St. Paul teacher on student behavior: ‘I’ve never seen it so bad’

“Any kid who would have threatened the teacher would have been out that day, no questions asked,” he said, reflecting on the past.

After walking off the job weeks ago at Washington Technology Magnet School, Ringaman described a toxic environment, absent of any real consequences for kids who cause trouble.

He’s been an eighth-grade math teacher at the school for the last five years.

“When a kid can tell a principal to F off, nobody has anything anymore. What I say as a classroom teacher doesn’t matter. What the behavioral specialists say in the hallway doesn’t matter. What the security guard says doesn’t matter,” he said. “It doesn’t matter. If you want to just take your anger out on teachers in St. Paul schools, you’re welcome to do that.”