Legal Juice

There's no doubt that Grosse Point, Michigan high school choir director Ellen Bowen (yes, that's her picture) is very accomplished. In her 20+ years at the school, her students have won three national championships and many state awards. They have also performed with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Then what's the problem? Man, does this lady have a temper! Never mind that she was just convicted of assault for chasing a former student, in her car, and then bumping the former student's car. (She got community service and anger management counseling!) Here are some of the incidents that were either confirmed by the school, or that were in her school records:

She suggested at a rehearsal that she would "bring in a shotgun to take out" misbehavers.

She threw a stapler at students.

She was suspended at least three times for swearing at students.

She was reprimanded at least three times for swearing at students.

She suggested to a class that a sick student was pregnant.

Apparently winning is everything. How else to explain getting away with all of that? But the assault charge may tip the scales because it triggered an automatic review before representatives of the board of education. That hearing was yesterday. Bowen will find out in 30-45 days if she will lose her teaching certificate. Since she's suspended, maybe she can get a jump on that anger management class.

Here's an update from detnews.com (June 6, 2008): Embattled teacher suspended again - Grosse Pointe South High School choir director Ellen Bowen was suspended from teaching again Friday, just eight months after her reinstatement following a suspension for violent behavior.