Thursday, May 04, 2006

School Violence

I honestly try to be positive every time I write a blog about my school, but I can't! I've probably had my worst week ever, which is saying a lot because I've had some rough weeks.
On Monday in 7th period, an 11th grade boy, more specifically a football player on crack and steroids, beat up an 11th grade girl in my classroom. I called for security to escort the boy out BEFORE anything had happened, but none of the security officers were asked to come to my room, and the girl ended up losing two teeth in the fight. The second the fight started, I ran across the hall to ask a male teacher for help, since I had given up on the office. The 11th grade boy wasn't even supposed to be in school-- he had shot at another one of my student's houses last week and he was on parole. All of this could have been prevented. Then, after the fact, the school didn't even call the police. A security officer at the school informed the police, and he is currently in jail.
On Tuesday in my 3rd period class, I had my door cracked open and a 10th grade boy burst in threatening one my 11th grade female students, shoving desks out the way trying to get to her. This time, my students were ready and they quickly acted to help get him out of the room while I called for security. Twice. And sent a referral to the office. Again, security was not notified and the principal and asst. principal were not informed. Nothing happened until I had another teacher watch my class so I could storm into the office and demand that the boy be sent home. I found out that another teacher had informed the office during 1st period that the male student was threatening the female student. This also could have been prevented if the office had acted the first time they were told about the threats.
Also on Monday, though not in my class, another girl was hit in the hallway by a boy, her two-month-old baby's father. He has yet to face any disciplinary action.
I was of course at central office by 7:00 on Wednesday concerning these three incidents. My superintendent assured me that she would talk with the principal and the asst. principal at 8:00, which she did, but it didn't seem to accomplish anything. Except that now my asst. principal is mad at me for talking to the superintendent. The asst. principal keeps telling me that I'm not allowed to call for a security officer, that only someone from the office can ask a security officer to go to a classroom. She told me that I don't need a security officer because I'm supposed to break up fights. That it's my responsibility to physically intervene to stop a fight. How am I supposed to stop a fight involving a football player on drugs? When I asked my asst. principal this, she told me that I needed to "get tough." I thought it was made very clear to us that a female teacher is not expected to physically attempt to break up fights. Especially the one I had in my class. None of my male students even tried to break up the fight.

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