I recently moved into the area and have been assessing schools for a possible summer relocation of my family, which includes a 6-year-old and a 12-year-old. I am glad this story was covered and gives me insight into the manner in which these incidents are handled. I am not encouraged but what I am reading ...

I am truly dissappointed on how this situation was handled. Dr. Jones should not be punished but commended for the ability to take charge of her classroom. If my children ever disrespected a teacher or adult in that manner they would need to be very wary of the punishment they would receive at home. I can assure you it would be harsh. This child needs discipline, he is out of control and deserved a pop. It does take a village to raise a child, why are we pushing those who want to help us away. I pray and wish Dr. Jones and her family the very best.

I tell ya what. i am a graduate of the cornwall school system and have had teachers lay their hands on me more than once. well what went on behind school doors with them and my father will remain what it was and i tell you this if my child is EVER slaped by a school official for any reason that person better know that they will get it in return. if a kid hit a teacher then that child is wrong and would be permanatly suspended...so should the teacher if they lay first strike.

It is simple. Teachers are not to strike students.

i am a student attending cchs, and i was in the classroom when it happened. The teacher was not wrong to strike the student. Ms. Jones was one of the best teachers i have had thus far and everyone really seemed to like her. I think what the boy did was disrespectful and rude. If i did that to a teacher, i would deserve a tap (which by the way is what the boy received) What the school board did was just low and cowardly. Granted you should punish both students and teachers for doing wrong, but going to such drastic measures for this incident was just wrong.

I am a graduate of CCHS and if anything like that had happened in MY day I am sure that the teacher WOULD have gotten fired. I am not defending the student but that is the EXACT point. No one needs to defend the student. Two wrongs don?t make a right, and the fact is that any physical discipline by teachers is illegal in NY state. The school board just carried out the state law. Fact is, if you read peoples comments they have one idea in common and the thought is ?if I ever did something like that I would have gotten it at home? ? well, what about the kids parents? Everyone is complaining about the school board, but most are not recognizing that in this state corporal punishment is up to the parents. The story online states that she didn?t ?slap? the student for chewing gum, if even it was a ?tap? anything that could be construed as slapping was opening herself and the school up for trouble. The fact is that racially charged comments are not an excuse for physical contact, even mild contact. If we use excuses like this then we can use anything as a reason for aggression. Nice or not, all they did was uphold the law.

Lets put a member of the school board and the parents of the student in front of a class with 20 students just like him and see how they handle it. What ever happen to RESPECT ? Does anyone remember what it means??? If you don't respect others then you have no respect for yourself.. Are the members of the school board afraid that they will not get re-electic if they sided with the teacher who was not wrong in doing what she did. My hat is off to her and I hope she finds a better school district to work for. Because frankly I think the school district has gotten to be just horrible. Why not just let the kids run the place. After all they already do........

Having had 3 children go thru the Cornwall School District I can't believe that this behavior would be tolerated. If any of our children even looked wrong at one of their teachers there would be hell to pay. The school board should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this student to get away with his actions. The big shame is lossing what I understand to be an excellent teacher. The board owes Dr. Jones an apology! Shame on them.

Unfortunately we live in a liberal society as everyone of us unfortunately has the right to curse and disrespect our teachers and law enforcement. It is called freedom of expression and with freedom of expression brings us here today. To start we need to elect school board members who stand up for what is morally right and what is good for our community.

If you think what teachers have to deal with is difficult try being a nurse in an ER, a police officer, or for that matter anyone who deals with the general public. ? LIFE LESSON #1; Keep your hands to yourself. For Ms. Benson; LESSON #2: For correspondence to be published in public forums save your best vocabulary until you KNOW all the facts. You did the teacher a disservice. RM

cpcreative RM - you can't compare the artificial environment of a classroom with real life (the general public) and NO ONE is saying that nurses, police officers , fire fighters, first responders, or kids slinging hash at a luncheonette don't have to deal with tough customers. But they have an option that teachers don't, that is why there has to be understood standards of behavior - so that people can actually function at their job and get it done. Please explain your life lesson #2. Enlighten me. Please. I respect and admire Ms. Jones immensely and would never do her a disservice. The FACT is - she didn't slap him. The FACT is he exhibited behavior that, in the general public, could have gotten him arested.

For once Kate said it right ... the FACT is that he displayed bahavior that COULD have gotten him arrested .. that is IF she had dealt with it as a teacher and admisinstrator SHOULD have and had called the police ... the FACT is that even a TAP is illegal in this state ... no one is defending the student; however, the schoolboard acted according to the guidelines they should have... if you feel the student deserves greater retribution why not petition the schoolboard on a seperate account? No one is stopping the parent of other students for speaking up that they dont want their kids in a school with this person. It is just that this is another issue altogether ...

Gee, thanks for your support, gump3b...wait a minute..."for *ONCE* Kate is right"???.... hahahaha (admit it, I'm right *most* of the time, and when I'm wrong I graciously if begrudgingly accept correction. ;-)hahahahahah
Here is a fact for you: the statement " even a TAP is illegal in this state" is incorrect. Allow me to quote from the CCSD policy on corporal punishment; "Corporal Punishment means any act of physical force upon a pupil for the *purpose of punishing* that pupil. In situations in which alternative procedures and methods not involving the use of physical force cannot reasonably be employed, nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the use of **reasonable** physical force for the following purposes: a) to protect onself from physical injury.
b) to protect another pupil or teacher or any other person from physical injury.
c)to restrain or remove a pupil whose behaviour is interfering with the ordinary exercise and performance of school district functions, powers and duties, if that pupil has refused to comply with a request to refrain from further disruptive acts."
italics mine.
As far as more parents showing up - as long as the District claims "privacy issues" the public, the taxpayers, the parents, the people who have a stake in this school, aren't even aware that something is going on until we hear the word on the street from our kids. How do we know that these issues are being handled justly and fairly if the district won't respond to comments at the meetings and won't make more than non-statement statements? There is no standardized procedure that I know of to deal with this type of thing which is a red flag for the public.
And how can we forget the rest of the students in that class that were completely left with nothing right before the mid-term?
And I am still waiting for some correction from cpcreative or RM or what ever the moniker... I like my vocabulary, I know lots of useful words and multisyllabic ones, too (honestly - I just like saying that one...it's fun!)

OK, he was mouthing off and being racists. It IS a horrible thing and NO she shouldnt have to be treated that way. Yet, from what I have read he wasnt being physically threatening to her or another student, and tapping him on the face doesnt restrain or remove him from the room, it just takes the chance of inciting physical violence from him. He was wrong, but she did not handle it as a teacher should. No where in What you wrote Kate does it state that physical contact is ok to stop racism, even choice C ... And most of the time KAte I dont agree with you, although from what I have read you are often a legend in your own mind. Hope to see you at the new village restaurant when it opens ;-)

I feel that the school board made the wrong decision in this case. Yes, I understand that a teacher should not lay a hand on any student, however, I also understand that there are exceptions to rules. Miss Jones did not intentionally harm this student, she was simply standing up for herself. From what I have heard from students in that class, the student was the one who was out of line. He was acting in a way that was extremely disrespectful. My understanding of the situation is that Ms. Jones felt threatened by his behavior. He was insulting her, making racial slurs and acting menacingly. Ms. Jones did not slap the student, my understanding was that all she did was push him away from her. Which is a completely understandable reaction to this situation. It is unacceptable to harm a student, but it is also unacceptable to allow oneself to be harmed by a student. What should she have done, allowed this student to continue harassing and belittling her? That would just show this obviously troubled student that he can get whatever he wants by the use of violence, rather than learning to respect authority, rules, and other peoples' feelings. The school board overreacted to this incident. If any other students were questioned about Ms. Jones behavior towards her students, it would have been blatantly obvious, that besides this she has never acted in a way that could be construed as even remotely harmful towards any students. She is an extremely caring and loving woman, she treats her students the way she would want to be treated, with respect and interest in each and every student. She is not the kind of woman that would purposely harm a child. I understand that it is the district?s obligation to protect the students, but what about protecting the teachers too? Don?t they deserve the same level of respect that they are supposed to show their students? I?d also like to share with you a letter that Ms. Jones wrote to her students.

?To my sweethearts of CCHS. I am completely taken back by all the support kindness and love that you all have shown me. I love each and every one of you and I miss you terribly. I feel horrilbe about what has happend and I want to apologize to all of you. I want you all to know that I am here for you and will always be, you know how to find me. I wish I can join the group but I can't because you have to be in High School to do so...And yall know I am older than that LOL.... Seriously, i have not been good the last couple of days but I am holding on. Trying to look for a new job. However, I want to leave someting with you.
Remember that everything happens for a reason good or bad, and know that when people do things to purposely hurt you and lie on you, they wil never do well, because life has a funny way on turning on them. Always remember to treat people how you want to be treated. Know that in this world you are the true next leaders, and If students like your self remain steadfast, and unmovable my future is in good hands. You know that I don't have any children but most of you were like my own. I would have done anything for you and will continue to do so. I have grown because of students like you, As much as I have taught you, you have taught me. You all have been a blessing to me that you have no idea.
To my babies- I wish I could be there for you the rest of year, I wish you God's peace and Blessings on all of your endeavors, Never Fear anything, Always say YOU CAN, Never Give Up, Be the Best at everything you Do. Remain true to your self. Maintain High Goals, and always strive and work to your potential. You all have shown me what leadership qualites you have as students. It has been pleasure and honor to be your teacher, friend, mother, aunt, sister. What ever you needed me to be. I love and admire you all.

Dance Team- Don't give up!!!!
Matt Epstien- Thank you for being a leader, I appreaciate all what you have done for me.
Paulie- Our Handshake is forever
Kristie- I am your Auntie forever
Amanda- Godmom loves you
Steve W. Oh I wish I can hear one of your jokes
My Sex in the City Girls- Yall are all beautiful inside and out....Diva's Always
Evan- Make a Hit!!!!
Daija- My Daughter
Dwight- Get your self organized LOL please don't make me come and check.
Dani S. Keep Smiling and Keep Focused God has great things in Store for you.
Matt K- Be Good please
Anthony Tetro=Tetty Tet Tet...Try to be good while I am gone

To all of you my heart is heavy but know that I love you.

Love Always
Daniella R. Jones
Mama Jones?

Does this seem like the kind of woman who would intentionally harm one of the students she so obviously cares a great deal about?

What she should have done is repeated "Go to the office" If he didnt go, she should have called in administration. Two wrongs dont make a right. No one ever said she was a threat to students, just that she made the wrong choice. What bothers me is that everyone is complaining that the schoolboard was wrong, but I havnt seen one thing about anyone attempting the get the "dangerous" student out of the classroom??? Saying he was out of line is a completly different issue ...