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Teacher accused of hitting student resigns

Submitted by WWAY on Thu, 03/06/2008 - 12:59am.READ MORE:
BRUNSWICK COUNTY -- The North Brunswick High School PE teacher and coach accused of hitting a female student has resigned. The resignation was listed on the school board's personnel list released Tuesday night. The student in question spoke to NewsChannel 3 back in November and said coach Michael Dumas hit her on the side of the head after another student playfully smacked Dumas on his backside. The school suspended Dumas late last year.

Disclaimer: Comments posted on this, or any story are opinions of those people posting them, and not the views or opinions of WWAY NewsChannel 3, its management or employees. You can view our comment policy here.

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When did smaking a teacher

Submitted by Guest100 (not verified) on Fri, 03/07/2008 - 9:59pm.
When did smaking a teacher on the rear end become exceptable. Was the student who committed the act suspended or placed in the alternative school. Brunswick County Schools are in need an indepth study of how its being ran.
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Its completely a shame how

Submitted by Its a shame (not verified) on Thu, 03/06/2008 - 7:40pm.
Its completely a shame how parents disrespect Brunswick County Schools. If I were them I would look into your house hold for example, smacking a teacher on the behind playfully, wheres the respect??, over at South Brunswick a teacher marrying a 47 year old or whatever age he is, and this parent cant even step up a be a parent and take control of their child. This shows how scared parents are, I didn't say all parents so please do get me wrong. When people get on here and say that THEY SAW whatever happened, how come they didn't report it right away instead of acting like a retard and watched it happen. And also for the people who are eating their PP&J sandwiches just to keep their child in private school just because they thinks its better, Its not only the public schools, Private Schools are just as worse, not all of them. But I'll guarantee you things are keeping PRIVATE on whats going on. Mr. Dumas is a great guy and Ive known this guy every since I was in High School. Moral of my Story: WHAT STARTS AT HOME SPREADS ABROAD
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Poor Coach Dumas

Submitted by NB graduate (not verified) on Thu, 03/06/2008 - 5:48pm.
I think this whole situation was blown out of proportion. I had Coach Dumas and he's a great guy. He was one of my favorite teachers. He was one the few teachers who always smiled and made jokes. I hope that girl got in trouble. She wanted to be funny and now his career is ruined. People say it's Brunswick County schools but stuff like this happens everywhere. I graduated from North and I loved it. It's a shame....
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Coach Dumas

Submitted by NB graduate (not verified) on Thu, 03/06/2008 - 5:37pm.
Everyone is judging Coach Dumas on secondhand information. We don't know the whole story. I had him as a teacher and he's a great guy. He was one of my favorites. It's unfortunate circumstances and of course the teacher is automatically to blame. I know Dumas and he wouldn't have done that without a reason. She shouldn't have touched him, and I'm sure the "hit" was blown out of proportion. This is all so sad....
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BRUNSWICK COUNTY SCHOOL

Submitted by burnslkelk (not verified) on Thu, 03/06/2008 - 5:03pm.
I have recently placed my child into North Brunswick. I wish i could afford to send him to privite school. The teachers at this school are just aweful! I have met with a few of them, and I see why their test scores are so low! When is the state going to wise up and take controll of North Brunswick?
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Coach Dumas

Submitted by Guest5 (not verified) on Thu, 03/06/2008 - 4:58pm.
I am a former student of Coach Dumas, and have nothing but great things to say about his character. He is and will remain a well respected coach and educator. This is an unfortunate loss for the Brunswick county school system. I am compelled to wonder if this is an inside job by a neighboring county sports program. I know that several other counties school coaches are rejoicing because they know that under Michaels direction their teams didn't stand a chance.
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Brunswick County Schools

Submitted by jhaugen (not verified) on Thu, 03/06/2008 - 2:58pm.
I had 3 children enrolled in North Brunswick. What a joke. A lot of the teachers allow these things to happen, they think it's funny and cute and try to be these kids "friends" I had nothing but problems with that school and its Administration. I saw many inappropiate things between students and teachers. Nothing was ever done and no one ever believed it. I just wish Ms Meadows the former Principal was still there because these things happened under her reign and she really needed to take the HEAT
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Brunswick County School

Submitted by NASCARFAN (not verified) on Thu, 03/06/2008 - 10:07am.
Brunswick County School is a joke! Every day it seems there are more and more problems in every Brunswick County Public School! When is someone higher up then Katie McGee gonna step in and do something about the problems occuring especially Jessie Mae Monroe! My daughter is suppose to be enrolled there but I had her transfered to Union before she even had a chance to step on that school property!
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A few people I know have

Submitted by Guest 5657 (not verified) on Thu, 03/06/2008 - 11:29am.
A few people I know have pulled their children out of Jessie Mae in the past year and they have been very happy with their choices. If you cannot afford private school, there is another alternative. Waccamaw elementary and Supply are very good schools. Keeping in mind that Brunswick County Schools are not good in a whole, Waccamaw and Supply are two of the best in my opinion. I have had alot of experiences with both these schools and currently have children in Waccamaw and they are thriving. I think if they would just get rid of Katie McGee who is absolutely worthless, and Ray Gilbert who is a criminal, and get some people on that board that are not just up there for their own personal gain, we might have a better chance for our children.
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Playfully???

Submitted by TiredTeacher (not verified) on Wed, 03/05/2008 - 11:05pm.
I feel sorry for this coach. One or two sentences in a news article is ruining this man's 30+ years career. The "playfully smacking" a teacher's backside is uncalled for. Were these students punished? I bet not as much as the coach. As an elementary school teacher, society has gotten to a place where I am hesitant to even hug my students. That is pitiful. When you don't hug them, the parents cry that you are mean! You do hug them, and you are improperly touching. Give me a break! Parents need to start raising their own children and not leaving it too the schools to do for them!
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Well Tired Teacher, I guess

Submitted by Guest Yeah (not verified) on Fri, 03/07/2008 - 9:14am.
Well Tired Teacher, I guess when teachers stop diddling their students, you won't be looked at so funny for hugging them. And maybe you just need some tips in how to be nice while keeping your hands to yourself. It can be done. I know that your "hugs" are probably perfectly innocent, but you don't *need* to be physical to avoid being seen as a meanie. The student that swatted the coach should be reprimanded. But you can't "fire" the kid from school forever, nor should you. It's unfortunate that the coach has lost his job, but he has to take responsibility no matter what for his own actions. I don't believe this is a bad guy, don't get me wrong. With no prior history of this sort of thing, I think it sucks for him really. But the public is hard-pressed to put their trust in teachers/coaches who have a lapse in judgment like this, no matter how reactionary or isolated it may be.
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Nothing wrong with a hug

Submitted by WilmMan on Fri, 03/07/2008 - 11:47am.
There is nothing wrong with a teacher hugging a student. Most of the time it's a female student hugging a female teacher, but is it really that big of a deal for a female student to give a male teacher a hug? As far as the student that smacked the teacher on the backside. That student should be suspended from school for the entire school year. There is no place for that in our school systems. It's okay to be friendly and joke around, but butt smacking is going way too far
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WilmMan, you asked "is it

Submitted by Guest Yeah (not verified) on Mon, 03/10/2008 - 7:44am.
WilmMan, you asked "is it really that big of a deal for a female student to give a male teacher a hug?" Sadly, in this day and age...yes. Long gone are the days when we could trust adults to innocently provide physical comfort in the form of hugs to our children. Nowadays, parents have to be concerned with pedophiles of both genders being found in positions of trust and authority. So best for everyone that they (including kids) keeps their hands to themselves. It's very unfortunate, but that's the reality.
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I understand the concerned

Submitted by WilmMan on Mon, 03/10/2008 - 10:48am.
I understand the concerned aspect, but I think these incidents are not the norm. I have no problem with my 12y/o daughter giving her male english teacher a hug, and him hugging her back. She knows what is accectable and what is unacceptable.
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I'm glad your daughter knows

Submitted by Guest Yeah (not verified) on Tue, 03/11/2008 - 8:03am.
I'm glad your daughter knows what is acceptable and what is inappropriate. But does the adult? Can you be certain? If it's so easy to pick out predators in our school systems, churches, etc., why are we always so shocked when we find one in the ranks? In this day and age, is it wise or total paranoia to teach our kids to keep their hands to themselves and to avoid physical affection of any kind with adults, especially those they are not related to? If I had a daughter, I bet you can guess which one I would recommend..lol.
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I still think parents go overboard

Submitted by WilmMan on Thu, 03/13/2008 - 10:39am.
That's your choice....but it seems to me that teachers and students are getting away from being somewhat personal and that is part of the decline in our school system. Teachers used to be someone a student with a problem could talk to. Now, some of these students don't have anyone because their parents don't care and if teachers don't want to do it because they will be accused to doing something more. Teachers used to give students hugs, especially the younger students, used to put their hands on students heads, and used to put their hands on students shoulders. It was all very innocent and 99.9% of the time it still is. What do you think about your daughters friend's mom/dad touching your daughter on the head or back? When my daughter's friends leave the house I almost always pat them on the back (NOT BUTT). Is that wrong of me as well? It's not like their parents really know me
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I live in Brunswick county

Submitted by Scally Wagg on Wed, 03/05/2008 - 9:26pm.
I live in Brunswick county and this is exactly why I eat PB&J sandwiches everyday to keep my daughters in private school.
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Another Brunswick County Resident

Submitted by parent of one (not verified) on Wed, 03/05/2008 - 10:29pm.
I second that thought. I too have made a great deal of sacrifices to keep my child out of public school. Imagine what the school system could be if those in charge did not have to worry about the nonsense that goes on. And I'm not just speaking about the teachers. The students are to blame as well. Since when is it OK to "smack" a teacher on the "backside"? Notice that nothing is mentioned about the disciplinary action taken because of this action.
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Private vs. Public

Submitted by teacher (not verified) on Wed, 03/05/2008 - 10:14pm.
I am a public school teacher and I do not hit my students. Please do not make a generalization of all public schools based on one teacher's actions. Things happen in private schools too however they are kept PRIVATE!
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I agree with the comment

Submitted by GuestParent (not verified) on Wed, 03/05/2008 - 11:50pm.
I agree with the comment from "Teacher" in this forum. My child has attended both private and public schools. Not all private schools are exceptional. It really depends on the "element" at the school, and the attitude and ethics of the staff and faculty.
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It's okay to PLAYFULLY smack the teacher?

Submitted by KrisC (not verified) on Wed, 03/05/2008 - 8:53pm.
It's okay to playfully smack the teacher on his backside? Since when? Why wasn't the student disciplined? Students can do anything they want. Why would anyone want to teach?
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Correct

Submitted by WilmMan on Thu, 03/06/2008 - 10:02am.
You are exactly right. The problem with today's society is that they let children get away with anything. They aren't held accountable for any of their actions. When a child does something like this, the school and parents play it off as being a child. That child that playfully smacked the teacher on the butt should be suspended for the rest of the year. Why would anyone want to be a teacher when the deck is already stacked against you?
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many problems

Submitted by Guestteacherguest (not verified) on Thu, 03/06/2008 - 11:04am.
These problems are not only present in Brunswick county or Pender county for that matter, New Hanover county does a better job keeping some of their matters private. I have taught in other states and must say with all honesty that the education system down here is horrible. Everything is test driven and this takes away from any real education that can occur in a classroom. The loud parents run the school districts down here. Parents are allowed to place their kids in any classes they want. Honors courses are anything but because any parent with money or influence is allowed to place their "brilliant" children in them. I have never seen a system where administrations and school boards are so afraid of parents and bad press. New Hanover county doesn't even have an attendance policy for kids. You can miss 100 unexcused days and can't be failed because of it. The kids are taught by their parents that the teachers are lower class and they enables them to take away any authority a teacher should have. God forbid a child is punished for doing something wrong. If it comes down to a teachers word versus that of a child of an influencial parent....guess what happens.
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We need a truency law

Submitted by WilmMan on Thu, 03/06/2008 - 11:37am.
We need a truency law
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You are absolutely correct,

Submitted by Guest 225 (not verified) on Thu, 03/06/2008 - 11:32am.
You are absolutely correct, it is all about who you are and who you know here. If you have the right last name or the right amount of money, your child can be placed anywhere. And the administration is TERRIFED of bad press, they could care less about our children.
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There is always home

Submitted by WilmMan on Fri, 03/07/2008 - 11:50am.
There is always home schooling
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