Look at the news lately around the students attending Lynn Public Schools The latest was a kid with a hypodermic. A student hit a teacher at Tech. Drugs were found at Marshall, the same day that a student was arrested in conjunction with a vandalism incident at Tech. Another student punch an assistant principal at English. Earlier in the year, teachers were posted on the corners on the pathways to Marshall to maintain order and prevent fights.
Pretty sad. What's wrong, who's to blame? Is it just that we had bad kids, rotten apples? Maybe, but let's try looking at an alternative explanation. Everyone would agree, you go to school to learn. The questions then become what are you learning and who is doing the teaching.
Well let's see. We have left the vital position of Parent Liaison unfilled for nearly two years. We fired an experienced Special Ed.. teacher. The person responsible for devising and implementing our anti-bullying policy has put his house up for sale and is rumored to be moving to Georgetown. We created a six-figure Deputy Superintendent's position, Our business manager is rumored to be looking for greener pastures in Lowell.
How can we expect our kids to maintain order when our school department is in such disorder. Stability is needed to establish security. Do you see any order here? Should we be surprised at our kid's behavior? I'm just saying.
First you complain about adding positions and then complain when people leave. Change in the School Department Administration sounds to me like something to be glad about - they need changes - what they are doing obviously isn't working. Let them leave and let's get real demonstrated qualified people in here. Or maybe they aren't even needed!
ReplyDeleteLeave the poor 7 year old that picked up a needle alone - what curious kid wouldn't do the same. Using it as a teaching tool.
We agree. The kids are only modeling what they see, so we need to change who they see.
ReplyDeleteI think we need to discuss ways to encourage better parenting. If you look at all of the examples you gave you have to wonder: Where are the parents? Do they talk to their kids about the fact that they should never pick up needles? Do they discuss that vandalism is wrong and hitting teachers is against the law? "Bad" apples fall from rotten trees. The schools can't fix it. Adding or subtracting a few administrative employees isn't really going to make much of a difference if the home is in shambles.
ReplyDeleteA (609) I think you mistakenly commented to the wrong blog. This one is about schools, not parents. Leadership does not come from somewhere, it comes from everywhere. It is not about blame, it's about direction.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, A609 limbs fall from rotten trees not apples. At least that's what they taught in WV.
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