The Darwin Award In Education

Usually, the Darwin Awards are thought of as those acts of unbelievable stupidity which end up permanently removing the perpetrators from the gene pool. (See an example here.)

When it comes to a Darwin Award for educators, not only should such an award-winning act of idiocy defy logic, (and leave rationally-thinking people scratching their heads) but that the Knucklehead malefactor who is guilty of the misbehavior will likely end-up losing his EduJob in addition to any legal consequences.

This guy from West Virginia (pictured) definately qualifies for a Darwin Award In Education:

The Bridgeport Police say a middle school teacher made repeated unwanted contact with a 13-year-old female student over the past few months.

Richard Malfregeot was arraigned on a misdemeanor stalking charge Monday morning.

Malfregeot is a teacher and assistant football coach at Bridgeport Middle School. He's also a girls' basketball coach at Robert C. Byrd High School. He's 51 years old.

His accuser is 13.

According to the criminal complaint his accuser says he harassed her over several months. She alleges he repeatedly asked her if she had a boyfriend, even calling her on her personal cell phone.

At one point, she says, he touched her shoulders making her uncomfortable.

The Harrison county school superintendent says he's been aware of the situation for months. Malfregeot is still on the job.

I'm guessing, but I would say that the damning evidence is probably those cell phone calls.

When it comes to phone calls, I never call students on their cell phones. And when I do call the home of a student, it's always to speak with the parents about their child's academic needs.

In our litigious and overly-suspicious society, I think that a little caution on the part of the teacher can go a long way in avoiding an unfortunate misunderstanding.
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