There was ONE fight at Richwoods the day mentioned. Some how it was inflated to "4 or 5 fights". Who exactly is Mrs. Crew's reliable source? Were they there?It seems to me the ONLY reports of multiple fights at Richwhoods come from her, and she is spreading it far and wide. Mrs. Crew's reports don't seem malicious, just very very concerned, but notice, she has no details on any of the fights but the one that actually occurred. Did her student she has at Richwoods see the fights; could he/she provide any details?
People were talking about there was a "fight" the other day, they were swearing up and down that it had happened. I know the girl involved and talked to her, I found out it was a disagreement that escalated into shouting and she and her friend stormed off from each other in a huff.
By the time it hit the rumor mill, people were saying it was a full blown chick fight and the school let it happen. There was no fight, there were no threats, just an argument. There is a big differece between fighting and two teenaged girls having a tantrum at each other before storming off not speaking for the rest of the day.
Before posting something about fights at Richwoods, as if it actually happened, ask yourself how many people are exaggerating or inventing incidents because it's what they expect, and, second, why some people are so deeply invested in ensuring that unsubstantiated reports of violence are spread as far and wide as possible.
Thank you.
No - thank You Anonymous...
21 comments:
The first reports of fights were made on this blog the day Shaun Grant became interim Principal at Richwoods. Is that a coincidence?
I do put my name on my comments; therefore, I do try my best not to report stories unless I hear them from a what I consider to be areliable source. That's the best I can do--but I don't want to end up with egg on my face, so I try to be careful.
The fights on the day Grant took over at principal. I heard about the fights from two or more adults and from one student who witnessed from afar two of the fights.
Later that week one of my former students called me--one whose daughter is a senior at Richwoods. I told her I had heard three or four fights--she said there were four.
As for my last report of fights at Richwoods, I still believe my source was quite reliable--at least, someone in whom I put faith.
As a teacher, I know that I didn't always know about every fight that took place at Manual--only the ones close to my room and those that drew large crowds.
Of course, we can argue what constitutes a fight. I would consider a fight to be physical, not verbal, or so intensely verbal that an onlooker would recognize the definite possibility of physical--and step in before the physical starts.
Of course, the one way to find out how many fights occur should be to FOIA the data. I am considering that--all of you should consider it too. We shouldn't have to operate on rumors--we should know the facts. Of course, we have to hope that District 150 will part with the information.
Also, I heard that at Rolling Acres there was a rather brutal fight--one that required Bill Salzman and Collins, head of security, to go to the school.
Anonymous, did you just provide any sources for your account of the supposed fight at Richwoods? Are you close enough to the situation that you would know every time a fight occurs at Richwoods?
Frankly, the only people who really know about each and every fight are security guards and administrators--those who receive the referrals from teachers. Until they open up with the information, the rest of us are left to piecing info together.
Today is the day that secruity guards will be shuffled at the high schools--so now there is a good chance that security guards will be thrown into schools where they do not know any or many students by name. Do you think that's an advantage or disadvantage in maintaining order in the schools?
I always find it interesting when people try to discredit anonymous information just because a person doesn't for whatever reason want to put their name all over a blog.
Considering this is the internet, all comments are somewhat annonymous aren't they? Who knows who anybody is on any given day? Really?
Whatever we hear--on the radio, on TV--or what we read, the source of the information is always crucial. I certainly understand why, in particular, District 150 employees would hesitate to post under their own names.
It is because so many of them do have the fears of speaking out publicly that I often speak for them--so, of course, I don't object to anonymous bloggers. Not much information would be available were it not for anonymous bloggers.
However, when an anonymous blogger casts doubt on what I write under my own name, then I may raise the question as to whether or not I or anyone else has any reason to believe a source about whom we know nothing. There are plenty of people who know me well enough to either vouch for me or criticize me. And I have a phone number in the same name under which I always blog--so anyone can call me if they so choose.
I am the same person on any given day--I never write under any other name but my own. An anonymous blogger can speak truth or fiction and never have to bear any repercussions for his/her statements. That doesn't mean that I don't think all have a right to say what they please--I just have a harder time deciding wht to believe or what not to believe. Just because someone says something on a blog--including me--doesn't make it truth. We all have to make judgment calls as to whom we believe and to what extent.
Opinions are a whole different thing--the opinions of an anonymous blogger are just that; it's information presented as fact that raises questions about the source of the information.
Fights at Richwoods? Naw, can't be, those kids are supposedly the "Jewels" of Dist. 150!!
High achieving, well-behaved, with
strong parental involvment. What went wrong? (yes, I'm being sarcastic here)
On the other hand, there are still
Remarkable Times happening in the District, including schools that
are achieving Academic Excellence.
Here is a sneak preview of the next Remarkable Times TV segment
airing Sunday at 5 pm on CAPtions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g70JPM4HJt0
To reiterate anonymous. I am not Sharon, yet I can easily post as Sharon.
We should be critical of the information that anyone posts. Unless I actually witnessed the alleged fights, I will be critical of hearsay, particularly when it is impossible to verify who is posting the information.
Dennis in Peoria: Quite a promo piece.
You are one of the reasons the poor lil ole' Teacher's Union "needs" the Mayor's Education Liaison, Bill Collier.
Have you considered giving them equal time? Have they asked for it?
No, they haven't. But all they have to do is call me, we'll put them on CAPtions.
Anonymous Sharon Crews--I get your point--sort of--because I will certainly be here to write a disclaimer for anyone using my name. I believe Emerge, also, has the ability to stop that sort of fraud--aren't you, Emerge.
With regard to the meeting at Prince of Peace. It was very, very poorly attended. Terry did go. It was pretty much a few union members, Terry, and Tim Rig.. and two or three others. I believe the intended purpose was as I said earlier to explain the new evaluation process.
With regard to tenure, Terry did make the point that for many years tenure was for only two years. Then the state said that four years would give administrators time to sort out the bad teachers. The problems stands--administrators don't do their due dilligence.
Just heard that Steve Ptecek may now be the 2nd assistant principal at Trewyn.
.....and Terry Knapp is always a gentleman when drinking at bars.
Sharon said:
"I will certainly be here to write a disclaimer for anyone using my name. I believe Emerge, also, has the ability to stop that sort of fraud--aren't you, Emerge."
Umm, yes because Emerge is a computer whiz and she has nothing better to do than to track patterns in IP addresses.
Sorry, Emerge, I did think that you checked posts before they go up and thought you could notice someone posting as another. However, I don't expect that kind of protection--not necessary or expected. I'm not exactly savvy as to how bloggers control their blogs. No offense meant, at all.
Anonymous--I have never hung out with Terry at bars, so don't know how he behaves. I imagine Terry is Terry whether at a bar or not at a bar. I've actually never been around Terry when he is drinking--evidently you have. Terry is a good friend and is always a gentleman to me.
I just heard a wild rumor about some changes in central administration. Just wondering if anyone else has heard anything a bit unexpected.
Actually, I don't check posts before they go up. However, sometimes they are delayed by the spam filter. I don't mind giving Anonymous voices a voice (within reason).
If it weren't for anonymous bloggers, we wouldn't know much. I have often stated that I understand why District 150 employees don't post under their own names. I just made the point that I try very hard to be sure that what I pass on as fact or even when I pass on what might be considered a rumor that I feel I'm on fairly firm ground because I put my name on the content. Anonymous writers do not have to be that careful--that's all I meant.
I believe my point was that if I said there were 4 fights at Richwoods and an Anonymous person says there were none, then I will probably go with information I heard from persons in whom I place my trust. The rest of the readers can make their own decisions about whom to believe. However, if I am wrong, you all know exactly whom to blame.
Sharon--proof of something "wild" at central administration
http://www.pjstar.com/news/x617854506/District-150-suspends-No-2-leader
That's it.
Plenty of fights at Richwoods. It's telling when my daughter gets home from school (Richwoods) and asks me (PHS teacher), "How many fights did you have today? We had two." when the district's response to fighting is weak, fighting will escalate.
The other day, I overheard PHS students talking about texts they were getting from RHS students about the fights going on at RHS. RHS staff member told me there were seven girls involved in two fights that day. I texted my daughter to ensure she was ok. She said that she was, "But it was quite a day."
It's to the point at which the district is fostering this climate. I know the interim RHS principal and the PHS principal don't want fighting to be tolerated; however, their hands are tied at the district level. It's absurd. A-D
Anonymous, I noticed in your comment that you said your daughter texted a student and you a teacher, also texted a student. You and your daughter both violated school policy. This is one of the things that is extremely out of control in the schools. Parents are continually texting or calling students while they are in class, students are contacting parents or other students. We are talking about hundreds of phone use each day. The rules are phones are to be off and out of sight. How can teachers even teach with this going on. This also keeps problems between the students alive and has anyone thought about the drug deals being made on these phones during school hours with the students. Cell phones need to be completely banned from all the schools and suspended if the student doesn't abide by the rule.
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