11. "Everything had been quiet for awhile there. One was he tried to hit her in the face and two was he grabbed scissors and chased her around the room."

"It's regarding an incident that happened in May of 2011," said Jefferson County Public Schools Superintendent Donna Hargens. "Bullying is taken very seriously - all allegations are investigated and when we get new information, we also look at that very seriously."

"But other than that, I would refer you, given possible pending litigation, to our general counsel," Hargens said.

Hargens would not comment on whether it was standard practice to place and a bully and a victim in the same classroom.  "Bullying is something we take very seriously," Hargens said. "We work on it constantly in terms of being pro-active and putting measures in place and strategies in place. We know how important it is for students to be safe so that they can learn, so it is something that we continuously look at and work at."

"Bullying has a real distinct definition to it," added Jack Jacobs, JCPS Student Assignment, Health & Safety Director. "But if there is true bullying that takes place, we have procedures in place where principals work with the families, work with the students to make sure the bullying is stopped."

"Sometimes, students can be moved away from each other," Jacobs added. "Sometimes, a student can possibly stay in the same classroom if the problems are resolved."

In January, the school district refused Furman's request to let her daughter transfer to a different school, away from the alleged bully.  "We're going to victimize the victim," Gordon said, asked about the school district's actions. "We're going to put her back in this same situation of hell, alright? And, we don't care because if we intimidate her more, maybe she won't sue us. I don't know. It has to stop."

"We do not allow students to hit other students in our schools, or karate chop other students," Jacobs said. "We react very swiftly to cases like that."

"What we have now is an ostrich approach," Gordon countered. "We'll put our heads in the sand, and even if we have reports of bullying, we won't react to it."

But a restraining order against a ten year old?

"This is the first time I have ever had to ask," Gordon said. "and how ridiculous - alright? How ridiculous that any attorney let alone me or anybody else has to go to court and say, protect the children under your care. Keep this kid away."

"I respect everybody's right to do what they think they need to do," Hargens said when asked about the restraining order. "And again I refer any other questions to our general counsel."

Gordon said he is handling at least eight other cases involving bullying within Jefferson County Public Schools.  "There's been a systematic pattern of bullying, of intimidation," Gordon said. "We knew we had a problem last year and JCPS makes the problem worse."

The hearing concerning the restraining order is Wednesday, May 2 at 11:30am.

WATCH STORY: http://www.whas11.com/home/148518345.html

RELATED STORY:

Louisville mom suing alleged bully, JCPS speaks out on national television

http://www.whas11.com/community/Louisville-mom-suing-alleged-bully-JCPS-speaks-out-on-national-television-148714315.html

QUESTION: What are your thoughts on this? Do you think the mother’s request for a restraining order is necessary?

TOPIC 2:  Metta World Peace Suspended 7 Games for Elbow

Metta World Peace harmed much more than his own tattered reputation when he viciously elbowed Oklahoma City's James Harden in the head.  The Los Angeles Lakers troublemaker also deprived his team of his services as their starting small forward and defensive stopper for at least six playoff games while he serves his 10th suspension in the past decade.  The NBA suspended World Peace for seven games on Tuesday for the inexplicable blow that gave Harden a concussion, keeping the former Ron Artest sidelined for most of the first postseason round.  World Peace was ejected from Sunday's game against the Thunder for striking Oklahoma City's top reserve. He claimed the blow was an accidental, overzealous celebration of a dunk, yet even Kobe Bryant and his Lakers teammates weren't defending his inexplicable actions.  "It's hard to get into a guy's head and know exactly what happened in that situation," Bryant said. "I haven't really spoken to him about it. You've really got to ask him."

World Peace will miss the Lakers' season finale on Thursday at Sacramento and the Lakers' next six games. The playoffs open Saturday, and Los Angeles is likely to be the Western Conference's third seed — and Oklahoma City is locked into the No. 2 seed, meaning the clubs could meet right after World Peace's suspension ends in the second round.  He will lose nearly $348,000 in salary if he serves the entire suspension this year. If the Lakers exit the playoffs swiftly, the remainder of the suspension must be served next season.

World Peace still hasn't answered media questions about his actions, but he issued a brief statement on his website, promising to follow up with a podcast.  "I apologize to the Oklahoma City Thunder fans and the OKC organization," World Peace wrote on ronartest.com. "I look foward (sic) to getting back on the floor with my teammates and competing for the Lakers fans."

Commissioner David Stern alluded to Artest's lengthy history of on-court altercations and strange behavior in announcing the penalty in a statement. Although Harden appears to be recovering well, he hasn't been cleared to return to the Thunder.  "The concussion suffered by James Harden demonstrates the danger posed by violent acts of this kind, particularly when they are directed at the head area," Stern said in a statement. "We remain committed to taking necessary measures to protect the safety of NBA players, including the imposition of appropriate penalties for players with a history of on-court altercations."

Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said the team accepted the latest suspension for World Peace, who has two years left on his contract with Los Angeles.  "His most recent lapse in judgment is not to be condoned or accepted," Kupchak said after praising World Peace as largely a model citizen with the Lakers.  "His actions could have seriously injured another player, and his absence during this suspension will hurt our team as well," Kupchak added. "While we accept the league's decision, we will be supportive of Metta and try to help him be more professional on the court."

The suspension is the third career ban of at least seven games for Artest, whose rap sheet might not fit on a basketball card at this point.  He got an 86-game suspension in 2004 — the longest ban for an on-court incident in NBA history — for jumping into the stands at the Palace of Auburn Hills in the Detroit suburbs to fight fans, and he served a seven-game suspension in 2007 for his no-contest plea on a domestic violence charge.  Even before his odd decision to change his name to promote peace last year, he had largely rehabilitated his image during three seasons with the Lakers, winning the NBA's top citizenship award last spring for his charity work in mental-health awareness. Yet World Peace also slammed his forearm into the face of Dallas guard J.J. Barea in the closing minutes of a home playoff loss to the Mavericks last season, earning a one-game postseason suspension.

World Peace leveled Harden moments after dunking over Serge Ibaka and Kevin Durant in the second quarter of the Lakers' double-overtime victory over the Thunder. While pounding his chest with his right arm, World Peace cocked his elbow and threw it at the back and side of Harden's head.  He claimed the elbow was completely accidental in a brief postgame statement, but later acknowledged on Twitter that the blow "looks bad."

World Peace didn't speak to the media after the Lakers' practice Tuesday, heading to the locker room at the moment media members entered the gym at the Lakers' training complex. But Bryant acknowledged the obvious problem for the Lakers, who lose a starter and their defensive stopper right before the postseason.  "It's an unfortunate situation," Bryant said. "James, from what I hear, is OK. As far as Metta goes, he has to focus on himself, and however many games they give him, they give him. He just has to be prepared, and when he comes back, just step right in and be ready to go."

CONTINUE READING: http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/metta-world-peace-suspended-games-elbow-16208050?page=2

RELATED STORY:  Metta World Peace suspended for 7

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/7851983/metta-world-peace-los-angeles-lakers-suspended-7-games-elbow

QUESTION: What are your thoughts on this? Does the punishment fit the crime?

The Moral Side of the News - Topics for the Program Airing October 2, 2011

TOPIC 1:  Father faces charges for allegedly sending his child to Oldham County school

Louisville, Ky. (WHAS11) -- A Louisville father pleads not guilty to theft by deception charges after being accused of sending his son to Oldham County School illegally. Charles Lauron maintains his innocence and says he did nothing wrong.

“The facts as they allege are not clear. We think they are subject to some interpretation and we certainly don’t think he had any intent to deceive,” said Dale Warren, Lauron’s attorney.

Oldham County school officials say that Lauron used a friend’s address in Oldham County to register his son in their schools. Lauron’s son has been attending Oldham County schools since 2003.  The address used is Donna Clagget’s. She denies knowing anything about Lauron using her address. She is facing charges as well.  Lauron’s son now goes to school in Jefferson County.

“Chris has always gone to school in Oldham County and we think he has a right to continue to do that. (His) mom has always had a residency in Oldham County,” said Warren.

An attorney for Oldham County Schools says there are nine investigations underway of people going to school in Oldham County illegally. So far, some families have already withdrawn their students from the district that were going there illegally. District leaders say Lauron didn’t do that so they had to take legal action.  Lauron will be back in court on November 2nd for a pre-trial hearing.

TOPIC 2: Postal service employees rally country wide in support of "Save the Post Office Day"

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) – Downtown Louisville was packed this evening. The national rallies were held by supporters and employees of the U.S. Postal Service.  They hope to save it from drastic cuts and shutdowns.  They rallied all across the nation at every congressional district to save local post offices.  Dozens came out to Downtown Louisville by the Federal Building at 6th and Chestnut Street.  Their message was to tell Congress to make a change.

They want support of a bill called H.R. 1351.  Lawmakers want to make massive budget cuts that could lay off 120,000 postal workers, stop Saturday mail delivery and close thousands of post offices.  That would mean about 1,000 workers would be unemployed in Louisville.

"If we want them to act like an independent business we need to let them compete and really that's what part of this controversy is all about," Congressman John Yarmuth said. 

"This would give that money back that would enable the postal service to be in the plus side instead of minus for a change. To keep six day delivery which is vital. Nobody in this time and economy can afford to live without a job," said Missy Harris with the National Letter Carriers Association.

So far, 215 out of 320 in the House of Representatives support H.R. 1351 and want changes in favor of the U.S. Postal Service right away. 

The Moral Side of the News (May 8, 2011)

The clergy panel discusses cost of gasoline and a homeless mother who lied to enroll her daughter in a certain school.

 

The Moral Side of the News for January 9, 2011

Top Five Issues for 2011

What are the issues facing our communities, nation, and world in 2011.  I have identified five areas that shall be at the forefront in 2011.  The overarching theme for these five issues is the continuing assault on Western culture, values, and democracy.  I welcome your comments.

1. The Assault on the Foundational Values of the American Nation.  The values of the American Nation are threefold:  "Liberty," "E Pluribus Unum," and "In God We Trust."  If these sound familiar, they are printed on our coins.  These values are under assault.  Liberty, or equality of opportunity, is being replaced as a primary value by Equality, or the guaranteed equal outcome.  E Pluribus Unum (out of many, one), is being replaced by political correctness and divisive diversity.  In God We Trust, or faith in God, is being replaced by trust in government and an anything-goes I-can-co-what-I-want approach to morality.  Issues within this general area will be family, abortion, protection of children, education, marriage, drug-abuse, and religion in society.
2. The Conflict with Middle Eastern Fascism and Asian Communism.  Western Democracy has always opposed and been in conflict with systems that enslave and diminish human beings.  Western Democracy has defeated European Imperialism, European Fascism, European Communism, and Middle Eastern Imperialism in the Twentieth Century.  The conflicts for 2011 and for the Twenty-First Century are Middle Eastern Fascism (e.g., Iran), Asian Fascism (North Korea), and Asian Communism (China).
3. Border Security and Related Issues.  Illegal immigration, the smuggling of drugs and human beings across the border, protection against terrorists, cyber-terrorism, nuclear proliferation, and the current administrations lethargic and clumbsy response to these problems are a major area of concern for 2011.  One of the primary tasks of the federal government is protection of its citizens.
4. Economic Strains in the US and Western Europe.  This area includes the collapse of Western European socialism.  In the US there are the continuing conflicts over health care, taxation, national and individual debt, unemployment, and bailouts of large companies and state and local governments.  The uncertainties of the housing and financial markets are adding to the problems.  No longer will we be able to assume (or hope) that governments will be able to take care of every problem.
5. Transformation of the Christian Church.  I list this area of interest not because it is the least.  Indeed, it is the most significant, but will occur over a long period of time.  I list it last because it is something we can see God at work and join Him.  It is the NewReformation.  Mainline denominations (including Roman Catholicism) are collapsing under the weight of their bureaucracies.  Those organizations who focus on survival of the institution instead of continuation of the mission are fading.  Just as the Reformation of the 1500s and 1600s brought new life and new understanding of the Church and was fueled by new technology (the printing press); so too will this New Reformation bring new life and new understanding fueled by the Internet.  Denominational "brand names" will become less important.  The focus will shift from social issues to witnessing.  Organizations and ministry will become decentralized and local.  Mid-sized churches will disappear.  Small fellowships, para-church organizations, and mega-churches with satellites (mini-denominations) will flourish.

The Moral Side of the News for August 15, 2010

Protests

Those who used to spit on us are now our children's and grandchildren's teachers.  How self-serving of the two teachers who protested the acknowledgement of students who choose to enlist in the military.  I hope they will welcome the same protests in their classrooms.  Advice:  Shut up and teach!