a community of practitioners

Problem students?

Or maybe that should read 'problem with students?' We've all had them. Maybe if we bounce the problems around we can hear new solutions from other educators. So go ahead, share your stories.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jenny Ray on July 30, 2010 at 6:06pm

Right on Laura,..The problem is the student...(the BF is her problem!).....the education facility should understand that not everyone can be trained in our profession. This student needs professional mental help before she chooses any career... and especially one in the health-care industry ...The best way to protect our industry from increased insurance costs, ethics violations, bad press and all the rest....is to fully police ourselves. This student is not mentally healthy enough to become a care giver...The education provider has a responsibility to all future clients (and our industry) to only educate those who are actually able to do this work in an ethical and healthy manner...it is about a lot more than passing tests, showing up for class and paying tuition!...a lot of us were abused, but chose to get help and then were ready to help others....

Permalink Reply by Kelly Grounds on July 31, 2010 at 5:06am

wOW! Alexi, was she under the influence or just a bad driver? Or was she texting and driving?

Permalink Reply by Kelly Grounds on July 31, 2010 at 5:15am

Well, I spoke to the client and the boyfriend only called (not confronted in parking lot) him (not that this is great) and the client didn't want to press charges. He and his wife are back to a regular massage schedule. As far as the owner is concerned, case closed.
I have sent this client to counciling sessions. She can't graduate until she completes a program geared towards abuse survivors. It is taught by an LMT/Family councilor in my area, how lucky is that? But I can't do a thing about the BF. The owner of the school didn't want to press charges and garner media attention. So I guess I've done all I can do for the moment...The owner doesn't want anyone to drop or be kicked out because that costs her money. Unfortunately, she doesn't have the same view about the seriousness of the situation as I did. That's a whole different topic of discussion.

Permalink Reply by Alexei Levine on July 31, 2010 at 5:27am

I don't know the details, but I heard she was in the massage therapy program there.

Permalink Reply by Jason Erickson on September 8, 2010 at 2:03am

Suspend the student and delay her graduation pending investigation and resolution of the situation. Since it's a serious violation, she can be held back, be required to repeat the course and receive counseling, be required to work on many more male clients, be expelled, etc. I would not recommend immediately graduating this student, as that effectively shows tacit school approval of her actions and those of her BF. You have no disciplinary options once she has walked the stage and out into the world where she will represent your school as an alumn.

Kelly Grounds said:

The big thing is this student is due to graduate in three weeks! I took over as director in March and wasn't aware of this student's history until recently. So it's almost a little to late... I am sitting down and talking with her on Monday. But I'm not certain that my superiors would agree about kicking her out of the program. There are certainly many red lights here. How she was allowed through the program this far, I really don't know.