Who is in charge here anyway?
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Gwen and Gary Morgan
Published: March 31, 2008
Who is maintaining order in our county schools? Judging by recent events, the answer may well be “no one” or “not nearly enough people.”
The phenomenon — no, wait — the culture of bullying appears to be alive and well in many of the county’s schools, despite a “zero tolerance” policy and a code of conduct that promises swift punishment for offenders. Yet, the bullying culture appears to be alive and well, even flourishing, within the very system that has sworn not to tolerate it.
Children attending public school should be guaranteed the opportunity to learn in an environment that is safe and free of persecution, whether physical or verbal. While school security personnel are making a valiant attempt to enforce the rules, the bullies and their followers seem to have the upper hand. The harrassing extends even further than most realize, with abuse and threats being issued through My Space pages and internet chat rooms. By the way, parents: Check out your own child’s My Space page or Facebook page sometime ... you might be surprised at what you find!
Unless our school administrators are committed to enforcing the code of conduct and delivering promised punishment, the policy of “zero tolerance” will become one of “zero effectiveness.” Our children — and yours — deserve better.
GWEN and GARY MORGAN
Dale City
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Posted by ( hacenedb ) on April 01, 2008 at 10:38 am
I taught in three different countries and I found out that the culture of bullying is a serious problem everywhere I served. French speaking countries and Great Britain instituted the peer supervision system whereby 12th graders and/or university students are recruited on a part-time basis to provide safety, security, and monitor students outside the classrooms and around the schools’ property. Their duties are to be posted at the entrance, exit, hallways, near bathrooms, and outside the schools. They live the class 10 minutes before the re rest of the students to be posted at the proper location. I served in such capacity for 6 years and I saw the merits of the system.
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Posted by ( do the right thing ) on April 01, 2008 at 4:57 am
Our school system has become passive in its approach to school violence. I have seen school security personnel turn the other way when they see certain suspicious activity taking place.
Superintendent Walts has no oversight of his security staff. He believes whatever he is being told by his staff. It is going to take a tragedy for him to wake-up.
School security is like an “open book”. You don’t shut it because you pass some “feel good” measures to enhance the minimal security already taking place in our schools.
Teachers also feel that they have no support when they complain about illegal activity that they see going on within the schools. What a sad commentary!!!
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