Developing: Pakistani Plane Escorted by UK Fighter Jets — 2 Men Arrested

Doc Thompson’s 24-hour radio marathon, ‘#24forok,’ continues until 9 am ET — Listen Live!

Crime

Husband Defends Virginia Teacher Accused of Assaulting Student in ‘Islamic Hand Signal’ Case

Oct. 19, 2012 5:08pm Jason Howerton

Dale Harris Defends Wife Tara Harris in Islamic Hand Sign Case

Tara Harris and her husband Dale Harris (source: WAVY-TV)

The husband of the Virginia teacher accused of assaulting a 10-year-old student at Butts Road Intermediate School and teaching her class “Islamic hand signs” is defending his wife, saying the allegations are completely untrue.

Tara Harris’ husband Dale Harris told WAVY-TV that his wife is not Muslim and has never taught hand signals of any kind in the classroom nor has she ever assaulted any students in her 26-year career as a teacher in the Chesapeake school system.

“It’s a lie… an outright lie,” he said.

Stephanie Bennett, the mother of the 10-year-old that Harris, a fifth-grade special education teacher, is accused of assaulting, alleges in court documents that Harris had been teaching the Muslim hand gesture for “power and strength.” After two days of instruction, Bennett claims Harris grew frustrated with her daughter and aggressively grabbed her arm to show her how to do the sign correctly.

The mother first told TheBlaze her daughter’s finger got caught on the metal wire of her notebook and it tore her skin. She also says her child’s finger was red and swollen from Harris trying to twist it into the “Islamic” symbol.

Here are the pictures of the alleged assault and some of the “Islamic hand signals,” provided to TheBlaze by Bennett:

Another parent, Nita Redditt, told TheBlaze in a previous interview that her son confirmed Bennett’s story. TheBlaze is currently reaching out to additional parents that may be able to shed more light on this story.

Bennett also claims that Harris prays five times a day in class, teaches about Islam’s superiority over other religions and campaigns for President Barack Obama in the classroom.

So far, there has been no evidence to suggest that the hand signals are in fact Islamic in nature. What is also unclear is whether Harris has had any previous problems in the classroom because Chesapeake Public Schools refuses to speak about the incident.

Dale Harris told WAVY-TV that the school first alerted his wife that parents were complaining that she was teaching Muslim culture in her class.

“She said, ‘Dale, I’ve been accused of teaching the children Muslim hand gestures, playing Muslim music and praying five times a day,’” the husband said.

“This is defamation of character by people who she doesn’t know, she’s never seen, and Chesapeake city schools is not standing behind her,” Dale Harris added.

Attempts to contact Dale Harris and his wife to get more of their side of the story were unsuccessful.

Comments (92)

bharris0
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 7:25pm
Both husband and wife should have some sense beat into them. Along with the school administrators that allowed this piece of trash to teach in the first place.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- drs1969
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 11:51pm
  Job scared administrators aren’t going to do anything. I found this out in 1979, 20 miles up the road from Chesapeake. I was lucky enough to excape, as they say.
  
  Report this comment
sizzler2220
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 7:09pm
Tired of the so called special education students. They should be put into separate classrooms. We continue to usurp the education of the normal kids in order to handle a few sub normal. Wake up!

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- loriann12
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 9:03pm
  Sub normal? I suppose you’d just as soon kill them. For your information, and I’m sure you don’t have a special needs child or you would know this. Most special ed classes are “self-contained” classes (meaning they’re all special needs) with pull outs (meaning they pull the child out of class) to go to a class, usually PE with normal students. Your ignorance is showing you AZZ.
  
  Report this comment
- Arnold_Ziffel
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 9:39pm
  @LORIANN12
  
  THINK! Sub-normal may be politically incorrect but it IS accurate. Not all states pull out “special needs” and put them into their own classroom. Some have to have an IQ below 70 while the average in many first world countries is 100. In a class like this, a student with a 75 IQ is going to have to work especially hard and will likely STILL have a struggle. Now ask: 1) What is the purpose of school? 2) How could the school system better serve this student and fulfill the school’s purpose for society? 3) Why should a student with an IQ of 100+ have to slow down?
  
  When you figure this out, you’ll understand that it isn’t about sub-normal, it’s about helping each student based on their ability to absorb information and progress through the phases of knowledge (see Bloom’s Taxonomy).
  
  Report this comment
- Miami
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 10:22pm
  sizzler2220
  
  Hey buckwheat,
  
  Did you not watch the video or read the article?
  
  She teaches a special needs class or are you suggesting they need a separate school, as to keep them away from the “normal” kids…?
  
  -0—————————————–
  
  Arnold_Ziffel
  
  Please fill me in on your vast educational experience. Fore that’s how it a;ways use to be before the great Social Engineers’ got involved in our educational system late 60′s early 70′s and it has all gone down hill since then.
  
  An intelligent “man” helps his fellow “man” and does not belittle him/her
  
  Report this comment
- dealer@678
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 10:32pm
  The lying pos only agreed to the interview if he was facing Mecca
  
  Report this comment
- Wildhorserider
  Posted on October 20, 2012 at 12:38am
  Yea I agree! I seem to recall another sub standard knuckle dragger that should have been locked in a cage and had peanuts thrown at him. Mr and Mrs Ehinstein should be ashamed that they sent their son into such an obviously superior world. (ever heard the expression “you and the horse you rode in on) ?
  
  Report this comment
- loriann12
  Posted on October 20, 2012 at 12:39pm
  Yes, an IQ of 100 is considered normal. I have both types of children, I have a child with an IQ around 54 and another child with an IQ of 134. My higher IQ child would qualify for an advanced class if he wasn’t so ADHD and didn’t have good grades in his everyday environment. To prove your argument, every child who isn’t an A or B student should be pulled out and put in a self contained class with the other idiots. Since I’ve been in school, they’ve always taught to the middle of the class. That’s what a C student is. Is it ideal? No. It leaves a lot of children behind, and it pushes others a bit too hard. But if you pull out anyone with an IQ below 100, or segregate in that fashion, you’re no better than Hitler. And yes, I went there. I am not a politically correct person. I am not against my son being called retarded, as that means his growth was stopped at a certain level, thus retarded. I call him a Down’s adult, and have been attacked by the ultra politically correct for putting the diagnosis in front of the child. My arguement is with calling them sub normal, which if you remember is what the racists called black people. I don’t hear people with a higher than 100 IQ being called super normal.
  
  Report this comment
- SocialistSlayer
  Posted on October 20, 2012 at 1:08pm
  Its okay Loriann12, you have to cut sizzler2220 some slack, you see he qualifies as sub-normal.
  
  How can any of you attack special needs children? Attack liberals, Communists, the lazy, the Commie-Crats they have chosen their paths, but the disabled are there through no fault of their own. You should really feel ashamed of yourselves!
  
  Report this comment
- BUNNIES4U
  Posted on October 20, 2012 at 2:00pm
  Ladies and gents,
  let me remind you to a statement made by the phony in our white house” the most beautiful sound in the world is the musllim morning prayer to the allah” he also said: “there is only one god alllah” and i ask you to believe he is a christian?????? I say no. No christtian would make such a comment unless he/she is a muslim. And now he story about the teacher forcing a 10 year old to learn islam sign laungage, and wants to pray to the allah 6 times a day, she is for obama, and thats ok, her choice, but dont force your political opinions on the classroom. And insist they vote for obama. Thats bs
  
  Report this comment
- normalmom
  Posted on October 20, 2012 at 2:39pm
  Screw you even if a child has a disability or limitation they don’t deserve to be treated differently. If you don’t have a special needs child you have no right to say anything.
  
  Report this comment
- WATER-THE-TREE
  Posted on October 20, 2012 at 8:18pm
  All of you are arguing over the child’s needs when the real issue is about a muslim loving teacher pushing this muslim s**t on our students. If she is indeed doing this she should be FIRED!
  
  Report this comment
- SolitudeBliss
  Posted on October 20, 2012 at 10:06pm
  Sorry but where I grew up, Yes, special needs children had their own special school. That way, they got the attention they needed and regular school classes were not hindered. Sorry, but that’s reality.
  
  Report this comment
- dmerwin
  Posted on October 21, 2012 at 9:44am
  I have a hand signal for her. The universal American signal of disapproval.
  
  Report this comment
- db321
  Posted on October 21, 2012 at 10:05am
  I wont respond to Sizzler2220 comment’s – However, I would like to punch him in the face.
  
  Where is the outrage over teaching Muslim prayer and hand signs in a public school. I guess, it is OK to kick God out of Schools, and OK to allow Satan in.
  
  I get it now, God said in the end times Lawlessness would be removed from the World. There is not a single person on earth that can comprehend just how evil the World will be when Lawlessness is removed. It will make the Drug Violence in Mexico look like child’s play.
  
  Report this comment
- objectivetruth
  Posted on October 21, 2012 at 3:57pm
  You are kidding me right?In the 1970′s special ed consisted of anyone who didn’t fit in normal classes.You had retards in with the gifted.All that had to happen was for you to be a pain in the azz of the administration.Gifted students suffered from absolute boredom.they reacted the way you would expect a civil person to act.They got up and left.This triggered the school goons and the shrinks.Back then you had to be preapproved to go to college early.By the time the freaks got around to approving you you no longer trusted it wasn’t a trick.
  Personally I got tired of babysitting those whose IQs were much lower than mine.The teachers couldn’t handle them all that well and semidumped them on the other students.It was ok though in a way.In between there questions and demands.I was able to complete many second and third year college textbooks.I usually followed it up at home with more study.Too damn bad I have never made my living from what I learned.Too many people like you in my youth spread around that I had been in special ed.They assumed I was on the short end of the bus when in fact it was just the opposite.Do I believe it affected my ability to obtain work on a par with what I;m truly capable of?Yes I do unfortunately I couldn’t move away [for other reasons].Maybe if I could have it wouldn’t have affected me half as much.But alas its water over the bridge at this point.Just like so many other things are.
  
  Report this comment
- RoBoTech
  Posted on October 21, 2012 at 5:59pm
  your insane blather and complete idiocy doesn’t hide the main point of the is story.
  It has NOTHING to do with special ed students, but about a TEACHER that was pushing Muslim crap sandwiches onto her class, and spending TWO days doing it when it was math days.
  But THAT’S OK with you, isn’t it Socialist!
  I am going to say you are a dolt, but have to add something.
  You and an INSANE dolt!
  
  Report this comment
neverending
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 7:00pm
I just absolutely never realized there are so many sick and evil people here. It just never ceases to amaze but they came out from everywhere as soon as the bastard in chief was inaugurated.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- BUNNIES4U
  Posted on October 20, 2012 at 2:07pm
  Why do you think obama is so soft with the muslims, and wont call a terrorist act a terrorist act. Because………… He is a muslim. No christian would call the muslim morning prayer to the allah the most beautiful sound in the world, and make such a claim that there is only one god “allah” only a muslim would. This is food for thought.
  
  Report this comment
- bintalshamsa
  Posted on October 21, 2012 at 1:35am
  @Bunnies4U, are you serious? Christians have been calling God “Allah” longer than Muslims have. I go to an Eastern Orthodox Church and “Allah” is used during the liturgy. It’s been used by Christians for over a thousand years. Please educate yourself.
  
  Report this comment
DOra Glasberg
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 6:52pm
There does not appear to be anything on the entire internet
about “Islamic Hand Signs”
Whatever the teacher did had nothing to do with Islam.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- LaughingAtU
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 8:29pm
  So the internet is where you get all your facts. One of the favorite gestures of Islam is the right hand straight forward nazi signal. Since black people were put into slavery by the moslems, they were also targeted in the prisons by islam thugs. Thus resulting in the mixing of the seed of black criminal culture and islam- Thus the hand signs.
  
  I just can’t wait until her husband gets into trouble for this picture with his beer. Wait a minute, his wife is going to be punished for the glass of wine and his beer instead. Nice glasses by the way harris, as that was a giveaway.
  
  Report this comment
- Miami
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 10:28pm
  You might want to see this…
  
  http://ahmedamiruddin.wordpress.com/2010/02/15/irans-president-ahmadinajad-a-freemason/
  
  Report this comment
- Miami
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 10:35pm
  LaughingAtU
  
  No it goes back a few hundred years
  
  But what you say about slavery is true
  
  http://freethoughtnation.com/contributing-writers/63-acharya-s/498-islams-disturbing-legacy-of-slavery.html
  
  Report this comment
- SocialistSlayer
  Posted on October 20, 2012 at 8:01am
  But you are not denying she’s a Communist like you Dora , correct?
  
  Report this comment
- Dustoff
  Posted on October 20, 2012 at 9:59am
  Then she had NO reason to touch the child.
  
  Report this comment
- shogun459
  Posted on October 20, 2012 at 11:04am
  Dora Glassburg:
  
  The seriousness of the charge is reason enough to investigate. (That’s a left mantra)
  
  I thought that children didn’t lie about abuse? (That’s a left mantra)
  
  Report this comment
ThePostman
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 6:50pm
Umm, aren’t they allowed to lie to us infidels?

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- jrc99
  Posted on October 20, 2012 at 3:32am
  Bingo!
  
  Report this comment
- bintalshamsa
  Posted on October 21, 2012 at 1:39am
  Well, aren’t you “special”. Where do you think that principle came from? It’s obvious you don’t know, so I’ll just tell you. What you are referring to is a principle originated by CHRISTIANS. It’s called casuistry and many famous Christians have advocated it. Do your research, folks. The majority of the Muslim stuff that people complain about can also be found in the Bible.
  
  Report this comment
Think It Thru
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 6:46pm
Some common Islamic Hand signals include:
“there’s the Jew!”,
“American convoy coming”,
“Female using her human rights” and
“Detonate now!”

The last one is rarely repeated twice to the same person. Such a rich culture.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- midcoastmainepatriot
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 7:04pm
  More hand signs “lap dance over here American whore” and “can I get another one of these over here… oh and make it a double, American pig-dog”
  
  Report this comment
- SovereignSoul
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 11:39pm
  How about a little less concern over the hand signs and a little more concern about this child’s horrendous injury! Geez.
  
  Report this comment
Ginger30
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 6:32pm
This is frustrating. I was hoping for more information when I clicked on the link and nothing was new beside the husband coming out to defend his wife.

Usually in stories like this the defending side has at least a basic story. Such as the girls injury was caused by her finger slammed in the door or something. But it is just creepy that nothing but the Mothers story is out. I want to hear both sides but it is odd how things are unfolding.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- oldguy77
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 6:41pm
  No where in the story does it tell us where the husband works.Or even if he is working.
  
  Report this comment
- objectivetruth
  Posted on October 21, 2012 at 4:03pm
  Its not odd if she is facing criminal charges.Her attorney probaly told her to shut the he** up.Actually the whole story is creepy.I agree with you.
  
  Report this comment
KarenKat
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 6:27pm
Innocent before proved guilty…. Not sure what to make of it! We need to hear all sides and all the evidence before we say GUILTY…………… Just saying!

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
nesmond
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 6:05pm
I just hope The Blaze stays on this story and does not let it die. I don’t know if this teacher is guilty or not, but I do know that where there’s smoke, there’s fire. And I smell smoke.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
HI_Don
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 6:01pm
I’ve got just one issue with this Blaze, and normally I support you. Your inclusion at the end of the article on your “google search” on the teacher and then stating you don’t know if it is her. Did you not just commit the same irresponsible journalism that you slammed others for back with the theater shooter James Holmes and the google that came back “possible T-Party” member. Is your memory that short?

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- mordey
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 7:06pm
  i agree, normally the blaze as great…but the inclusion of that search was wrong. tara and harris are two very popular names..not quite as bad as john smith but still bad call. i think to be STAND ABOVE they need to remove, retract and apologize…
  
  Report this comment
- Socco
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 8:52pm
  I agree. It seemed like a cheap shot because they couldn’t get anyone to talk to them. Things like this is the reason I have contempt for MSM.
  
  Report this comment
- DarkColeus
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 11:50pm
  Agreed, and had they continued their google research, they would have found that Michael Patrick Harris is a white guy in his 30s. Sex offender databases are VERY easy to search.
  
  Report this comment
Larry E
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 5:54pm
Oh wow, now I absolutely believe this guy! All they’ve got to do is talk to all the kids. Sure 9 and 10 year old kids have good imaginations, but they can’t come up with something totally outrageous out of the blue.

I’m sure that the ACLU, NAACP, and various other far left groups will be all over those kids, and supporting the lousy teacher who’s “being discriminated against”. RIGHT!

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- oldguy77
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 6:39pm
  Hey dude,kids can be racist too you know.
  
  Report this comment
- Melchizedek
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 8:50pm
  Larry E….you’ve never been a teacher….you’d be surprised just what the little “angel” can come up with…..having said that I hav no idea if the husband is lying or the kid….
  
  Report this comment
- drs1969
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 11:32pm
  Kids aren’t nearly as racist as black teachers. I was in elem. school in the Tidewater area in the 70′s. The little black ‘darlings’ would start fights and have the teachers punish us YT’s for defending ourselves.
  Thank God I had relatives 350 miles away in an all white shool district.
  The only thing that’s changed is they are now Mooslim and have s****y names, which makes it easier to spot your enemy.
  
  Report this comment
lemkete
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 5:53pm
Looking at the pictures it sure seems like the girl knows how to do the “Muslim hand gesture” now after a little physical coercion. The teacher also doesn’t seem to be a very good Muslim considering she has a glass of wine in the pic of her and her husband. Seriously, this story seems a little fishy considering there is no such thing as “Muslim hand gestures”. However, if she did actually do the assault then she deserves to get the appropriate punishment.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Exrepublisheep
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 6:11pm
  Agreed.
  
  Report this comment
- NorCalBlazer
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 7:06pm
  She’s a Jack Muslim.
  
  Report this comment
demsrtraitors
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 5:36pm
The indoctrination of Whites and their children will continue despite of this. They don’t give up easily.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- drs1969
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 11:43pm
  They’ve had white boys dressing ‘wigger’ style for years. I’ve noticed those brainwashed little punks are all just trying to fit in for ‘protection’.
  
  Report this comment
Just_Us2
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 5:33pm
In the picture they are drinking wine and beer…does Islam allow this? It is unfortunate that we are conditioned, by the left, to assume guilty until proven innocent. But we have gone the route of assuming innocence with these people (leftists/Islamist) and time and again they are consistently guilty no matter how bizarre the charge. I think I will side with the kids on this one.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Chromo200
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 6:40pm
  Islam does not allow it but you should go to resort areas or even go to neighborhoods where there are lot of muxlims and you will see how much they drink.
  
  Report this comment
- NorCalBlazer
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 7:08pm
  Yep, like I said, Jack Muslim.
  
  Report this comment
dordor
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 5:31pm
Does the teacher want to convert to Muslim?

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
strawberry411a
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 5:30pm
Wow…and to think multiple family ancestors of mine fought to free the black race…….FOR THIS!!!!!!!!!!! If you despise this country so badly I am sure you will find freedom in Iran, Iraq or Syria. There REALLY is a war on women there…not here.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
762x51
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 5:27pm
I’m never in the right place at the right time. I have an “Islamic” hand signal for her. It’s a lot easier to make as it only involves one finger and can come from either or both hands.

Islamo-fascist swine.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- TSUNAMI_22
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 5:34pm
  LOL – goes without saying.
  
  Report this comment
PepperAnderson
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 5:24pm
How would a child know to make up such a story? I believe the kid.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- DOra Glasberg
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 10:58pm
  Because the mother made up the story
  
  Report this comment
- shogun459
  Posted on October 20, 2012 at 10:59am
  Dora Glassburg:
  
  There is more than the one child supporting this story.
  
  The seriousness of the charge is reason enough to investigate. (That’s a left mantra)
  
  What happened to Beleive a child when they claim abuse?
  
  I thought that children didn’t lie about abuse? (That’s a left mantra)
  
  Report this comment
ANGRYCHICK63
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 5:24pm
Should classrooms be on video???? Just sayin.. If they can’t believe a child. Sooo wrong !!

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Inlightofthings
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 6:19pm
  Something to be considered, but only if subsidized by the unions. Why is it the school districts (tax payers) have all the exposure for union workers and their protectionist philosophies? There is an inherent flaw with the system.
  
  Report this comment
GREENDOG
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 5:23pm
Another lying liberal, what a surprise!

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
MrKnowItAll
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 5:20pm
If it walks like a Duck, Talks like a Duck. They are Islamist Infiltrators. Pound of Bacon for Husband and Wife to clear there name. The Koran teaches you can LIE for the good of Islam.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Lonemusketeer
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 5:19pm
The muslims and democrats have this lying thing down really well. Pattern here. Just keep denying the truth. Birds of a feather. . . The lying in our country has got to stop or we’ll turn into another insane country like Libya.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Gregb
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 5:41pm
  if you tell a lie often enough, it becomes the truth.
  
  Report this comment
barber2
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 5:16pm
The American public educational system. Another waste of tax money which the Democrats want to throw more of at to make their teacher union voters happy. More discipline would be much more helpful ( always results in the Race Card being played ) which is why so many parents, who value learning , want their kids in charter schools who emphasize learning, not babysitting for miscreants.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Lonemusketeer
  Posted on October 19, 2012 at 5:20pm
  Ditto.
  
  Report this comment
rs9
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 5:12pm
I always like to guess the color before I look at the pictures, never wrong, just go with Madonna, “black muslim in the White House”

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- bluntforce
  Posted on October 20, 2012 at 8:25am
  If the story is about radical Muslims in the US performing acts of violence on whitey, you can be damn sure what race the perps will be.
  
  Report this comment
Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on October 19, 2012 at 5:12pm
And we are supposed to take the word of a spouse? They don’t even allow that in court.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply

It appears that you have Javascript Disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser preferences for a better user experience on TheBlaze. You can not comment without Javascript enabled.