You've got to be joking.

Wait...she's afraid of what? Ohio teacher sues school district charging her phobia against kids helped district force her resignation


An Ohio teacher has slapped her school district with a lawsuit, claiming that she was discriminated against because she has a phobia of young children.


Maria C. Waltherr-Willard taught Spanish and French classes to high school students in the Mariemont school district for 35 years before she was reassigned to a middle school in 2009, Cincinnati.com reported.


The 61-year-old alleges that school officials dealt her the reassignment to force her exit as they were aware that she suffers from pedophobia, a deep-rooted fear of young kids.


In the suit, Waltherr-Willard says that she has suffered from the rare, debilitating phobia since the 1990s. She provides medical officials’ statements that detail the degree of stress, anxiety, chest pains, high blood pressure, nausea and nightmares she experiences when around children.


“It's a tough phobia. You can't really get away from (children) when you're outside,” Dr. Caleb Adler, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience at the University of Cincinnati, told Cincinnati.com.


“When you're a teacher, it may not be an issue with older students.”


Adler did not treat Waltherr-Willard.


In the lawsuit, Waltherr-Willard says she was asked to instruct younger children once before in 1997, when school officials requested that she switch to teaching 4th through 6th grade.


She declined at the time, citing her phobia, and the district allegedly did not force the request.


Waltherr-Willard, however, says in the suit that the district became much less accommodating 12 years later, when she spoke with her students’ parents about the school’s move to eliminate teacher-led French classes and offer them online.


The teacher says she was reprimanded by high school principal James Renner after parents complained about the planned change. He allegedly told her that if she continued to discuss it with parents, she could lose her job.


Waltherr-Willard says she was then moved to middle school as punishment. She eventually retired in March 2011 because of her condition and filed a lawsuit against the school district in June 2012.


Waltherr-Willard did not immediately return the Daily News' request for comment.


A federal judge recently dismissed three of the six claims listed in her lawsuit, arguing that the district had followed Waltherr-Willard’s contract and that she would still have a job if she had not stepped down.


The district’s lawyers will have additional time to respond to the three other claims. If the claims go to trial, a hearing will likely be set for February 2014.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/teacher-phobia-young-children-sues-school-district-discrimi...

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/teacher-phobia-young-children-sues-school-district-discrimi...




Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/teacher-phobia-young-children-sues-school-district-discrimi...

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/teacher-phobia-young-children-sues-school-district-discrimi...

Message 1 of 18
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17 REPLIES 17

You've got to be joking.

She kind of picked the wrong profession to persue with her phobia.


Message 2 of 18
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You've got to be joking.

Wonder if she has kids of her own?  biy would she ever have a hard time explaining that!  LOL

Message 3 of 18
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You've got to be joking.

Observing the kids in stores, playgrounds or birthday parties, I don't blame her.



and yet the teachers in Ontario that are wanting to strike are suing a line about "they" are responsible for the adults of tomorrow. Looks like they should be getting a HUGE paycut then as they are not doing a very good job!   LOL

Message 4 of 18
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You've got to be joking.

In the lawsuit, Waltherr-Willard says she was asked to instruct younger children once before in 1997, when school officials requested that she switch to teaching 4th through 6th grade.


She declined at the time, citing her phobia, and the district allegedly did not force the request.


Waltherr-Willard, however, says in the suit that the district became much less accommodating 12 years later, when she spoke with her students’ parents about the school’s move to eliminate teacher-led French classes and offer them online.


The teacher says she was reprimanded by high school principal James Renner after parents complained about the planned change. He allegedly told her that if she continued to discuss it with parents, she could lose her job.



They're eliminating her job.


She has 3 choices.


1: Teach the younger grades and try and deal with phobia.


2: Quit or retire and take a reduced pension.


3: Find another school district that has an opening and ask for a positive reference from her employers.


Message 5 of 18
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You've got to be joking.

you forgot option 4--the one she chose_LOL



claim discrimination and try and get a FULL pension!



Message 6 of 18
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You've got to be joking.

It never fails to amaze me how cruel people can be. I suppose that's why when I find cruel people....I am cruel to them. If they don't give respect or care about others they will not get any from me.


 


People should not laugh at other people who have phobias. The phobia as strange as it may be to some people is real to those who suffer with it. A woman I know has a phobia to snakes, but it goes even further to anything that looks like a snake including worms. One day her husband found her standing in the back yard after a rain storm. She had stood there motionless for about an hour because she seen worms in the grass and she was afraid to move. Another fellow I know has  phobia to birds. He won't go near them and at times is even afraid to go outside.


Do not laugh at people.





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Message 7 of 18
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You've got to be joking.

hers a little HINT--if you have a phobia of snakes don't apply to work at the pet store! if you have a phobia about horses don't try and be a cowboy. if you have a phobia about blood don't train to be a nurse., if you have a phobia about flying maybe just maybe a career as a pilot or stewardess is NOT for you!


 


But thanks for being a troll!

Message 8 of 18
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You've got to be joking.

if you have a phobia.....etc


 


Did you read the article?????????????????


Oh I forgot ...... you didn't read the other thread either.


 


The teacher ..."taught Spanish and French classes to high school students in the Mariemont school district for 35 years"


 


See those two words...."high school".


 


The teacher has ......"a deep-rooted fear of young kids"


 


See those two words....."young kids"


 


Now let me help you out further....high school does not have little kids like elementary school. You might remember that since you graduated last year.


 


You should of all people understand phobias because you have your own....'travelling'


 


 


 


 





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Message 9 of 18
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You've got to be joking.

and I am sure that when she started TEACHER"S COLLEGE where ALL teahcers MUST go she had no idea what grade she would be teaching and NO teacher gets to demand that they ONLY teach high school!!!




but i guess COMMON SENSE would not follow you!!!!



But thanks for trolling!!

Message 10 of 18
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You've got to be joking.

The teacher....."has suffered from the rare, debilitating phobia since the 1990s"


But she has been teaching for 35 years.


 


Can you do the math? You should be able to ....you're... supposedly (ahem).... a tax consultant.


 


Use a calculator if you need help.





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Message 11 of 18
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You've got to be joking.

I am pretty sure that high school teachers have different qualifications than elementary school teachers.


I can appreciate the problem that her phobia would cause for her, but she "spoke with her students’ parents about the school’s move to eliminate teacher-led French classes and offer them online".


That was not up to her to air the dirty laundry to the students and parents.


The board thought they were doing her a favour by offering a job taeching younger students. They probably didn't understand how debilitating her phobia was.


If they are eliminating her teachables, then she should consider retirement or looking to teach elsewhere.

Message 12 of 18
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You've got to be joking.

I am pretty sure that high school teachers have different qualifications than elementary school teachers.


 


Correct. I was going to mention that to mikey but he had enough to think about as it was.


 


Forget her phobia....she's a high school teacher and even without the phobia it is a completely different atmosphere....the same as a universtity professor wouldn't want to teach grade 5.


 


I personally think the school board was setting her up because she spoke to her students’ parents about the school’s move to eliminate teacher-led French classes and offer them online. I hope she sues them to the wall.





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Message 13 of 18
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You've got to be joking.

wy don't you go google it and find out the truth!!



there are so many articles about this and her. She came up with this phobia when they tried to demote her last time.


 


Just wait till the FACTS play out 3 of her 6 complaints have already een thrown out by a judge.


Oh and she is "self-diagnosed"

Message 14 of 18
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You've got to be joking.

She made a big mistake by talking to the students and parents.


Let's say one of my employees start complaining about changes in procedures to my customers. I am pretty sure that I would have grounds to terminate with cause.


Message 15 of 18
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You've got to be joking.

She came up with this phobia when they tried to demote her last time.


 


That is not what the article in the OP says. You got something different mikey?…….post the link. Could you do it this time?


 


Oh and she is "self-diagnosed"


 


Got a link to that as well? The article says …” She provides medical officials’ statements”.


 


You got other opposing links………………………………..post them!


 


grounds to terminate with cause.


 


Yeah a lot of people would, because they aren’t interested in anyone’s point of view except theirs. I listen to my employees and we often make decisions together. I find that’s a much better way.


 


Frankly this media story is really along the lines of Maury or Jerry Springer shows. I don’t even know why I wasted time getting into it.





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Message 16 of 18
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You've got to be joking.

. I listen to my employees and we often make decisions together. I find that’s a much better way.



I agree it is a better way. My employees interact with my customers in a way that I am not able to, but they should not undermine decisions that I make when they don't agree with them.


You have final say.


Message 17 of 18
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You've got to be joking.

Nope.....it was all yours.


My pleasure. B-)





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Message 18 of 18
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