Re: Special Ed. Teacher Kicked Out of University in Last Sem

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In many states you can teach in private schools without a
teaching certificate, so maybe you should try that route,
although it won't look too good when your transcripts say
"expelled" on them, and you usually have to supply transcripts
for teaching jobs. I would first fight Chapman on this: if you
successfully completed the MA, graduated and then were
expelled, that designation should not be on the transcript for
the MA.
You might also want to look into teaching at schools for
adults, career training schools. Usually, many students are
adults with learning disorders who could not succeed in regular
school. You might be able to find a position in student
services, etc in that type of school. Teaching in a regular
classroom is not the only option you have. Think creatively
about all your skills and past work experience, and make sure
your resume and cover letters are perfect and professional.
Good luck.

On 12/27/09, Catlin wrote:
> I was in Chapman University’s master’s/credentialing
> program in Orange, California.. I graduated in May 2005
> with my master's degree and only needed to complete my
> student teaching in September of that year to get my
> credential. However, I was expelled from Chapman with only
> this one semester left to go. I had an argument with two
> professors regarding where I would be doing my student
> teaching and I walked out of the room. They accommodated
> every student there but me when it came to placement in
> their student teaching.
> The next day I called the Dean of the department to
> let him know what happened and he informed me that I was
> being expelled. That professor and her close associate
> wrote a total of eight pages of complete slanderous lies
> about me.
> It went before the Student Review Board-which was made
> up of four professors who work intimately with these two
> professors. How biased was that! The next day they voted on
> my expulsion. I then appealed to the provost, but to no
> avail. I then went to the Dean of the department who gave
> me an offer: "If you voluntarily leave the program I will
> pull the letters from your file." I told him that those
> letters of lies should not even be in existence. I told him
> I would not voluntarily leave. He said “Sorry” and I was
> expelled.
> When I first went to the student review board I
> came not only with my pastor but with all my documents that
> disputed everything these professors wrote, plus I had a
> 3.6 GPA, recommendations from two other professors, and was
> never in trouble academically or socially, but it meant
> nothing to them. Those professors’ lies were gold in their
> eyes.
> I was not able to afford a lawyer but have called many
> to see if I could get one on a contingency, but so far no
> such luck. I have called many schools to see if I could do
> just student teaching, but they all said that I have to at
> least take 65% of their classes and have a letter of good
> standing from my university before I would be allowed to
> student teach, which is not possible if you were expelled.
> Chapman University in Orange , California has
> destroyed my career. I am $44,000 in debt and just turned
> fifty-one. When I attended Chapman University I made the
> mistake of revealing to one of the professors who wrote the
> negative letter about me that I had a documented learning
> disabilty from tests I took at Saddleback College 's
> Disability Services. From that point on that professor
> would make every attempt she could to dissuade me from
> continuing in the teaching program. In her negative letter
> about me she states that I have a hard time in class and
> that she told me her class would be difficult and that I
> should rethink taking it. Also, when I went to disability
> services on campus for accommodation they would not honor
> the documents from Saddleback College . They said I would
> have to be retested by an outside agency for $500. When my
> disability was revealed it was all downhill from there. I
> was treated as if I were an idiot and Chapman could not
> wait to find a way to get me out of their program. This, I
> believe was why they were placing me in a district out of
> the perimeter of Chapman University and far from my place
> of residence so I would not bring any shame on Chapman
> University. All the other students there that were doing
> student teaching were pretty much placed locally.
>
> I cannot believe this happened to me. I did nothing to
> deserve this. The one teacher I had the argument with was
> the head of the Special Education department and that was
> enough to expel me. If they felt I was not teacher
> material why did they wait till I started my very last
> semester of the program and then expel me? Also, whenever I
> request an official transcript for the M.A. I earned at
> Chapman it states “expelled” on it. Why would it have to
> state that when I was expelled out of the teaching program
> and not the master's?
> Some people say that I must have really done
> something wrong, I did not and I have proof that backs my
> innocence. I have wrote to senators, newspapers, and even
> President Bush, to no avail. I guess private schools
> basically have autonomy and can destroy any life of their
> choosing.
> For awhile I wrote what happened to me on the back of
> my truck with an email address and had many people who
> wrote that they could not believe it. I had one individual
> who even started a blog for me. I am not slandering anyone
> and have proof that proves it. Plus, I know that if enough
> people were to know my story I would have justice. When I
> wrote the newspapers they did not want to publish he-said-
> she-said stories. It really makes me think of all the
> people in the world who are hurt by someone stronger and
> have no recourse to justice. What really is so painful and
> visceral is how this hurt my mother. I cried like a baby at
> the student review board because the words those professors
> wrote were an affront to the person who always was by my
> side and encouraged me while attending school. I dropped
> out of high school because of a learning disability and did
> not attempt school again till I was thirty-three. It took
> me eight and a half years to get my AA and BA. Now my
> school journey ends like this !
> Does anyone know what I can do with just my M.A. in
> Special Education besides teaching in public schools? I
> would still love to work with teens and young adult who
> have trouble learning but I do not know where. Any help
> would be so, so, greatly appreciated.
> Thanks to all who read this,
> Catlin
>
>
 

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