The following was on my Facebook news feed today. It was shared by several people I know. One has children at this school. The other to share it home schools her children. This is the kind of "inaction" that is causing good teachers to run for the hills (teaching in other school districts or states) or just plain quit. As a tax payer who is funding this school system I'm appalled by the attitude of this administrator.
Jacob Miller is at North Salisbury Elementary.
5 hrs · Salisbury ·
ATTN: PARENTS OF CHILDRE WHO ATTEND NORTH SALISBURY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. TODAY MY 7 YEAR OLD SON WAS ATTACKED AND CHOKED IN GYM CLASS. UPON FINDING THIS OUT, I C...ALLED THE SCHOOL AND ASKED TO SPEAK WITH THR PRINCIPAL. I WAS TRANSFERED TO DR. HALL. I INQUIRED AS TO WHO THE STUDENT WAS AND WHAT WERE THE ACTIONS BEING TAKEN. SHE INFORMED ME THAT SHE WOULD NOT TELL ME WHO THE OTHER CHILD WAS, NOR WOULD SHE TELL ME WHAT WAS BEING DONE!!!! SHE EXPLAINED THAT WAS DUE TO THE RIGHTS OF THE STUDENT!!! I THEN ASKED IF MY SON DOES NOT HAVE ANY RIGHTS THEN. SHE THEN STAMMERED AROUND AND FINALLY MUTTERED OUT THAT, " SHE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO RESPOND."I ASKED ABOUT MY SON'S RIGHT TO NOT BE BULLIED IN SCHOOL. SHE TOLD ME IT WAS, " NOT BULLYING BECAUSE IT HAS ONLY HAPPENED ONCE!! AND I SHOULD BE THANKFUL BECAUSE HER SON WAS PUNCHED IN THE FACE!!!" SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE WAS NOT GOING TO REMOVE THE STUDENT, NOR WOULD HE FACE ANY TYPE OF DISCIPLINARY ACT. SHE THEN SAID THAT SHE SPOKE TO MY MOTHER PREVIOUSLY AND GSVE HER "HINTS" SO IS THAT THEN PROTECTING THE ATTACKERS RIGHTS? I CHALLENGE ALL PARENTS TO REALLY LOOK INTO OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. SOMETHING WORSE COULD HAPPEN BUT U WON'T KNOW ANYTHING IF IT'S NOT HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE!!!! FINALLY I INFORMED DR. HALL I WOULD BE EXPOSING THIS AND SHE LAUGHED AND THANKED ME AND THEN HUNG UP.
You only have one side of the story. There are almost always 3 sides. His side, her side and the truth.
ReplyDeleteFirst starbucks then this. Whats the world coming to?
ReplyDeleteThis is very sad that public schools have been degraded and not respond with heavy discipline to violent attacks by students. The teachers seem afraid or unable to do anything since they are not authorized. The board and principals seem to be in fear of exceeding ratios of discipline. Get those trouble makers out of public schools now, and allow those who want to learn and respect rules succeed.
ReplyDeleteDear readers,
ReplyDeleteTo share, Administrators and school staff are not permitted to share the details of an investigation at any point, are not permitted to share with the parent/guardian of a student attacked/injured the name of the offending student, and certainly may not place both sets of parents and children in the same conference together to address issues. This is due to very strict confidentiality and due process issues that are required of them imposed by local, county, state and federal laws and regulations. There are veritable mountain of reasons for this, but primarily because the incident is often escalated. As a parent, you can certainly talk with your child at home about the incident and learn the name of the offending student. Once you have done so, it is your right to contact law enforcement and see what options are available.
Typically, when a school administrator investigates the incident they are attempting to establish fact and timeline after insuring safety of students first. Further, the administrator is correct in regards to the bullying piece. Bullying is a multiple incident situation. The administrator may uncover at a later date through investigation a pattern that can be defined as bullying, but if she has not yet done so she certainly cannot act on it. Please keep in mind that the administrator can only act on what can be proven. While I understand this individuals frustration and anger, it must be understood that the school based administrators have very little authority if they cannot prove something. I would advise that the parent in this case pursue a law enforcement solution outside of the school and see what can be done.
Regards,
Paladin
You always want to pass the buck onto law enforcement. Why? A seven year old getting arrested? Finger printed mug shot ? Ridiculous!! Btw your thesis has nothing to do with the post. Just rambling!
DeleteMy daughter is a 6th 7th and 8th grade teacher in Baltimore County. The same identical things happen there. The teachers are treated and bullied the same way as the students are. No discipline is taken. They are allowing the students to run to school.
ReplyDeleteThis is prevalent.if you organized a march to protest the ineptitude of the administrators i’d Be there and my children are grown. This has gone on way too long!
ReplyDeleteWhat do you expect when the whole system is infested with ineptness.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I understand this. Does this say that a child can bully another child but it is not called bullying unless it happens more than once? Did I mistake that? Did I understand that if my daughter was hit the school forbids employees from disclosing the name of child that hit my daughter and that without that information we are unable to even talk to the parents of that child?? All of this sounds stupid to me. How can anything be resolved when in essence NOTHING is done??? This is how bullies are born and lessons that nothing happens for bad behavior. How can parents change this????? I have the answer....do you????
ReplyDeleteAlthough I don't agree with bullying and I understand your position as a mother hen, perhaps you should also consider that everyone has to learn how to defend themselves in life. Although your son was "attacked" by another elementary school kid, this is nothing new. This has been going on since the dawn of schooling. I was taught that if someone hits me, hit them back. Sometimes, lessons are learned on the literal playground. There is a distinct difference between a kid who is bullied and a kid who gets into a fight with another kid. It happens. Every kid gets into a scuffle on the playground.
ReplyDeleteIn my dealings with Wicomico county school system I believe the staff are responding to the best of their ability. It is the Board, state, and feds that are the problem. It is true that the problem kids are handled as untouchable and it is a real problem. It has to be dealt with at the higher levels, but you have to get the overly liberal policy direction out of the system. Or the Parkland situations will continue. They system is not helping the children.
ReplyDeleteDelmar High School has become the same way. So much for zero tolerance on Bullying... It's all BS.
ReplyDeleteI know that you're upset, but please stop yelling.
ReplyDeletePress charges with the police.
ReplyDeleteReport the incident to the Sheriffs Office and demand investigation
ReplyDeleteIt's all about legal liability. Nothing else.
ReplyDeleteThe principal is right on one thing, this is not bullying. It is straight out assault. I agree with Paladin that law enforcement needs to be called in on this and charges pressed if what your child told you is the whole truth.
ReplyDeleteThey, school admins, are scared of the bullie's parents and what the NAASCP will do to them.
ReplyDeleteLawlessness run amuck in this country, state, county.
We need people to vote left out and get this country back.
ReplyDelete9:57- Next time could you use more???? I don't think your making your point only using???? Maybe?????? That's all I got from you, did I miss??????
ReplyDeleteSounds like your kid need to toughen up. Maybe get him a GI Joe instead of a barbie doll.
ReplyDeleteHow about if we take you and drop you on the Westside and see how tough YOU are?
DeleteTo your surprise he d probably like it and not want to come home.
DeleteIn recent incidents the politicians spout "if you see something-tell somebody". This has been said by our good president and many uniformed law enforcement officers. So you say something and are told again nothing can be done about it.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is, the people who “speak up and say something” are too illiterate to communicate effectively. This JUNK that was written above is rubbish and isn’t taken seriously.
DeleteOrganize a March? Sorry, but that made me laugh during this sad state of societial affairs we live in.
ReplyDeleteI'm from the 1900's where things were much different and ZERO SOCIAL MEDIA! Made it through with barely any scratches. Those I received, were well received and I learned much from them!
The 'children' learn early that they can do whatever they want without repercussions and this attitude carries over into adulthood. This disrespect towards others is a major cause of adults continuing to act like children in our society.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteThey, school admins, are scared of the bullie's parents and what the NAASCP will do to them.
Lawlessness run amuck in this country, state, county.
March 28, 2018 at 11:42 AM
This statement is correct. These privacy laws were enacted really to protect minority problematic children. This so the schools would not have to let parents or other know when a kid got into trouble and what was being done about it. The big argument was that young black males were getting into trouble and punished at a much higher rate than other children. So this was the way around it.
I remember several years back, it was an unwritten rule that principals at the Wicomico County Schools system could not suspend a black student more specifically a black male. But they had to get permission from the board to take disciplinary action.
So what I have seen is that in our Wicomico County Schools are that the students run the school and their crazy a$$ parents do the same. The first action always taken by the parent is that its not their child's fault. When the Principal tries to stick punishment, the parent goes to the school and argues and our WEAK board of Ed gives in.
So nothing ever happens to the disruptive student (students of all color). But yet the kids that are there to learn, and are not problematic, get disrupted from their education on a daily basis.
All this is result of the no child left behind program. It doesn't work, not all kids are the same or learn the same.
The problematic kids who are always in trouble. For you lazy parents out there who are afraid to punish your child and make them behave, guess what its not your kids fault they get into trouble, its your fault for not being a GOOD PARENT.
Anyway the Board of Education has no back bone. My kid your kid and everyone kid suffers in school because they do not hold anyone accountable except for the kids that are doing what they are supposed to be doing.
Sorry for the rant, but have been dealing with the Wicomico Board of Ed for too many years.
All parents in Wicomico county should plan a student walkout as a show of protest. If parents organize and stick together change will happen.
ReplyDeleteYeah because that means anything. No one cares if you or your kids walk out. No one cares that the kids marched on DC about gun violence. Sorry to tell you but, that’s the truth of the matter. It’s a big waste of time. Just pull up your big girl panties and deal with it.
DeletePaladin & 11:00 am are right, file charges. If this happened to an adult it would be assault. Kids should not have to be punching bags to other kids. The bully and their parents need to be responsible. Make them take court-ordered classes (that they have to pay for) and make them pay for the other kids medical bills.
ReplyDeleteThere are regulations, literally, that only allow the schools to discipline children based on the racial composition of their enrollment. For example, if the student population of a school is 60% Caucasian, 30% African American, and 10% Hispanic... then the school's disciplinary actions (suspensions, etc) MUST also be 60% Caucasians, 30% African Americans, and 10% Hispanics. As a Maryland teacher, I can 100% confirm this. This manufactured "balance" must be maintained, which is why administrators look the other way more often than not. It's beyond ridiculous and is why our school systems are unsafe and ineffective. Bad behavior is bad behavior, race has nothing to do with it.
ReplyDelete9:57
ReplyDeleteyou simply talk to your child and then call the police and file charges...simple as that
9:58 AM - wow aren't you a special kinda stupid. I am not sure how I managed to get thru school without having to learn how to defend myself and beat the crap out of someone. We didn't have that class. Not all of us want to grow up to be thugs. Some of us had a higher calling.
ReplyDeleteHere is a tip and some free advice for you...stop living your life on Facebook. Shut that crap down and involve yourself in reality. Facebook is the ruination of society.
ReplyDeleteIsn't there some sort of alternative school for the troublemaking kids? The bullies should be sent to a military like school for their punishment where they have to wear uniforms, have a strict schedule and discipline, learn respect for others and do some community service projects. (the things their parents should be teaching them)
ReplyDeleteAnonymous Anonymous said...
ReplyDelete9:57- Next time could you use more???? I don't think your making your point only using???? Maybe?????? That's all I got from you, did I miss??????
March 28, 2018 at 12:19 PM
Are you the English and grammar police?
Scumbag parents have scumbag children.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteDC and Annapolis are at the root of this issue due to both law and regulations designed to misrepresent which categories of students are actually misbehaving. Restrictions on WCBOE and administrators come from across the bay.
Kids may not be making an effort to get educated but they are not stupid. They recognize that in-the-school administrators have to jump backwards through hoops with eyes closed in order document their behavior before any real discipline begins to occur.
It's just carte blanche for the bad apples. Legislature did no favors by requiring kids to be enrolled until age 18. Bad actors are a small percentage of students but they consume an unbelievable amount of teacher and administrator time, not to mention how it undercuts kids who are on task.
Frustrating!
Fact is the school is not allowed to punish a minority student unless they can prove enough non minority students were punished for doing the same thing. Since most offenders are minorities well. Nothing can be done most of the time. Reality never enters into the equation. They could care less if minorities offend far more often. Only this balance in punishment is addressed.
ReplyDeleteWhy the School Shooting happened in Florida. Laws that make it virtually impossible for a student to face discipline by the school or by the police. This drives up school shootings thus their ability to push gun control.
They do all they can to remove our right to guns that might give us a fighting chance.
Hitler and Obama. Two of the same. Nancy and Church are just exactly like Hitler pushing the same agenda. Hitler also used students to push the agenda against guns. Hogg even gave that strong arm salute much like Hitler.
1984 and worse. We seem very close to becoming a total dictatorship. Can Trump stop it. I am losing hope it is possible. Paul Ryan and company sell out Trump whenever possible.
So if my child is hurt in school by another student and needs medical attention outside the nurses office who pays the bill if I'm not insured. Do I send my doctors bill to the County School System? If his glasses are broken.....who pays for new glasses?
ReplyDeleteSince this was a one time thing, it is a physical attack on a student. It is not bullying. The child may be a bully, but bullying is repetitive action. I understand being terribly upset that this happened to your child. However, did you ask if your child did anything to provoke the attack? (To be clear, I'm not condoning physical altercations in any form.) If, in fact, this was an unprovoked attack the attacker should have been punished by suspension. To those of you who suggested pressing charges...get real...on a 7 year old? What are they going to do, put him in jail? Even in the high schools when a parent demands to press charges, BOTH students are sent to juvenile justice, tell their story, and promise not to do it again. Waste of time, in my opinion. Had the injured child defended himself, both students would have been in trouble because the BOE doesn't accept self-defense at all. Until the DOJ butts out, and State/Federal funding isn't based on, among other things, discipline, nothing will change. It is pathetic, I agree. There is a published Code of Conduct on the BOE website, but none of the schools follow it because the BOE doesn't allow it. So, what's the point? Nothing is going to change until parents unite and bombard every political entity possible with demands for proper punishment for students who can't behave in school. Parents today just won't teach their children that there are rules we must obey, winners and losers, manners matter, etc.
ReplyDelete@ 6:45 There isn't anyone tough on the Westside just wannabe thugs, They attack in packs but pull a gun and they beg just like I did in the city park, I think they pissed their saggy pants.
ReplyDeleteSouthSide Jiu Jitsu offers a bullying solution.
ReplyDeleteFalcons wrestling offers a solution.
Mitchells Martial Arts offers a solution.
Main Street Boxing Gym offers a solution
Parks Martial Arts offers a solution.
Teach your kids they have the right and the responibility to defend themselves regardless of the B.S. punishment.
In my time if there was a fight for any reason both parties were suspended. If thats no longer the case and nothing will be done then why restrain yourself?
A bully cant bully with torn tendons, ripped muscles or choked out.
Not just my humble opinion. Its the opinion of a wide swath of the population.
STOP LETTING THE GOVERNMENT TURN YOU INTO AN UNWILLING VICTIM.
Did anyone report this to the Wicomico County Sheriff's Office? If not, they need to.
ReplyDelete4:52 Get insurance or get a real job. No excuse - that's child abuse if you can't provide insurance for your children.
ReplyDeleteI went to school in Worcester county and had worse happen to me. Bullying and teasing is nothing new, oversensitive helicopter parents who believe their children are never the problem is what is different.
ReplyDeleteI am white and was not once picked on or bullied by a black kid. In fact it was black kids who came to my defense on several occasions when white kids bullied me. I had white kids steal from me, but when I unknowingly dropped a $20 in the cafeteria it was a black girl who chased me down to give it back to me. The people making underhanded racist remarks on here are more than likely basing these remarks on what they see on BET and rap videos because they are too narrow minded to ever talk to someone of another race and see what's really going on. Who owns BET? Who produces these rap videos? You should be asking THOSE WHITE PEOPLE why they are promoting this behavior to impressionable children instead of blaming children for acting like children ALWAYS HAVE. Do any of you feel your lives were ruined by the petty little stuff that happened in grade school? Well guess what, when your children grow up niether will they.
We all have to teach our children & grandchildren how to survive in our society. The PC police seem to think that love & kindness in every and all situations is the only answer. Unfortunately, jerks don't respond to love & kindness. So teach your children & grandchildren how to deal with ALL situations. Sometimes you have to assert yourself to an individual to make them understand that you have no intention of dealing with their crap.
ReplyDeleteI, as a teacher in Wicomico County, can also confirm what "March 28, 2018 at 2:22 PM" said about a school's disciplinary actions needing to be proportional to the school's racial makeup. This is all thanks to the Obama era DOJ threatening legal action if school systems across the country did not "stop being racist" to minority kids.
ReplyDeleteThe good news is (sarcasm), that after thirty some calls/complaints/charges to authorities about aggressive school behavior, and life-threatening actions and words towards other students and schools, you can get off clean with no criminal record, and in the case of the kid in Florida, you can buy a gun and do what needs not repeating!
The BOEs across the country should have sued the DOJ right back for slander, saying "You run your country, we will run our school system!" But, unfortunately, the media says all teachers and all whites have privilege and racism, so it must be true in all of our schools. The BOEs can't do that, unfortunately, because all of our Union Dues fund the Democratic Party, not protect students and teachers! Can't bite the hands that feed you! Shame on BOEs, ours included, for falling in line with this political hype.