The MEA Protects Its Members’ Jobs

Teacher uncomfortable with “Hug Day” declines, but faces tenure charges after  struggling with insistent students. 

A teacher made it well-known that he would not participate in the February Hug Day events.  However, a few high school students attempted to embrace him anyway and the popular high  school teacher’s job was left hanging in the balance after one of the students alleged he assaulted  him. 

After criminal charges were dropped two months before, the district board announced that a  special meeting would be held for the purpose of “employee discipline/tenure matter.” A crowd  of more than 200 avid supporters attended. As reported by a local television station, thunderous  applause and cheers broke out when it was announced that he was not being fired after an  agreement was reached between the board and the teacher’s MEA-provided attorney. 

A student is injured during a science experiment, the school tells the teacher she is  covered by their insurance policy, but later settles its case and teacher is sued  personally. 

A teacher was conducting a science project for her physics class (a class for advanced students,  where problems occur less often). The project involved moving the class to the gymnasium,  pairing off and handing them kettle balls to toss to each other. One of the students’ tosses was  short and her partner lunged for the ball. The kettle ball ended up crushing the student’s finger  between the ball and the floor and the hospital had to amputate at the first joint. The teacher was  told by the school district that she was covered under their SET SEG insurance policy and that  she wouldn’t be harmed personally. The teacher’s UniServ Director insisted that the member  complete a Criminal Investigation Packet and EEL. The parents later settled with the school  district and filed a suit for emotional damages against the teacher for $250,000. The teacher is  protected by the MEA million dollar liability insurance policy. 

A teacher is laid off and replaced with a substitute employed by a private company. 

A teacher with a clean disciplinary record is was laid off after 12 years. Two other teachers  retired but the district replaced both with substitute teachers employed by a private company. It  refused to bring back the laid off teacher. The MEA local grieved the decision, represented the  teacher in arbitration and then filed a claim with the Tenure Commission. The Commission  agreed with the MEA attorneys, that: 

“The good order and the welfare of the State and of the school system [is served] by preventing  removal of capable and experienced teachers at the personal whims of changing office holders…  free from political and personal arbitrary interference.”

A professor is sued for sexual harassment after comforting a student. 

A university professor was sued by a student for sexual harassment. After the student arrived late  to class, the professor informed him that his grade would be affected. The student became upset  and told the professor that he had just found out that his grandfather died. The professor  apologized and gave the student a hug. The classroom had to be called as witnesses to the  professor’s defense. 

A parent covers up abuse by blaming paraprofessional. 

A paraprofessional was accused by a parent of dislocating her child’s arm. The UniServ Director  had the member fill out a Criminal Investigation packet, EEL form, and the MEA released  $1,000 so the member could retain a lawyer. The investigation determined that the parent  dislocated the child’s arm and blamed the paraprofessional. The investigation also revealed that  the mother had a history of child abuse and had moved from district to district blaming school  district employees at each school. 

A bus driver is fired for using excessive force but MEA shows student lied. 

A Grandville bus driver was fired for using excessive physical force against a student on her bus.  She grieved her termination and MEA represented her in arbitration. It was shown during the  arbitration hearing that the student had lied about being assaulted. The arbitrator reinstated the  driver. 

Teacher accused of making lurid gestures and “I love you” hand signs to his female  students, MEA Legal proves them to be Taylor Swift fan customs. 

A new teacher was accused of asking his students to play a game where they “slipped their  tongue in and out” and for made “I love you” hand signs at the girls in his class. The sheriff was  called. The school’s attorney brought in a lawyer, and the teacher was immediately suspended.  The MEA retained an attorney who revealed that the students were interviewed by the school’s  lawyer without the permission of their parents and were asked leading questions. Their full  answers were truncated. The investigation revealed that the teacher was also the middle school  volley ball coach where the players had a tradition of playing the Hokey Pokey after a win. The  teacher decided that rather than “Put your hips in, Put your hips out,” players should instead do  the same with their tongues. The “I love you” hand signs were Taylor Swift fan symbols  (forefingers and thumbs together in the symbol of a heart). The school district later brought the  teacher back and returned most of his lost pay. 

A teacher is arrested after school video shows her forcefully escorting student to the  front office. 

A teacher was arrested for assault after being observed on video forcefully escorting a student to  the office. The MEA attorney hired a private investigator to locate other students shown in the  video who were not interviewed by police. The students testified to the threats and curses used  by the complaining student. After several weeks of trial, the member was found not guilty.

A hall monitor accused of rape after inadvertently touching student’s breast. 

A hall monitor motioning to students in cafeteria inadvertently touches a seventh grader’s breast.  The member goes on trial. The principal and several students testify on his behalf that any  touching would be accidental due to the press of the crowd inside the lunch room. The member  was acquitted of all Criminal Sexual Conduct charges. 

Other Stories 

A paraprofessional was accused of grabbing an elementary school student by the face. The  parapro had an exemplary employment record and was on the verge of retirement before being  criminally investigated and placed on administrative leave. Although there was no corroboration  of the assault there was heightened scrutiny on the member due to an unrelated lawsuit in the  District. The member was not charged based on the MEA investigation that was presented to the  police. 

A bus driver assistant with an exemplary record was accused of inappropriately touching the  private area of a 23 yr. old student. An MEA attorney met with the Northville Police and  provided them with proof, not found in school files, indicating the student involved had a history  of making outrageous allegations. The matter was dropped without charges. 

A special ed teacher was accused of picking up autistic students in their chairs and dropping  them, along with other equally serious allegations. The students could not communicate. The  “witnesses” were actually two parapros brand new to autistic instruction who did not like the  

teacher. When confronted with exculpatory evidence, the Prosecutor’s Office still proceeded to  trial due to community pressure. A key witness was an expert in the field who had observed the  member in the same class when she was being certified. 

A teacher assistant was accused of leaving a mark on a child’s back by forcibly placing him in a  chair. The MEA’s attorney investigation revealed that the allegations came from a parent with a  history of issues and not the child. No charges were brought and the matter was closed out  quickly. 

A Davison bus driver was fired after bumping a car in the parking lot. The MEA UniServ  director filed for arbitration and represented the member through the process. The arbitrator  ordered her reinstated, the member lost only 10 days pay. 

Member Testimonials 

Teacher in her 5^th year is punished for opposing the administration. 

“I wanted to be a teacher since I was in the 5th grade. I just always knew I was meant to be a  teacher. My first job was in 1987 everything was fabulous and I loved my job and students. 

“In my 5th year of teaching I received a bad evaluation. It had nothing to do with my teaching; I  had gone against the grain when I challenged the administration and they did not like it. I was  put on a teaching improvement plan and handed a bad evaluation.

“This was the first time I asked for assistance from the MEA. An Mea UniServ Director was by  my side to help and got me through this shocking ordeal! 

“I was jaded for the first time as an educator and my eyes were wide open to the notion that the  administration can, with little effort, make your career disappear at a blink of an eye. Had it not  been for the MEA my career would have ended at year five.” 

A gay teacher’s computer is confiscated, his Facebook account is inspected, and police  investigate him as a pedophile.  

“One day after school I was approached by an administrator and told that I would need my  building representative to be present. Upon his arrival, my computer was confiscated with no  explanation. It wasn’t until much later and through my UniServ Director that I found out that a  Facebook post between me and a graduate was the cause of the seizure. My UD called me into  the MEA office and had me fill out paperwork for an MEA attorney. 

“I was personally devastated at hearing such news, and thought my career and reputation were  going to be destroyed. The attorney determined that the police found nothing incriminating on  my computer, but also that the entire police case had been closed almost two months prior. 

[A meeting was later convened with the administration.] “The meeting itself was brutal, and I  could not have handled it without my UDs presence … and I really don’t think that I would still  be a teacher today if I wouldn’t have had it … She never once made me feel as if I was just  another case. She made me feel as if I were her only case, and it was that kind of interaction that  I needed. Every day I went into school for months on end I felt as if a noose was being slipped  around my neck, but my UD was always there to assure me that everything would be okay and  work out in the end. 

“Thankfully, it did, without any kind of write up or letter in my file. … I have since had the best  year of my career, have joined numerous committees that I serve on with the Superintendent, and  have redefined myself as an educator – and I owe it all to my UD and the MEA.” 

A college professor is harassed and bullied by another professor. 

“I just wanted to say thank you. I cannot express how grateful I am for your support through  everything. It is nice to know that someone has my back out there. This is the first time that I  have had to use my union for something and I now understand the amazing support and need for  the union and people like you. Again, I truly appreciate your support. It means more than you  know.”