Hutto (Round Rock, Highlands, Howe: buying, construction, private schools)
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I'm a 4th grade teacher in AISD in a school that is mostly Latino (70% Latino, 20% African-American, 6% white) and believe there may be a bit more to this confusion involving the 5 year old girl. First, when a child registers, the parents fill out papers regarding the child's English proficiency. The child would NOT be placed in a bilingual class if their native language is English. Furthermore, if the child is somewhat proficient in English and the teacher feels they could succeed in an English class, the child would be tested and if they score well, that child would matriculate to either an ESL or normal English classroom, both usually held in separate classes. Now, I am not trying to sound skeptical, however, if the Spanish speaking 5 year olds are able to tell other children they could "stab" in English, they certainly have the skills to test to move into ESL/normal class (considering they are five). Plus, I find it a bit odd that a 5 year old would understand a native speaker telling her about "stabbing and finding her in the trash," regardless of a little girl being taught Spanish at home. Heck, I'm sure I speak more Spanish than her, and I had to think about how to say stab in a forceful manner.
Finally, contrary to popular belief, educators do not teach for the stellar salary, we do it because we love children, so 99% of anyone in a school would be very concerned about violence in the school and would not handwrite a list of schools for her to transfer, that is just silly. I'm at a school that has nearly 900 kids, we are packed and adding 4 teachers, and we would not disregard any child's safety and I know of no schools that would.
My advice would be to have them talk with the teacher, school counselor and administration again. If these accusations are true and the school is not doing anything about it, report the school and administrator to the school district. But, make sure these accusations are true.
I am thankful to the people who did help and let us know about the PEG system. Anyhow the truth is what he (my brother and his wife) told me did happen and that the school knows it happened and is not willing to do anything about it but give her (my niece) a transfer into another school. Which has been granted so she will be starting at the new elm. school within the next week or so and until then she is staying home. Her old school is very overcrowded and can not keep up with all the needs of all the ESL students coming into K and 1st grade and balance the needs of the non ESL students. They said they are hoping things improve when the other new elm schools open in the next few years. So her class which should be an english speaking class has many ESL students in it. If the ESL kids speak english well or not is unclear as the kids were yelling at my niece in spanish. Saying they were "going to cut/stab her" and that "her mom found her (my niece) in a trash can". Along with a host of other things. My niece does know spanish phases like "cut this paper" and "trash can" as well as colors (part of what the kids kept saying was about her being white) as she has been doing a spanish program at home called Muzzy Early Advantage Spanish for about a year now (they got it when they moved there last year) in hopes of helping the kids fit in more. Really it just made it worse because she was able to know what they were saying about her.
Last edited by vermont08; 09-19-2007 at 11:07 AM..
Then I think she should just be able to respond back to them. My parents taught me cool responses to say if someone picked on me. Which did happen. There was one really mean boy in my neighborhood who used to pick on me and a friend of mine. I told my parents about it, and they taught me how to respond back (not necessarily in a violent way, but how to turn the tables on him in as flip a manner as I could). Transferring was not an option back then. And you know what? After I took all the fun out of it for him, he started to lay off. And another excellent way I fought back? I made friends with some of his friends, and one day on the bus as he was trying to be mean, one of them told him he didn't want to hear it anymore. Some others responded in kind, and it stopped there, never happening again.
I didn't make that first sentence very clear...sorry! I know she is staying home for now, but seriously, no matter where people go, there is always going to be someone in ANY school, anywhere, who will be mean or a bully. I think parents should arm their kids with ways to fight back or to deal with it in a constructive manner. There is a thing in Round Rock this weekend at a karate school on Gattis school rd. that is having a program about Stranger Danger, how to fight back if someone tries to grab you, and also a segment on how to deal with bullies. Someone posted it on our moms group web site, and I'm seriously thinking about taking my daughter.
It's one thing to have 1 or 2 bullies and a complete other thing to have 19 all against you.
If that is the schools attitude I would complain to the district advisory board, the superintendant, whoever is above them, and anyone else who has ears. That attitude is totally unacceptable.
I am glad she's getting out of there, but another kid will take her place. The staff there should be ashamed of themselves.
Perhaps they don't want white kids there?
Hispanics don't outnumber White kids here. I could get into a big political discussion about what types of hispanics are most likely causing the problem there, but I'm sure this isn't the forum for it. But you're right, some other kid will take her place. And if the school board isn't hearing their voice, maybe if some other Hutto residents added theirs, something will get the ball rolling. I'll be calling today.
It's one thing to have 1 or 2 bullies and a complete other thing to have 19 all against you.
If that is the schools attitude I would complain to the district advisory board, the superintendant, whoever is above them, and anyone else who has ears. That attitude is totally unacceptable.
I am glad she's getting out of there, but another kid will take her place. The staff there should be ashamed of themselves.
Perhaps they don't want white kids there?
Another Hot Day-
That is a plain ignorant response. To assume a school values one ethnicity over the other shows you know next to nothing about 99% of the people that are educators. Furthermore, Johnson has 53% Caucasian and only 33% Latino, so if they "do not care about white kids" then they would be depriving many children of their right to education, not to mention refusing the children of Hutto residents (who are mostly white). You sound as if you have a "Pobrecito mindset" (poor little me); Always looking to be the victim.
Bottom line is if the little girl has gone through this experience, the family needs to take action and bring this into the limelight in Hutto. If they choose to clam up and simply transfer the girl, they will be doing an injustice to the community of Hutto and allowing for this behavior to continue unabated.
Lastly, with a school population over 700 and only 33% Latino, they should have enough English classes. Plus, the intention of ESL is to instruct in English and the children in those classes are deemed proficient enough in English or speak another language that the district does not have classes for (i.e. Burmese).
IMO, there is something missing to this whole situation that could clear up a lot of this.
Thanks for that pompous response. You assume you know me and what I was thinking.
I don't doubt the educators care for every one of their kids, but something is broken somewhere in this school.
I hope the parents of next kid who takes the place of the OPs niece raises enough hell to get answers and action.
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Which has been granted so she will be starting at the new elm. school within the next week or so and until then she is staying home. 
Her old school is very overcrowded and can not keep up with all the needs of all the ESL students coming into K and 1st grade and balance the needs of the non ESL students. They said they are hoping things improve when the other new elm schools open in the next few years. So her class which should be an english speaking class has many ESL students in it. If the ESL kids speak english well or not is unclear as the kids were yelling at my niece in spanish. Saying they were "going to cut/stab her" and that "her mom found her (my niece) in a trash can". Along with a host of other things. My niece does know spanish phases like "cut this paper" and "trash can" as well as colors (part of what the kids kept saying was about her being white) as she has been doing a spanish program at home called Muzzy Early Advantage Spanish for about a year now (they got it when they moved there last year) in hopes of helping the kids fit in more. Really it just made it worse because she was able to know what they were saying about her. 
