8/15/2019 TK Joaquin Statement
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Although the last 48 hours have convinced me that my actions
will be viewed by some out of context, I
want to share a larger perspective in the hopes that any who
wish to judge me or understand the full picture
will take the time to review this statement carefully. I wish to
provide some backstory in the hopes of
providing some context to this incident on April 27th and
to better explain my perspective and interactions
with Joaquin over the past few months.
My goal has consistently been to help Joaquin focus so that he
can develop his powerful mind, and become a
leader, rather than a distraction to others. Although clearly a
very intelligent young man, Joaquin has
made many choices this year that have negatively impacted his
own learning and that of others and has
required a great deal of additional attention. He has frequently
intentionally damaged or destroyed
classroom materials, started play fights with other students
during the middle of class or interrupted lessons
with negative comments about school or by yelling random things
like "Nipples!" In spite of this, I have been
impressed by Joaquin's insight when he is on task and frequently
tried to encourage him to exercise
self-control so that he will not interrupt the learning of
others. Just a few days prior to this incident, I stayed
after school for several hours, helping Joaquin to certify his
benchmark artifacts. This was one of many
examples of times when I put a great deal of effort into helping
Joaquin to succeed, and to see the impact he
had on others and ensure that this impact is positive. He
assured me at the end of that work that he
appreciated me taking the time to help him and would make a real
effort taot to disrupt the class.
On Weds April 27th, I was administering the CST science exam, an
important state administered test that
has a big impact on student's future and is one of the major
goals we have been working towards this
year. On this day, I did not expect to see Joaquin in my
classroom at all. He was taking the exam in a
different classroom. Thus I was greatly surprised when he burst
into my room. My students were in the final
few minutes of the exam, and the class was completely silent and
focused. Joaquin did not say
anything to me, but immediately began to disrupt the class by
yelling "Cup of Noodles!" in a VERY loud
voice.
I was obviously extremely annoyed about this, as it was an
significant interruption to a completely silent
class focused on critically important work and it clearly had no
purpose other than to disrupt the study of
others to get them to pay attention to him instead. I moved
towards Joaquin and he ran out the door. When I
opened the door I yelled to Joaquin to come back immediately. He
ignored me and ran away. I ran to catch up
with him. I told Joaquin to stop again and he started laughing.
At this point I grasped him firmly and
pulled him back towards me. It was my intention to turn
him around immediately and march him back to class
to apologize for the large interruption. I did not do this move
effectively. Joaquin pushed against me as I was
trying to turn us around and in my haste I lost my balance and
we both fell against the wall. A
moment later we were both on the ground and things seemed calm
for a moment. Joaquin laughed like
everything was fine but then suddenly shoved me violently. I
could tell the situation was escalating so I
walked away to teach my class and hoped that Joaquin would not
return to interrupt it again.
Engaging Joaquin was a mistake. I was unexpectedly provoked and
responded to it poorly. I felt extremely
disrespected by his behavior and felt that I had a duty to
protect my other.students from his repeated
disruptions. However, I immediately recognized that I had made a
mistake and not responded well. I saw
several of Joaquin's friends in the next period and they said
that he was fine and had been laughing over the
incident. When I next saw Joaquin, I asked him about it and
apologized for over-reacting. He said it was fine,
and that he thought I was a good teacher.
Joaquin has now apparently changed his mind.
Days later, after repeatedly saying it wasn't a big deal,
Joaquin has decided that it was, and that I have
greatly wronged him. I understand this, and I recognize the
enormous consequences of his actions and my
own on our own lives and the larger impact on the school. I
particularly sympathize with his later decision
when I look at the larger timing of it. Joaquin failed 3 of his
core academic classes in his first semester —
English, math and history. As we enter the final month of the
school year, his current grades indicate the
same likely outcome for this semester. Under normal conditions
such an outcome would almost certainly
result in him having to repeat the tenth grade. This is
undoubtedly an extremely troubling prospect for
