Reader Posts

We've received a couple of posts from the readers in the last few days that we wanted to share. To the readers who sent them, we hope you don't mind us quoting you.

• The first from a former teacher, encouraging parents to unite.
  
  "As a former teacher, I am appalled with the current situations in the SCSD. The parents need to unite for the safety and education of their children. There is nothing more important in this stage of a child's life than the opportunity to learn and succeed in school. Find out what is working in other schools, and replicate it! No excuses."

• The second is from a parent, encouraging fellow parents to get involved and speak up.
  
  "I am a parent. I am not in the schools every day. On occasion I have witnessed a fight, witnessed a middle school boy gyrating on a door, etc. These are "tame" incidents I am sure. The voices that are not being heard in this arena and MUST be heard are those of students and TEACHERS who are witness to the daily incidents of violence spoken by Ken Ahern. Teachers know, TA's know, secretaries know, janitors know, café workers know what happens in the schools.
  
  SPEAK NOW! The time is here for change. The time is here to speak for the students who want safe classrooms and schools."

They are right! We all need to make our voices heard - parents, students, and teachers. If you'd like to join the chorus, email us at scsdtakebackourschools@gmail.com.

We will NOT quote from the final letter that we'd like to discuss. We know that everyone has their own individual tolerances. We have been criticized for allowing comments to be published that contain profanity in student quotes. However, we feel that it is important to expose the levels of disrespect the district continues allowing to flourish unchecked, and so have repeated those quotes. What we do NOT feel is necessary is to add to the racial tension that already is a component in this discussion. That being said, we WILL NOT publish comments that are or may be racially inflammatory.

U.S. Department of Education "Dear Colleague" Letter

Here is some interesting - and thought-provoking - reading...

"Dear Colleague" Letter

We're Back!

So it has been pretty quiet on the discipline front of late. But I suspect things are beginning to heat up again. First was the "InSight" report on discipline in Syracuse schools, which aired Sunday night on WCNY. In case you missed it, below is a link to a video of the broadcast, thanks to the blog reader who sent it in.

WCNY's InSight Report of Discipline in Syracuse Schools

In watching the video what struck me most was (again) the perceived lack of compassion for the majority of students who come to school ready to learn. While everyone is focused on how to best serve the students with disciplinary issues, all of the other kids are being let down - again and again and again.

We understand that being suspended home is not the answer and may indeed further contribute to the problem. But... we contend that there need to be alternative settings - in separate locations, not traditional school buildings - for students with disciplinary actions that are either chronically disruptive or dangerous to others to receive the education AND counseling that they need in order to return to the traditional classroom setting.

Their right to an education
cannot and should not
supercede the rights of
the students who come to school every day
ready and eager to learn!

We need to look at how to create alternate settings that address the whole child - their educational AND emotional needs - in a way that prepares them to return to their home school ready to learn and be a contributing member of their school community.

Not discipline, not punishment -
instead re-education, redirection and refocusing.

With services in place to help parents learn how to better support their kids in education. Or where they are not willing, mentorship programs with adults who ARE. It seems from a logical and humanistic standpoint, that this would serve these struggling students best and maybe give them a shot at actually receiving the education they are entitled to.

And it could serve our budget best, too. Rather than programs with representatives in each school, have just two or three locations with a full range of services available. Beard School is still open - we're still paying the bills to keep that building open to service just a handful of kids. Can this not be a setting for middle and high school students who are struggling with disciplinary issues? Surely we can find another setting for elementary school kids, as well? By consolidating, we could potentially reduce our 30+ Huntington counselors to maybe 10 to 15 as well as other community service providers and redirect a portion of the $7,000,000 that the District claims is being spent on these services toward bringing TAs back or adding resource officers.

And by reducing disruptions in the classrooms for the other students - and the teachers - wouldn't we be giving those who are ready to learn an even better chance for success?

What are your thoughts?

AND...
Check out these links to two new articles in the Syracuse Post Standard regarding discipline and culture in our schools

"8 Ways SCSD is Attacking Discipline Problems"
"Contreras on Discipline - 'Changing Culture is Hard'"