Ozark teacher seeks answers from board
Published: February 13, 2009
OZARK — A Carroll High School teacher who wants out of the school system is asking the school board and superintendent for some answers. It appears those answers have yet to come.
Linda Dees told board members on Tuesday she had been forced to be part of a work environment full of harassment, ridicule, defamation of character and discrimination after incidents over the last two years involving students who were not disciplined.
Those incidents included students hacking into her e-mail, putting some unknown substance in one of her drinks, and improper images of her online. She told school board members she wanted to be paid money she had invested into the system’s Deferred Retirement Option Plan and then retire, as well as a settlement she said was discussed for what she had gone through while there the last few years.
“We met with each other in executive section in October and I was told that it was obvious I had been wronged and what would it take … I said I would discuss the matter with my attorney, and now there is supposedly no record at any time during the previous meeting where anything was said about compensation,” Dees said. “I’m dedicated to Ozark City Schools. I believe I should be treated better. I want to know what we can do to fix this problem together.”
Schools Superintendent Mike Lenhart thanked Dees for her comments, though he did not answer any of her questions during the meeting. Most personnel matters in a school system are discussed in executive session until a vote by the school board. School board members are not obligated to discuss matters before then.
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Reader Reactions
I am currently a student at Carroll High School and i have Ms. Dees for Environmental Science. I believe all of these negative attack adds that Ms. Dees is receiving is outright absurd. Those that are commenting don’t even know the whole story. Ms. Dees has done nothing but good things for Carroll High School. She IS the best teacher that i’ve had in the 4 years that i’ve been a student at CHS. She is only attacked because she looks at life a little different then most do. It’s not like she is asking for a million dollars she’s simply asking for what she has earned. I pray that Ms. Dees gets what she deserves.
No Bridger,i dont feel kids in private schools are being deprived of anything.Its no question that private schools provide a more structured and better education than public schools do. Alot of the students in public schools have serious behavorial problems and private schools shelter the kids from that. As far as the kids learning to deal with all people , i feel private schools provide more adaquately for that than do public schools. They teach the kids the type person to associate with and the kinds they need to avoid in life
“Bridger, I’ll be willing to bet that you didn’t academically excel at Carroll High , did you? I’m curious did continue on to college or are you now employed at Church’s Chicken?“
Mr. Hunter, I respectfully stated my opinions on Ms. Dees’ debacle. I do not dignify personal attacks with a response. No need for you to be a keyboard commando.
Now that I’m done with the negative, a question to Private school proponents:
Doesn’t it seems like maybe you are in some way cheating your child by having them in some sort of private school “utopia” where the problems associated with public school don’t exist? Don’t you think they need to learn to deal with all kinds of people whether they want to or not? I like to think of it as life skills.
123 , i dont mind your comments on my statements but at least try to stay on the topic of whats said instead of jumping all over the place. It’s really kind of funny how you jump from topic to topic as you do.
mrhunter,
I will address any post I want to and do not need permission from you. And you will watch what you write on here or your going to get banned from posting!
123 , yes i promote christian private schools ! Your right the schools dont determine the graduates or the number of graduates that continue on to college. I was just stating a fact , whatever the reason may be. What i dont understand is your addressing the dees issue in your last post. As i said from the beginning i support ms dees efforts so why was is neccessary to address those points in your last post addressed to me. Are you having a problem following the conversation or what? If youre wanting to express an opinion then thats fine but dont address them to me unless its a direct response to something i said in the immediately prior post .
123 , show me where i broke a user agreement
Also, report mrhunter everyone for his conduct he actually broke the user agreement so now is the chance to get him removed from post. I’m personally contacting the paper myself.
mrhunter,
I have reported you for your bad conduct one here. And personally I hope you attend church this Sunday since you are so apt to promote Christian private schools. Talk about setting an example. You may be the very reason we have these behavorial issues in schools.
mrhunter,
Might I remind you its not the school that determines whether a child goes to college, rather the child himself. It’s a choice. And what this teacher has done is dedicate her life to students and now trying to reap compensation for having to lower her standards and put up with behaviors that are considered illegal in some cases. For example, “hacking in to someone’s e-mail”, and I would bet it has to do with taking out severe consequences like being expelled or paddled. The no-consequence society we live in only promotes the matter negatively.
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