Teacher who jumped on car should be lauded a hero

I’m sure many of you have seen or at least heard of the viral video last week of a Dulles Elementary School teacher who jumped on the hood of a car that was cutting through the drop-off line in order to get to Dulles High School next door.

The driver of the car, Rita Trimmer-Ray, was late taking her daughter to Dulles High on the same day they were doing the STAAR testing. She drove around two cone barriers and ignored teachers who tried to wave her off until PE teacher Aaron Young Morgan, known as Coach Young, did a belly-flop onto the hood of Trimmer-Ray’s car while her daughter took video of the incident. Trimmer-Ray continued to drive while Coach Young tried to talk to her.

In the video, Trimmer-Ray can be heard saying, “You don’t know who you’re playing with.”

An outraged Trimmer-Ray posted the video on social media and then went before the TV news cameras in Houston to play the part of incensed victim of this outrageous act by the schoolteacher. Naturally, the TV stations ate it up, feeding the public her perspective of the story.

Anyone with half a brain, however, can clearly draw the conclusion that Trimmer-Ray was in the wrong and that Coach Young is a true hero. Yet Coach Young is the one who is potentially facing disciplinary action by the Fort Bend ISD.

“While it is important for all of our parents and visitors to follow proper traffic flow patterns to ensure the safety of all students, we do not condone employees using any physical means to stop a vehicle. There were several witnesses to the incident, and district administrators are reviewing the circumstances and will take appropriate action,” the district said in a statement.

The appropriate action in this case should be a small reprimand for jumping onto the hood of a moving vehicle, followed by a medal for heroism in the line of danger. Coach Young took immediate and decisive action to try and protect the lives of children who were endangered by Trimmer-Ray’s actions.

Once the school district gathers and assesses all of its evidence, it should share it with the Fort Bend ISD Police Department, the Sugar Land Police Department, and the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office. Trimmer-Ray at the very least should be brought up on a host of traffic violations, as well as charges of child endangerment, attempted vehicular assault for failing to stop when Coach Young jumped on her hood, and possibly contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Let’s examine the evidence, shall we. First of all, by her own admission, Trimmer-Ray was running late. That’s no crime; we all do that from time to time. That she was running late on a STAAR resting day is somewhat inexcusable. Parents are given ample warning and instruction about STAAR test dates and the importance of having your child rested and ready to go on time. Of all the days to not be late, this one was it.

Secondly, Trimmer-Ray cops an attitude of entitlement and a belief that the rules don’t apply to her and tries to illegally cut through the elementary school drop-off line in order to get her daughter to the high school in time. This is not only a traffic violation, but child endangerment by placing the elementary school children at risk, as well as the parents dropping them off and the teachers on duty to make sure the children are safely escorted from vehicles to the school.

This is where I feel charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor should come in. Her daughter, if not already a licensed driver, is at or near the age of becoming a driver and is being taught dangerous and possibly criminal activity by her mother. This is continued when she continues to drive while Coach Young is on the hood of her vehicle. At this point she is teaching her daughter that it’s OK to endanger the lives of others, even if they are in the wrong. She should have immediately stopped. Not only has she endangered the lives of children, but also endangered Coach Young’s life.

Her continuing to drive shows a blatant disregard for the life and safety of Coach Young. Chewing him out while doing it demonstrates a pre-meditated and deliberate act on her part.

As for Coach Young, he should have known better than to jump on the hood of a moving vehicle. That being said, I think he responded as anyone in his position would have after witnessing the reckless behavior of a driver who openly drove around traffic cones and had already ignored one warning by another teacher to stop. Trimmer-Ray presented a clear and present danger to the children Coach Young was in charge of and he acted the best way he could under the circumstances. There was little time to think, only time to act. Thank God he chose to act.

Here is the kicker in all of this that hasn’t been reported yet. I did a Google search online for Trimmer-Ray and came across her LinkedIn page. She was a teacher in the Houston ISD for 10 years from 1994 to 2004 and has a master’s degree in education from Prairie View A&M University in 2003. If anyone should understand the importance of child safety in an elementary school drop-off line, it should be her.

No, Trimmer-Ray is not the victim here, she is the perpetrator. Coach Young is the hero and is deserving of recognition for risking his own life to potentially save that of others.

Thank you, Coach Young! It’s nice to know there are genuine, caring people like you out there looking out for the welfare and safety of our students.