Teacher Writes 'Loser' on Student's Assignments

The mother of a sixth-grader in Buncombe County, N.C., is upset about name-calling in her daughter's classroom -- but the students aren't the ones slinging the mud.

Patty Clement is debating other parents in Candler, N.C., over Rex Roland, a teacher who writes the word "loser" on the assignments of his 11- and 12-year-old students.

Clement first noticed Roland's notes in November, when he wrote "loser" in the margin of her daughter's paper. The principal at Enka Middle School assured Clement it would not happen again, but it did, recently, when Roland wrote, "minus 20% for being a loser" on her daughter's assignment.

"This is wrong," Clement told Asheville's WLOS-TV. "The techniques need to change."

Other parents defend Roland's progressive teaching methods, saying he is fond of giving nicknames to students and using the word "loser" in jest, as a way of relating to students.

"A lot of the students he has are academically gifted students, and so one of the ways that he would joke with them would be if they scored a 110, he always gave extra credit, so if they scored a 110, 120 on a paper, he would have a joke on it -- 'loser'," one parent, Kathy Andrews, told WLOS. "That's what he engages in... he gets on their level and their words and tries to relate to them."

Her son, Ian Andrews, a former student of Roland, described him as "the cool teacher that people wanted to be in class with."

Clement said the difference in opinion over Roland, a 12-year veteran at Enka Middle School, has made her daughter a target of bullying and harassment. She told The Associated Press her daughter received almost 100 threatening text messages last week, forcing Clement to keep her home from school.

According to Clement, Roland's teaching style is harming her daughter's learning process.

"He threw my daughter's pencil box in the hallway and she got in trouble by another teacher for disrupting his class -- for something that she did not do," she told The AP.

Roland has apologized for using the "l-word," saying it was his way of relating to the students. But Clement continues to press for his suspension.

"I don't know what we're going to do, but I'll fight to the end," she told WLOS.

An online petition titled "Please Get Rex Roland Out of Enka Middle School" currently has 151 signatures, urging supporters to "demand justice for this little girl, anyone else he's doing this to who's afraid to come forward, and all of those who will come in contact with him in the future." It is addressed to Buncombe County School District Superintendent Dr. Tony Baldwin.

The school district has said the issue is a "personnel matter" that is the subject of an ongoing investigation.

Why doesn't the mom withdraw her daughter from this school?

My mother and I were discussing this earlier, she was infuriated. It's really horrible that they allow this.

my mother in law told me this yesterday

apalling!!! that teacher obviously wishes to be sacked

OMFG! What an asshole! This so called "teacher" needs to be fired, pronto. What he is doing in inexcusable.

Apparently, there were other parents who backed the teacher's teaching style.

Lemonduck said:

maybe the school is the only one in the area?

Shawnt27 said:

And students, based on the text messages sent to the daughter.

teacher is in the wrong....nuff sed.

Okay, I get that he wants to try to be progressive in his teaching style and what not, but for a student who says this bothers her and doesn't approve of her teacher calling her a 'loser', why would it be so important for him to continue doing it?

I mean you've got umpteen other students who apparently don't have a problem with it, but for the one who does, why can't he just stop? Why jeopardize your teaching method and, quite possibly, your job over something like this? That's the sort of thing I will never understand about some people...

I'll wait for the lawsuit to be filed. That will tell the real story.

Not really bothered by this...shit, 40 years ago, teachers called us a lot worse.

Obviously this behavior is meant to tear her down and not build her up, he needs new methods otherwise he shouldn't teach or deal with anybody's child.

Dumbass teacher, he needs to be fired.

paintedlady said:

Big, big co-sign to everything you said.

psychodelicide said:

Agreed. Was child psychology not part of this person's studies before they were allowed to set foot in a classroom? Good grief . You would think any reasonably intelligent person would know that you don't get children to excel through verbally berating them and negative re-inforcement; not only is this guy not equipped to teach anyone's child, but the fact that some parents agree with his methods says to me there are parents out there who clearly ill-eqipped to have or raise children.

it's cool and funny to say loser

but it's hurtful to be on the receiving end

my doc told me I was a loser, because it looks like I will be suffering from sciatica on and off for the rest of my life.

he thought it was cool and funny and was joking around on account of us being quite familiar with each other after decades, but despite grinning and bearing it, I found it hurtful and unsympathetic. I changed doctor after that

ZombieKitten said:

I know that people (young and old) use the word to be funny, it really is a part of casual vernacular these days. But your example really shows how we need to mind the power of our tongues even if we're joking with people who are familiar to us, children and adults alike. Some words and phrases simply have more negative power than others based on when and how they're used. The trick, is again that people have to excercise the art of discernment in the words that they choose... and that takes wisdom .

Sorry your doctor was such a boo-boo head
[Edited 3/15/10 1:20am]

Ottensen said:

that's OK, I got an awesome doctor now, he delivered Max 5 years ago and we still go to him as a family, he's a little bit boring and conservative but is strictly business WITH a smile and WITHOUT any hurry.


you never know how sensitive someone is, their history, the way they feel about themselves

sad story, such things affect children in the long term

the parents need to get over their emotions now, and

reinforce their parental love

Ottensen said:

Preach it.

Ottensen said:

[Edited 3/15/10 8:33am]

CHIC0 said:

Hey! You all know I'm trying to cut own on my cursing!!!!!

....but not having much luck

If he is an otherwise good teacher as reported, I could see him getting counseling and a suspension at the very least. He needs to realize that his position carries with it a certain amount of authority and therefore he should be mindful of the example he sets. He's trying too hard to identify with the students by trying to sound like one of them...dumb strategy.

If he can't be made to understand the hurtful effects of labelling someone a loser, even in jest, then yes...he should be dismissed from his position.

Teachers should never become this familiar with their students. Period.

Genesia said:

Agreed.
But if teachers just handed out A's we wouldn't have these kinds of issues in school.

Ottensen said:

co-sign!

Genesia said:

That teacher is just a bully IMO. If parents shouldn't spank, then teachers shouldn't call children names. Its just immature on his part, how can a child learn respect that way?

I'd love to write "loser" on some of the thread posts I see in the general chat forum.