Dunce Hat Award Recipient...Marlon Dorsey

And the Dunce Hat Award goes to...

I am on a roll today...

*sigh*

Lately, when bad teachers make the headlines, the typical reasons are

• Having intimate yet inappropriate relationship with students,
• Child pornography,
• Stealing money,
• Cheating on high-stakes tests,
• Questionable Facebook postings, and
• Hitting/fighting with a student.

While this story surely can fit into the last category on the list, what differentiate it from other stories of the past was the teacher's rationale and mixed reactions from others. In case you haven't heard, according to The Clarion-Ledger, Mississippi high school basketball coach, Mr. Marlon Dorsey, was caught beating one of his players during practice in Murrah High School gym, in front of other players and other spectators; one of the spectators recorded the incident via cell phone. Now Mr. Dorsey is suspended; The Grio article states suspension with out pay, while the ESPN article states suspension with pay. In addition, parents of three players are suing Mr. Dorsey and the school. This incident has sparked outrage among other parents, while a few supporters of Mr. Dorsey will be content with a formal apology. Nevertheless, what's more interesting about this case is that Mr. Dorsey believed he was doing his players a favor. He released this statement:  

I took it upon myself to save these young men from the destruction of self and what society has accepted and become silent to the issues our students are facing on a daily basis. I am deeply remorseful of my actions to help our students.  

Furthermore, he claimed he beat his players "for a variety of reasons, including disrespecting teachers, stealing cell phones, leaving campus without permission, being late for class and not following the dress code."

As a Black woman who was raised "by the belt", I do understand where Mr. Dorsey is coming from; he was enforcing his brand of "discipline" to keep his players in line. Nevertheless, he broke the law as corporal punishment is illegal in the state. Also, he probably felt, since he is a man and his players looked up to him, he could get away with this. Despite the wrongs they may have done, he publicly humiliated those kids. That's never a good luck for a teacher!

Mr. Dorsey, 

While your intentions were good, you took the law in your own hands by violating children via harsh beatings and public humiliation. You got caught red handed and now it is your turn to experience the painful backlash for your actions. Hence, you made it harder for the rest of us to earn the public trust. Therefore, on behalf of every good, hard-working, and law-abiding teacher and public servant, I present to you the Dunce Hat Award...

HIT THE ROAD, JACK!!!!!!!!!!