For some time now, we have been getting reports on the blogs of principals being brow beaten by the current Superintendent of Schools for suspending students. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that there is not just one or two students in a specific classroom who are disruptive, teachers/students who come to school to teach/learn are dealing with several disruptive students in one classroom. They act out, get a referral written (may be removed from class), come right back to class energized and continue disrupting.
Until the School Board and the Superintendent of Schools can come up with a better solution for handling the disruptive students (who look forward to in school suspensions) there is still an obligation that this District has to the children who behave and come to school to learn. I commend the principals who are looking out for the best interest of the students who cooperate and come to school looking for an education.
As a parent/volunteer who has experienced disruptive classrooms up close and personal, I would encourage principals to continue following the current procedure and discipline and suspend students where warranted. The current Superintendent of Schools may not like it - but as long as you are following the procedure that is currently on the books, what she gon do?
Suspensions on rise this year in District 150 schools
The School Board was given a first-quarter discipline report by Bill Salzman, the district's director of student affairs and formerly principal at Manual. Salzman's report, which compared the first nine weeks of this school year to the same period in 2010, showed there have been 1,125 suspensions that account for a total of 3,028 missed school days.
That's an increase of 72 suspensions from last year:
Manual Academy (253/161)
Manual Academy (253/161)
Peoria High School (193/211)
Lincoln Middle School (116/50)
Glen Oak Middle School (52/48)
CLOYD: "Looking at the data, it looks like Lincoln is completely and totally out of control… And Manual isn't much better. These behavior problems are just appalling. Just ridiculous.”
CLOYD: "The disruption it has caused for the students who want to be there and do their job and learn, by one or two students who can't get it right and won't get it, is absolutely atrocious."
CLOYD: "It's completely unacceptable and we've got to get this fixed."
SALZMAN: “The increase in suspensions can be attributed to a handful of repeat offenders who have been suspended multiple times”
CLOYD: "Then why are they still in these schools?"
SALZMAN: Building principals have been inconsistent in their enforcement of the district's policy on cellphones, which requires students to keep the phones turned off and put away during school hours. Students using cellphones during lunch and transition times have caused a number of problems, such as the pregnant Manual student who was injured when she allegedly tried to record video of a lunchroom fight.
And in addressing an increase in discipline cases in the primary schools, at least two of which involved students bringing knives to school,
SALZMAN: "In my opinion, more problems in the grade schools is a reflection of what's happening in this town.
"What's happening on the streets is showing up in our schools." Source
23 comments:
Dr. Lathan denied the accusations (she said she has heard from the podium) that she is telling principals not to suspend students. However, that isn't the story that many of us are hearing. Just because suspensions are up doesn't mean that principals aren't being reprimanded or that all students who should be suspended are being suspended.
This is the first time in a long time that a board member has spoken out on this issue. Applause to Cloyd for stating that the repeat offenders should not be in the school. Lathan agreed--we will see because this has gone on during her first year and she has made no effort to change the situation.
Unless there is an "end game," suspensions mean nothing to the students who are repeat offenders. The problem is that suspensions do not lead to any further consequences--just more suspensions.
Also, why is it that so often (as was the case last night) that the vote on suspensions and expulsions is pulled--the board didn't vote on them. Because the board will now have only one regular meeting a month, the next chance to vote on suspensions and expulsions will be the second Monday in December.
The report about Lincoln Middle School is unfortunate. It should be noted that the Principal of this school is in her second year; she is in the Superintendent of School's "circle"; and she was imported from North Carolina:
Ursula Brown, Lincoln Middle School principal, $98,000
How is it working out with the rest of the folks in the "circle" (i.e., North Carolina hires)?
LaToy Kennedy, chief curriculum and instruction officer, $125,000;
Revonda Johnson, instructional improvement officer, $115,000;
Ava Hoffer, director, pre-K to eighth grade curriculum, $95,000;
Shameika Sykes-Patterson, literacy and social studies coordinator, $85,000;
Last night Terry Knapp once again asked why teacher committees had no input into the selection of close to a million dollars worth of new textbooks for this year. He mentioned that science teachers, not administrators, should have the opportunity to look over the texts (a process that used to take months). Dr. Lathan countered that one of the administrators was a science teacher and was, therefore, qualified to make the decision--all by herself. Does anyone know who that administrator is and what are her/his (probably not his) qualifications?
Emerge, thanks for continuing to write about these important D150 issues. I agree with most of your comments but question this one.
"The current Superintendent of Schools may not like it - but as long as you are following the procedure that is currently on the books, what she gon do?"
Seriously you can't be that naive? Principals and other Administrators that have done what they could in the past to make sure policies and procedures were followed ended up being kicked to the curb.
Teachers and principals are going to have to learn that there is power in numbers. They need to have the courage to take their problems to the public--not just to board members, who do not seem to respond in a meaningful way to the complaints of teachers and administrators.
Lathan or anyone in authority can kick one person (under the radar) to the curb but can't kick large numbers of employees to that curb. These authoritarians count on employees being unwilling to call attention to themselves.
There are some who have criticized Terry and me for going to the board to speak about complaints we have heard--we do so because we are immune to the kind of retaliation to which teachers and principals would be subjected.
Eventually, however, large numbers of people need to come forward.
I have spoken to teachers who say they have been in tears this year, trying to adhere to and implement the large number of initiatives that are thrown at them daily by these people who sit in their ivory towers, accountable to no one.
Perhaps I am naive. But riddle me this... Why do you all continue to pay dues to a Union that will not offer you protections for doing your job?
Emerge, the principals are not in a Union. And all the district's unions are just a joke now. My particular union, (I don't know about the others), you either join or pay "fair share". Either way you pay, so why not have the choice of saying "my union"?
Principals and other administrators do not have a union to protect them.
The teachers have had two opportunities to change union leadership. The union contract states that the no union officer can be an administrator. Yet, the president, Bobby Darling, and, at least, another officer are NEVER in the classroom. So if they aren't administrators, they certainly aren't teachers--so what are they? First, the teachers need to do what they can do without any repercussions from the administration--demand that their leadership come from their own ranks.
Bobby did present a good sppech last night, but he is going to have to prove he is willing to go to the mat--which probably means jeopardizing his current supervisory/administrative position.
Until the teachers stand up to their own leadership, I fear there is no hope of them standing up to the central administration.
Thanks. I realize that principals and administrators are at will employees. However, principals are responding and supporting what the teachers need when they discipline and suspend students.
If teachers are not willing to use the power of their Union to back up in numbers what the principals are trying to do for you, how much longer can the principals who are trying to be responsive and putting their jobs on the line continue to support you?
Administrators alone are no more capable of effectively dealing with situation than teachers. All Sharon and her ilk do is to try to drive a wedge between them. It shouldn't be an us/them mentality. Until parents instill values or face sufficient punitave repurcussions, the trend will remain the same. You don't get most parents to show up for anything unless you feed them and even then attendance in the most needy areas is minimal. How do you productively engage and hold parents accountable to the notion that EDUCATION is (one of)THE most important of growing up? How do you help these fragile families overcome all the adversity and hardships they are facing and look to the schools to provide the "safe house" I know many work hard to become? It rises to a much higher level than crying to adminstrators to "support us" when they are operating under ridiculous NCLB mandates. Extracting students is a must - but then what? The alternative school is new this year so I won't jump to criticize - but more of a boot camp is needed for some and the finances (state or district) don't support that now. Early childhood is where to attack it to make systemic changes, but even those funds are being cut. So, what to do if you are just a frustrated taxpayer seeing your hometown slide into the abyss? The check writing and volunteering have just led to more frustration.
Teachers can do nothing to help the problem as long as the chronic discipline problems stay in the classroom--at least, Cloyd gets it. That's a start.
The last anonymous "Administrators alone..."
is spot on.
As for the teachers' union, as Sharon noted, there were two recent opportunities to change leadership - but the majority voted to keep Bobby. Arguably, he recognizes the issues faced by the administration (unfunded mandates, due process, etc.) and rather than be divisive, his approach seems to have been to work with the administration than against it. That doesn't mean it will work - there are no easy answers.
Lathan's new strategy is to give unsatisfactory evaluations to teachers who she believes don't have good classroom management, even though most classrooms are out of control in this district. What's she gonna do? Fire everyone? Then she can bring the whole F---ing state of NC teachers here to do the job. I'm sure they are all professional classroom managers, especially with chaos reigning. Yes, I am sick of this crap. Sorry, I am unloading, but firing teachers is NOT THE ANSWER.
Jon, FYI, most of the teachers thought that there was NO way Bobby would win so therefore didn't "bother" voting. Yes, I voted for Martha Kelly. Too bad, so many people were so sure she would win that they didn't vote. Well, they(and all of us) are paying for Director Barney Rubble over at the district office. He is a disgrace and should resign. He can't be gone fast enough for MOST of the teachers in D150.
Do the union bylaws not have a recall option? Can you not appeal to the state teachers' union to challenge Bobby's status as a teacher/administrator?
Jon: it is in process.
Several teachers are forming their own watch group. I am sick of never getting support from our so called "union". The top 4 in our union does not teach. What a joke!! They have no idea what goes on in a classroom. They should all resign now. As Martha and Charlie said, " Teachers For Teachers." Where are they? Teachers need help.
One of those union candidates was so dedicated to teacher issues that when she lost the election, she retired. Wow, we sure missed out on her leadership. And,the other did have enough votes or supporters for a pick up game of basketball. And where are they? They don't attend board meetings or union meetings. Emerge is the wrong name for this forum. Should be "regurge".
It is hard to be one of the teachers who was in the trenches last year and kicked to the curb this year.
I continue to repeating the truth that some of these schools are OUT OF CONTROL. By being upset at raising suspension numbers, things are NOT going to change. Students will continue to act out and now will get even less discipline because the numbers "are so bad".
These suspension numbers are easy to manipulate if you keep the student in an ACE room and don't put that in the system or send them home and don't report it to the atendance system, etc. I am worried because if the numbers are worse this year and people are upset about it, it seems like even LESS is going to be done at a time when the teachers must have MORE support in dealing with these MAJOR behavior issues.
A few students in each classroom are robbing all students of their education. Emerge was right when she was asking parents to speak up. That's a place to start. 150 has the alternative school so let's start using it. There are children who should NOT be in a traditional classroom. Even the word traditional in 150 isn't what it used to be.
The teachers are working so very hard to create an environment which meets the needs of all the students in the classroom. They are dealing with things in some of the schools which are not the norm across the district. The revolving door of people in the home, students who strive to grow up and go to jail, the abuse, the drugs, the shootings, etc. Believe me, teachers have adjusted through the years to respond to the change as best they can. This CHRONIC, OUT OF CONTROL behavior is not something teachers can control or adjust on their own. And yet, with the lack of support from the office and above, they are attempting to do just that because that is what they are told they HAVE to do.
If you are "lucky" enough to have tenure, you will keep your job--maybe not in the current school or grade level. If you are a teacher who is dedicated to hold all students to the same standards, won't let children run wild in your room, and demand (but don't receive) some sort of consequence (after you've implented four of five of your own and talked to the parent) from the office and have no tenure----enjoy the time off during this school year because your bags are packed and you are labled unable to control the classroom. It is heartbreaking...and what I am doing.
I have no chance to speak up and say my peace. I am already someone who is having a hard time trying to get back into the classroom. What are my chances of being hired again as a full-time teacher if I have the audacity to speak the truth of what is happening in the classrooms in front of the school board. Trust me, there are people who keep track of who is "causing trouble" by not just shutting up and keeping kids in their classroom no matter what. If they have any opportunity to get rid of you, they will.
I am not making a statement that every teacher who isn't employed this year should be. There are legitimate reasons for getting rid of teachers and there are some teachers in their classrooms now who shouldn't be there. The union is in sad shape and it is so depressing the teachers have noone to turn to regarding the current situations at some schools.
I can continue to monitor and contribute to the blog. I gather information and try to let people know what is really happening.
I am not some anonymous nut who has no experience about what I am talking. I am a teacher. I am dedicated to giving children the best opportunity possible to make something of their lives--let them know they are important to me if noone else in their lives lets them know. I want to make this world a better place by empowering these kids with the knowledge someone is in their court and rooting for them. THIS is the goal of almost every teacher in these classrooms and their hands are being tied by a few families who can't (won't) control their children and by administrators who won't (can't) control their student body.
If teachers don't go to union meetings it is because they are a waste of time. Look who runs them!! Teachers have to step up and join the fight. Board meetings may even be worse. Decisions are made behind close doors, not at meetings. Teacher watch group meetings will be posted soon. If you are a "teacher", please attend.
Where are the meetings and when? Union is useless. They just take our money and kiss Lathan's fat ass.
Post a Comment