Tuesday, February 17, 2009

It's on a need to know basis.

Okay. Today at school I found out that one of the students in my homeroom and several other sixth graders were involved in some vandalism at my school. I was not included in on the "interrogation" of the students, so I don't know the whole story.

What I do know is this: several students were at my school around 6:00 p.m., some of those students were playing with some safety cones that had been left out (one of my sixth graders was supposed to pick up the cones but did not), so several of the students were throwing the cones, hitting each other with the cones, and possibly some other things. Two students had their skateboards and were doing tricks near the kindergarten windows and somehow a window was broken. A community member, driving by saw the students and approached them. Apparently they were rude to this woman, and then walked off when the counselor and another kindergarten teacher went out to see what the trouble was.

That's all I know, and I'm sure that there is more that I don't know and I probably don't need to know it. It's probably a good thing I don' t know it. However, there is one thing that is bothering me: If there was vandalism at the school, and they were doing things they shouldn't have been doing, then why are they only getting detentions? Yes, that's right. It's my understanding that they are getting detentions. My teaching partner told me that. I haven't heard from my principal what is going to happen, so I guess I'll just wait and see. In the least, a complaint should be filed with the police in regards to criminal mischief at the school.

I may never know what really happened or the extenuating circumstances that might lead to a light sentences. Maybe it's better I don't know.

1 comment:

JDHTEACH said...

Well what can I say. It depends on campus administration and what the district will support. I had the backing of my leadership so something of this nature would be the following:
Removal to DAEP for 15 days- If repairs are over 50 dollars. Under 50 dollars the student is assigned 10 days of DAEP.
In addition to that the student would be given a $250 dollar ticket from the police department for vandalizing and would have to appear in court with their parents.

If the kid keeps his nose clean the ticket will be turned into community service after 6 weeks. If he is referred to the office for any reason the fine will stick.

I did stick a kid in DAEP for violation of dress code 3 times. He did not seem to understand the concept of a BELT and where the crotch should be in pants.

Again full support. In both instances the parents were very upset and took it out on me that I was trying to make an example out of him. I showed them in our district handbook that they signed where I had the authority to do what I was doing. Should have been mad at their kid.

And yes I was making an example of him. If I did nothing what are the other kids going to do?

JDHTEACH

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