Kind of odd to see this letter with the story about the incident at Krueger in the LaPorte paper (the MC paper didn't report this of course). And this kind of stuff isn't a future occourence in the MCAS, it has happened before, and will happen again. Because the state looks down on systems with high suspension and expulsion rates, the current regime does everything that they can to not kick a kid out. There are some dangers in our schools, and in many cases the administration knows this and ignores it. I wonder if anyone has ever filed a liable suit against a school system for a situation where they knowingly let someone back into a school who had demonstrated that they werre a danger to others, and they again hurt someone?
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=53943.53QUOTE
Schools Contain Some Dangerous Youths
There is danger in the public schools, and it is disturbing. The environment of the teachers and counselors who are dedicating their lives, and attempting to better the lives of the many, is dangerously close to "code yellow," which in the medical field means disaster.
I talked to someone in the school system. "Secret Squirrel" shared experiences at the high school. For the most part Secret likes the job, and says the majority of the kids are good. However, some of the kids are not kids at all. They have no sense of respect, and are very, very "street."
Secret told me individuals, after reprimands, will speak just loud enough to be heard. The words are of a threatening nature typically heard on the street. Last week a confrontation between Secret and a student was brought to a level where Secret felt physically threatened. Shaken from the incident, Secret said it took a few minutes to get oneself together.
I asked what can you do? Secret told me the options are few and not effective. The kids do what they want. They are ice cold, brazen and fearless, and there are no real repercussions, with the exception of expulsion, and too many expulsions is a negative reflection on the school system, so that trigger is hard for the administration to pull. This inaction invites more and higher level animosity by the kids.
Secret does not know where the blame lies, and said what is important is to try to remember that there are kids there willing and wanting to learn, and tries to focus on the reason for being there.
Even with the hope of that statement, there is still an undertone of danger in the halls of the public schools. One day a teacher will be assaulted. The anger and disrespect in some of these kids is very apparent, and can be very intimidating. Secret says "a good poker face is a necessary tool that only comes with time and experience," and fears the bluff one day will be called.
Robert Weber
Michigan City
What difference would this make? It's the kids, acting out and not knowing how to handle the issues, not the teachers or administrative staff.