Teacher World

Did you hear that Missouri’s controversial law which prohibited teachers from engaging in private online conversations with their students has not only been blocked, but it may also be repealed?

On August 23, it was announced that the teachers in Missouri filed a lawsuit against the social media law. In their suit, the teachers association said that the use of websites such as Facebook and Twitter had become such a common mode of communication between teachers and students that being restricted from using these means of communication violated the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

The law was supposed to take effect Sunday, however, Cole County Circuit Judge Jon Beetem called for a preliminary injunction which will block it until at least February. The judge stated that the restrictions called for in this law “would have a chilling effect” on free speech rights.

Beetem stated that he felt the lawsuit would likely succeed, and his order made note of the fact that social networking sites are widely-used by teachers and the law would even have restricted online communications between family members where the parents are also teachers.

“The breadth of the prohibition is staggering,” Beetem wrote in his order, which specifically assured teachers that they could not be disciplined if they engaged in private online communications with students as long as the injunction is in effect. He continued to explain that they were safe even if the injunction is overturned in the future.

As if that wasn’t enough of a setback, just a few hours later Gov. Jay Nixon announced that he plans, at a special session scheduled to start Sept. 6, to ask lawmakers to repeal the restrictions called for in the law. Additionally, he wants lawmakers to also reverse new work-related restrictions on websites and eliminate the requirement that this law called for which forced schools to create written policies regarding teacher-student communications by January.

Nixon explained that he has reversed his original support of this bill because the restrictions regarding online communication are “causing substantial confusion and concern among teachers, students and families.” He went on to state, “In a digital world, we must recognize that social media can be an important tool for teaching and learning.”

Criticism erupted over the ‘Facebook Law,” as it came to be called, this summer when teachers began to express concern as to how this law could hurt their classroom activities as well as school-related conversations with students that occur after school.

Todd Fuller, a spokesman for the Missouri State Teachers Association, said, “This particular issue took a national tone, and we started to hear from teachers not just in Missouri but from throughout the United States.”

Legitimate concerns expressed by teachers in Missouri dealt with issues such as whether the law could prevent a third-grade class from communicating with a class in another country through a closed website, or whether students would be able to communicate using direct messages in virtual classrooms.

The sponsor of the bill which was signed into law by Gov. Nixon, Republican state Sen. Jane Cunningham, said she had been striving to reach a compromise with education groups which would repeal the law, replacing it with less-specific requirements for local school districts to follow regarding teacher-student communications.

She expressed the need to make changes as soon as possible saying, “There’s no reason for us to punt on this thing and let it continue to simmer and draw attention from all over the world.” (Is her haste to get a policy written quickly due to the fact that she realizes the whole deck of cards seems to be tumbling down?)

Only part of this broad education bill dealt with social media sites and how teachers interacted within them. One of its major provisions requires schools to share information they may have regarding teachers who have sexually abused students with other districts, even allowing lawsuits in situations where districts fail to provide such information. This provision was not challenged, and Nixon said he continues to support those provisions and will not ask for them to be repealed.

To teachers and other opponents of this law, I just want to say, “Way to go!” Look what your voices accomplished! And teachers in Missouri, way to stand together and declare that this law was unconstitutional! There is far too much government control over our schools of late, and this was another terrible example of government reaching too deeply into the private affairs of its public workers.

Meanwhile, the judge’s injunction blocks the law until February 20, in order to hold a hearing on a permanent injunction. Fuller stated that if lawmakers were to repeal the law, then the teachers’ lawsuit would become irrelevant. Fuller added, “But until that happens we wouldn’t drop the suit.”

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Teacher-World's Blog Facebook Law, Gov. Jay Nixon, Judge Jon Beetem, Missouri, social media sites, teacher-student communications

A group of students from the Austin area have something to be proud of; they helped in a clean-up project in Joplin, Missouri this summer.

The “Austin Slam” baseball team had been looking forward to the 10-hour trip to Joplin to compete in a tournament until the terrible tornado struck in May. As soon as members of the Austin team heard the devastating news, they began to text their teammate, Nick Balley, asking what they could do to help the people of Joplin.

Fourteen-year old Nick and his fellow teammates turned to their coach, Scott Leon for advice. When Leon was a child, he witnessed the destructive force of a tornado first-hand when a funnel cloud hit his family’s home in Kansas, so he knew the team had to pitch in.

With help and encouragement from their coach, the team headed north to volunteer. Upon their arrival in Joplin, Leon said, “It didn’t even resemble a town in some places. It just looked like a junkyard.”

The team had no idea what to expect when it came to playing a tournament game, especially when they saw the condition of the park where they were to play, Balley said, “We were at a park, and we were helping rake up glass and nails and all the debris from the houses.”

It may seem silly to us to even think about playing baseball at a time like this, but the American Premier Baseball Association games help out Joplin’s economy, which clearly needs a major boost right now. And the citizens of Joplin surely needed to take their minds off the tragedy all around them and enjoy an age-old tradition: a good old-fashioned baseball game.

So, after cleaning up the field, the “Austin Slam” got to play their tournament game, against all odds. Nick’s team made it all the way to the championship game but then lost.

But there were no losers here. Nick said he gained more than he lost because he got to help people who really needed it. Nick said, “As a 14-year old, it kind of changes the way you look at things. Everything’s different now.”

And my guess is that that little piece of normal, playing in a baseball tournament, probably helped those boys from Joplin as well.

Later, Leon said of Nick, “Leaders like him are going to become good people, and hopefully, you know, with hard work, he’s going to become a good baseball player.”

We tend to think of teenagers as being rather self-absorbed, a stereotype that these boys proved to be inaccurate. What a great story, and what an inspiration this group of boys is to so many who hear their story.

I’m sure that the members of the “Austin Slam” will never forget what they saw in Joplin and how their contribution made a difference to the baseball team and the spectators in that courageous city. It is a story that I hope they shared with their classmates as they returned to school last Monday, August 22.

Perhaps their story will encourage others to lend a hand in Joplin or wherever help is needed.

Teacher-World's Blog "Austin Slam" baseball team, Joplin, Missouri, Nick Balley

Good news has come out of Joplin, Missouri! Only three months after experiencing our country’s deadliest tornado in 60 years which cut their school year short, Joplin’s students returned to school yesterday.

Finally, after months of dealing with the trauma from the horrific tornado which occurred in late May-hauling debris, sorting through what was left of family possessions, attending funerals of family members and friends, and watching the constant television coverage of the devastation all around them-these kids are finally getting back to something that resembles normalcy. School.

And since six of Joplin’s school buildings were destroyed, including their high school, and seven other buildings were damaged, being able to start school this soon is nothing short of a miracle.

Students will be going to some interesting places for an education this year. An old Shopko store at their Northpark Mall has become a school. The recently-vacated Missouri Department of Transportation district office now houses the offices for the superintendent and other administrators. Rival elementary schools combined to free up space, and a middle school found some space for classrooms in an industrial park.

Senior and junior high school students are attending Joplin High’s upper school which is a converted big-box retail store at the city’s mall in an area well outside of the worst-hit area of Joplin. And freshmen and sophomores met on the other side of town in another building.

Seniors and juniors arrived at their school Wednesday, where they received encouragement from people in the community who held Joplin High signs and wished them well.

Some of them met in modular classrooms located next to a row of concrete-lined storm shelters (as if they needed any reminder of what has happened to this community). Others reunited with friends and compared their schedules in the hallways.

And even though the trophy case near the front entrance was almost empty, classroom walls were conspicuously bare, and boxes of unopened textbooks, computer monitors, and miscellaneous equipment were scattered throughout the building, students were excited. They loved the college-like feel of the building, with its own Joplin Joe’s coffee bar. And thanks to a huge donation from the United Arab Emirates, each student received a bookbag which contained their own Apple laptop computer.

Brenda White, an English teacher at the new high school said, “You can’t pretend like nothing happened. But everything is so new here. Every single thing that is in this school is new and different.

And as she stocked the shelves in her classroom with copies of books, such as The Great Gatsby and The Kite Runner, she continued, “It’s going to take a while to build everything back, but books are a good start.”

White is accustomed to the people of her town who value hard work, but even she was surprised at how quickly the schools have been transformed.

“I’ve always known people are strong here. But this has really brought it home,” she said. “People are so strong. They just get up, dust off and go to work. That’s what we do here.”

Students and teachers weren’t the only ones amazed by what has been accomplished. Pamela Berry brought her 17-year old nephew to open house the night before school started and said, “It just blows your mind! I want to come back to high school.”

And after a tour of the high school on Wednesday, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon encouraged the students to take full advantage of their new facilities. He said, “I hope you use what has been given to you to lift the expectations of Joplin even higher. While there’s been tremendous suffering, there are even greater expectations.”

In order to help students and families who are still struggling with the aftermath of the tornado, additional counselors and trauma workers have been brought in to the building.

Superintendent C.J. Huff said, “We can build buildings, but the emotional damage that this storm has caused is of a very significant concern and something we’re going to be watching closely for months, if not years.”

Phillip Gloyer is a National Guard chaplain as well as a communication arts teacher at the high school. He said he plans to use his divinity school training as well as his understanding of British literature this year.

“I’m just really focused on the kids’ emotional health,” he said. “A lot of hugs, a lot of encouragement. Asking them to tell their story. That’s the best therapy.”

One of the reasons that Joplin is coming back so strong is due to the outpouring of donations and goodwill from various individuals and organizations all over the world, like the United Arab Emirates.

But Kim Vann, district director of community development told the Huffington Post that Joplin will continue to need help in the future. “We expect the need for clothing and basic supplies to be great this year because of requests in just the last week or two,” Vann explained.

Vann reported that the donations that have poured in so far, in the form of money, gift cards, and supplies, have been “amazing.” On Wednesday, he said, “I was in the elementary schools and the high school today and teachers were so very grateful for all the supplies that have been donated. Teachers and kids really feel the outpouring of love from the nation.”

According to the district spokesman, Jim Dunn, money would be the most helpful donation at this time.

I am including the link to Joplin’s district website for those of you who might be reading this blog and wish to contribute in some way to the schools in Joplin, Missouri. You will find several different ways that you or your school can make a difference. Please consider joining in one of these projects below to give these young people hope and the knowledge that their efforts are being supported by a community who cares.

Thank you.

Teacher-World's Blog Joplin, Joplin tornado, Missouri, students

I read this recent article, and thought it was a very necessary follow-up for my blogs regarding Missouri’s new law designed to protect students from teachers who might use their position to develop inappropriate sexual relationships. While the purpose of the bill seems well-intended, it has created an uproar due to the restrictions it places on teachers when it comes to social media and their students. I thought it was important to share how some teachers in Missouri feel about this new legislation.

It is interesting to note that the law was proposed after an investigation by Associated Press revealed that 87 teachers in Missouri lost their licenses between 2001 and 2005 due to sexual misconduct, and some of these cases involved explicit online messages with students. Now, at first that sounds rather alarming, but if you think about it, 87 teachers throughout the whole state of Missouri over a five-year period of time is not terribly significant, and only some of these used online sites to contact their students. Nevertheless, State Sen. Jane Cunningham sponsored this bill, which received enough support to be signed into law.

And, because of this law, teachers all over Missouri are facing the difficult task of purging their Facebook friend lists in order to remove any current or former students because, as of August 28, they can no longer friend their students on social media sites. And many of these teachers are legitimately concerned that this law is going to make it more difficult for them to stay in touch with their students for classroom purposes, personal purposes, or emergencies, since any communication they have with their students must be in the form of public statements posted for all to see.

Lucinda Lawson is one of those who is deeply disturbed by this new legislation. An English teacher at Hartville High School in southern Missouri, Lucinda has approximately 80 current and former students who she will have to remove from her Facebook account, and she is concerned that she may leave some students vulnerable by doing so.

Why does she feel this way? History has taught her what an invaluable resource her Facebook relationships with students have been. How, you ask? After learning about the dangerous drug use of a student’s adult family member, she called a state child-abuse hotline. When a student admitted that she was pregnant she encouraged her to stay in school and helped her tell her parents about the pregnancy. And a student who was having attendance issues and was struggling in the classroom confided that his problems were due to the financial and emotional stress of caring for a mentally ill parent.

Each of these discoveries was a result of caring communication with students on Lucinda’s Facebook account. As she explained, these private messages give “truly supportive teachers the chance to get help for them when they’re in dangerous or compromising situations.” She expressed concern for those students who need to talk to trusted adults about personal problems who might be unwilling to do so in more public settings if they can no longer communicate with their teachers on social media sites. And she worries about the missed educational opportunities this law will cause.

Nate Smith is a history teacher as well as a debate coach at Lee’s Summit High School near Kansas City. He has always declined students’ attempts to friend him on Facebook because he wants to maintain a personal and professional distance from his students.

One of the requirements of this legislation is that each local school district has to create written policies by January outlining “appropriate use of electronic media such as text messaging and Internet sites for both instructional and personal purposes.” In spite of Nate’s decision not to allow students to be his friend on Facebook, he is concerned about this law, fearing that some overzealous districts will go even further than the limits spelled out in the law when they write their own policy.

“You’ll have a lot of school districts that will ban all forms of social media communication with students,” he said. “There could be some really good educational opportunities lost.”

In a previous blog, I explained how Facebook was used in Joplin, Missouri, after the devastating tornado in May. Several teachers reported that they used Facebook accounts with their students to help track down students who were still missing in the aftermath of the storm.

One of these, a Joplin middle school teacher, Alana Maddock, wrote an impassioned email to Gov. Jay Nixon in June before he had signed this bill into law. In it, she said, “I am not a pervert and don’t wish to be treated as one. I am very responsible with my Facebook pages and don’t appreciate being assumed to be a danger to my students.”

Cunningham has said that the bill had the backing of education lobbyists and organized teacher groups. However, the Missouri State Teachers Association, which originally supported the bill, is now saying it will seek changes when the legislators return to the Capitol in January.

Todd Fuller, a spokesman for the group said, “The problem is the bill is so vague. There is a lot of interpretation left up to a local school district.” He went on to explain that many school districts already have some of these policies in place, and teachers, he claims, have their own “internal guidelines.”

So, back in Hartville, Missouri, Lucinda’s family is busy purging all of their Facebook accounts. Her husband is a teacher as well, and their 14-year old daughter, Olivia, used Facebook to keep in touch with her English teacher to discuss school projects. Olivia knows of friends and classmates who shared their personal problems with their teachers online when they wouldn’t have been comfortable doing so in person.

“In person, there’s always the chance of someone else hearing you,” she said. “Sometimes you don’t really want your friends to know what you’re talking about with a teacher.”

Sadly, this whole sorry mess can be chalked up to fear; fear over 87 Missouri teachers who behaved inappropriately, over a five-year period of time, only some of which used social media sites to contact their students. And as a result of that fear, responsible teachers will be barred from one of the most accessible and student-useable vehicles for instructional and personal support of their students. And students are learning a new lesson: You cannot trust your teachers, and it is not okay to be in a relationship with them except in the classroom.

An overzealous, fear-driven reaction for such a small number of inappropriate teachers, don’t you think?

Teacher-World's Blog Facebook Law, Missouri, social media sites, teacher-student communication

Missouri has taken a controversial stand to protect students from predatory teachers through Senate Bill 54, which outlaws teachers from friending current or former students on social networking sites. This threatens some basic freedoms, so I’m hoping to hear a lot of feedback on this one.

So, here’s the story. Senate Bill 54, which is also known at the Amy Hestir Student Protection Act, was sponsored by Senator Jane Cunningham, signed into law by Governor Jay Nixon last week, and will go into effect on August 28. The goal of the bill is to do away with unreported sexual misconduct and to improve background information for hiring employees in schools.

Amy Hestir, who at the age of 13 was sexually assaulted by her teacher, is the motivation for this bill. She appeared in front of the Missouri House Education Committee testifying as to what had happened to her roughly 20 years ago, and said, “I support this bill 100% and I am not afraid to tell my story even though it brought so much shame on me for so long.”

If you read the summary of the law, you will see that the majority of its policies deal with the reporting of sexual misconduct by students, the proper procedures to be followed after a report has been made, more clearly defining teacher-student boundaries, and hiring practices to avoid these kinds of terrible situations. The main focus was to avoid a process called “passing the trash” which allows teachers who have been accused of sex or other inappropriate activity with children to resign quietly only to be hired in a different school district.

Tech and social media site Mashable wrote, “Inappropriate contact between students and teachers is at the root of the legislation, compelling school districts to adopt written policies between teachers and students on electronic media, social networking and other forms of communication.”

This legislation mandates that all school districts create a written policy concerning teacher-student communication by the first of January, 2012, which includes: “appropriate oral and nonverbal personal communication, which may be combined with sexual harassment policies, and appropriate use of electronic media as described in the act, including social networking sites. Teachers cannot establish, maintain, or use a work-related website unless it is available to school administrators and the child’s legal custodian, physical custodian, or legal guardian. Teachers also cannot have a nonwork-related website that allows exclusive access with a current or former student. Former student is defined as any person who was at one time a student at the school at which the teacher is employed and who is eighteen years of age or less and who has not graduated.”

What many are objecting to is the limits this law places on social media contact between teachers and their current or former students, and even though this law deals with any social media contact, it is being referred to as the “Facebook” law.

First, it must be noted that not all teacher-student contact on social media is forbidden, just direct contact, which means that teachers are prohibited from friending students on private profiles; however, they can set up fan pages that are open to the public. According to Springfield’s ABC affiliate KSPR, what is being outlawed then is any social network “that is exclusive and allows for private communication.”

The first issue that teachers have with this law is that it sends a message that teachers, in general, can’t be trusted to have an innocent relationship with a student. I have attended graduations and weddings long after I had those students in my classroom, and communicated on a fairly regular basis with several of these students while they were still in school. I would hazard a guess that it is a rarity to find a teacher out there who hasn’t kept in touch with a few students throughout their career who they developed a friendship with.

If one of my ways of keeping in touch with those students was through a social media such as Facebook, I would be appropriately angry to be told that a state law now made it illegal for me to continue that friendship through that media. And, let’s get real; this law is aimed at those teachers who are predators, so if it is now illegal to talk privately to these students on Facebook, there’re always cell phones, right?  Is this law really going to stop a determined sexual predator? Or is this a round-about way for school districts to control what teachers are posting on their social media networks?

Secondly, Mashable commented that “on the surface this sounds like a good idea,” but it raised the question which I have, and that is how would this be policed? Are school administrators going to be given a window into your Facebook account so that they can see who you’ve friended lately? Wouldn’t that require them being your friend in order to have that kind of access? And is there anyone else out there thinking, “Big Brother?”

The Turner Report, a blog written by Randy Turner who is a teacher in Joplin, Missouri, as well as a former reporter/editor for several Missouri newspapers, wrote an angry response to the signing of this law. In it, he refers to the “considerable evidence that social networking has been a positive force in education,” as well as the use of Facebook to help locate children after the Joplin tornado, something that would not have been allowed had this bill already been a law, as teachers and students would not have been allowed to communicate through Facebook. 

He brings up valid points regarding this law. First, the main goal here is to end the process of “passing the trash” which was already addressed in the mid 1990’s when Missouri enacted laws which demanded tougher background checks on teachers, accelerated the removal of teachers with criminal records from the classroom, and guaranteed the revoking of their teaching licenses. And apparently, these laws were working as the state ranked high in subsequent years for revoking licenses for teachers who were involved in sexual misconduct with their students.

So, if they were cracking down on sex offenders already, and there was no clear evidence that friending students on social media was a contributing factor, Turner questions why it was included in yet another law for an issue which has already being addressed.

It is true that there are a variety of methods of communicating with students, but it is also true that Facebook tends to be the media of choice especially for young people. This law will effectively restrict good teachers from interacting with students who may need advice; someone to talk to whom they trust about issues they may be unable to discuss with parents. It seems to me that this law punishes good teachers and students who look up to those good teachers. And blocking teachers from being friends with a student on Facebook will not stop a teacher who is determined to use their position to take advantage of a student sexually. They will find a way, with or without Facebook.

I will end my blog with the conclusion of Randy Turner’s because I think he summarizes this situation far better than I ever could:

“The signing of Senate Bill 54 continues the degrading of our profession and the only effect it will have is on teachers who have always followed the law and who would never dream of violating the sacred trust we have to teach children. We will eliminate students and former students from our Facebook lists.

For some students, that move could very well prevent them from confiding in a trusted adult friend who might be able to help them get through serious problems in their lives. For Joplin students, that could be dealing with the aftermath of losing their homes and having their lives uprooted on May 22. For others, it may be confiding in just the kind of horrific crime that the Amy Hestir Student Protection Act is supposedly designed to eliminate.

Because of this short-sighted bill, the next time students find themselves with problems they need to talk over with a trusted adult, there may be no one legally able to listen.”

Please take the time to share your thoughts on this one. It’s too important to ignore.

Teacher-World's Blog Facebook, Joplin, Missouri, Randy Turner, Senate Bill 54

I continue to be so incredibly touched by every article I read about the courageous citizens of Joplin, Missouri. This latest article clearly captures my heart as a teacher, because at a time when most school districts, unless they are year-round schools, are taking a little breather before plunging into the 2011-2012 school year, Joplin doesn’t have time to take a breather, as they are desperately trying to rebuild and reinvent their educational system.

Not only did last month’s destructive twister take the lives of more than 150 people, including seven students and one teacher, but it destroyed three of its school buildings, including Joplin High School, and it badly damaged seven other school buildings. With school scheduled to begin on August 17, there is much to be done.

But before decisions could be made about where to put students in the fall, the school district had to get summer school up and running. Can you imagine? Last week, only three weeks after this horrific tornado hit, this resilient community and its tenacious school district got more than 1,600 elementary school students enrolled in summer classes! That doesn’t even count middle and high school students.

Enrollment has doubled from last year, and that’s no accident. First, the district is offering free transportation, but more importantly than that, school is providing these traumatized children with a sense of stability; a normalcy, which they so desperately need. Being in school gives them hours during the day when life is pretty routine, and they don’t have to think about the problems their families are facing.

“These children don’t have a home to live in,” said Irving Elementary School Principal Debbie Fort, whose school was one of those destroyed. “Parents know they need to get a routine back. Their lives have been turned upside-down.” (Principal Fort spent her time after the storm searching for teachers who were missing.  She has opened her arms and her home to two families who were displaced, one of whom is a faculty member.)

Isaiah Basye, a teacher, said, “The kids are just relieved to be back at something peaceful. It gives them hope, to see that we’re not letting the tornado change us. We’re still here with open arms. This place is a haven.”

So, what will it take to get kids back in classrooms in the fall? It’s a pretty intimidating list: buildings which escaped destruction will have to be turned into schools with classrooms, computers and furniture need to be replaced, teacher’s treasured resources that were bought or created over the years will need to be saved or reinvented,  and water-logged and dirt filled books will need to be salvaged.

Decisions have already been made concerning where some students will go to school next year: many middle school students will go to an empty warehouse in a distant industrial park while half of the high school students will go to an empty big-box store.

Joplin’s football team has already started practicing, in spite of the fact that their practice field and weight room were destroyed in the tornado and one of their members is still in the hospital. Even though their numbers are down, some players returned even though they have been living in temporary housing or with friends or relatives far away.

The team is feeling the need to represent Joplin this fall, but their new coach, Chris Shields, who lost his rental home as well as some of his belongings in the tornado said, “We don’t really feel like we need to say, `Win for Joplin.’ We know inside that Joplin is helping us. It’s time for us to help Joplin.”

With all the chaos and misery the people of Joplin have experienced and continue to face, it would not be surprising to find them simply demoralized and beaten. But the reality is the people of Joplin refuse to give up. And right now, they seem to be rallying around the resurrecting of their schools.

The sign outside where their high school used to stand, once read JOPLIN HIGH SCHOOL. After the storm, it read OP HIGH SCHOOL. Someone used duct tape to change the OP to HOPE! If that doesn’t bring goose bumps, I don’t know what would!

Three wooden eagles, Joplin’s school mascot, stand proudly in front of this sign, and someone spray-painted a sign that says, “Her feathers are ruffled, but she’s not dead.”

The best part of this story, is the hope that Joplin has for the future, because they are not content to simple rebuild their schools. They have a vision of a state-of-the-art building which would be a testimonial to their innovation and tenacious spirit, rather than one that reminds them of their losses.

“We need to let ourselves be free to dream,” Assistant Superintendent Angie Besendorfer said. “It’s really hard. We’re living with the reality of what happened. You almost have to give yourself permission to move past the really horrible, horrific things.”

Teacher-World's Blog Joplin, Missouri, schools, tornado

My heart is still with the brave people of Joplin, Missouri, therefore, I watch any news from that area with great concern. As a result, I was alarmed to hear the latest news that, as if they aren’t dealing with enough tragedy, they now face the added threat of a fungal infection which is potentially lethal.

Zygomycosis, or mucormycosis, is the name of the latest threat to Joplin. It is an infection which is caused by fungi commonly found in soil and decaying vegetation. This fungus most commonly invades the sinuses, brain, and lungs, producing a wide range of symptoms, depending on where the initial infection occurred. People with weakened immune systems are at greatest risk of this infection which kills about half of those who contract it. The only course of treatment is to remove any tissue which has been killed by the fungus and follow up with intravenous antifungal medications.

According to experts, the tornado’s high winds caused soil and other debris to be deposited under the skin, thus allowing the infection to commence. It is not clear at this time how many cases of fungal infection there are in Joplin, but Dr. Uwe Schmidt of the Freeman Health System told the Springfield News-Leader that he knew of at least nine cases. Of those cases, three or four of the victims have died.

“It’s difficult to say if it [the fungus] killed them, but it was definitely a contributing factor,” Schmidt said.

According to Schmidt, these patients were admitted to the hospital on May 23, and about a week later, the staff noticed mold growing out of their wounds.

“These people had multiple severe lacerations and wound infections,” Schmidt said. “Biopsies indicated tissue invasion by a fungus.” Samples of these tissues were sent to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta for further testing.

Jasper County Coroner Rob Chappel told CNN that one of the deaths was definitely caused by mucormycosis, but the cause of death for the other two victims has not yet been determined, since the victims had serious injuries along with the fungus.

Those patients who have been infected have typically shown up at hospitals with visible fungus growing in their wounds or, in some cases, on their skin. Schmidt said that it looks as though wounds were not thoroughly cleaned during the colossal rescue efforts that took place following the tornado on May 22, the deadliest tornado ever to occur in the United States.

Doctors are cautioning people with wounds not to panic, but to keep a close eye on them. “If they have wounds which they suffered during the tornado that aren’t healing and are getting worse with increasing redness, swelling or tissue necrosis, they should be evaluated by a physician and should be biopsied,” said Schmidt.

The good news is that this is not an infection which is likely to spread through a population as it is not spread from person to person and doesn’t invade normal undamaged skin.

Also from Joplin, decisions have been made concerning where junior and senior high school students will attend school in the fall since Joplin High School was also destroyed in the tornado. Apparently, nearby Northpark Mall escaped destruction, and classrooms will be constructed in an 80,000 square foot space which was vacated years ago.

Angie Besendorfer, the assistant superintendent of Joplin’s school district said, “A school is more than a building. The environment is not as important as the high quality of education students will continue to receive.”

Tough times and tough decisions are still ahead for the people of this once thriving community. I will continue to keep you up to date on the situation in Joplin, and I continue to encourage all of you to do your part to help these people in any way you can.

Teacher-World's Blog fungal infection, Joplin, Joplin High School, Missouri, tornado

On this Memorial Day, we come together as a nation to pay homage to the countless people who gave their lives to secure our liberty and protect our basic rights. We, at Teacher World, want to express our sincere appreciation for all that our military personnel have done to protect, not just this country that we love so much, but to help protect citizens in other countries whose liberties or rights have been threatened. We pay special homage to those who are currently serving in a branch of the military and wish them peace and a safe return to their family members very soon.

As we celebrate the memory of these valiant soldiers, I can’t help but think of the everyday soldiers in our country, who don’t wear a uniform, but serve their fellow man just as diligently, especially in times of great need, and therefore, deserve our gratitude and prayers as well.

In light of recent events, the proud, resilient people of Joplin, Missouri, and so many others who have come from all parts of the United States to battle the total devastation that was left by the tornado that hit just a little over a week ago, come to my mind as excellent examples of these everyday heroes.

There are so many people who have shown tremendous bravery and heroism during and after this terrible tragedy, and I wish I knew the stories of each and every one. Though that is simply impossible, I will tell you about those I can, and I leave it up to those of you who are in Joplin to continue to tell the world the rest.

There were so many nameless people who opened their businesses, their storage rooms, and their walk-in coolers for those who were out driving or walking when the storm hit. Had it not been for these resourceful people, countless others would have been numbered with the dead. Two of these heroes paid the ultimate price, as they sought to protect as many people from the storm as they could. President Obama honored the memory of these brave men in his memorial address.

He told the crowd about Dean Wells, a hero who ushered both his co-workers and customers at Home Depot to a safe place to wait out the store. Not content to save a few, he kept going back for more people, bringing each to safety. Just like a military leader protecting his troops, Dean did not stop until the storm finally stopped him. Sadly, Dean’s mission as well as his life ended when a wall of the store fell down on top of him, but many lives were saved as a result of his bravery.

Christopher Lucas was the 26-year old manager at a Pizza Hut in Joplin. He literally herded his employees and customers into a walk-in freezer, and then, in order to keep them secure and safe, he wrapped a bungee cord to hold the door shut from the inside and wrapped the other end around his arm. He held on to that bungee cord for as long as he possible could, until the incredible force of the tornado’s 200 mph winds finally pulled him away. His heroic efforts that night saved more than a dozen people’s lives.

Then there’s Jason, the tree cutter and his crew, who watched the storm coming in and the trees and debris flying, but rather than run for cover themselves, they got their chainsaws and began cutting up and removing trees from the roads knowing that ambulances and fire engines would need to be able to pass through. When Jason began to hear screaming coming from houses, he ran to the houses, isolated where the screams were coming from, and dug and cut his way to them in order to move them to the street. Jason continued to do this for four or five hours.

Jason said that one of the houses had smoke pouring out of it, so he cut an opening in the roof in order to get inside. In his urgency to get to the victims, he went through the hole, only to have the wall give way and be showered by burning ash. Luckily, Jason, an everyday hero, lived to tell his story.

Then there is Mark Norton, Will Norton’s father, who held on desperately to his son who was being pulled through the sun roof of his car. In spite of his own injuries, which were massive, he held on tightly until the strength of the winds was stronger than the strength of a father’s arms. I want Mark to know that he made the most heroic effort to save his son. Will knew that and so does the family. Not every soldier’s mission is successful, Mark. It is the valiant effort against all odds that we honor, and pray that you will find the courage to forgive yourself for a force that was simply too powerful to be stopped. 

We need to honor Will’s Aunt Tracey and his sister, Sara, who diligently tracked down every lead to try to find him, alive or dead. Their compassion for the many families who were going through a similar hell touched everyone who heard their words of faith and strength. Their stoic response to the worst possible news and their obvious faith, even when faced with such a seemingly unfair loss, is a true example of heroism which rises above personal sorrow.

Dan Mitchell, president of the Bridge Ministries, who has been so instrumental in trying to organize rescue efforts and set up distribution centers, has been a hero to so many. Through his heroic efforts, he worked with the family of Lantz Hare, a friend and parishioner of his, to get definitive proof that he was one of the victims of this terrible storm.

Additionally, it was his strong plea for urgent help and his insistence that it was time for someone to step in and do for Joplin what the grief-stricken, tired community cannot do for themselves, the whole time being so respectful of the work that those in charge have been doing, that also makes this man a hero.

Listen to his heroic words: “We are forced into a major operation where we’re organizing efforts to make a difference, to make the straightest line to the victims. And all of us are traumatized, too, by the friends we’ve lost and just the fear of life and death; things that have occurred here over the last few days…this is a strong community, and there’s a deep faith here. And God is good at bringing order out of chaos, and that’s what’s happening.”

When he was asked about the President’s visit, and what he would like to say to him if he had the chance to talk to him, he pleaded, on behalf of Joplin, for the government to step in, to take control. He said he had heard in a meeting that other agencies were unwilling to step on anyone’s toes by coming in and offering help. His answer: “We’re overwhelmed; we need you…We do need some help, I think our local officials are amazing men and women, and they are doing an incredible job under the circumstances, but there’s more here than we can do…So, I would say, let’s step on, go ahead and step on our toes, and help!”

A true hero knows when he has done everything he can do on his own, and has the courage to ask for help. Dan Mitchell has been a heroic presence in Joplin and has sacrificed his time and energy to help the families, especially his kids from Bridge Ministry, get back on their feet. But, he knows when it is time to step aside and let others, who have more resources, take charge. Thank you for your heroic dedication, your tireless efforts, and your willingness to step out of the limelight in order to get things done.

There are so many more: parents searching for their children and children searching for their parents, Governor Nixon who has worked tirelessly to get more help for the people of Joplin, and ministers who hold church services in the street because the churches they once served have been leveled. This list goes on; everyday people rising to the challenge of this terrible tragedy to become heroes to us all.

President Obama summed it up so well in his memorial speech when he said, “There are heroes around us all the time. And so, in the wake of this tragedy, let us live up to their example, to make each day count, to live with a sense of mutual regard, to live with that same compassion that they demonstrated in their final hours. We are called by them to do everything we can to be worthy of this chance we’ve been given to carry on.”

Teacher-World's Blog Dan Mitchell, Governor Nixon, Joplin, Mark Norton, Memorial Day, Missouri, President Obama, Will Norton

This is a sad follow-up on Will Norton, the young, recently-graduated boy from Joplin, Missouri, who has been missing since Sunday night when he was sucked through the sunroof of his car.

I discovered this morning that Will had a YouTube channel which was very popular. In fact, it has received more than 1.5 million views. I spent some time getting to know him through his videos, and was blown away by this talented, gregarious, creative, young man. What a joyful spirit! This is a young man who clearly lived life to the fullest.

Which makes the news out of Joplin this morning even harder to take. Sadly, reports indicate that Will has finally been found, but that he is another victim of this terrible tornado. My heart grieves for this boy, who was clearly so very special, and had his whole life ahead of him. And I grieve for this family, who had such hope, as did many of us, that they would find him alive.

His Aunt Tracey posted this message on his Facebook page last night: “Everyone, tonight is a sad night for us. I’m sorry to tell you that Will was found but he was not alive. We are grieving deeply. It brightens our lives to know that even in his passing he touched lives. We will write more soon but tonight we will mourn as a family. Please pray for Mark, Trish and Sara as well as my parents. God bless you all. Please pray for those still lost and hurting. Aunt Tracey”

I send my deepest regrets to this family, and to so many others who are going through such desperate times. God bless, and know that our thoughts and prayers are with you all.

Teacher-World's Blog Joplin, Missouri, Will Norton, YouTube

Sadly, I have an update on two of the boys I blogged about yesterday from Joplin, Missouri. The families of Zach Niederhelman and Lantz Hare learned that both of their boys died in Sunday’s deadly tornado.

Late yesterday afternoon, Tammy Niederhelman received word that her 12-year old son, Zach, was one of the victims whose body was positively identified in the morgue. She and her husband, Tony, have been searching for their son for the last four days and had gone to the morgue daily since a neighbor had told them that a boy who looked like their son had been found dead near their house. This neighbor stayed with the body until an ambulance took it away.

Tammy had remained hopeful and fought hard without success for the opportunity to see the bodies at the morgue in order to see if one of them was her son. Yesterday, she was reunited with her son and is now finally able to begin the grieving process; such sad news, but at least they can stop frantically searching for a son who is not coming home.

Also, yesterday the family of Lantz Hare finally got answers about their son.  Dan Mitchell, Lantz’s minister, reported that two of Lantz’s friends kept bugging him on Monday to help them find his car so they could find some clues that would lead to their friend’s recovery. Mitchell finally left the job of setting up a distribution center to someone else in order to go with them.

Together with his daughter, Lantz’s two friends, and the youth minister from their church, they walked two miles to the area where they thought he had been. After searching two more miles, they finally found Lantz’s blue car. Their efforts to find Lantz were unsuccessful, however, some firemen told them they needed to go to the hospital because anyone who had been found in that area had been sent to the hospital.

They contacted the family so that they could go to the morgue as well. Lantz was not in the hospital, but they were given the names of 50 other places to call. A huge group of people began calling these places trying to track down information. Somehow, Mike Hobson, a long-time friend of the family and whose son was a good friend of Lantz’s, was able to gain access to the morgue where his body was believed to be and make a positive identification of Lantz’s body. It is possible that the fact that  Hobson is a police officer allowed him to gain access to the morgue where other people’s efforts have been unsuccessful .

Of the situation in Joplin, Dan Mitchell said, “I just know that, what I’ve experienced in this disaster is you have to fight for it. You know, if, when people are weak someone has to stand up and fight. And it’s not; they don’t have to do that because there’s evil intent. They have to do it because everyone’s confused and just doing the best they can. And so, our city officials are working hard and making decisions on the fly, and I think they’re doing the best they can…Mike just did what other victims need is an advocate, and that’s how this young man was found. And that’s what we all need is an advocate on our side who will stand up for us when we’re weak.”

Well said, and, as sad as this news was for the Hare family, I am certain that they are grateful for the dedication and strength of these people who worked together to find their son.

The other missing people I reported on, Will Norton and Dee Ann Hayward, are still unaccounted for, and there are so many more. We need to surround these poor families with our thoughts, our prayers, and for those of you who are close enough to that area, they need more advocates. Step up and be a voice for these aching family members who are too weak to fight right now.

Can you hear the crying in Joplin? It breaks my heart, and I will continue doing my part to support these grieving families by continuing to blog about their needs and their frustrations.

These missing children could be our missing children. These missing parents could be one of us. These are our families, and we owe it to them to be their advocates while they are weak.

Teacher-World's Blog Joplin, Lantz Hare, missing people, Missouri, tornado, Zach Niederlhelman