The good news:- Thanks to the Charleston Teacher Alliance (CTA), a consistent advocate for classroom teachers, opinions stifled by fear of repercussions from district staff and administrators have been gathered and analyzed.
- CTA's recent survey of teachers reveals that CCSD is making progress, albeit slow, in addressing its discipline problems.
(CTA's recommendations [verbatim] based on its survey and teachers' comments):
- 94% of teachers surveyed believe strict zero tolerance policies need to be put in place so that students know they will be automatically kicked out of school for serious violations. Based on teacher feedback there have been cases of students bringing drugs and weapons to school yet they are allowed to return. There have been cases of teachers’ lives being threatened, attacked verbally, and/or attacked physically and the students were allowed to return. It is imperative that schools be a safe haven if learning is to take place. Teachers cannot focus on teaching, and students cannot focus on learning when weapons, drugs, and violence are tolerated.
- 96% of teachers surveyed believe minor infractions need to be strictly enforced so that the right tone is set and larger problems can be avoided. This theory has been proven in the fields of education, sociology, and law enforcement. If students know that there is a serious consequence for “sucking teeth” at a teacher, they would be mush less likely to curse or threaten a teacher.
- School wide/district wide consistency is the key to successful discipline plans. Consistency was the most common word found throughout the teacher comment section. Teachers who reported no discipline problems said that teachers, administrators and parents were consistent with enforcement of rules and actions of discipline.
- Parents should not be allowed to override discipline decisions made by the teachers or principals by complaining to district leadership or board members. This was a reoccurring [comment]. This not only lets students know they can do whatever they want, it also demoralizes teachers and makes them look like the bad guy. Leaders can not be hesitant to stand up to parents if it is what is best for the rest of the students, teachers, and schools as a whole.
Let's face it--these are all common sense. Let's use a little.
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7 comments:
Unfortunately, for most of these points, a change in special education law must occur - fat chance - it would be political suicide for any candidate who took that on. The vast majority of violent acts in school are committed by kids who have IEPs. They have rights that supercede any wishes and desires the administration may have to expel. The Charleston area greatly lacks resources worth their weight in salt to assist kids and parents who fall into this category. Kids need it to learn how to properly socialize and handle anger, etc while parents need it for, well, parenting special needs kids! And how to work WITH the school. Not ARGUE with them when your child is a disruption, distraction, or unfortunately, dangerous.
I strongly encourage any teacher or parent that is or has a child assaulted by one of these IEP kids to file a police report regardless of what your principal may say, there are jails full of folks that had IEPs at one time or the other.
Are too many students given IEP's?
Most definitely, if you ever read the IEPs themselves you would laugh
Ok, so why are there so many given?
I did not touch a student. Simply stated NO when he went to hit another student. Instead he punched me. Spent ice bagging arm and bruised two weeks,
Student was back at school in 1 and 1/2 days.
why did a student get 45 days in Myrtle!
Job sites are unsafe.
Homeless walk drunk in front of our building daily.
I believe the overuse of IEPs are a direct reflection of our current society as a whole. People look for a lable or reason why their child acts out or struggles in a certain subject and an IEP is their answer.
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