Hero teacher who shielded students with her body in bathroom stall at Plaza Towers

[snagglepuss]

snip

Miss Crosswhite told the Today show on Tuesday of the sheer terror of the little children as they huddled together in bathroom stalls while the building crumbled on top of them.

She said: 'One of my little boys just kept saying, ''I love you, I love you, please don't die with me, please don't die with me.'' And when it finally stopped, we made it out.'

The teacher said that a father of one pupil along with one of her students Antonio helped pull every one to safety. She said that all of her students had survived and were fine apart from one child who suffered a head injury.

Miss Crosswhite was reunited with fourth-grader Damien Kline whom she held in a tight hug as his mother looked on in tears. The boy said that his teacher saved his life by covering them in the bathroom.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2328422/Oklahoma-tornado-2013-Plaza-Towers-Elementary-School-teacher-speaks-out.html#ixzz2TwnegOTh
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[n2doc]

1. Should send this to all of those RW scumballs who called teachers "union Thugs" n/t

[snagglepuss]

4. Exactly. nt

[chillfactor]

7. so many teachers are true heroes.....

every school day ... not only in times of disaster

Bless this teacher for protecting her little charges.....

[Hissyspit]

8. I'm sure she is vastly overpaid.

[NewJeffCT]

9. Just like those teachers in Newtown

who died trying to protect their students.

[Hissyspit]

10. We need to take away their rights to collective bargaining.

Then maybe they will do a better job.

[Octafish]

14. Make 'em do a real day's work in a Charter School.

They'll learn to appreciate mid-management's well-earned six-figure after-tax income.

[xtraxritical]

43. Sarcasm galore...

[raccoon]

11. Amen! nt

[malaise]

17. +10,000 n/t

[calimary]

18. And another +100,000,000!

Our teachers are our treasures. And they need to be protected and well-represented and well-paid. Your kid's life may depend on them. Many kids' lives already have.

[roguevalley]

30. I remember always figuring a way out of my classroom and what

I would do if things were ever sucking since I was a beginner. I think its just plain luck I never had to do anything I ever planned. I can't think of a single teacher I ever knew who didn't do the same and was ready to save their kids. It is a bond that is hard to explain, you and your kids.

[calimary]

35. Indeed. I've heard that good piece of advice before, too. ALWAYS check for exits. ALWAYS know where

they are. That is NEVER a bad idea, regardless where you are.

[Are_grits_groceries]

42. I always did.

This was well before school shootings occurred too frequently. I was not in an area that was particularly prone to natural disasters.
I always looked for the best ways out and the best places to shelter. I told my kids if I ever told them to follow me, they better be right behind me. I don't think that would be a problem because my voice changed to a different tone when I said something that was critically important. I never had to use it much and the kids immediately shut up and listened.

[JDPriestly]

32. Is there a standardized test that can measure the compassion, love and dedication of a teacher?

If not, then teachers should no be measured by standardized tests.

School is not just about learning to read and write and do math. There is so much more to life and school than that. A good teacher is one who keeps the reading and writing and arithmetic in balance with all the other things a child needs to learn at school.

[justiceischeap]

44. Well, Crosswhite *is* a thug...

she threw the kids to the ground, then laid on top of them so they couldn't get up. She was probably trying to steal their lunch money, so she could be even lazier over her summer vacation, sitting by the pool sipping umbrella'd drinks while counting the change in her piggy bank.

I hope I don't really need this, but just in case

[idwiyo]

2. K&R

[Arugula Latte]

3. Aww, jeez.

[HooptieWagon]

5. A video clip of that should be played every time the GOP tries to cut teacher salaries. nt

[MineralMan]

6. A Big Hurrah! to that teacher!

[loli phabay]

12. good on her, though ive found that the vast majority of adults will do stuff like this

Anyone who wouldnt has something not right with them. Hooefully she gets the recognition she deserves.

[Aerows]

13. My sister is a teacher in OKC

She was lucky enough to not be rained upon.

[Myrina]

15. Damn union thug!

Saving childrens' lives & keeping them calm in the face of disaster. How dare she!!

[lastlib]

16. yeah, those children had already been born!

They should've pulled up their own bootstraps and saved themselves! (lousy rotten soshulust teacher!--what's she tryin' to teach those kids? musta been PUBLICK sckooles)

[etherealtruth]

19. One rescuer broke down as he told how they lifted a car to find a teacher underneath,

her body covering three children

The tears wont stop after reading that

[ctsnowman]

20. K & R

[HockeyMom]

21. Unfortunately, been there myself

in Florida but not in NY. Twice in a school lockdown with armed criminals on campus, with an ARMED Deputy on site. Plus once for a Tornado Warning. Not easy being with 16 special needs 4 and 5 year old in a tiny bathroom. Fortunately, we were lucky and nothing happened to us.

My hats off and good vibes to the teachers of both Sandy Hook and Oklahoma who had to do this.

[Sugarcoated]

22. Great story!

Kick

[ErikJ]

23. Smart idea!: bathroom stall. I'll have to remember that one.

[SunSeeker]

24. Rhonda Crosswhite, Hero. Video of her, reuniting with one of the students she saved (hanky alert):

http://www.today.com/video/today/51950444#51950444

[CTyankee]

26. I know those parents can't thank her and the other brave teachers enough but I do hope

the school board is stunned enough to be generous at the next round of collective bargaining for raises.

[ballardgirl]

27. I love how she shielded the boy from the cameras

perhaps unintentionally, but wonderful nonetheless. Of course, the NBC "news" person had to get him on camera. It's clear that teacher would do anything to protect those kids.

[CTyankee]

28. I saw that! She obviously didn't care what kind of camera shot it was, she was intent on

hugging that child.

[lpbk2713]

25. Guaranteed a seat at the next SOTU.

And why not, that's the very least she earned.

[sheshe2]

29. Hug a Teacher and Love a Child

Thank you, snagglepuss for the beautiful story.

To Rhonda, who's selfless determination to save the children, I salute you!

[JDPriestly]

33. I just figured out why some parents are so critical of teachers.

The parents are jealous of the the love and admiration their children have for their teachers. Jealousy. I never thought of that before.

[winter is coming]

34. Speaking as a parent, the other parents I've seen who seem overcritical of teachers

are usually the ones who continually expect exceptions to be made for their "unique" precious, and can't/won't/don't expect their kids to do their work and behave properly. It's not jealousy; it's the assumption that teachers work for them instead of with them, to educate their child.

[knitter4democracy]

38. That. This nails it right there.

For some, it might be jealousy, but for most, it's the idea that teachers are to provide the As they want for their kids or are to be absolutely perfect all the time and make miracles happen.

[kairos12]

41. Bingo

[Liberal_in_LA]

31. kick

[Snotcicles]

36. I think Sen Coburn should wash her feet. nt

[gademocrat7]

37. A caring compassionate woman.

A teacher whose priority is the safety and well being of her students.

[WillyT]

39. HUGE K & R !!!

[randr]

40. If only the congressional representatives of Oklahoma

were as brave as their teachers.