KVR teacher slammed in Western

[Jamesie]

I was quite shocked to see a KVR teacher slammed right across the front page of the Western this morning, without him having had a chance to defend himself. According to the article a hearing was postponed and I just don't see why in this time when we are so concerned with privacy and bullying a teacher's name gets splattered all over the paper for alleged 'off-colour' remarks. Admittedly what he is alleged to have said is not so nice, but the way these things are interpreted this unilateral action by the paper is destroying the guy's life right now.... have we not heard something similar recently: you make a stupid mistake, someone exposes that and the bullies make your life a misery. Not condoning what the teacher is supposed to have said (although context would be nice), just questioning why if the superintendent said she did not want to reveal where a teacher works at this point, the paper should 'out' that information. All in good time, after the hearing, when the guy is either proven guilty, or innocent.

[Madhue]

I was quite shocked to see a KVR teacher slammed right across the front page of the Western this morning, without him having had a chance to defend himself. According to the article a hearing was postponed and I just don't see why in this time when we are so concerned with privacy and bullying a teacher's name gets splattered all over the paper for alleged 'off-colour' remarks. Admittedly what he is alleged to have said is not so nice, but the way these things are interpreted this unilateral action by the paper is destroying the guy's life right now.... have we not heard something similar recently: you make a stupid mistake, someone exposes that and the bullies make your life a misery. Not condoning what the teacher is supposed to have said (although context would be nice), just questioning why if the superintendent said he did not want to reveal where a teacher works at this point, the paper should 'out' that information. All in good time, after the hearing, when the guy is either proven guilty, or innocent.

I think it wasn't A simple mistake it sounded like a few... lets not minimize his actions.

[fluffy]

This got coverage on CBC Radio yesterday, I wonder who'd choice it was to release the information and what the reasoning was behind that decison. Given that the court of public opinion is not famous for objectivity, the teacher's credibility is at serious risk even if he is cleared of charges.

[Jamesie]

This got coverage on CBC Radio yesterday, I wonder who'd choice it was to release the information and what the reasoning was behind that decison. Given that the court of public opinion is not famous for objectivity, the teacher's credibility is at serious risk even if he is cleared of charges.

That's what I'm getting at - these days it is so easy to destroy someone's credibility. Who is behind the coverage? So this hits the Western, the Herald and CBC (I did not know that), appears like a concerted effort to drag the guy through the mud. Also it appears that these allegations were made a few years ago. If he's had a warning and cleaned up his act, why the big publicity right now?

[Tero]

The quote from the CBC coverage yesterday was waaaaaaaayyyyyyy beyond "off color."

It also apparently happened (far more than once) when he taught at Pen High, not KVR. I don't know why it's just hot the news now.

[Jamesie]

The quote from the CBC coverage yesterday was waaaaaaaayyyyyyy beyond "off color."

It also apparently happened (far more than once) when he taught at Pen High, not KVR. I don't know why it's just hot the news now.

I haven't heard the CBC broadcast and can't find it on-line. But I wonder who was quoting? Not the teacher presumably. Did he even get the chance on the broadcast to defend himself against these allegations. What concerns me mainly is how easy it seems to be getting to single someone out for something they are alleged to have done and to hound them. Presumably the Herald, the Western and CBC all got some kind of communication. What did they do to verify facts? The Herald put it on page three in a tiny article and IMO treated it a lot more respectfully than the Western, who splattered it all over the front page.

Apparently the teacher stood in front of his KVR-class this morning explaining to them that he never said what he is alleged to have said and that he is defending his reputation. Well good luck with that. I am not saying there is nothing to these allegations, but they should be put in context. Not every teen who says an adult was mean to them is necessarily telling the truth. Bullying works all ways. Again, I am not saying there is nothing going on, but I question for example why the name of the guy who pimped his daughter (and who has been proven guilty!) is being kept out of the paper and this guy is dragged through the mud before a hearing has even taken place!

[OnTheRoadAgain]

http://www.pentictonwesternnews.com/news/174474111.html

According to a citation issued by the B.C. Teacher Regulation Branch:

* McGrady told a female student he smelled because he slept with her mother the previous night and hadn’t yet showered.

* In response to a comment by an openly gay male student, McGrady said in French, “I hate *bleep*.”

* An openly gay male student was singled out when McGrady referred to him as “flamboyant.”

* McGrady remarked to his class that a female student who was absent might have had “morning sickness.”

* Besides inappropriate remarks about other teachers, McGrady also made inappropriate comments about students’ sexual activity and use of drugs and alcohol.

A nine-day disciplinary hearing into the matter was set to begin Monday, but was cancelled last week after a proposed resolution was reached between McGrady and the Teacher Regulation Branch, which is expected to approve the pact later this month.

In the meantime, McGrady is still “employed in the district,” confirmed Okanagan Skaha School District superintendent Wendy Hyer.

Kinda makes a picture of the guy right there, these could all be false statements?

Interesting...four star rating here:
http://ca.ratemyteachers.com/kvr-middle-school/34446-s

some tidbits :

. He was funny
He is mean and annoying. . He is stupid and makes no sense.
has a great sense of humor.
he is kinda weird too.
..I remember all the pre-teens hitting on him.
M.Mc G is the cooolllessst!

[Nebula]

I was quite shocked to see a KVR teacher slammed right across the front page of the Western this morning, without him having had a chance to defend himself.

Where do you get the idea he didn't have a chance to defend himself? The Penticton Western article clearly says he was contacted by email and that he declined to comment. Opportunity given, opportunity not taken.

[Sn0man]

Sounds like humor more than anything. Some people are easily offended.

There should be more teachers like him.

[Jamesie]

I was quite shocked to see a KVR teacher slammed right across the front page of the Western this morning, without him having had a chance to defend himself.

Where do you get the idea he didn't have a chance to defend himself? The Penticton Western article clearly says he was contacted by email and that he declined to comment. Opportunity given, opportunity not taken.

The article states that he chose not to comment because of issues of confidentiality. So he is taking the high road and not naming the person who is accusing him of all these things, while his confidentiality is not being respected. Puts his integrity a little higher than that of his detractors.

[Jamesie]

Kinda makes a picture of the guy right there, these could all be false statements?

Depends... if they were made by the same student, or group of students from the same class: sure. Not if they were independent statements from independent witnesses that did not know each other. And again, all context is absent...

Apparently there have been no issues since he moved to KVR and this is all a few years ago. They guy was willing to sign some kind of agreement. That is what these types of tribunals are for. No need to put it on the front page over four columns in the local free paper. This guy has not pimped his step-daughter. He has not driven a vulnerable teen to suicide. He has by the looks of it met a few teenagers on their own level. Probably was admired for it by others too. All in all still looks like a case of personal vendetta combined with PC gone wild and I question whether the local papers should lend themselves to that.

[fluffy]

If my memory serves correctly, the CBC coverage did not name the teacher, it only described the circumstances and the questionable nature of the alleged comments. I note there has been nothing since from CBC.

[Jamesie]

If my memory serves correctly, the CBC coverage did not name the teacher, it only described the circumstances and the questionable nature of the alleged comments. I note there has been nothing since from CBC.

That sounds more like the non-sensationalist, even-handed coverage one would expect from CBC. Makes sense.

[Nebula]

The article states that he chose not to comment because of issues of confidentiality. So he is taking the high road and not naming the person who is accusing him of all these things, while his confidentiality is not being respected. Puts his integrity a little higher than that of his detractors.

My point is that he did have a chance to defend himself, contrary to what the OP stated. You may believe that the "issues of confidentiality" means the names of those accusing him, but it could mean something else entirely.

[Jamesie]

So today's Western has five letters from former students and an article supporting the teacher. And is there an apology from the paper for this sloppy piece of journalism? Of course not. Whatever happened to the old journalistic principle of two independent sources?

This all may seem minor in the grander scheme of liberal nominations and waterfront upgrades, but one family's life was made very unpleasant through the paper's actions. This teacher has kids in the school system himself. How do you think they felt and were treated? People who choose the limelight (politicians, 'celebrities' etc.) are to a certain extent 'fair game'. But this guy is embroiled in a nasty dispute with someone who is obviously out to get him, for whatever reasons (but we can all very well imagine how a teacher could get into such a situation more easily than most). It is being dealt with by the employer through the proper channels and is being settled. This is not appropriate journalism. This is bullying, and with all that has been said about bullying lately, responsible journalists and newspaper editors should show some self-restraint.