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Seeking to shelter their kids from the bullying and intolerance perceived to exist at public schools, parents sometimes turn to the more sheltered world of a private school education. Unfortunately, recent events have shown that not even those sheltered environments are free from bullying and “mean girl” tactics – the twist at a private Orange County elementary school was discovered when the bullying behavior was evidently directed and coordinated by one of the school’s eighth grade teachers.
There had been rumors and complaints swirling around the private school for some time that those choosing to go to any high school except Santa Margarita Catholic High School were being subjected to open criticism by a number of faculty members. Evidently, this teacher decided to elevate this criticism to an art form. As part of a classroom project she had a number of eighth grade girls create a poster entitled “Our Futures.” In anime style the poster showed girls from several Orange County area high schools. The girls from Santa Margarita and JSerra were depicted relatively accurately in their relatively conservative school uniforms. This is where things began to fall apart. The drawing of the girl from the all-girl Cornelia Connelly High School was depicted as a “slutty debutant” complete with mini skirt, high heels and long gloves. The depiction of the girls from Tesoro and Capistrano Valley High Schools was even worse featuring charicatures wearing garb that could be described as anything from “street walker” to “slut.” This poster was then placed in the hallway used by all students as they change class rooms.
Following complaints by at least one set of parents, the school began an investigation into the creation of the poster. As it turns out, 12 “good” girls worked to create the poster UNDER THE DIRECT SUPERVISION AND WITH THE APPROVAL OF THEIR TEACHER. The first response of the school is that the girls could not be held accountable for their actions because it was faculty directed. No formal action has been taken against either the teacher or the 12 girls who created the poster.
Ironically, the school actually has very clear rules regarding “mean girls” activities which are very broad and mandate suspension for actions of more than one person which are perceived as offensive by the recipient, whether or not the feelings of the recipient are reasonable. Earlier this school year this rule was enforced at the school when a group of girls handed a note to another girl which asked the single girl to stop being mean to them. Even though the note was not objectively offensive, the creators of the note were suspended because of complaints from the mother of the recipient. Evidently the elementary school does not believe that the kind of elitism, bullying and mockery in the faculty directed poster reflects offensive behavior.
So that leaves quite a Quandry for the Cunninghams.
If The rumors are true (and we KNOW they are), The Cunningham kids FREE TUITION (in exchange for positive publicity for Pedo-priest protector and all around SICK XXXX John Urell) is only good at the elementary (K-8) level.
So what to do now, could they really make it at Rosary? what about Mater Dei (we know Laura speaks MEXICAN), or will they be subjected to the high heeled booted dominitrix described here?
Man education decisions are tough in this day and age!
(The Chris Prevatt Disclaimer: This post is ment to be in jest; I am not typing it from my county owned computer while on the clock working for the TAXPAYER)
Can someone please explain the above post? Who is “Cunningham” and how does she get free tuition for her kids?
Well, this is very simple – you just have to come back to this blog over and over and then you’ll know!
“you just have to come back to this blog over and over and then you’ll know!”……. Hmmm
Nelson is an idiot!
That is a ploy!…. Don’t come back because you do not want to know what is going on hear!….. Click on my name link and you will get a picture.
Sodom and Gomorrah!
Same if you if you dye, do not go for light!…… that is a deception!
Go for dark!….. that is a true passage to the heaven.
I known, I had a Near Death Experience (“NDE”)!
exactly.
Inside Baseball,
DKMFan is an anonymous OJ Blog troll with a creepy personal obsession with Matt Cunningham, who is a long-time conservative blogger from OC. He uses any excuse to post weird conspiracy theories about Cunningham. Just ignore him. He’s like a barnacle on OJ Blog’s hull.
Just callin’ them like I see them.
I notice you are so generous sharing your identity. Theories they are not mind you, for all I write is rooted in fact (that was clue #3 DAN).
DKM
As a bonus, you gave yourself what is perhaps the biggest clue to my identity in this post Chmelwinski.
Happy Memorial Day weekend to you too Dan, We realize you an Chis will too busy to discuss Huy Pham’s Cocaine use, convienently.
This must have been too difacult for you guys to discuss since you knew him so well!
Whatever. I’m not making claims that someone is taking some kind of payoff. You are, and without coughing up any evidence. There’s mo reason to believe an anonymous blog troll like you. If what you are saying is true, you shouldn’t be afraid to put your name to it. That you are apparently afraid to says it all.
Geoff – A blog article for THIS?
It must be a slow news day.
Hey at least it was OC-related, and didn’t divide us up predictably left from right.
“(it) didn’t divide us up predictably left from right.”
Oh really Vern? Apparently you didn’t catch the rather obvious allergorical portrayal of illegal immigration contained within this missive.
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This is a complete joke. One parent, Geoff Willis – a strange attorney – has a weird interpretation of a poster made by a bunch of kids. Mr. Willis is a hyper-sensetive parent who has an axe to grind due to his own lack or parenting skills. Very sad!
And did I detect a little bit of anti-Catholic bias from the self-described “Christian?” Or was I imagining that…
explains why the old Catholic “junior” was a little irritated.
A little ambiguous here Vern. If you are saying that I have an ant-Catholic bias that is funny since my wife and kids are are Catholic and I attend mass on a regular basis. If anything, this is anti elitism and bigotry.
All right, there was just a slight suggestion of that but I wasn’t sure. Never mind.
Very funny….. are you talking about all of the eltisim and bigotry that is aimed at wealthy white lawyers and their families!!LOL!!
Mr. Johnson, no one else is laughing at your racist words of hate.
Umm… I was laughing a little. maybe what happened at the school was nasty. But it always makes me laugh when white people (like myself) educated people (like myself) and privileged people (not so much like myself) feel themselves victimized by “racism”, “bigotry” and “elitism.”
Actually I’m going to be writing a story about that soon. Something I’ve had on my mind for a while, but it’s become more urgent with the release of this disturbing study http://pps.sagepub.com/content/6/3/215 showing that more and more white people feel that way.
My story will be called “Boundless White Self-Pity.”
This is all an aside though, I’ll take your word that whatever happened at this school was unpleasant and wrong.
I look forward to this Vern. I don’t find it funny. So you are saying that Italians, Irish and other “whites” have not been the subject of ruthless elitism and bigotry when they came to this country? Racism is an evil regardless of who is applying it to whom. Its not self pity to demand to be treated equally regardless of your skin color.
Of course Italians and Irish were, at one time. We all know that. Who do you think oppressed them, the blacks?
White people in general are not oppressed. In Zimbabwe, maybe.
Poor white people are, like all poor people. But not because they’re white.
Brother Vern.
I beg to differ but we white folks were treated with respect when visiting Zimbabwe. And I can say that the four of us went shopping in an open mall where there were 100 black men and never felt threatened.
Well, there you go – maybe white people aren’t oppressed anywhere! Certainly not in America at least.
Brother Vern. Don’t stretch my remarks. I was only responding from our personal experience having spent a week in Zimbabwe.
Well, Brother Larry, you jumped into this discussion and I just took you at your word. I think you just caught the word “Zimbabwe” and wanted to show off that you’ve been there!
Of course they were nice to you there, you were a money-spending tourist. I hear the white farmers are not treated so well. And STILL, this is ultra-peripheral to the main point I’m making with Geoff: White folks in America got nothin’ to bitch and moan about!
I’l save further comment on this until your post – we have drifted pretty far afield.
Pretty funny Geoff – All of us are laughing at you!
You don’t know me or my parenting skills Mr. Johnson. I am far from a “hyper-sensetive parent who has an as to grind.” We teach our kids self responsibility and they take their lumps when they are deserved. I would be curious to know the facts upon which you base your strange statements Mr. Johnson.
Sorry, but any parent that takes their school problems to the internet is a bit on the looney side. My apologies, but the rest of the world really doesn’t care.
Sorry – but what kind of moron goes to the internet to complain about how his kid is treated at school. You need a big time reality check.
*Thought we were supposed to be discussing inappropriate “bullying”. In the old days….mom
would ask “What’s going on?” She would then get on board the School Bus and tell the driver to watch what was happening….like people flicking the back of the ear of others or making nasty remarks to others. She would walk up to the offender or offenders and tell them that she was going to call their mom …if this type of behavior continued.
Of course…..that type of behavior today…gets you thrown in jail. So, we do need a “School IG” that kids can go to “in confidence”……tell officials. After they have told their mom and both go to the IG and nothing changes…..it should be reported two places: (1) Local School Board and (2) At a State IG Office….which could coordinate and oversee the actions or inactions of the Local School Board. Truly, “bullying” needs to be controlled by the Dean of Men or Dean of Women and the Student Councils of each school.
Those that are constantly complaining about others without reasonable cause…..needs counseling from the same group of people.
Nice Picture Mr. Willis – Almost as disgusting as you bringing your petty problems with your daughter for the whole world to see. You are a real creep!
Dave, if you are referring to the picture illustrating this story, I picked it from a movie called “Mean Girls,” and don’t see how it’s disgusting. Come on, take it easy on Geoff, you’ve made your points.
Just kind of wondering why this political blog has turned into a mode for a depraved rich white attorney like Geoff Willis to take out his frustrations on a hard working Catholic school teacher that has never done anything but help kids for over 30 years. I understand that Geoff has not had the guts to confront Mrs. _______ in person. Instead he resorts to cowardly posts on the internet. Do Geoff’s partners at Sheppard Mullin know about his sicko dark side…. someone should let them know!
“Sicko,”"depraved,” “moron”,”looney,”"wealthy” (ohh, there’s a real rip), “white,”"strange lawyer,”"hyper sensitive parent.”
Mr. Johnson you clearly have had a first class education and have excellent parenting skills as demonstrated by your sensitive and caring dialogue. My only worry about responding at all is that it gives any credibility to some ones so obviously taking this personally. Instead of a diatribe demonstrating your virulent vocabulary, how about dealing with the merits of the post. I’m sorry, that would take intelligence so lacking from your posts.
Geoff, why diddn’t you take your concerns to _____ before taking your concerns to the internet? Don’t try and lie about this, because we all know what is going on here. What kind of man does that?
My concerns were taken to _____ immediately and then to the diocese and only then to the internet.
Geoff,
Every parent in the 8th grade class saw the poster and thinks you are way out of line. Your family is the talk of the school. You are nuts. If you have an axe to grind about your daughter, so be it. But, you owe Mrs. _______ a big apology.
As a ____ parent I have watched the exchange over this issue. Mr. Willis is certainly entitled to his opinions. However, it is unfortunate that he decided to resort to an internet site to vent his frustrations, instead of working with the school to resolve his problems. Mrs. ______ is a great teacher. She does not deserve this. ______ is a private school. If he has a problem with the way the school works, he should have just gracefully left the school and gone somewhere else.
So, if a place that I otherwise like and has done a good job with my kids has a problem I should silently and quietly slip away into the night? I thought that we were taught to stand up for right and to patiently but firmly try to correct wrongs.
When I wrote this piece I saw it as a cathartic exercise regarding what I viewed as a minor injustice. I did not link this story to my other normal sources because it was not my intent to make this a bigger deal than it was. However, the comments here and the private correspondence I have received show that this has hit a nerve. This story was carefully drafted and factual statements are double, triple and quadruple sourced. None of the comments or correspondence state that I have any of the facts wrong. In addition to the above, there are other facts that I did not mention because I did not feel that the story needed more detail.
First, my daughter is the only student we are aware of that will be attending public school next year. That made this attack very personal. Second, this is the far from the first time that derisive comments or actions were made by faculty regarding any school other than Santa Margarita creating an uncomfortable environment. Third, the poster was unfortunately modified by the administration the evening after it spent the day in the hallway. These modifications cloaked and obscured the offensive images.
In addition, we have worked with both the school and the dioceses in reference to these actions. We were more than willing to meet with school administration and the teacher this week but we were told that Mrs. ______ was unavailable until next week. We plan to meet with administration members and the teacher at that time – the first time that they have made themselves available to us.
Finally, what I seem to be hearing is that I have no right to publicly voice my concerns over events taking place in a private school. Some might even view Mr. Johnson’s aggressive language as emulating the very kind of bullying written about in the piece. “Maybe if I am offensive enough and crass enough the complainer will go away.” Might work with eighth graders but doesn’t work with adults.
Geoff,
You are so wrong on every level.
1. Everyone knows that you never even saw the poster. (Admit it!)
2. You complain about the “high heels” in the picture – none of the charachters even had shoes.
3. Several _____ kids are headed to public high school (Tesoro, Mission, Capo).
The saddest part is that your little “cathartic exercise” comes at the expense of a great teacher who’s charachter you have decided to unjustly impugn. You are really a bad person who is rotten to the core.
So that’s your big “gotcha”?
1. Who cares if Geoff has seen the picture if it depicts what he states in his post?
2. I note that you only dispute the “high heels” aspect of Geoff’s description but not any other part of the poster … interesting to say the least. If Geoff is “so wrong on every level” then why not dispute other facts you claim are false? Unless you can’t. If you are that convinced that Geoff has the facts wrong, produce a picture. As you say, “[e]very parent in the 8th grade class saw the poster” (though you claim Geoff hasn’t, making your statement inaccurate and you wrong on that level), then someone should have a picture of it handy for you to post. Absent that, I’m sure the administration would allow you to take one and post it, unless the administration doesn’t want it going public. Now why would they do that …?
3. If Geoff’s facts are accurate, this fact would actually be offensive to even more children at the school. How does that support your attacks on Geoff?
I look forward to your posting a picture of the poster soon so we can all weigh in.
Post it! Post it!
Actually you probably can’t, so e-mail it to me at chezvern@aol.com and I’ll post it.
Before you post, please make sure that it is the original offensive version, not the version that was modified by black magic marker after the fact.
I heard the Willis kids are leaving _____. THANKS BE TO GOD!!!
If you think that this would be a reason to thank God, I feel sorry for you and your kids.
Mr. Willis you have no idea how many people you and your wife have offended in your time at _____. Your untrue and malicious attack on Mrs. ______ is offensive to not just Catholics at _____, but also at St. Killian and J Serra. Shame on you and _____ for this personal attack on a great school and a great teacher.
Readers. I have deleted a duplication of this comment.
Let me also caution you that we do have a Juice policy prohibiting personal attacks.
That does not mean to say that you can’t disagree with the author. Bring it on.
Evidently the Xerox machine is working overtime with an orchestrated hit piece aimed at further bullying. This is the way that bully’s try to intimidate people into no longer voicing their opinions. If my post is offensive to you, that is unfortunate. It is neither untrue nor malicious.
Actually Mr. Willis I think you underestimated the reaction that the Catholic community would have to your public rant about an incredible teacher. Good luck trying to mend fences with your Catholic brethren.
Mr. Willis,
You sure come off here as a sad, sad little man. You use your legalese to push around and established teacher at a respected school when your kid gets her feelings hurt. What a joke, would you be happy if she was fired? Why don’t you realize that this is part of life and you can’t always bully or buy your way out of negative situations, this is part of growing up! Taking this to a public blog only makes you appear, or confirms, what an incredibly insecure person that you must really be.
Surely you are threatening to take your kids and tuition elsewhere in an effort to strong arm Serra into acquiescing to your demands, but I think that they should stick to their guns and back their teacher and administration, because who was really hurt here besides your feelings. Go to public schools if you must, where your wallet will not dictate the curriculum or the discipline that is imposed on every student. Good luck with that…
The real story here is not about _____ Catholic or Mrs. _______. It is about a powerful priveliged couple – Geoff and _____ Willis constantly seeking to use their financial prowess to bully those around them. Hurt their kids feelings and Mr. & Mrs. Willis will do everything they can to publically ruin a teacher’s 30 year career. The true bullying story here is not about _____ Catholic or Mrs. _______, it is about Geoff and _____ Willis.
I could not agree more. Mrs. ______ does not have a mean bone in her body. She is the most wonderful teacher. It pains so many of us to see the Willis family tear her apart when we know that she did nothing wrong here.
This is hilarious since “Dave Johnson,” “Tony T” and “Garvin” are all the same person – you are replying to your own comment. That is odd even for the blogosphere.
Geoff’s allegations need to be taken with a grain of salt when you consider that he and his wife have made similiar unfounded allegations at JSerra.
Here is what this really comes down to:
Yes, Mr. Willis got upset by something at his kid’s school – that type of thing happens at every school every day of the week.
However, Mr. & Mrs. Willis went about it the wrong way in responding to this.
Instead of going to the school and talking things out, he went on an internet rampage where he tore apart a beloved teacher that has dedicated her life to teaching kids at a Catholic school, where she earns far less than she could at a public school. She is a good woman who does not deserve to be called a “mean girl.”
Guys like Geoff Willis (a sucessful lawyer) are used to being able to boss everyone around. Like most wives, his wife has taken on the same bully persona. While that may work in some circumstances, it certainly does not work when you publicly go after a good woman like Mrs. Matsukane. An awful lot of people are offended by the actions of Mr. & Mrs. Willis.
I suggest a public apology from Mr. & Mrs. Willis, to Mrs. Matsukane and the parents at Serra, then lets put this ugly mess behind us.
Time for the Willis family to show what they are made of
Apologize for telling the truth? Not likely. What is more bullying – telling the truth or rallying a bunch of people to try to stop that person from telling the truth? These bullying comments are making my point more soundly than I ever could.
I agree! One of the sad points to this is that they claim that their daughter was hurt by the poster?! Sadly, this public outburst is likely causing more pain for her. Mrs. ______ has devoted her life to teaching our children in a Catholic faith-filled environment. After knowing her for 11 years, I am hard pressed to name a more passionate educator who truly loves what she does and is a “difference maker” in the lives of our children. That is not an easy thing to find these days! She is helping to shape good, Catholic leaders for the future of our community and world! I am certain that she feels sad for the daughter for what she is going through. If the parents are going to say their daughter isn’t aware…they are sadly mistaken, again! One should not blame the school or the society for their personal problem, but rather start by looking within!
It amazes me to see how many people are so off topic here….the issues is with “bullying” in a place that it should not happen….1) a school and 2) a private school where children are made to read the bible and attend classes specifically teaching to love thy neighbor – no matter who they are. As a teacher – mistakes happen – as I read it, all the family wanted was an acknowledgment that it wasn’t within a good choice of assignments.
I see so many of YOU coming to the defense of the teacher – but not commenting on the “bullying” or the idea that their private school makes better citizens than other schools. Must mean you are the bank rollers of that private school….let me donate more so may child stays elite…way to go…..they will work well in corporate America – lie, cheat, and pay your way out now – it will work later in life too. What are we saying to our children if it is ok to show we are better because we attend school here…..what would GOD say to that? Let’s get back to the reason and stop making this an attack on a teacher vs. family. I do find it amusing to see how defensive parents of the school are….makes one tend to think that maybe something is being covered up and now the outside world might see just how un-Catholic our private school is and not as the first words of the mission statement says -Rooted in Faith and Vision.
Offended Bystander, you are not getting it! There was no bullying! This is all the product of the mind of a hyper-sensetive Geoff and ____ Willis.
Yes, we are the “strange” ones. You have filed comments on this post using three different names – that’s odd even for the blogoshpere. Bullies like you always try to deflect attention when caught trying to push people around.
Dear Dave,
The Willis Family is the most non hyper-sensitive family that there is…It is obvious you have no idea what you are talking about and you truly honestly DO NOT know them. I do find it funny that you have to resort to being 3 people to keep this going. And the only 3 that actually agree with you…
Dave.
While I try to stay away from other writers posts, you have now introduced a “Kelly” Willis who is either a spouse or child of Geoff. In either case this is a personal attack. I previously commented that profanity and personal attacks, or attacking someone’s family are not acceptable by our Juice Policy.
If you can’t refrain from this level of exchange in this debate I will have no choice other than to simply delete those comments.
Let me also say that while we both live in MV we are not friends. Measure D being a strong example.
I don’t know Dave Johnson, but I would tend to agree with him. Yes, Geoff and ___ are some of the most hyper sensitive people who you will ever meet, people that exist in a world where they are never wrong and can justify anything in their own minds by blaming others.
All of that is beside the point though. What is still baffling is why Mr Willis would feel compelled to bring his daughters hurt feelings out onto a public board. Does the child, or even the wife know that their dirty laundry is being aired by their fragile, apparently wildly insecure father/husband? Is that what an accomplished lawyer does, publicly slam educators and learning institutions when a family member gets their feelings hurt by a school project? Who seems worse now, the kids that did the “offending” or the “offended’s” father who can’t handle this through the proper channels? It seems that all of the kids involved here will learn from this episode, but I doubt that the adult, Mr Willis will…
So we have one foe pretending to be three, other “outraged” folks, and a slew of personal attacks. Yet not one of the bomb throwers has offered to put the poster up for public view to let the masses decide whether it is offensive to us or not. It makes me wonder yet again what these people have to hide. If the teacher is as committed to the children as you all claim, I would think you would be jumping at the chance to expose Geoff for his “hyper-sensitivity” yet still you all ignore the real issue – is the poster as Geoff describes? If it is, why would a teacher allow such a poster to be placed in public for all to see. If it is not, then your criticisms of Geoff have some validity. Let’s put the poster up here and let that move the conversation, rather than meaningless and petty personal attacks. It’s time to put up or shut up Mr. Johnson (or is it “Tony T” or “Garvin”?), serra mom, and the rest of you nattering nabobs.