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ATTACKED TEACHER NEEDS YOUR HELP

I am a victim of school violence by public school students. As a certified teacher, I endured verbal, mental, and violent physical abuse. I became disabled.

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ATTACKED TEACHER NEEDS YOUR HELP

ATTACKED TEACHER NEEDS YOUR HELP

ATTACKED TEACHER NEEDS YOUR HELP

ATTACKED TEACHER NEEDS YOUR HELP

ATTACKED TEACHER NEEDS YOUR HELP

I am a victim of school violence by public school students. As a certified teacher, I endured verbal, mental, and violent physical abuse. I became disabled.

I am a victim of school violence by public school students. As a certified teacher, I endured verbal, mental, and violent physical abuse. I became disabled.

I am a victim of school violence by public school students. As a certified teacher, I endured verbal, mental, and violent physical abuse. I became disabled.

I am a victim of school violence by public school students. As a certified teacher, I endured verbal, mental, and violent physical abuse. I became disabled.

Lorna Beach-Mathura
Lorna Beach-Mathura
Lorna Beach-Mathura
Lorna Beach-Mathura
1 Campaign |
Miami, United States
$110 USD 2 backers
0% of $50,000 Flexible Goal Flexible Goal
 
                    (Please excuse my photo. It was  scratched.
Tuesday, June 26th, 2012
 
 
      TEACHER ATTACKED AND INJURED BY STUDENT - IN THE CLASSROOM!
 
Dear Donors,
 
My name is (Ms.) Lorna Beach-Mathura. I am a former certified teacher employed by the Miami-Dade County Public Schools system in Miami, Florida, USA. I AM A VICTIM OF SCHOOL VIOLENCE - THE STUDENT-ON-TEACHER KIND.

I became a teacher to answer the urgent call and need for certified teachers in South Florida. My subject areas were English and Journalism. I wanted to teach students to read and write. It was my contibution to the community and a way to give something back.

I was six months pregnant with my fourth child when I was approached by an Assistant Principal to work in the school that my sons attended. They desperately needed someone to work as a Substitute Locator. This job entails locating substitute teachers to temporarily fill the positions of absent teachers on a daily basis.

Although I was currently enrolled as a Masters Degree candidate at a local private university, I agreed to do the job. I worked from home in the mornings and on the weekends, and I worked at the school in the evenings. It was a challenging and stressful job, but on the whole I was able to cover many of the teacher absences.

When it was apparent that the need for more teachers was indeed great, I decided to become certified and teach full-time.

I was first abused (slapped ferociously) by a 6 yr. old kindergarten student (a boy) who had a violent temper. He slapped me about six times on my arm and leg when I told him to sit quietly and do his assignment. He had been very disruptive and was annoying the other students. I stood there in shock as this little kid slapped me over and over again, and I never fought back.

I was covering for the absent teacher and no one had told me about him beforehand. I later learned that he had "pulled scissors" on other kindergarten teachers, and thrown down desks and chairs in every classroom in which he was placed.  They were all afraid of him. My skin stung for more than six months after that slapping incident. I got a lot of pain from the slapping. He received a 10 day suspension.

This was my first introduction to school violence against teachers (in elementary school), and it was very painful. I would later be cursed out in high school  (see my school identification card), and stepped on, grabbed, yelled at, and pushed and shoved in middle school.

I endured all of the abuses and bullying with the steadfast aim of making a positive difference in the lives of the children of my community. But alas, my good deeds and good intentions would be punished and my teaching career would be cut short.

On March 1st, 2005, while proctoring a State of Florida mandated test, I was viciously and violently attacked by a male middle school student named Zackery Ba-Mungin. He disrupted the test and annoyed the other students by walking in and out of class without permission. On his last re-entry, I met him at the door and asked him to stay there. He began pushing and shoving me until I became wedged between the heavy metal door and the door jamb.

As I struggled to close the door he stuck his foot into the doorway and began to body-slam me. This struggle lasted for 3 to 4 minutes while I asked him to stop hurting me. He did not stop until another teacher appeared in the doorway of another classroom. As I called out for help, Zackery finally stopped.

He was arrested that day and charged with FELONY BATTERY ON A SCHOOL OFFICIAL, while I was sent to the doctor. I sustained a broken neck, broken back, and a contusion to my right shoulder. That was the end of my teaching career, although I did not know it then.

It took Zackery Ba-Mungin two years to plead guilty to battering me. But, he never showed up for sentencing the following month. He has not been punished. There was a bench warrant issued in the case. So, instead of him being punished, I was punished.

My job was terminated while I was on approved leave of absence due to injuries I sustained. I had to pay for most of my medical care and physical therapy treatments. I had to seek out doctors who could help me recover. Yet, I am still not recovered. I had to pay for pain medications. I ingested thousands of pills; endured hundreds of needle injections; made over 200 trips to various doctor appointments, and visited a psychologist and psychiatrist several times for therapy and medications. It was torture.

All of this was paid for out-of-pocket  by me. The School Board refused to authorize the treatments that were needed to help me get better. Its refusal to help me made my conditions worse. I was also treated like the criminal, although I was the victim of a crime ON SCHOOL PROPERTY. Its lawyers investigated me, poked around in my personal affairs, vilified me among other lawyers and my own doctors, and disrespected and denied me at every level.

The School Board's agents refused to give me proper medical care as mandated by the workers' compensation laws of Florida. They also owe me for several years of monetary benefits that I need, especially now. To date, The Board's administration has paid one outside lawyer over $50,000 to avoid paying me the lost wages benefits that I am lawfully owed.

Because of the physical attack, and the resulting injuries, I have been left with severe chronic pain and mental depressionm among other maladies. My disabilities have taken a huge toll on me and my family life, income, career, and every aspect of my life. The pain is the worst, especially during stressful times like now.

I would just like to say that I was a good teacher, and I have outstanding teaching performance evaluations. I have never had any disciplinary problems, and I showed up to work on time and regularly. I treated my students well. I bought them treats and school supplies. I also taught them manners and tips on courtesy and politeness. However, as you read before,  Zackery Ba Mungin did not behave in accordance with my teachings. He missed a lot of time from school, so he may have been absent when the lessons were taught.

 

What We Need & What You Get

Within recent months, I have fallen behind on my mortgage payments. The cost of everything has increased, and I have had to start repaying my $180,000+ in student loans. The monthly payment is $876 for two two loans. These loans were taken out to pay for the advanced degrees I would have needed to become a school administrator.  With the increased income, I would have been able to repay the loans, but I was thwarted in my attempts to better myself, and the lives of students in Miami-Dade County, Florida.

The following are the things I need at this time:

               I need  enough money to place a downpayment of 20% (or $30,000 USD) on a modest, single family house that i wish to purchase. 

               Some of the money will be used to pay the very pressing bills that I have had to ignore due to lack of money.

               Since we have to move to another, less expensive county in Florida, I have to pay relocation or moving expenses - rental truck, movers, gas, etc.  We have to move by the end of July, 2012.

               I will also use  some of the money to help other teachers who have been mistreated in the workplace and have lost their jobs. 

As a totally and permanently disabled former teacher, I can no longer work. The monthly disability income that I currently receive is a quarter of the salary I made before my job was snatched away from me.

PERKS:

$100.00 or more.

          In 1993, I participated in the recording of a compact disc (CD) that falls within the category of "Cool Jazz" or"New Adult Contemporary" music.  I shall award copies to donors of $100.00 or higher - as long as supplies last.

$20.00 to $99.00  

        For the people who do not live in Florida, or those who have never been to any of the attractions that the Sunshine State has to offer, I will award various memorabilia. These range from: caps, t-shirts, key chains, postcards, buttons, or any other licensed items from Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World,etc. in Orlando.

$1.00 - $19.00

        I will send personal "Thank You" cards via mail to all who have contributed to this worthy campaign.

If the $50,000.00 goal is not reached, I shall still use any money donated to pay bills or for the partial downpayment on a home.

 

The Impact

The generous donations that will be generated will benefit me and others who have tried to make the lives of others better in this world. I have helped many people from all walks of life, and in different capacities. I enjoy using my knowledge to help others who cannot help themselves. When I heard about Karen Klein, the bus monitor, my first thought was to donate to her vacation fund. I did make a donation onlline and was happy to do so.

And, after I did, I realized that I also need help, and perhaps I may also get help from other generous people. I know what it is like to be abused, bullied and physically attacked while doing a job.

The difference between my situation and Karen's is that I was left permanently and totally disabled and I can no longer work. I was also left with chronic bodily pain and depression. So any help will be graciously accepted.

 

Other Ways You Can Help

If there is anyone that cannot offer a monetary donation, I would appreciate your help in informing others about my plight. My story of student-on-teacher abuse is real and can be proven. So please spread the word as quickly as possible since my moving date is imminent.

Please use the Indiegogo share tools to spread the word for me. As a senior citizen, 50+, I am at the end of the working spectrum, so my need is greater than usual.

Thank you so very much for allowing me to share my story of student-on-teacher abuse and subsequent permanent disability.

Sincerely yours,

Ms. Lorna Beach-Mathura

Disabled Teacher and School Crime Victim

 

 

 

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Choose your Perk

Personalized "Thank You" cards

$1 USD
Signed "Thank You" cards will be mailed to donors who support of this campaign.
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FLORIDA TOURIST MEMORABILIA

$20 USD
Perks From $20.00 to $99.00 For the people who do not live in Florida, or those who have never been to any of the attractions that the Sunshine State has to offer, I will award various licensed memorabilia. These range from: caps, t-shirts, key chains, postcards, buttons, or any other suitable item from Orlando's Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World, etc..
0 claimed

MUSIC CD - Autographed

$100 USD
$100.00 or more. In 1993, I participated in the recording of a compact disc (CD) that falls within the category of "Cool Jazz" or"New Adult Contemporary" music. I shall award autographed copies to donors of $100.00 or higher - as long as supplies last.
0 claimed
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