For the most part, today was just a regular day. Nothing really excitng, my kids were good, my lessons went fine. Except...
At 11:30a.m.(I was at lunch), the school secretary came over the intercom and said, "Staff Evacuate. Staff Evacuate. Do Not Use The Front Exit. Evacuate." So, we (me and the other teachers I was eating with) walked out of the back door. We saw all the students coming out. I walked over to another teacher that had been in the office and asked her what was happening. Apparently, someone had thrown a molotov cocktail in the stairwell at the front of the building.
We stood outside (while principal screamed, "In a line! No talking! Stay in line! Stop Talking!") for 30 minutes. While we were out in the parking lot, two police cars were already there, three more showed up, as well as two firetrucks.
Then we were told to go back in the building (NO TALKING!!) and resume class. After everyone was back in the room, she came over the intercom, berated teachers for "not watching students at all times," and told us not to use the front exit. The End.
I have never been afraid to go to my school. I know it's crazy and out of control, but I have never feared for my own safety. Now there's bombs. I'm really not okay with that at all. I'm really not okay with the principal thinking this is something she "deals" with. This is not a suspension moment. This is not a principal's situation. This is something that every adult and every parent of a child in that building has the right to know about. She never told anyone what was happening. Most people didn't know. I understand not wanting to cause chaos. That is totally understandable. But the issue needs to be addressed.
We also got cited because they didn't evacuate the building soon enough.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
What I Hate The Most
Hands down, the worst part of my job is the CPS referral. CPS is Child Protective Services. By law, I am required to report any suspected abuse. If a child shows up with bruises or tells me something about being hit/abused, etc. I have to fill out a report and fax it to CPS.
As if its not hard enough to listen to an 11 year old tell me that her father chased her into the bathroom and hit her because she stayed out too late, it always ends up being so much worse. My students rarely have two-parent households (I'm talking maybe 2 or 3 out of 100.) Many times, the parents are lashing out, not as a psychological thing, but as a desperate thing--most of them are still children themselves. They have no idea how to raise a child. They didn't graduate high school, they below the poverty line, and they have growing children that they have no idea what to do with.
To make matters even worse, the student is normally hesitant to say anything. Today, she was worried because her father takes care of her. If he is arrested for abuse, she is afraid she will be sent to live with her mother who barely speaks to her and is a drug addict.
They see so much violence in their neighborhood they think that is how its "supposed" to be.
I've had one CPS referral this year and nine last year. It is the hardest thing I have to do.
As if its not hard enough to listen to an 11 year old tell me that her father chased her into the bathroom and hit her because she stayed out too late, it always ends up being so much worse. My students rarely have two-parent households (I'm talking maybe 2 or 3 out of 100.) Many times, the parents are lashing out, not as a psychological thing, but as a desperate thing--most of them are still children themselves. They have no idea how to raise a child. They didn't graduate high school, they below the poverty line, and they have growing children that they have no idea what to do with.
To make matters even worse, the student is normally hesitant to say anything. Today, she was worried because her father takes care of her. If he is arrested for abuse, she is afraid she will be sent to live with her mother who barely speaks to her and is a drug addict.
They see so much violence in their neighborhood they think that is how its "supposed" to be.
I've had one CPS referral this year and nine last year. It is the hardest thing I have to do.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Outta Control
Remember the girl who was caught vandalizing the building?
Well, today I walked out of my room to see NINE police officers walking down the hallway. I could hear the police helicopter outside and hear sirens. I walked down the hallway, the front office door was closed. Inside, that girl was on the ground kicking and screaming, being held down by the principal, two police officers, and a random mother who had been in the office.
I don't know the whole story, but apparently the girl was being arrested and she totally flipped out. Then her mother showed up at the school and also flipped out--so much so that she attacked the principal AND two police officers. When she knocked one of the police officers over, the other one called for back-up, and the entire city showed up. My next period class showed up--they had been in gym (OUTSIDE) when this whole thing started. Can you imagine being 11 years old, playing outside and 5 police cars with sirens on and a helicopter show up. The cops jump out of the car with guns drawn, and you're expected to go calmly throughout the rest of the day?
"I know you just saw a woman assault a police officer and a girl your age that you know get arrested, but who wants to learn about Ancient Mesopotamia?!"
Well, today I walked out of my room to see NINE police officers walking down the hallway. I could hear the police helicopter outside and hear sirens. I walked down the hallway, the front office door was closed. Inside, that girl was on the ground kicking and screaming, being held down by the principal, two police officers, and a random mother who had been in the office.
I don't know the whole story, but apparently the girl was being arrested and she totally flipped out. Then her mother showed up at the school and also flipped out--so much so that she attacked the principal AND two police officers. When she knocked one of the police officers over, the other one called for back-up, and the entire city showed up. My next period class showed up--they had been in gym (OUTSIDE) when this whole thing started. Can you imagine being 11 years old, playing outside and 5 police cars with sirens on and a helicopter show up. The cops jump out of the car with guns drawn, and you're expected to go calmly throughout the rest of the day?
"I know you just saw a woman assault a police officer and a girl your age that you know get arrested, but who wants to learn about Ancient Mesopotamia?!"
Monday, September 17, 2007
Just Another Manic Monday
- I had to attend a meeting today for kid that, not only do I not know, he doesn't even go to our school. But they needed a "Regular Educator" to sign off so it looked legit.
- I have been appointed as a Mentor Teacher....to a black man who has been teaching for 7 years. What?
- I heard a rumor that our new CEO showed up unannounced to a school, suspended someone without pay for 5 days because they didn't have a lesson plan, and another for 2 because they were wearing jeans. (We don't have a dress code.) I wish someone would realize that leading through fear is maybe not the best idea. In a perfect world, somebody realizes that its not totally the teacher's fault when all students aren't a genius. My school is so messed up that we need people in the building, not people home for arbitrary punishements.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Three Things
1. So, my first year, the school I taught at had no air conditioning. It sucked. When it was hot, everybody was crabby. But you opened the windows, got the breeze and dealt with it.
When we moved to the new school, we were all so excited that the building had A/C. Now, not so much. Because there is A/C, our windows are bolted shut. So when I have 35 smelly children, I can't open the window for a breeze. Oh, and when do they turn the A/C off for the weekend? Yeah, around 5am FRIDAY morning. So all day Friday it just gets stickier and hotter and smellier....and crazier.
And I can't wait until winter when they turn the heat on to 90 degrees.
2. Yesterday one of our teachers saw a student (that she doesn't teach) spray-painting profanity on our school building. She recognized the student because she is CRAZY and everybody knows her. She told the principal that she had seen it occur. Today after school the teacher was HIDING because the principal had called the child and her mother and she wanted to confront them about it. This girl, this 12 year old, is a well-known member of the Bloods, and I have seen her mother beat her in the hallway at school. Why put a teacher who doesn't even know her into that equation? That just makes teachers who see things want to keep their mouth shut. And then what progress are we making?
3. Our principal uses the intercom for her every whim. It's like we work at an airport. Today was really special. She interrupted 1st period (a 60 minute class) NINE times to request things (so and so, come to the office), random rants (students, don't be in the hall without a pass), teacher insults (Mr. S GET IN MY OFFICE), among other things. Well, she had a meeting with the 6th graders today to discuss behavior in school. (She focused on incredibly important things like walking on the right side of the hallway and having proper passes) The vice principal came on the intercom once (in 1 1/2 hours) and she sent a teacher to tell him to "stop interrupting HER assembly." (She said this across the room so all the 6th graders heard...)
When we moved to the new school, we were all so excited that the building had A/C. Now, not so much. Because there is A/C, our windows are bolted shut. So when I have 35 smelly children, I can't open the window for a breeze. Oh, and when do they turn the A/C off for the weekend? Yeah, around 5am FRIDAY morning. So all day Friday it just gets stickier and hotter and smellier....and crazier.
And I can't wait until winter when they turn the heat on to 90 degrees.
2. Yesterday one of our teachers saw a student (that she doesn't teach) spray-painting profanity on our school building. She recognized the student because she is CRAZY and everybody knows her. She told the principal that she had seen it occur. Today after school the teacher was HIDING because the principal had called the child and her mother and she wanted to confront them about it. This girl, this 12 year old, is a well-known member of the Bloods, and I have seen her mother beat her in the hallway at school. Why put a teacher who doesn't even know her into that equation? That just makes teachers who see things want to keep their mouth shut. And then what progress are we making?
3. Our principal uses the intercom for her every whim. It's like we work at an airport. Today was really special. She interrupted 1st period (a 60 minute class) NINE times to request things (so and so, come to the office), random rants (students, don't be in the hall without a pass), teacher insults (Mr. S GET IN MY OFFICE), among other things. Well, she had a meeting with the 6th graders today to discuss behavior in school. (She focused on incredibly important things like walking on the right side of the hallway and having proper passes) The vice principal came on the intercom once (in 1 1/2 hours) and she sent a teacher to tell him to "stop interrupting HER assembly." (She said this across the room so all the 6th graders heard...)
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Driveway
Today was the first day in one year and two weeks of school that teachers and staff didn't have to drive the wrong way down a one-way alley to get to our parking lot. They have actually paved us an entryway!
In our old entrance of the alley, there were used needles in the doorway of a "grocery store." The store was in someone's house and the sign says, "GROCERY-Lunch Meat and Beer"
ham and beer that I bought from someone who lives in an alley. mmm, delicious!
In our old entrance of the alley, there were used needles in the doorway of a "grocery store." The store was in someone's house and the sign says, "GROCERY-Lunch Meat and Beer"
ham and beer that I bought from someone who lives in an alley. mmm, delicious!
Friday, September 7, 2007
Monday, September 3, 2007
I Hate The Vice Principal (Part One of a Thousand)
Well, I realize this story I'm about to relay didn't happen to me, but variations of it have throughout the past two years. I found out about it from my co-worker.
One of our vice principals, Mr. Sh, is a middle-aged white man who got no respect from the students or staff last year. Children cuss him out on a daily basis, and he thinks every problem can be solved by holding hands and singing "kum-bah-yah." His solution to every problem is to talk it out, or have the students write about their "feelings." Therefore, the kids think he's a joke. And because he can't control the children, we all hate him. (How can he demand something from us he can't do himself?)
Well, he was new to our school last year, and basically from the get-go he knew he would have no say with us. (Our staff is very much like a family.) So this year, all these new teachers have appeared, having no idea of our opinion of Mr. Sh. So he has decided that he's going to exert power SOMEWHERE, DAMNIT, and he has begun creating and enforcing made-up rules on the new teachers. ("I'm sorry, you can only make 100 copies a week." "Your desk arrangement is completely wrong." "You can't come in that door to the cafeteria, that's the 'student' door.") So when they complain about these ridiculous rules to us, we look shocked and clarify.
Anyway, on Thursday, my friend, Ms. K (a new teacher) got a desk thrown at her. The girl who did it isn't normally a trouble-maker, but she can have serious attitude. So Ms. K writes an office referral (This is a "level 3" offense). Mr. Sh comes to Ms. K and tells her that there cannot be an office referral because there have been no steps to intervene for this girl's behavior. So he says he will call the parent for a conference.
The next day, Mr. Sh shows up at Ms. K's door with the parent. He tells her to stop teaching her class and he will watch them while she stands in the hallway to talk to this mother. After about a minute, he opens the door and tells her she has four minutes to conclude this "conference." So, to summarize, Ms. K is in the hallway-alone-with an irate parent whose daughter has committed an act of violence. At which point the parent says, "All you white people are the same." Then Mr. Sh comes out, makes Ms. K go back to teaching and considers the issue resolved. The girl is not punished and nothing else happens regarding it. Later, when Ms. K brings it up, Mr. Sh says," well, she has a lot going on at home."
OKAY. But she should still be held accountable for her actions! She THREW a DESK for pete's sake. No matter how much you have "going on," you still have to act like a civilized human being or you will suffer the consequences. What, exactly, are we teaching these children?
Personally, I feel that Mr. Sh's attitude is one of the detriments to inner city schools. They ALL have a lot going on, and if I knew all the facts, I would be devestated. But I can't allow them to use it as an excuse to act ridiculous. It just means you have train harder and longer to jump the hurdles, not to complain about the hurdles until they are lowered enough to step over.
One of our vice principals, Mr. Sh, is a middle-aged white man who got no respect from the students or staff last year. Children cuss him out on a daily basis, and he thinks every problem can be solved by holding hands and singing "kum-bah-yah." His solution to every problem is to talk it out, or have the students write about their "feelings." Therefore, the kids think he's a joke. And because he can't control the children, we all hate him. (How can he demand something from us he can't do himself?)
Well, he was new to our school last year, and basically from the get-go he knew he would have no say with us. (Our staff is very much like a family.) So this year, all these new teachers have appeared, having no idea of our opinion of Mr. Sh. So he has decided that he's going to exert power SOMEWHERE, DAMNIT, and he has begun creating and enforcing made-up rules on the new teachers. ("I'm sorry, you can only make 100 copies a week." "Your desk arrangement is completely wrong." "You can't come in that door to the cafeteria, that's the 'student' door.") So when they complain about these ridiculous rules to us, we look shocked and clarify.
Anyway, on Thursday, my friend, Ms. K (a new teacher) got a desk thrown at her. The girl who did it isn't normally a trouble-maker, but she can have serious attitude. So Ms. K writes an office referral (This is a "level 3" offense). Mr. Sh comes to Ms. K and tells her that there cannot be an office referral because there have been no steps to intervene for this girl's behavior. So he says he will call the parent for a conference.
The next day, Mr. Sh shows up at Ms. K's door with the parent. He tells her to stop teaching her class and he will watch them while she stands in the hallway to talk to this mother. After about a minute, he opens the door and tells her she has four minutes to conclude this "conference." So, to summarize, Ms. K is in the hallway-alone-with an irate parent whose daughter has committed an act of violence. At which point the parent says, "All you white people are the same." Then Mr. Sh comes out, makes Ms. K go back to teaching and considers the issue resolved. The girl is not punished and nothing else happens regarding it. Later, when Ms. K brings it up, Mr. Sh says," well, she has a lot going on at home."
OKAY. But she should still be held accountable for her actions! She THREW a DESK for pete's sake. No matter how much you have "going on," you still have to act like a civilized human being or you will suffer the consequences. What, exactly, are we teaching these children?
Personally, I feel that Mr. Sh's attitude is one of the detriments to inner city schools. They ALL have a lot going on, and if I knew all the facts, I would be devestated. But I can't allow them to use it as an excuse to act ridiculous. It just means you have train harder and longer to jump the hurdles, not to complain about the hurdles until they are lowered enough to step over.
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Back to Crazy, Just Like Normal
Well the first friday of the school year was nothing if not chaotic. Here I was, getting comfortable in my advanced classes and my relatively well-behaved children thinking this year would be much different than last. Man was I wrong. I was walking my 4th period to their next class (all 35 of them...) and we turned the corner and accidently walked right into battle. There were four other classes in the hallway, all of which had lost control. One girl was being held against the wall by two grown men, kicking and screaming, "I will fucking kill her! Get the fuck off me! I will kill her!" (I found out later some girl had pushed against her in the hallway.) Closer to my class was another teacher holding back a boy, who proceeded to punch the teacher in the face. The teacher then had him on the ground with his knee in the boy's neck saying, "You just assaulted me son." and the boy was screaming, "Don't fucking touch me!" My kids had, of course, gotten out of line and ran up to see what was happening. There was pushing to get closer, and then other small fights starting breaking out because of the shoving to see the student/teacher fights. It took us about 20 minutes to get everybody in the classroom and somewhat settled.
Later on, the girl who had been screaming (J)was walking the hallway. I saw her, and I saw the police officer following her about 10 feet behind. About 20 minutes after that, I saw her again. I called her into my room and talked to her for about a minute or two. The police officer was nowhere to be found. After she had left, I saw the police officer again and told him she had been in my room. He said, "I can't find her. If you see her again, try to keep her in the room." So, my next period class showed up. One of my good students sits near the door, and I told her if she saw me talking to J, she should just get up and go get the principal or the police officer. Sure enough, J came back a few minutes later. I stood in the hallway and spoke with her (You know, what's wrong, are you okay, what happened, all that...) and the principal came and got her. Well, not 30 minutes later, she was walking the hallways alone again. How can I teach when everyone knows this crazy girl is walking the hallway?
Unrelated but also notable:
Part of our bullshit discipline code is to have as many behavior interventions as possible before writing an office referral. Well, we have 2 boys who need a little bit of a talking to, so they know we're watching their behavior. I went to get them from band so that we could all talk to them together as a team. (Me, and 3 other teachers meet daily) As I'm walking with them down the hallway, the principal stops me, and tells me that I can't take students out of class. I tell her they are going to a student/teacher meeting which is part of her discipline code. Her voice raises and she tells me that I will have to find another time to meet, because I will not be taking them out of class. My voice raises and I inform her that they need to be spoken with about their behavior with all of their teachers present, and I am taking them out of BAND for about 20 minutes. By this point, we are both yelling, and it ends with me throwing up my hands, saying whatever, and listening to her shouting at me as I walk down the stairwell.
In my three years working for her, she has never learned that you don't talk to teachers like you talk to naughty students, especially not in front of said students. I would totally lose all respect from them if I meekly accepted her tantrums. They respect me more when I stand up for myself, so that is what I have to do. She eventually gets over it and pretends like it never happened. I'd like to think that upon reflection, she realizes it was the wrong thing to do and dismisses it.
Later on, the girl who had been screaming (J)was walking the hallway. I saw her, and I saw the police officer following her about 10 feet behind. About 20 minutes after that, I saw her again. I called her into my room and talked to her for about a minute or two. The police officer was nowhere to be found. After she had left, I saw the police officer again and told him she had been in my room. He said, "I can't find her. If you see her again, try to keep her in the room." So, my next period class showed up. One of my good students sits near the door, and I told her if she saw me talking to J, she should just get up and go get the principal or the police officer. Sure enough, J came back a few minutes later. I stood in the hallway and spoke with her (You know, what's wrong, are you okay, what happened, all that...) and the principal came and got her. Well, not 30 minutes later, she was walking the hallways alone again. How can I teach when everyone knows this crazy girl is walking the hallway?
Unrelated but also notable:
Part of our bullshit discipline code is to have as many behavior interventions as possible before writing an office referral. Well, we have 2 boys who need a little bit of a talking to, so they know we're watching their behavior. I went to get them from band so that we could all talk to them together as a team. (Me, and 3 other teachers meet daily) As I'm walking with them down the hallway, the principal stops me, and tells me that I can't take students out of class. I tell her they are going to a student/teacher meeting which is part of her discipline code. Her voice raises and she tells me that I will have to find another time to meet, because I will not be taking them out of class. My voice raises and I inform her that they need to be spoken with about their behavior with all of their teachers present, and I am taking them out of BAND for about 20 minutes. By this point, we are both yelling, and it ends with me throwing up my hands, saying whatever, and listening to her shouting at me as I walk down the stairwell.
In my three years working for her, she has never learned that you don't talk to teachers like you talk to naughty students, especially not in front of said students. I would totally lose all respect from them if I meekly accepted her tantrums. They respect me more when I stand up for myself, so that is what I have to do. She eventually gets over it and pretends like it never happened. I'd like to think that upon reflection, she realizes it was the wrong thing to do and dismisses it.
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