User talk:Hershelmel

Hello, I was given your name by Thad Cochran and was told that you may can help me. I was a teacher at Pearl River Central Middle School and was assaulted by a student in my classroom. I was then carried to the emergency room by a fellow coleague. While at the ER the Superintendent informed the ER not to call the sherriff's department or file anything on workmans comp. He stated he would send the school security officer. The officer finally arrived in the later part of the day and informed us to press charges on this child. So, by this time, my husband was there and we did just that, pressed charges. This was on Wednesday, April 9th, 2008 and I was had a doctor's excuse to stay out of work until Monday. I had a follow up visit with my general doctor and due to my elevated blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, constant crying/anxiety; the doctor filed a form that I was not to return to work with this child in my classroom. My husband then went directly to turn this paperwork into the district office. At 4:00 that afternoon, two school security officers came to my home and served me with papers that my contract had not been renewed for the 08-09 school year.On the nonrenewal of my contract paperwork, nothing was mentioned about the assault of this student. There were things on there about not following dress code, not allowing a student to leave my classroom at any point of instruction with an administrator's pass, which all these things were untrue. We then retained an attorney, Gerald Patch in Picayune, to help with the mediation of the nonrenewal. During the first hearing date, we were informed by there witness, Pam Frierson, that I had been put in front of the board and approved for renewal of the 08-09 year. But, then when I was assaulted, I was immediately let go and placed at the alternative school to complete the 07-08 school year. Nothing was done to this student nor has been done to this student. In the mean time I kept waiting for a court date regarding this assault and nothing came. so, I decided to go to Millard sheriff's Department and see what was going on. The superintendent, Dennis Penton, withheld these charges from the sheriff's department and once again I had to press charges on this child. In the mean time, my twin boys are seniors this year and have been harrassed by the superintendent's son. It has been so bad that my oldest twin was suspended from school for skipping line in the cafeteria. I find it odd taht a student can hit a teacher and nothing was done but my child gets suspended for skipping line in the cafeteria. It has gotton so bad that I told the attorney to send a letter to Dennis Penton telling him that I would resign if he would put something in writing just to protect my children and their scholarship. He refused to do taht. Because he has held so much money from my salary I am in financial ruins. when he placed me at the alternative school, he had to place a sub. teacher in my room at the middle school so he withheld the sub. pay from my salary. He also docked me for the days I was out of work due to the assault. This sub. pay was $55.00 a day starting April 14, 2008 until May 23, 2008; and as you know a teacher doesn't make that kind of money. He sent a letter back to my attorney stating that I could resign stating that I was a poor/inadequate teacher. I don't understand why if this was true didn't they remove me from Department Chair and LSC of the Department. This makes no sense. Because of my financial situation, I had no choice but to draw out my retirement to pay my bills, He refused this as well. He would not agree to sign this form to release my retirement money. I had to get an attorney at PERS to call him and inform him that this was against the law. Finally, as my home went into foreclosure, he did sign it but I could have to wait 45 days. I am loosing everything I worked for and my career. I went to Picayune to get a job and was going to be hired at the junior high school. Something happened and I did not get the job. I feel that he contacted some of the board members, but I can't prove this. I went and asked them and they stated that they couldn't hire me because I was still an employee at Pearl River Central. But, Dennis Penton did take my personal belongings out of my classroom and took them to his attorney and placed them outside so they could be rained on and destroyed. when I found out my stuff was there, it was about two days later after it had rained. I have not gone to get it and I am not sure it is any good anymore. But I do know that I spent several thousand dollars on this eduational stuff for my students out of my own pocket. throughout the 07-08 school year I had begged for help from every anle of administration, principal, assistant principal, parent, special education director, and superintendent and nothing was done to help me. But after he hit me, I was terminated!! Please help me, I have filed complaints, went to the newspaper, and have sent info to every political officail I know of. i don't know what to do and I have lost everything, including my career. Can anyone give me advice and/or tell me if my civil rights have been violated? Please help me!! If anyone can help me or knows what I should do, please email me at hershelmel@yahoo.com. Thank You, Melanie Dillard