The 8 Worst Education Moments of 2011

The 8 worst education moments in 2011...

There were some great moments in education in 2011. Anti-bullying legislation was proposed in a bipartisan bill, and medical research gave new insight into special needs education. The greatest moments, of course, were witnessed by the thousands of teachers across the country.

However, America's education system was not without struggles this year. Teachers faced lay-offs, pay freezes, budget crunches, higher class sizes, and paying for supplies out of their own pockets. Under intense scrutiny and more pressure than ever (standardized test scores, anyone?), teachers poured their hearts and souls into educating our kids, and we're grateful. Their hard work makes it even more infuriating when these bad apples spoil the bunch.

Here, then, are the 8 worst education moments of 2011:

Cheating Scandals

1. Cheating Scandals Spread Across U.S.
In July, a wave of cheating scandals was unearthed, beginning with nearly 180 Atlanta educators being accused of participating in cheating on standardized tests. As the year progressed, investigations began in schools in Philadelphia; Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles; and Waterbury, CT. At least 20 students in Long Island, NY have been charged with cheating on SAT and ACT tests by paying someone to take the test for them.

Related: 30 baby names that'll get your kid into Harvard

Mistreatment of Autistic Students

2. Texas School Shoves Vinegar-Soaked Cotton Balls into Mouths of Autistic Students
In September, the National Autism Association reported that educators at Exley Elementary School in Katy, TX were shoving vinegar-soaked cotton balls into the mouths of autistic students as "aversive therapy." Autism advocates offered vinegar-soaked cotton balls to officials at a school board meeting, but there weren't any takers.

Teachers Caught Bullying

3. Special Education Teacher and Aide Caught on Tape Bullying Girl
In October, Ohio's Miami Trace Local School District settled a lawsuit in October with the parents of a special needs girl who had been bullied by her teacher and a classroom aide. After their initial concerns were dismissed by the district, the parents wired the girl with a microphone and recorded repeated bullying over the course of four days. Faced with that evidence, the school dismissed classroom aide Kelly Chaffins. The classroom teacher, Christie Wilt, has been required to complete eight hours of training on how to stop bullying and stop child abuse.

Related: 28 ways to make your kid's teacher like you

Student IDs that Reveal Test Scores

4. Student IDs that Reveal Test Scores Deemed Illegal
Also in October, a school in Anaheim, CA came under fire for issuing color-coded student ID cards and binders based on the students' test scores. Students with higher scores also were assigned faster lunch lines. While some praised the incentive program as motivating, others decried it as humiliating and an invasion of privacy.

School Budget Cuts

5. School Budget Crunch Lead to Massive Cuts Nationwide
In school districts across the country, teachers were laid off, arts and physical education were cut, and days were shaved off the calendar. Nationally, 120 school districts went to four-day school weeks to save on transportation and utility costs. Some schools also implemented fees for not just sports but riding the bus to school. An estimated 294,000 education jobs have been lost since 2008. To the teachers that are hanging on with lower staff, pay freezes, bigger class sizes, and no supplies, we say thank you so much.

Related: The 20 best parenting moments of 2011

Pizza Is a Veggie

6. Pizza Is a Vegetable
In November, the final version of a Congressional spending bill unraveled changes to school lunches that had been recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Congress said French fries, tomato paste, and frozen pizza with two tablespoons of sauce are to remain as vegetables. Reduction in sodium was delayed, as was moving to whole-grain foods. Companies that make frozen pizzas for schools, potato growers, and the salt industry had requested the changes to the bill's language. Really? The salt industry gets to make nutritional decisions for our kids? Also: Thanks for making it even harder to get my kids to cooperate when I say, "Eat your broccoli."

Teachers Bullying Students

7. New Jersey Teen Videos His Teacher Bullying
In November, a Gloucester County, NJ special education teen used a cell phone to videotape his teacher, Steven Roth, bullying him. The teacher used repeated slurs when talking to the boy, who has ADHD and emotional needs.

Head Start Centers Lacking Safety

8. Head Start Centers Cited for Machete, Chemicals
A federal report showed that some Head Start Centers were grievously lacking in basic safety requirements. The review, released in December by the Inspector General of Health and Human Services, said that more than 90 percent of the centers had toxic chemicals labeled "keep out of reach of children" within reach of children; more than 70 percent had open or broken gates leading to streets, parking lots, and other unsupervised areas. At one center, a machete and a gas-powered hedge trimmer were left unattended near a children's play area.

For 4 more of the worst education moments of 2011, visit Babble

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