A nine-year-old child who was in the room as the incident unfolded, wrote and emailed the following letter to Superintendent Contreras after he arrived home today...
"Dear Superintendent,
I would be grateful if you would listen to me as I tell you about my horrible experience at Dr. King Summer School. A kid that I cannot remember his name was having a bad day and was thumping his desk in my classroom. Another kid named D*** was politely Asking him to stop the other kid was mad at D*** for telling him what to do and began to throw pencils and crayons at him. They then began throwing insults at each other the kid that was throwing pencils at D*** picked up a nearby chair and threw it across the room luckily it missed D*** and slammed against the floor kids and teachers were frantically dodging the chairs it was very intense.
My hopes of leaving alive were very slim. I couldn’t hear myself think with all The teachers yelling for the kids to stay in one place and talking about how To handle the situation and people screaming with fear .
I must be honest with you it was the scariest event of my life
Now things are calmed down I am home typing this on my computer.
Also I remember the image of children in my class curled up in the corner
Fearing a hit to the face. Five minutes or so later when we believed the chaos had ended our friend came back and had a basketball in his hand and threatened to kill D***. I am completely terrified to enter that school again I fear that that same kid will come back and nobody will be safe.
Just to inform you, M***"
This is why we must continue to be loud!
What can and will the district do to help the child who melted down - and who so clearly appears to be in crisis - so that they can learn how to handle their anger and frustration appropriately? What can be done if they do not have the support of the parents, family and community members?
As a school community, we must help these kids.
And what about the twenty-five other children who are afraid to go back? Who is protecting them and their right to a safe classroom?
They are the forgotten ones...
Although not to the parents who had to soothe them to sleep tonight and reassure them that they WILL be safe in school tomorrow. And who pray that - indeed - they will be safe.
The SCSD's Superintedent Sharon Contreas as well as each member of the BOE need to sit in these classrooms that have had reports if escalating violence. Sharon will not because she is too scared to sit without her cameraman or any other fake suit from Central Office.
ReplyDeleteThere should have been a previous vote of No Confidence on her for she has such a secure locked location at Central Office, but for one who hears her claim that our schools are safe...where is she? Paper-pushing or delegating the dirty work. No CONtreras, YOU get out into the schools and spend a day, yes a WHOLE day. Do you not owe it to the students and even your staff to get into the trenches and help on the forefront?
Do not think the staff, will be silenced, more staff, parents and residents are speaking up and out. You say you are confident, lol, in the schools, then why not allow press in the schools, you refuse to speak to press most times and then you have board meetings, you pit the call out for support. When one is causing great positive waves, support comes, never has to be begged.
WE already know this.....BUT the public - the community, the BOE, our "elected officials" - (who have continued to remain silent!) NEED TO READ THIS CHILD"S WORDS....I know we don't want to exploit our children, but I believe that if his words (and picture) were printed in the paper, it would be powerful...."Out of the mouth of babes"....We need NOW to put the faces and words of our kids out there...How about that parents!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe media, BOE members, Central Office people MUST visit the schools incognito to see what really happens. It's not difficult. Parents know how to get in the buildings and wander around, even going into classrooms. For BOE and Central Office, they either don't care or it's beneath them. There must be members of the media who care.
ReplyDeleteCan this incident be sent to Paul Riede or is it asecret?
ReplyDeleteWe are in contact with the parents and they have asked that we let them handle the press.
ReplyDeleteWe need to band together. I heard the "New Code of Conduct" is coming out and in it, if a student verbally or sexually harasses a teacher and the teacher kicks the kid out, that sutdent will be brought back by adminstraition. This is like playing with fire. In my class I will not tolerate any of that towards me or any student. I truly believe the top officals in this district want teachers to crack and walk out. I for one will become suddenly ill if a student is brought right back. I am a person and should be respected. My childern, family and friends do not speak this way to me nor I to them. Why should I allow some 14 year old? If this is legal then we need to get in our elected officals ear and get a law that protects teachers, from harassment from students.
ReplyDeleteThe following is paraphrased from the mouths of summer school principals today at a cityhigh school who attended the new code of conduct training that all teachers will eventually be subjected to before the school year begins:
ReplyDelete"The new rules state very clearly that students cannot be removed from classes for any lengthy amount of time unless their behavior is considered violent. They will be counseled by an administrator and sent back to class. Phrases like "Eat a d***" or "Suck my d***" were raised by audience members and it was made clear that these types of phrases will result in a discussion with a student with no suspensions. The paperwork involved with suspending a student has now tripled, so you can guess how many kids will actually be suspended once school begins."
So there you have it folks. Every student has a right to an education, no matter how they disrupt the learning of others. The power now rests solely in the hands of each individual kid, no matter how many issues he/she may raise in a single class period. And guess what? Each teacher will still be evaluated on their classroom management and their SLO and state scores with no help from the district. Contreras isn't going anywhere. A 95.3% vote of no confidence has fallen on a BOE that couldn't be bothered with the SCSD staff. No one is coming to save you. My advice is get a lawyer and a strap a Go Pro camera to your head for every minute you are in class. They want evidence, so give it to them.
Syracuse is going to get national recognition eventually on What Not To Do! Mark my words.
ReplyDeleteThis will happen when someone get seriously hurt or killed, unfortunately.
Does the SCSD New Code of conduct violate the teachers' contracts as they have a right and responsibility to remove a disruptive student.
ReplyDeleteI seriously suggest a well placed nanny cam in every room.
ReplyDeleteWhat if you do not want a "grandparent" in your room! It may cause more problems instead of solving them!
ReplyDeleteWhen will the general public (AKA Tax Payers) find out about this incident? Parents need to know what challenges their children have to endure everyday This is in know way a reflection of the teacher. ! How will this child become coolege or career ready? If this happened on campus or at a job site, this person would get a police escort downtown and get a full blown mental examination! Why are all these situations swept under the carpet? Cover ups will not help the problems!
ReplyDeleteThe parents of that child who wrote the letter should be furious that the child who caused such a disruption, scaring their child into the corner, was returned to the classroom minutes later with what seems like no real consequence or intervention. As a parent myself I would be at the school demanding further action and a safer learning environment for my child who deserves better.
ReplyDeleteThe child was not returned to the classroom. The child BROKE AWAY from the office administrator(s) and RAN back with the adult in pursuit.
ReplyDeleteWe will be putting out an update later today on the parents' action thus far.
According to the kids letter the kid who caused the issue returned with a basketball and was threatening to kill the other kid....letter is not very clear I guess as to what happened to the kid causing the issue
ReplyDelete