Atlanta Teacher Tocarra Smith Leaves Threatening Voice Mail for Parent Over Child's Behavior

Another teacher is in the news for unprofessional behavior. According to Channel 2  Action News, Shankysha Harper contacted the station and played a recorded message left for her by her son's teacher, Tocarra Smith, at Miller Grove Middle School in Dekalb County:  “His attitude is unacceptable … and I will not have him in my classroom for the rest of this year,” the message said. Okay, her comments thus far were professional, but she should have called the mother in for a parent-teacher meeting. The next sentence was where she went totally unprofessional:  “I did tell him if he opens his mouth I will knock the hell out of him.” Wow, isn't that a threat? The school system has launched an investigation.

I do understand the frustrations many teachers experience when they are dealing with unruly kids, but to threaten a kid with bodily injury is just criminal. The teacher has since resigned. According to media reports, school officials said when they complete their investigation, they'll send the results to Georgia's Professional Standards Commission -- the state agency that governs teacher licenses.