A Joplin High School student let me know, in no uncertain terms, that I am a bitter old man, that the students think that I am a monster and that since I am no longer a teacher in the school district, my opinions do not matter.
This is the third such message I have received in recent weeks. All three have used the phrase "bitter old man." I appreciate the fact that none of those who have written are former students of mine. I have a hard time believing my former students could be manipulated into thinking that what I have written has harmed them in any way.
In the space below, I print the young woman's message and my response:
I'm a student at Joplin High and I went to East. Your posts about the Joplin district and specifically East, are really starting to upset me.
Now, I was in 7th grade when you were fired, so I never had you, I fully supported you at first, but then I started to read up on the case, and your blog, you're so bitter towards them. You lost all of my respect.
You may think I'm an irrelevant teen but I did my research, I know about you and this "campaign" and your blog. From what I can tell, you're just a bitter old man mad because he lost his job.
If you thought it was such a crappy district, why'd you work there for so long? I love my schools, my fellow students, and teachers, I'm glad you weren't one.
I understand we all have our own opinions, and in mine, you are no longer a part of the Joplin School District, therefore, your opinions don't matter.
I am trying to be respectful and realize I'm not doing great, but I'm strongly opinionated and I'm going to stick up for the things I love, no one else will but I will.
For years I have seen your ridiculous blog posts everywhere and I've put up with it. Now its really starting to affect me in a negative way. If you really care for your former students, you'll stop trashing our school. I read in a post of yours that you think the schools made you up to be monster. No, they weren't allowed to talk about it; we decided for ourselves.
I know several former students of yours, and I know one by one, they're also losing respect for you, so if you could just think about what I've said, and maybe calm down with trashing Joplin, I'd appreciate it. Thank you.
And my response,
If you have truly done your research on me and read through everything I have written about the school district, you will find that I have never written bad things about the teachers in the school district or the students and everything that I have written about the school district's leaders has been factual, backed up by documents and multiple sources.
If you have truly done your research on me and read through everything I have written about the school district, you will find that I have never written bad things about the teachers in the school district or the students and everything that I have written about the school district's leaders has been factual, backed up by documents and multiple sources.
As someone who has worked in journalism for 37 years, I can tell you that every time a leader is in trouble, that leader and his or her followers will start trying to convince you that you are the one who is being criticized.
That has not been the case.
When people criticize C. J. Huff, for instance, they are not criticizing Joplin, they are not criticizing the school, they are not criticizing the students or teachers- they are criticizing C. J. Huff.
Your teachers have done an excellent job of protecting you from the problems they are facing, problems that have led many good teachers to leave Joplin, some of them leaving before they even had new jobs lined up.
Instead of complaining to you, they do their jobs day after day, teaching as well as they can, given the restrictions they have been placed under. Every day, I am contacted by teachers who thank me for what I am doing because they will lose their jobs if they speak up for themselves.
I am sorry that you see no value in what I am doing, but there is nothing I can do about that. I thank you for writing.
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For Sale on Amazon- The world knew the story of the mall high school, but no one was writing about the teachers and students who were moved to a warehouse. In this book, the teachers and students tell their stories of the Joplin Tornado and the first year in that warehouse school.
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For Sale on Amazon- The world knew the story of the mall high school, but no one was writing about the teachers and students who were moved to a warehouse. In this book, the teachers and students tell their stories of the Joplin Tornado and the first year in that warehouse school.
The student is absolutely right, Turner. You are a bitter old man and you have made the Joplin School District a laughing stock with your lies and innuendo. You are hypocrite who has done far more to "cash in" on the Joplin Tornado than CJ Huff. Three books! Ridiculous!
ReplyDeleteMr Turner,
ReplyDeleteAs a parent of two Joplin students, I greatly appreciate all the work you do to inform the public on what is truly going on behind closed doors of our administration. Your well sourced information is truly valued by those that seek truth and change in our school system. Keep up the good work.
If you kids don't like what Mr Turner writes .... Stop reading his blog!! Many of us appreciate his reporting on issues that are important. When it is your hard earned money that is paying for extravagant things, and unnecessary management positions, you may be more interested in the facts published by The Turner Report.
ReplyDeleteWow, 10:13 AM! Just like the student that wrote Mr.Turner, YOU have absolutely NO idea what you're talking about. No offense, but Mr. Turner has made NOTHING on his books compared to the substantial amount of money Huff has banked on this tornado. Hell, YOU PROBABLY ARE HUFF. LOL Mr. Turner, I love you and I had the pleasure of sitting in your class a couple different years. You were always one of my favorite teachers, and I learned more in your class than I did in any other class room in Jr High. (Although, I was a fan of Mr. Thompson's, he might be the bitter one that these people are getting you confused with) Any way, 10:13 AM, Mr. Turner doesn't tell lies. He writes the truth, and nothing but the truth. He waits until his has proof, and all the back up he needs. Lets hear some examples? Specific examples. You really think he would post this students message if he wasn't trying to portray himself as an open book? You must subscribe to the Globe...... TURNER SUPPORTER FOR LIFE! :) :)
ReplyDelete10:13
ReplyDeleteIf Turner prints only lies and innuendo on a blog, how could this possibly make R8 a laughing stock?
I'm not entirely convinced that this was written entirely by a student. If it was then I suspect this student is regurgitating the words of a poorly informed adult.
ReplyDeleteLet's review the facts of THIS "students" letter.
ReplyDeleteStudent was in 7th grade when Randy was fired
June of 2013
Has been reading Randy's blogs for years.
Joplin students can't read, they don't have books.
Decided among themselves "they wouldn't discuss Randy Turner".
Never had Mr. Turner as a teacher.
So the writer is a 9th grander and has been coerced into writing a letter, oh no I'm sorry, these students aren't being educated properly, they don't know how to read and write. CJ needs to stop wasting taxpayer money composing letters like this And do what he was hired to do, or is he having his wife do it for him?
How do these people go out in public and hold their heads up high??
Funny, anything turner supporters don't agree with must either be "written by huff or the Joplin admin"....or the student was held at gunpoint and her entire family threatened that if she didn't write this letter they would all be killed. Give me a break with this crap. There are opposing viewpoints out there.....its life get used to it. Most of these comments are completely void of any common sense or rationale. Puleasseee....
ReplyDeleteWow! The writer of this absurd comment has such command of the English language: okay spelling (watch it's versus its), good grammar, and a few big words many students have problems pronouncing, much less using correctly with complete sentences. I highly doubt that a Joplin student, who spends much of the year preparing for standardized tests, has written this opinionated piece of work.
ReplyDeleteI tested the reading/writing grade level of the "student" wrote. For someone in high school, it tested at just over the sixth grade level. Maybe the student should spend more time getting the facts straight and learn to listen to ALL sides of an issue before making up his/her mind.
ReplyDeleteIf it really is a student, then kudos for learning to speak up. However, it is doubtful that said student has been following Turner's blogs about the schools "around town" or "for years." I've seen no Turner billboards or advertising, and I don't think it's been that long since he was dismissed by the district. Certainly not "years." So, said student is repeating what she has been coached to say by a friendly adult, which is why that phrase "bitter old man" showed up in more than one message. It's either pathetic adults posing as kids, or kids who have been coached. Either is unacceptable and pathetic.
ReplyDelete10:13
ReplyDeleteI've seen a tremendous number of documents on these posts that negate your charges of lies and innuendo. If you can prove those documents wrong, then please do so. If you cannot, then just hush up.
He hasn't made money on his books because they suck. I had the opportunity of being in one of your classes at South Middle School and can say that you did nothing but complain about The Carthage Press and Diamond school district and were fired from these places for a reason. I'm sorry the Joplin school district wasted their time on you.
ReplyDeleteIs it not often that I reply in such a fashion to a comment, but I have a hard time believing that the comment from 6:56 is actually from a former student. I am sure there are some former students who think my writing sucks; they have every right to have that belief, but students at South Middle School never heard me complaining about the Carthage Press or the Diamond School District.The words do sound like those that have been used by some of the people who have left similar comments in the past. This is the first time, however, that one has had the nerve to claim to be a former student of mine.
ReplyDeleteOkay, let's get this straight. Mr. Turner is a wonderful man. There were several instances that he would sit with me in his classroom for hours after school had ended, just to read the stories I wrote. He inspired me to keep writing. If all teachers had even half of Turner's devotion for students, then students might actually be inspired to get their diploma instead of their G.E.D. Kids need to feel like someone believes in them. I graduated May of 2014, and I am so happy to be out of there.
DeleteOkay, now that I have that out of my system, I can honestly say that Mr. Turner has never once spoken negatively about his previous jobs including the newspaper and teaching jobs. He has only ever said positive things, and kept his awards in the classroom. He didn't act "bitterly" he acted proud of the accomplishments that he made.
Regardless, so what if he is just bitter because he lost his job? Mr. Turner did so much for the school, and they put him in a trashcan, rolled him to the street and let a dump truck pick him up in the morning. Mr. Turner had benefit shows at the school to raise money for the library, he held a club for aspiring journalists, he held quiz bowl meetings, and he taught students the fundamentals of a good job interview so we would be prepared for when the time came. He taught his students about life just as much as he taught us about subject and predicate.
People can run their mouths and spread their negativity all they want, but their harsh words cannot stain the admiration that so many people have for you, Mr. Turner. Thank you.
One can only wonder why 6:56 refers to the time spent in your class as an "opportunity" if he or she did not have a good experience there. An opportunity is considered a good thing, is it not? Someone's writing sucks, but I don't think it's Turner's.
ReplyDeleteAnyone who has to use such a device, to pretend to be something they are not in order to give their opinion "weight", is someone who doesn't have an argument to begin with.
ReplyDeleteIf they had an argument, they would make that argument and it would stand on its own merits.
That's the point, though - they weren't trying to make an argument, they were trying to psyche Turner out. The comments are very much similar to others and contain internal inconsistencies, as has been pointed out, and so not only is the person in question too ignorant to make themselves appear credible or believable, they also suggest to me someone who is at the very least prone to mild mental illness.
I say that because they are so emotional in motivation as to be blind to the logical flaws, but also because they look at their own repeated attempts to hurt someone personally over time and somehow rationalize this as morally just. Even if they falsely believed that Turner does this very thing, would you then conclude that the appropriate response is to do the same but worse? Do you not have a life and family that requires love and attention, or are you too busy playing controlling mind games with them for what you perceive to be their faults as well? Up your dosage, "student", or at least pursue an evaluation by a qualified professional.
10:13, if you think those three books generate anything near Huff's speaking fees you are sadly mistaken. It's so ridiculous I would almost be prone to thinking you're just trying to get a rise out of people.
ReplyDeleteHuff has used our town, our schools, and the tragedy that struck us to further his own political career - we're just a stepping-stone on the way to his pie-in-the-sky dreams of higher office, and if our money has to be spent to make him look good in a ribbon ceremony around the same time he's kissing ass in pursuit of those higher positions, so be it. People died, and he gets to use that to try and maneuver into office? While at the same time sinking the district further and further into debt? I have no words for how that makes me feel.
Huff is narcissistic and an opportunist, nothing more, not a skilled administrator, not a beloved teacher. He is among the most dangerous of people, too ignorant to be aware of his own limitations yet in a position of authority none-the-less. There are many famous sayings about how the people smart enough to lead are often smart enough to have self-doubt and therefore exclude themselves from the position. Too often that leaves unqualified arrogance as the default.
Turner is a semi-retired journalist and teacher, and to suggest he is somehow capitalizing in any substantial way on any of this is laughable. Whether or not you agree with him, that is laughable.
And make up your mind, which is he? A bitter old man of no consequence that no one pays attention to - or someone who somehow has the ability to make himself rich and influential in spite of his absolute irrelevancy?
He may not work for the district anymore but that doesn't mean all of the knowledge and facts he has gathered from his years working in the schools are no longer important.
ReplyDeleteI am a former student (who is NOT afraid to sign my name to this comment) and I have benefitted greatly from my time in Turner's classroom. I don't remember a moment that he complained about his former occupation. In fact, many of us were inspired to pursue journalism simply from the enthusiasm with which he spoke about his time writing for the Carthage Press. Furthermore, the only time he mentioned Diamond was to refer to the work of previous students he felt we could learn from.
If the original message was from a current high school student (which I doubt), I simply suggest they discontinue reading Turner's blog and find something to do that causes them a little less stress.
Turner, don't let this or anyone else get you down. Your actual former students have nothing but respect for you.
Another thing that should be mentioned. Mr. Turner's books have provided a valuable history of the Joplin Tornado and he obviously put a lot of work into them. His books, like the rest of his writing, have helped reveal the truth about what has happened in Joplin. If he is making any money off the books, it is because he put in the work. The same can't be said about CJ Huff.
ReplyDeleteI seriously doubt it was written by a student, also. My guess is, it was written by Turner's camp to bring attention to himself. The actual 15 or 20 of "Turner's Army" can be stirred up all they like. 20 people won't change anything.
ReplyDeleteWow!! I have a hard time believing a "student" wrote that , it sounds like someone who is bitter & portrayed their self as a student to get some ignorance off their chest . I love following your blog & the information you provide about R-8 , as well as the damage CJ Huff is doing to destroy our district . As a mother of a child w/ a learning disability I strongly see the damage he is doing to the students with the budget cuts , its sad . Continue with the Good work Mr. Turner . My oldest niece had you has a teacher the year you was fire & she was devastated, she still follows your blog .
ReplyDeleteJust like with your hearing, Mr. Turner, the opposition relies on character assassination as opposed to facts. The negative comments posted on this blog are almost always juvenile and lacking in any intelligent counterpoints to the information you provide. If someone wants to discredit the documented reporting that you have done, the burden is on them to provide evidence to the contrary. The negative comments on this blog all seem to come from a very small group of individuals. It is hard for me to imagine a situation in which I would dislike an individual or his or her work, yet continue reading and commenting on that person's blog. If someone dislikes your writing or feels that you focus too much on Huff and the problems with R8, they would simply stop reading and tune you out. These attacks seem to be a concerted effort to try to discredit you and draw attention away from the real problems that you alone seem to be reporting. The sharp decline in teacher morale, the heavy-handed tactics used by the R8 administration, the mismanagement of district funds and resources, and the complete lack of oversight from the board are not opinions. These are facts. Too many of us have lived it to be convinced otherwise by someone trolling the internet looking to insult you and your readers. Keep up the good work.
ReplyDelete9:38
ReplyDeleteSez u
I am another former student of yours at South Middle School. I never remember hearing you talk about being fired from Diamond. But, I do remember you talking about the Carthage Press job from time to time, but never in a negative manner. It was always followed by a joke, or was used to prove a point with the lecture that day.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I am still waiting for the no bake cookies.