Is It Wrongfully Terminated?

Back in 2013, I started working at the school where this special needs student attended. I had many positive outcomes during my first year. Then in my 2nd year, I worked with a much more challenging student and did not have a good outcome. I didn’t have enough knowledge or tools. Then the third year, I worked with this highly compromised student and did not have many outcomes either. The third year was a job share working with another staff. Let’s call her Thana. 

After working at this school for a few years, I realized it was a school where students with severe behavior issues attend. Institutions for such students no longer exist. It was operational back in the 1950s. However, in the 1970s Geraldo Rivera’s investigation gave the public and the government system a very good reason why institutions shouldn’t continue. In addition, unfortunately, it was a school where Deaf students will be sent as a last resort to Deaf Education placement options. 

Back to my 3rd year working at the school as a Teacher’s Assistant (TA), Thana seems to be a proactive Teacher’s Assistant. She was one of my former friends in my childhood days at the same school I was working for. I confided in her again for a friendship. 

It turned out it was a mistake. 

Something apparently intentional had happened. 

Thana had the student after my part-time shift was over with the compromised student. I had a break or I was in a room for some duty, I don’t exactly recall. I walked back to the classroom for data documentation. On my way back to the classroom, before entering the classroom, there was a restroom that was designed just with the turning hallways straight to the sinks then another 180 degrees turn, there are toilet booths. So you can see the mirrors reflecting the booths. I saw Thana in there with the student being in the booth by himself while Thana was holding his red long-sleeved shirt doing something with it. Thana had scissors. I didn’t perceive if there was anything wrong at that time. I walked past the restroom without stopping or any hesitation. I trusted her. Maybe about 5 minutes later, I was working on data documentation and other duties I needed to complete for this student. The teacher came in asking me what’s going on with the red shirt. I was appalled to see it full of holes. I was very confused - it was extremely unusual. I didn’t think the student will do that. It will look different if the student did it. I didn’t think at the time it didn’t occur to me until later that I realized Thana had the scissors. Thana apparently set me up for possible sanctions. I was beyond denial that such a thing would happen to me. I was also numb. I was not in a good position at the time personally. 

I reported it through the email system a few days later by just emailing the counselor, the principal, and TA supervisor. There was not much response or action. The investigation never happened. They never questioned me. They basically did not interview to my best knowledge. I realized this after taking a Special Education laws course when I was in graduate school the following fall. It was interesting that there was no formal investigation. I was not sure if anyone has filed a report. I was not a teacher at the time. The teacher at that time was an aunt of the student with who I was working. Thana shared the job with me. There wasn’t much knowledge or training to deal with a student we worked with. Professionals at the time had so many unanswered questions. Behavioral specialists tried so many strategies and did the data collection. The only time the student will behave is if he will get M&Ms, the carrots and stick approach. The student was highly compromised in terms of psychological development due to infant abuse. Later he was adopted. His parents were professionals in Deaf education. His aunt was also Deaf Educator. The father was a professor at a nearby college. It is clear that they were doing the best they can with their adopted son whose first few years were unfortunately compromised. Hats off to them. 

Back to my TA job, I was supposed to have training regarding the student’s behavioral needs. After the situation had occurred, Thana was assigned to the training instead of me. I didn’t have any hard feelings - I was not sure what was happening. But I felt something was off. I was focusing on taking care of myself, applying for graduate school, getting ready to move out of state, and dealing with personal issues at home. 

I finally realize that it took me a while to figure out that I was set up. I find this extremely unprofessional and unethical of an adult who was a staff at the school. She still has the job after that. Instead, I was terminated. On June 2016, I got the letter that I was terminated. I was not sure what that meant and I assume that they knew I was moving but I realized 5 years later after working for another company, an educational institution, you actually are required to submit a resignation for moving out. 

I realized that they terminated me without any reason or evidence. I didn’t think of that at the time. I realized that they failed to do a formal investigation. I realized that they wrongfully dismissed the case - actually, I don’t know if they ever made a case after all since to my best knowledge, there was no investigation. 

I find this dangerous. They are actually hurting their own educational system. 

I was wrongfully fired. I am not sure why it took me a while to realize this. If it takes me a while to realize some certain things, it means that it was planned, I was set up, and they believed their long-time staff. Then this one time incident in their eyes was not her because it is out of the pattern of this staff. In other words, they know this staff as trustworthy and does no wrongdoing. They did not know me long enough. They never questioned me. 

In addition, I applied for a teaching position at that school; however, they have never contacted me or offered me a job ever since, which is another reason why it took me a while to figure things out. They also never told me why I was terminated.

Another reason why it took me a while to realize that I was wrongfully terminated is probably partially because of language deprivation. 

How do I feel about this? I feel a bit frustrated that it had to happen. I am disappointed with these people involved. This realization was a slow one. I was able to process this over time. I feel that this is a great way for me to share my experience here. Even though I wish very much that it didn't happen, I think I have accepted the unfortunate situation. I'd like to share this and maybe others can learn something from this. 

After all, I have gracefully have accepted the fact that I experienced this unfortunate event. In fact, I do have other unwitting life events that I did not want to occur in my life partially because of language deprivation.

Language deprivation is where the development of the vocabulary pool or able to interpret a statement to an actual meaning is lacking. The Deaf Education system is attempting to reduce the gap of deprivation through bilingual and bicultural instruction approaches.