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Published January 27, 2017
This is a RUSH transcript from "The O'Reilly Factor," January 27, 2011. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
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BILL O'REILLY, HOST: In the "Personal Story" segment tonight: As you may know, President Obama wants to spend even more money on public school education, but that might not be the solution to the problem kids are facing. One of the biggest impediments to learning is bullying in school. It's an epidemic. In California, one teacher tried to stop bullying in her second grade class and she got suspended for her efforts. I talked with Elaine Brown a few days ago.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
O'REILLY: Ms. Brown, let's walk through this. I used to be a teacher, and I was really anti-bullying. I mean -- but I was in a private high school...
ELAINE BROWN, SUSPENDED SECOND GRADE TEACHER: Thank you.
O'REILLY: ...where we could take, you know, pretty dramatic steps. You're teaching second grade, 7-year-olds primarily.
BROWN: Yes.
O'REILLY: OK. Some kids come to you and they say, "A certain kid is really giving us a hard time." Pick up the story from there.
BROWN: It was a situation where we were talking about it's important for kids to come forward if something happens to them. And this child's name just happened to come up, and suddenly, several kids wanted to speak. And he was on vacation at the time, the alleged bully. I think that's why they felt comfortable. And so they all wanted to talk at once, and I said, "No, we can't do this." And I said, "If you want to come over to me one at a time, we'll write this stuff down." And they proceeded to do so. And I had 12 kids...
O'REILLY: How many kids -- how many kids came in?
BROWN: Twelve kids came over, both boys and girls.
O'REILLY: OK, so 12 kids, and they said, "Look, this kid, he's doing 'X' and 'Y,'" and you wrote it all down. You take it, I assume, to the principal of the school, right?
BROWN: I wanted to go to the superintendent, straight to him, because there were some issues I'd seen with the principal not taking action on another situation.
O'REILLY: OK. Now that -- that's going to get you in trouble right away, because you're going over the head of your direct superior to a guy named Glenn Reid, who's the superintendent of the schools. OK.
BROWN: Yes.
O'REILLY: So -- and you must have known that. You must have known that once you go over the principal's head, he's going to try to get you.
BROWN: I was so concerned at that point I was thinking of the safety of my children.
O'REILLY: OK.
BROWN: And I believed them.
O'REILLY: I'm just saying, you know, politics...
BROWN: Yes.
O'REILLY: ...office politics works the same way...
BROWN: Yes.
O'REILLY: ...here in the media or in any school. All right. So you take it to this guy Reid. And you say, "Hey, I've got 12 kids. Here is what they say. What are you going to do about it?" Is that what you said?
BROWN: It ended up where I was just with the principal and I let her know.
O'REILLY: How did the principal find out about it? If you weren't going to tell him, how did he find out about it?
BROWN: The -- I'm sure she talked to the superintendent and was told that I was going to come in with some information.
O'REILLY: OK.
BROWN: And at that point...
O'REILLY: When you made the appointment, then they dropped a dime on you. The principal, he got involved, and then what happened?
BROWN: I told her and read everything that the children said.
O'REILLY: Right.
BROWN: At that point -- and we're talking serious things...
O'REILLY: Sure.
BROWN: ...from one of being a child being threatened with his life with a gun. And I let her know that, as serious as this was and the abuse that was alleged here, that when this child came back from vacation on Monday -- and we're talking around Thursday at this point -- that I didn't want him in my classroom because of what happened to these kids.
O'REILLY: OK.
BROWN: I didn't think it was going to be safe for them or healthy for them.
O'REILLY: All right. And then what did the principal say?
BROWN: She did not assure me that he was not going to be there, and I told her if she could not assure me at that time, I would go to the sheriff's department to see if I could get a restraining order and also I would go to the parents to talk to them and let them know what had happened to their child.
O'REILLY: OK. So this is the…
BROWN: I proceeded to do so.
O'REILLY: Now the school protocol has been violated. So then you go to the sheriff, you go to the parents, and the school suspends you -- and this was in November -- with pay. You're getting paid, right?
BROWN: Yes.
O'REILLY: All right. School suspends you. You're out of the classroom. The kids must have been upset. I'm sure they like you. So you're gone. Is the bully back in the classroom with the kids?
BROWN: He was removed to another second grade classroom at the school.
O'REILLY: All right. So he was removed and he was put in another school.
BROWN: He is still in contact.
O'REILLY: Yes, he's still on the campus.
BROWN: No. Not another -- yes, he's still on campus in another second grade classroom.
O'REILLY: Right.
BROWN: The situation has not been solved, and my students are still in direct contact with him at lunchtime.
O'REILLY: Sure.
BROWN: And I hear that other things are continuing to happen in that situation.
O'REILLY: OK. Now, we asked this guy Glenn Reid, who is the overall power in this case, you know, and he's -- look, you got suspended because they say you violated policy. You went to the sheriff, you went outside the school district, and that's why. But we said to him, we, "The Factor" said, "Look, Mr. Reid, with all due respect, this lady is obviously trying to protect 7-year-olds. Maybe she made a few missteps, but this is no reason to punish her the way you have." So they assured me that very soon you're going to be back in the classroom, that they're going to work this out.
BROWN: Wow. Thank you so much.
O'REILLY: You're welcome.
BROWN: Thank you.
O'REILLY: If that doesn't happen, I might have to come out there, and nobody wants that. So...
BROWN: Bless you. You are wonderful.
O'REILLY: I think I know what happened out there. I think you did the right thing as far as trying to protect your students. You might have probably been a little more patient or brought somebody inside to advise you. But I hope we're going to get this thing.
Now as for the other kid, the bully in the school, I can't -- I don't have any power over. That kid has rights. His parents are there. This, that and the other thing. But if they're watching the situation, maybe it will de-intensify.
So we appreciate it, Ms. Brown. We'll make sure that you get back in the classroom because I know you are a good teacher, and we need good teachers, OK?
BROWN: Thank you so much, Bill.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'REILLY: All right. Late this afternoon, we heard again from Superintendent Reid; says Ms. Brown could be back in the classroom on Monday. That is excellent news.
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