Teacher Is Terrified by Children

Pedophobia, also called pediaphobia, is generally described as the fear or dislike of children. An Ohio language teacher with a pedophobia disorder is terrified of the children she was assigned to teach.

Allaboutcounselling.com says:

Pedophobia is not just a general discomfort around children, or a tendency to  stay away from them, but is a psychiatric  diagnosis that can also be related to kinds of anxiety. Symptoms of  pedophobia include:

• Feel anxious or that you are panicking

• Feel scared or terrorized

• Have feelings of dread

• Experience physical changes like increased heartbeat, shortness of breath  and/or trembling

• Feel nauseous

• Take extreme measures to avoid being around or involved with  children

Read the Full Page: Pedophobia – Symptoms and Causes of Pedophobia – Facts and Treatment AllAboutCounseling.com

 

From Yahoo, by Mike Krumboltz:

A teacher from Mariemont, Ohio, is suing her school district, claiming discrimination. What makes the case unique is that the teacher, Maria Waltherr-Willard, suffers from pedophobia, a crippling fear of young children. She claims her disability led to the discrimination.

We first saw the news over at the Cincinnati.com. The paper reports that Waltherr-Willard began her career as a high school teacher, a position she held for decades. She was reassigned to teach in a junior high in 2010, despite, she claims, being assured earlier in her career that she would not have to teach younger children.

According to the Enquirer, pedophobia can lead to shortness of breath, vomiting and feelings of terror when around young children. Waltherr-Willard claims that she was discriminated against based on her age (she’s 61) and her disability.

“It’s a tough phobia. You can’t really get away from [children] when you’re outside,” Dr. Caleb Adler, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience at the University of Cincinnati, told Cincinnati.com. Adler did not treat Waltherr-Willard.

The backstory, as described by the Enquirer, goes as follows: Waltherr-Willard taught foreign languages in high school for many years. Several years ago, word got to her that her district was considering putting those classes online, a move that would have had an effect on her position.

Waltherr-Willard apparently spoke to parents about the district’s decision to eliminate face-to-face French courses. Parents spoke out, and the district was not amused that one of its teachers was stirring the pot. Waltherr-Willard claims she was sent to teach at junior high as a kind of punishment for speaking out. She eventually resigned her position.

“Good Morning America” reports that the lawsuit says “both parties agreed the phobia and anxiety disorder fell under the Americans With Disabilities Act and exempted her from future transfers within the school district.”

Parts of the lawsuit have already been dismissed by a federal judge. Three allegations remain. The case is scheduled to go to court in early 2014.