Disney world prank angers parents-Teachers' elaborate joke 'really stupid judgment'

[The Straight Story]

Disney world prank angers parents
Teachers' elaborate joke 'really stupid judgment'


Parents at a South Windsor school are expressing outrage after teachers led graduating students to believe they were heading to Disney World for a year-end trip - only to reveal the next day that the kids were the butt of an elaborate joke.

One of the teachers recorded the scene on an iPad and it was later shown to another class so they too could join in the teachers' merriment.

...

Roseland public school's graduating students were told last Thursday that they were in for a spectacular year-end field trip to Disney World in Orlando, Fla.

On Friday, both Grade 8 classes were shepherded into a room, shown a video of their Disney dream vacation and given a PowerPoint presentation showing a palm tree-lined resort.

Travel brochures and hotel information were passed around. The flights are super cheap, a teacher said after one student expressed concern over cost.

The kids, ecstatic by now in anticipation, were urged by the teachers to yell out where they were going: "We're going to Disney!" That's when they were told to look at the last slide, which announced their 2013 field trip wasn't to a fabulous Florida funland, but to a Windsor bowling alley.

http://www2.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html?id=ee3a5397-ed26-42a3-936e-a79a0644b2ff

[Renew Deal]

1. The only question is if they are fired now or at the end of the year

Now seems like a good time.

[Berlum]

2. Teachers actually took kids to the Republican Homeland

...a state of existence where everything is a cruel, stupid joke.

This, I suppose, is good training for living in a world infested by degenerate, cruel, and utterly false Republican "Family Values"

[n2doc]

3. They must really hate and resent their students

WTF is wrong with these people. 8th grade is hard enough.

[lolly]

23. And they must want their students to hate them, too.

Oh, and respect in the classroom? Fuggedaboutit.

Hope the teachers involved in this nasty prank get told to "go to Disneyland" whenever they ask the students to do anything.

[demwing]

4. BFD

I mean really...no one got hurt, no one was embarrassed, no one was singled out, and no one lost a cent.

It was a damn joke. Dumb, but harmless.

[Berlum]

5. Not just dumb, cruel

The freaking teachers were cruel to their students.

[villager]

6. Utterly cruel, a complete violation of trust, and everything that "teachers" are supposed

...to stand for, and embody.

[demwing]

10. not even close to cruel

Not funny either, but not cruel, no matter how much you hyperventilate in protest.

[enlightenment]

7. A good life lesson, since the world

is apparently populated with people who feel the way you do about it.

"It was a damn joke" Get a clue. Can't you see it was funny, dude? Why aren't you laughing?

No BFD.


Astonishing response; it speaks much about you.

[demwing]

9. nothing astonishing

I don't think it was funny, and I don't think it was s good idea, but I'm not going to pretend it was some horrific transgression of trust either.

No one was hurt, ridiculed, defrauded, singled out, or otherwise injured. It was a stupid joke that didn't survive the class time. No one went home with the mistaken belief that they were going to Disney.

Dumb move, but NOT a big fucking deal.

[enlightenment]

13. I'm not hyperventilating at all.

Gagged a little at your attitude, though.

[demwing]

17. Yeah, that comment was misdirected

and has been fixed.

You gagged? LOL. uhm...sorry?

[enlightenment]

29. Look,

I think the whole prank phenomenon has gotten out of hand. There is a growing and profound difference between short-sheeting someone's bed and the elaborate pranks that are supposed to be so funny today.

There is a point in everyone's life where the ability to think up pranks and the ability to anticipate the outcome don't really synch - that's usually just about the age of these kids. Fortunately, most people grow out of it and realize that hurting or just embarrassing others for their own amusement isn't really funny. Some people, unfortunately, never grow out of it - they just grow older with the same adolescent attitudes that made them little monsters when they were thirteen.

There isn't anything funny about winding someone up - particularly a child - and then sending them crashing to earth. It's a sad statement about the pranksters; it suggests a complete lack of empathy and it is, quite frankly, disgusting that anyone would find it amusing.

So, yes, your attitude is gag-inducing - a lot like finding something rank and rotten in the vegetable bin.

[demwing]

31. So when you show me where i said this was funny

I'll apologize. Try to understand that the world isn't always so black and white. Just because I'm not apoplectic does not mean I find the issue funny.

[enlightenment]

34. You're right.

You didn't say it was funny. What you said was that it was no big deal. Dumb, but not really an issue.

You minimized it and by doing so you implied - very clearly and repeatedly - that you don't see a problem with what was done.

There is a problem with it and you are standing pretty much alone in this thread by refusing to see it. The vehemence with which you stand by your assertion that it's not a problem suggests, quite strongly, that you find this kind of thing acceptable.

I am very aware that the world isn't black and white. Are you? You seem to think that because no one was physically injured or financially impacted that makes this okay. Based on your logic, I'd have to assume that if someone was hurt or lost money it wouldn't be okay.

That seems pretty black/white thinking to me. If it leaves a mark, it's wrong. If the person looks the same at the end of the prank, it's okay.

[demwing]

55. You seem to read with a selective eye

True, I DON'T think it's a big fucking deal, but in my posts I also said that it was a dumb prank, a stupid joke and unfunny.

That's what I wrote, in context. What's crystal clear is this - you don't care what I really wrote, just the selective bits that got your undies in a bunch. What's equally clear (at least to me) is that I can't bring myself to give a hoot about your bunched undies. Not one hoot.

So? What now?

[enlightenment]

64. Nothing.

Obviously.

You have your opinion and I have mine. Like you, I could care less if you are concerned about anything I say - it doesn't change my opinion of you in the slightest.

[bvar22]

14. I pray you don't have a wife, children, or pets.

The inability to recognize cruelty is worrisome.

[demwing]

20. sorry, looks like your prayers were useless...

maybe you should have prayed to be less judgemental?

[loudsue]

37. I agree. It's the same type of excuse that leads to bullying

....and the bully always thinks its funny, too. Whatever happened to treating people with respect?

[Berlum]

40. +1

[snooper2]

66. how long does it take to perform a prayer like that?

[callous taoboy]

16. As a teacher, it would never cross my mind to be that mean-spirited to my students. Never.

What lesson did those students learn? That adults can be mean-spirited pricks. I hope their reprimand is harsher than their "ha-ha."

[lolly]

27. Hmmm--how much would it cost to send the kids to Disneyland after all?

And how much would have to be deducted from the paychecks of the teachers involved to pay for it?

[lolly]

24. "No one was embarrassed"--?

One of the teachers recorded the scene on an iPad and it was later shown to another class so they too could join in the teachers' merriment.

Yeah, your average 13-year old kid won't be embarrassed at all when his teachers record him being duped and then invite other students to laugh.

That's not cruel at all, so don't say that.

Maybe they'd all think it was hi-lar-i-ous if (he he!) they were told (yuk yuk) that they're not getting paychecks anymore! woo hoo that would be a laff riot!

[demwing]

30. That would be funny!

as long as it was just a joke

[RC]

38. And if you were one of those being duped?

Would it still be funny? Being made the butt of a joke of this caliber, by people you are supposed to be able to trust IS not only hurtful, but also harmful. The respect for the teachers involved plummets. For this age group, respect for teachers/adults is hard enough to maintain.

[demwing]

44. Lets make sure we are talking about the same thing

telling the teachers that they would lose pay might be funny. Pranking the students was not. However, making a dumb, unfunny prank is not necessarily cruel...just dumb and unfunny.

[jeff47]

35. You are an awful human being.

So, if I repeatedly shouted "you're an idiot" and came up with elaborate situations that made you look dumb, it would be funny, right? No one was hurting you, according to your definition.

And then when I show the video to all your friends and co-workers, it would just be a hoot for everyone, right?

Or show you a suitcase full of $1M and say it's yours....and then yank it away, it would be roll-on-the-floor hilarious, right?

Hey, I have a cure for your loved one's cancer! Nevermind! Hahahahahahahaha.

[demwing]

54. You are an angry, confused person

Last edited Fri Feb 22, 2013, 07:13 PM - Edit history (2)

So, if I repeatedly shouted "you're an idiot" and came up with elaborate situations that made you look dumb, it would be funny, right? No one was hurting you, according to your definition.

No, because calling someone an idiot is considered an insult (unless you are on a DU jury). Insults are injurious.

And then when I show the video to all your friends and co-workers, it would just be a hoot for everyone, right?

Are you saying that shouting at a child and calling them an idiot is the same thing as pretending that the class is going on a trip to Disney World? Really? That sucks, dude.

Or show you a suitcase full of $1M and say it's yours....and then yank it away, it would be roll-on-the-floor hilarious, right?

Actually, that's a much better analogy, and yes, it could be funny, if done correctly.

Hey, I have a cure for your loved one's cancer! Nevermind! Hahahahahahahaha.

Just so you know, my 9 year old son died of brain cancer a few years ago. He was my entire life

This was him when he was healthy:


This is his picture, just a week or two before he died. This was taken Christmas morning. My son is laying down because the bottom half of his body is paralyzed. The left side of his face is dead, so he can't smile. He pissed through a catheter, and could only pass stool by daily enema, which his mother and I had to administer. He died in my arms, while I tried to resuscitate him. I still have dreams about that day. I still cry.


I have an incredible sensitivity to comments about cancer and death, but despite that--and despite your ridiculous analogies -- I don't think you're a horrible person. Just angry, and confused.

Peace.

[jeff47]

62. Nice you are starting to understand

I have an incredible sensitivity to comments about cancer and death, but despite that--and despite your ridiculous analogies -- I don't think you're a horrible person. Just angry, and confused.

Why? I didn't injure you. Just like these teachers didn't injure the kids.

Or now that it is you being affected, is it different?

[demwing]

67. I have understood from the beginning

and my response to you was consistent with my other posts. What the teachers did was dumb and unfunny. Also, they had an objective, which I don't think they effectively achieved. Bad plan all around.

But the rhetoric about how awfully these teachers acted is overblown, and in some cases, overdone. It's today's gasp of shock!

No! What terrible teachers these are!

It's exaggerated. It distracts from real issues by making little things seem more important than they are. It plays to the Republican talking point that public school teachers are irresponsible (and paid for by too many of your tax dollars).

I do get it. You're trying to illustrate a point, but I don't agree that it's a very strong point. I am surprised you don't see the point that I'm trying to illustrate-that as your behavior doesn't rate an overblown response, the behavior of the teachers shouldn't rate any response at all. Not from DU...

[GoneOffShore]

41. But it was not kind.

And kindness counts.

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” – Plato

[Initech]

8. $10 says these teachers vote tea party.

[BlueCheese]

12. They're Canadian.

[Capt. Obvious]

21. Fine, so 10 Loonies they vote Tea Party

[Capt. Obvious]

11. I once told my nephew I was taking him to Disney Land

Instead, I took him to an old, burnt down shack.

I exclaimed, "Oh no, Disney Land burnt down!"

My nephew cried, and cried.

Deep down, I'm sure he thought it was a pretty good joke.

Jack

[bvar22]

25. I did the same thing to my 5 year old nephew!!!

...except I told him we were going to Santa Clause's House!!!!!

He was so shocked and disappointed and afraid!!!!
It was Hilarious!
All my wife beater friends at the bar got a big kick out that story!!!

[Capt. Obvious]

39. That's not funny at all

you monster!

[bvar22]

43. I guess it was one of those things where you had to be there.

It was pretty funny at the time.

After 12 years of therapy, even my nephew says so,
and laughs when I tell the funny story around the Thanksgiving Dinner Table every year. The whole family laughs hysterically and points at him.
But there is something about the way he laughs, and that look in his eyes..... a little "off", if you know what I mean.

I woke up at 2AM the other morning, and he was quietly leaning over me, nose to nose, ...... and smiling.
He softly whispered, "You know I love you. You're my favorite uncle,"
and then laughed that weird little laugh.
And he doesn't even live here.


Should I be worried?

[Exultant Democracy]

28. Classic, that was always one of my favorites!

[SidDithers]

32. The complete Handey...

http://www.tc.umn.edu/~burc0050/jack_handey.html

Some great ones in there. My fave:

If a kid asks where rain comes from, I think a cute thing to tell him is "God is crying." And if he asks why God is crying, another cute thing to tell him is "Probably because of something you did."

Sid

[TeamPooka]

15. Nothing like teachers violating the bond of trust their students have with them.

[demwing]

59. You are correct

this is nothing like teachers violating the bond of trust their students have with them.

[DreamGypsy]

18. Those wild and crazy Canadians...

Topolovec said it was explained to him that the prank was designed to stop one of the students from snooping on a teacher's desk, with fake Disney trip information laid out on the Thursday.

"To teach one student a lesson, they humiliated 60 students," said Topolovec.

He said part of his weekend was spent convincing his three children that "this is not the norm" and that teachers, as authority figures, should continue to be respected and trusted.

[KurtNYC]

45. How Rube Goldberg machine of them: to stop "snooping" they get brochures, make a powerpoint,

schedule and execute an assembly, shoot video, etc.

They have some time on their hands apparently.

[Capt. Obvious]

46. They stole it from the Brady Bunch

and like the Brady Bunch, maybe Mike and Carol will make the teachers take the kids to Disney.

[gollygee]

19. Kids are literal and believe what the adults in their lives tell them

The teachers probably thought the kids would know it's too expensive and not be surprised, but kids don't understand economics either. And teachers know about child development.

Really bad move. Not the end of the world, but sad and stupid.

[demwing]

22. Thanks for saying it best

" Really bad move. Not the end of the world, but sad and stupid." = perfect response.

[jeff47]

36. You would have a point if the teachers hadn't explicitly told them it was affordable. (nt)

[tblue37]

51. One teacher calmed fears about cost by

assuring the kids they'd gotten really cheap airfare.

[NightWatcher]

33. So when a kid brings a gun full of blanks to school

and rounds up his teachers and has them sit facing a wall all in a row, they'll appreciate his humor when the blanks prove out it was all just a gag in fun?

[Bucky]

56. Yes, that's exactly the same thing.

[demwing]

58. OMG - Breath...

NO! Breath deeply.

[JVS]

42. HAHA!

[tinrobot]

47. Maybe its just me, but I find bowling to be more fun than Disneyland.

n/t

[Bucky]

57. !!

Thank you.

[Taitertots]

48. Will the teachers think it is a joke when these children grow up and vote against their interests?

Just remember this when we wonder how people could vote to destroy teachers unions, cut benefits, remove job security, cut pay, privatize schools....

Just remember, it isn't a good prank unless the person being pranked thinks it was funny. Otherwise, it is just being an asshole while thinking it is funny. At the end of the day, this was just teachers acting like asshole bullies because they thought it would be funny.

[Captain Stern]

49. What good did they possibly think could come of this?

Mabye I'm missing something. Was there a life lesson in there somewhere (people can be jerks?)?

I think it would be cool if Administration told these teachers that because of their 'outside of the box' teaching techniques they'd garnered national attention, and that because of that they would all be receiving raises...........and then they just said "naaah, just kidding. You're fired."

[Politicalboi]

52. They should make the teachers

Pay for the trip. Then we'll see who's laughing.

[whistler162]

53. The story seems to miss a piece of information....

"One teacher at Roseland Public School in Windsor, Ont., suspected that students were rifling through his desk. He planted a false brochure in his desk advertising a Grade 8 graduation trip to Disney World in Orlando, Fla.




He said that the school's staff allowed rumours about the students' upcoming Disney World trip to swirl unchecked.


"
http://www.cbc.ca/news/yourcommunity/2013/02/was-teachers-fake-disney-world-student-trip-prank-funny-or-cruel.html?cmp=rss


Not funny but a good part of the blame goes to the snooper(S)!

[REP]

60. Was I the only kid on earth who DID NOT want to go to Disney Land?

Even as a kid, I hated Disney crap. Yes, the animation was nice but I didn't like drawings and the stories suuuuuuuucked.

[demwing]

61. Teacher: Knock, knock

Student: Who’s there?

Teacher: Sadie.

Student: Sadie who?

Teacher: Sadie magic word and watch me disappear!

Student: Uhm..ok..Abracadabra!

Teacher: wait..what?

Student: You're still here?

Teacher: Of course I'm still here!

Student: You SAID you would disappear!

Teacher: Kids, that was just a joke!

Student: OMG! You're horrible! You broke the bond of trust between students and teachers!

Teacher: You mean the trust you've developed when you said your dog ate your homework? Or when you had to be absent on the day of the test because not just one, but both of your Grandmothers died on the same day due to unrelated tragic jet ski explosions? Or when you denied eating our class Halloween cake but your fingers were stained with orange and black frosting? Do you mean that trust?

Student: ...yes?

Teach: OK, just checking.

[Nine]

65. Why are you so intent on arguing that this wasn't cruel?

It's cruel to a make a person believe that they are going to receive something highly desirable and then disappoint them by saying, "Ha, ha, not really!" It's called getting someone's hopes up, and pretty much the entire sane world understands that it's a mean thing to do. Everyone but you.

[demwing]

69. Everyone?

I know I'm on the unpopular side of this issue, but the exaggerations just keep coming...

I set out my reasoning up-thread:

"But the rhetoric about how awfully these teachers acted is overblown, and in some cases, overdone. It's today's gasp of shock!

No! What terrible teachers these are!

It's exaggerated. It distracts from real issues by making little things seem more important than they are. It plays to the Republican talking point that public school teachers are irresponsible (and paid for by too many of your tax dollars). "

[Nine]

70. So it all comes down to politics for you.

A bunch of grown-ups played a mean trick on some kids and you are going to diminish that simply because you think public school teachers get a bad rap in general? Look, I have stood up for some of the most unpopular groups on this site - cops, Christians, airport screeners... I think it's wrong to attack members of a group who haven't done anything wrong just because you don't like "their kind," and I think it's just as wrong to defend members of a group you support even when they do something wrong.

Look, I agree with you for the most part about the demonization of public school teachers. How many times do we get stories on here about teachers or schools behaving badly and the details given are completely from the parents' side, with the school unable to give their side because of privacy rules protecting the students? But that's no reason to defend the Canadian teachers in this particular case when they were clearly in the wrong and the story is sourced to more than a single disgruntled parent.

The arguments on this site are devolving more and more into attacks or defenses based purely on which side people feel more affinity for rather on the actual principles and progressive values involved. And that's not a good thing.

[vanlassie]

68. Oh Please.

[TwilightGardener]

63. What jerks.