Readers weigh in after a Hartford teacher is suspended for making students clean the classroom bathroom after using it.
HARTFORD, Conn. - Art teacher Catherine Saur was suspended this week after parents complained about a two-year practice of making students clean the bathroom in the classroom after using it.
One parent told the school board that her son's hands were irritated from cleaning the toilets. Another parent said her 7-year-old daughter went to the bathroom in her pants because she didn't want to have to clean the bathroom.
Superintendent Peter Dart spoke out against Saur and the practice but not everyone believes she was out of line.
Nancy Moreaux, secretary of the school's parent-teacher organization said that she supported the practice, or at least the idea behind it.
"If you sprinkle when you tinkle, please be neat and wipe the seat," she said.
Here is what some of our readers had to say:
mayfieldit says: Teacher of the year. We need more like her. Too many P C cowards. If the parents raised them right there would not be a problem with cleaning the toilet. Don't surrender the school, we have given them the city.
underyourbed says: Kids should be doing chores. But, even I won't clean a public toilet. Sounds like no one wore gloves, the kids could have gotten sick if they inhaled bleach or mixed it with ammonia. Let the kids sweep or wash the chalkboards.
travis_bickle says: I totally remember putting our chairs on our desks at the end the day, helping the teacher throw out the wastebaskets and different kids being chosen to clap out the blackboard erasers outside. I also remember if you were well behaved and a good student you'd be chosen to raise the American flag in the morning. Do kids even DO THIS anymore??? It's not the kids faults. It's the ADULTS turning them into irresponsible WIMPS.
larryhovis says: anybody in support of this teacher would be playing a diff tune if it was their kid who came home with rashed up hands. im not against kids doin chores, but bleach?.....letting children use a toxic chemicals?....there are milder disinfectants. not a very smart person, and shes teachin kids is the scary thing. if i was the supe, id fire her.
gtrucks says: This teacher should be elevated to Superintendant of Hartford Schools!
What do you think? Is this teacher a model for modern education or did she overstep her bounds? Visit the original story here to chime in and join the conversation.