Teacher: Steve Merrit, should've kept his hands to himself

As parents, when we send our children off to school, we send them in hopes that they are being taught quality education. We have hope that the school district or the school itself will secure our children safety and welfare while in the supervision of the school. When I look at the news and read the newspaper about teachers’ misconduct concerning the students, I ask myself, how safe are public schools?

Our children wasn't brought into this world and sent to school to be the subject of a teacher's rage, by assaulting the students. This misconduct was allegedly done by Steve Merritt, teacher of the Salem High School. As I have followed the story of this allege incident and it also appears to me that there are some double standards concerning the matter. I have seen in cases where a student, whom had used profanity against a teacher, gets suspended for a certain amount of days. I have also seen where a student allegedly assaulted a teacher and because that teacher felt threaten, that student was expelled. So why must Megan Weidle a former student of Salem High School, go through questioning whether her story is fabricated or not? I question why the Board of Education hasn’t taken any type of action concerning this matter? If roles were reversed this matter would've resulted in a different outcome.

Steve Merritt said, "“I reached out and tapped her across the face,” said Merritt. “It was non-confrontational...I was kidding.” Is that the way teachers can use a form of corporal punishment and get away with it, by justifying the matter as a joke to clarify his actions? I'm more than sure those other students that I know justified their actions of misconduct but their story fell upon deaf ears and they were still suspended or expelled. Whether Mr. Steve Merritt committed this act or not, he should've used better judgment to protect the rights of others and himself not compromise his career as an educator. Whether Steve Merritt allegedly taps the former student lightly, softly or elegantly, it should've not happen.

As an "Activist", I look at how there are various challenges that the Salem County public school system face. The challenges of quality education, high rate of illiteracy, overcrowded class rooms should be the main focus. Not taking time away to address those issues because a teacher felt like he wanted to joke around by putting his hands in a young lady face. I don’t think Mr. Steve Merritt would like it if someone put their hands on  his mother's or his wife's face and his wife or mother become offended as Megan Weidle did and that person justified to him as "I was just kidding".

Parent's Accountability and Responsibility Concerning "Illiteracy"

Some people already know the national statistical data for the percentage of children, broken down into sub-groups of race, in which illiteracy effects. If not, let me reiterate the data for you. According to www.testourkids.com, 87 percent of African American children are illiterate and 85 percent of Latino American is illiterate.
If you have a child, who attend public school and that child cannot read, who is responsible, as well as, accountable for that situation? You could look at illiteracy in a aspect of, if you as a parent, knew that your child was playing in a building that was condemn by the city for hazardous reasons, would you still let your child play in that building? That's what parents are doing in the urban communities, when you have your children attending these public schools. Studies on public schools in urban communities across America have shown that the structured curriculum is not challenging enough to the minds of African and Latino Americans.

However, there are still parents who have complacent minds, which continue to sit down in their comfortable chairs of "Do nothing", while that child struggles to learn. In my opinion, it's evident that the power structure of society has conditioned and trained the citizens, who are parents, to have a lack luster approach concerning their children literacy. Once that wall of apathy is broken down, I believe the urban communities will blossom in education.

When you control a man's thinking you do not have to worry about his actions. You do not have to tell him not to stand here or go yonder. He will find his 'proper place' and will stay in it. You do not need to send him to the back door. He will go without being told. In fact, if there is no back door, he will cut one for his special benefit. His education makes it necessary."
— Carter G. Woodson (The Mis-Education of The Negro)