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OK, this is the same school where parents have complained about:
Corporal punishment
Forced Exercise, kids made to go up and down 17 concrete steps for 30-60 minutes
1st and 4th graders cleaning toilets with bare hands, tooth brushes, toilet brushes
Now, allegations of a child being forced into a dark closet for 45 minutes.....by the principal.
What is the heck? This is NOT normal, these tactics only exist in districts where schools sanction hitting children with wooden boards. This is more than wrong.
There is no news article, the paper is a once a week deal, and the deadline for this week has passed.
Dar,
This has not hit the news yet. Part of the trouble is that the staff who are reporting the principal are having their job security threatened. This is small town, and whistleblowers pay dearly. The local board refuses to hear parent complaints. I advocate for children, and wanted to attend the next board of ed with a group of parents. I was told by the superintendent that if I showed up, I would not be able to speak, that this is not a democracy, and that parents in his district are delinquent and ignorant, and that parent participation can only lead to chaos. If I had not heard this with my own ears, I would think that someone made this up.
If this is how adults are treated in this school district, one can only imagine how the children are treated behind closed doors. When you have staff reaching out in desperation to out of state advocates for help, the situation is really bad.
This school principal has clearly crossed the line in so many discipline techniques. I still say that once the tone is set from the top, and you give adults free reign to hit other children with boards, you are going to attract educators who will find other ways to harm children.
OK, this is the same school where parents have complained about:
Corporal punishment
Forced Exercise, kids made to go up and down 17 concrete steps for 30-60 minutes
1st and 4th graders cleaning toilets with bare hands, tooth brushes, toilet brushes
Now, allegations of a child being forced into a dark closet for 45 minutes.....by the principal.
What is the heck? This is NOT normal, these tactics only exist in districts where schools sanction hitting children with wooden boards. This is more than wrong.
There is no news article, the paper is a once a week deal, and the deadline for this week has passed.
What's the name of the school? Why not contact this local paper and see if they will publish something in their next edition?
Moderator cut: deleted name of school The Arkansas Times has been more than responsive in printing articles of concern, letters to the editor, and extending offers for op ed pieces.
The ACLU is working in this area on a similar case that this paper is covering, I believe that legal action will be the next step for these parents. The media and lawsuits will help to bring this school into compliance, but it should not take that. Educators should be modeling best practice.
Last edited by Beretta; 03-26-2008 at 06:58 PM..
Reason: cannot divulge name of school until it has been made public due to liability issues
Yes, unfortunately it's gonna take some lawsuits to gain this distrit's cooperation. I think they have forgotten who they serve. I can't imagine how an idea of putting a child in a closet would not invite immediate abuse charges, and investigations from the highest level. Perhaps that superintendant needs early retirement.
It is amazing to me just how many ways there are to punish or humiliate children, and some schools or educators seem to have all the wrong methods.
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