The incident happened on September 30 at the Barnett Junior High School. Bunn was quickly put on paid leave and will be able to resume her duties after an investigation from the school district.
Shirley Bunn, has admitted that her insensitive remark was not a slip-of-the-tongue, but that she was provoked into making it, by a student who, with a history of bad behavior in class, was repeatedly interrupting it, thereby wasting his time, her time and everyone else’s time.
Bunn was distributing Title 1 forms to her eight grade students and one disruptive student kept telling her “I’m Mexican. I’m Mexican” and requesting the form in Spanish. Bunn claims that she then told the student that a Spanish-language form was available in the office. But the student kept saying “I’m Mexican”.
Bunn quickly told the student “Go back to Mexico”.
Her statement, “”It was almost instantaneous. I thought, ‘God, I don’t believe that came out of my mouth,” prove that she regretted making that remark – also that she was at the fag-end of a very hard week only made her irritation more and resulted in her aberrant reaction.
Bunn, a two time winner of the “Teacher of the Year” award, says that she immediately regretted saying those words. Last week Jess Rickman III, an examiner of the Independent Hearing Examiner, said in a 23-page opinion that Bunn should be allowed to keep her job. But his report is just a recommendation and Bunn’s fate will be decided by the school board next month.
Should the teacher get her job back? Let us know what you think.
I have started a petition on change.org for Shirley Bunn to keep her job.
I don’t think that this teacher said this out of racism. If the student obviously speaks english then she does not need a form in Spanish and to keep saying I am a Mexican. I am a Mexican I might have said “well then go back to Mexico if thats how you feel”. That does not mean that I am racist it means if you are so hell bent on being Mexican and feel the need to keep throwing it in my face that means to me that you are more proud about being a mexican than an american. I am all for immigrants coming here (the legal way) and keeping their culture but that does not mean that Americans have to assimilate to their culture we just have to respect it and allow them to practice it. This is America if you want to live here you need to learn to speak, write, and read english and if you want to keep spanish then feel free to do so. We accomodate those who cannot speak english but if you have enough nerve to tell me I need that form in Spanish but you speak english then you are trying to control me…. at least she didnt tell her to go to hell….
I think she should not only keep her job but she should get a raise and a bonus. More teachers should stand up to the system. This the USA and it is supposed to be an ENGLISH speaking country.
It also annoys me when Hispanic’s refuse to speak English. I actually am Hispanic- well, I was born in the USA, but my family is Cuban- and I agree with the fact that if you are in a nation that speaks a language, you should LEARN that language. But I wouldn’t manipulate the scenario by giving the teacher a bonus and a raise. This country is about being FREE, with all sorts of cultures thrown in and people can express themselves however they like. Therefore, by acknowledging and rewarding the teacher for commenting in that manner would be discrimination of a race- something America, isn’t about.
I am a former student of Barnett Junior High School and I was privileged enough to have Ms. Bunn as a teacher. She is one of the hardest working teachers at that school and cares more about the students than any other teacher in the state. She does not hesitate to enforce the rules in the classroom and maintains a productive learning environment for every student in all of her classes. She is by no means racist whatsoever! All of her students are treated equally and fairly. I have seen first hand the kind of problems that she deals with in her classes. I applaud teachers all over for having to deal with children like this particular trouble maker. I hate to see that this has happened to Ms. Bunn and I believe she definitely deserves her job back. I am not saying this because she was one of my favorite teachers in school because she was not. However, I do respect the job that she does and I would like to thank her for her hard work and dedication to the students at that school.
Yo dat teacher need dat job back! we can’t be firing a brotha or sista for something that don’t even matter yo! fight da system! power to the people!
If you want to be in AMERICA and go to school here ….THEN SPEAK ENGLISH.!!!!!!!! There should be no exceptions , if you dont like it here, you dont want to live the american way, speak english then yes GO BACK TO WHERE YOU CAME FROM….. quit excepting us to change to your way, we not in mexico, if I wanted your culture then I would live in mexico…. Give this Teacher her JOB BACK, tell the kid to say he was sorry, and send him back…..I have a lot of friend that are mexican, Cuban, they live like americans, speak english, they use there language when and where appropriate and the celebrate their culture in their homes, they don’t shove it in our face, they ask if I would like to come and share, they teach their children respect and to be proud to be in america, but respect where they are from, there are here for a BETTER LIFE, and this is how it should be… here for an AMERICAN life, you left where you wee from to have a better life here, so be an American all the way….
We can all understand how it happened, but she should not have said it, regardless. She even said it herself – she knew it was wrong. There are other ways of dealing with difficult students. However, she shouldn’t lose her job over it. Teachers aren’t perfect under such challenging circumstances and people expect them to be. And, administrators can’t take one isolated case as such and rid of overall good teachers. I feel bad for her and I’m sure she’s learned her lesson. The student should also be accountable for his taunting, difficult behavior.
who is the adult here !?
Alot of hispanics that come to the United States think that we should bend our rules to accomodate them and their traditions. If you want to be a citizen of the U.S. then you do as the immigrants from europe did. They embraced our country and not only was glad to be here but was proud to obtain American citizenship and they didnt wait years. They studied our language and they kept their culture but became American citizens.
That teacher was right and it goes for all you immigrants who come to the U.S. and think we should be kissing your butt. If you dont like it here then leave…you have that choice.