A 6th grader

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Mrs Andrews,
Even though I live in Middletown, my son will graduate from Monroe.  I feel the best thing I did for my son was remove him from the Middletown school system when he was in the 6th grade.  He is now an A/B student.   I do not feel it is my responsiblity to raise someone elses child.  My Son is in the BoysScouts, preparing to become an Eagle Scout soon.  My also attends 2 different church youth groups per week.  He also attends a Bible study group once a week off campus.  And goes to church every Sunday.  All the above he does of his own volition.   

 One of the major issues at Middletown Schools IMO is the lack of discipline, such as a few years ago when MHS had approximately 63 discipline issue per 100 students.  It seems that in your response above you are more concerned with the financial issue than with correcting the disciplinary issues.

When my son first went to Monroe, during orientation, The Principal pulled 3 students out of the bleachers and told them to go home and not come back until their hair was a natural color.  These students had colored their hair each with different colors, one was pink, one was bright Blue and another was white.  Monroe also had a strict NO CELL PHONE during school policy.  If a student was caught with a cell phone, it was taken from them and given back after school.  

If the attitude of the school board is going to be, "It cost us more money" and the school board is lacking is a disciplinary policy then you will continue to have issue like above and you will fail the students that the Middletown School District are supposed to be teaching.

Pacman

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Pacman Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Jun 02 2007 Status: Offline Points: 2612	Post Options Post Reply Quote Pacman Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct 31 2012 at 7:39pm
	Mrs Andrews, Even though I live in Middletown, my son will graduate from Monroe. I feel the best thing I did for my son was remove him from the Middletown school system when he was in the 6th grade. He is now an A/B student. I do not feel it is my responsiblity to raise someone elses child. My Son is in the BoysScouts, preparing to become an Eagle Scout soon. My also attends 2 different church youth groups per week. He also attends a Bible study group once a week off campus. And goes to church every Sunday. All the above he does of his own volition. One of the major issues at Middletown Schools IMO is the lack of discipline, such as a few years ago when MHS had approximately 63 discipline issue per 100 students. It seems that in your response above you are more concerned with the financial issue than with correcting the disciplinary issues. When my son first went to Monroe, during orientation, The Principal pulled 3 students out of the bleachers and told them to go home and not come back until their hair was a natural color. These students had colored their hair each with different colors, one was pink, one was bright Blue and another was white. Monroe also had a strict NO CELL PHONE during school policy. If a student was caught with a cell phone, it was taken from them and given back after school. If the attitude of the school board is going to be, "It cost us more money" and the school board is lacking is a disciplinary policy then you will continue to have issue like above and you will fail the students that the Middletown School District are supposed to be teaching. Pacman

Pacman Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Jun 02 2007 Status: Offline Points: 2612	Post Options Post Reply Quote Pacman Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct 31 2012 at 7:22pm
	Squeemy Please Explain your comment as well?? Pacman

Pacman Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Jun 02 2007 Status: Offline Points: 2612	Post Options Post Reply Quote Pacman Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct 31 2012 at 7:20pm
	Rngrmed, please explain??? Pacman

rngrmed Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Citizen Joined: May 06 2009 Location: Middletown Status: Offline Points: 309	Post Options Post Reply Quote rngrmed Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct 31 2012 at 4:13pm
	Schools and the police should not get involved. Too much "Big Brother". It can be a good skill to focus on your work while there is a distraction. Just like teachers, bosses will always be watching and be the "expert". Sounds like the School is right on track at teaching these students appropriate life skills

squeemy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Resident Joined: Dec 23 2009 Location: Middletown Status: Offline Points: 125	Post Options Post Reply Quote squeemy Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct 31 2012 at 3:57pm
	If an individual is conditioned to believe from an early age that their capacity to create value depends on the needs of a state institution, like school, then it stands to reason that their capacity to find value in themselves diminishes. The institution of compulsory schooling served the needs of industrial America for generations when what was needed on a large scale were compliant, obedient employees. It also served the needs of the American military for schools to supply a steady stream of people whose self worth was subordinate to the authority of others. I'm convinced that after generations of enduring the vacuous, demeaning, soul- stripping process called American K-12 Education that we now have multiple generations of people who cannot recognize true value in themselves or others. To correct an earlier comment - American locks up 25% of the world prisoners, not 50%. But we're on our way to getting there.

Bill Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Citizen Joined: Nov 04 2009 Status: Offline Points: 710	Post Options Post Reply Quote Bill Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct 31 2012 at 1:41pm
	It wouldn't get to this point if the school would put kids like this in a different building so as not to distract from the rest of the students.

VietVet Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Council Joined: May 15 2008 Status: Offline Points: 7008	Post Options Post Reply Quote VietVet Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct 31 2012 at 10:33am
	Ms. Andrew: "I see that an "unruly child" was removed from the classroom"....WHO WAS LAUGHING AT AUTHORITY FIGURES AND NOT HARDLY INTIMIDATED BY THE CURRENT DETERENTS IN PLACE. TOO KINDER/GENTLER IMO. Ms. Andrew: "The principal involved the school resource police officer and the child's parent. This was handled appropriately"......IF BY APPROPRIATELY YOU MEAN THAT IT WAS OK FOR THE PARENT TO CONTINUALLY TELL THE SCHOOL THEY WOULD SHOW, THEN DIDN'T, LEAVING THE SCHOOL TO HANDLE WHAT THE PARENT CHOSE NOT TO DO. GET THE PARENTS WORK NUMBER, CALL THEM AT WORK AND BOTHER THEM UNTIL THEY GET SO MAD THAT SHOWING UP IS BETTER THAN REPEATED PHONE CALLS AT WORK. PERHAPS PLACING THE PARENT'S JOB IN QUESTION/IF THE LIVELIHOOD IS THREATENED, THAT WILL GET THE MESSAGE ACROSS TO SOME OF THESE PARENTS. TOO KINDER/GENTLER IMO. Ms. Andrew: "As far as I know, it is not a crime to fail to pick your child up at school when called by the principal". SO WHERE IS THE DETERRENT OR "TEETH" IN YOU POLICIES, MS. ANDREW? APPARENTLY, THEY ARE TOO WEAK TO CAUSE THE RESPONSE YOU NEED TO FIX THE SITUATION. THIS PARENT DIDN'T TAKE IT SERIOUSLY. TOO KINDER/GENTLER IMO. Ms. Andrew: "Nor is it against any law to fail to teach your child how to behave properly in school and to respect teachers, principals, police officers and judges". AHH, BUT THERE SHOULD BE IF YOU WANT THE PROPER BEHAVIOR TO BE LEARNED TO FUNCTION IN SOCIETY. EVERYONE, WHETHER A SCHOOL KID, A YOUNG ADULT IN COLLEGE, THE WORKING WORLD, THE MILITARY, TEAM ATHLETICS, AN ADULT THAT HAS BEEN AROUND THE BLOCK OR A SENIOR CITIZEN HAS RULES IN SOCIETY TO LIVE BY. OTHERWISE, WE HAVE SOCIETY CHAOS AND ANARCHY. TIME FOR THEM TO LEARN IS WHILE THEY'RE YOUNG. GONNA BE DOING IT TO SOME DEGREE THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. THE LAST THING WE NEED IS TO BREED LITTLE ONES WHO THUMB THEIR NOSES AT AUTHORITY FIGURES LIKE THIS STUDENT DID. YOUR POLICIES ARE NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY BY SOME STUDENTS IN YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT MS. ANDREW. IT IS TIME TO DEVELOP TACTICS THAT WILL MOTIVATE THEM TO BEHAVE.......BUT THEN, AGAIN, WE HAVE TODAY'S POPULAR THEME OF KINDER/GENTLER AND FEAR OF LEGAL REPRISALS FROM THE PARENTS WHO ARE THE PROBLEMS IN THE FIRST PLACE. Ms. Andrew: "The school district cannot "fix" the behavior and character of students like this without the support of the community--churches, Big Brother Big Sister, Boy Scouts, the Community Center" YOU HAVE DROPPED WHAT DID WORK IN THE SCHOOLS YEARS AGO.......CORPORAL PUNISHMENT. YOU HAVE GIVEN IN TO THE LEGAL PRESSURES OF THE PROBLEM PARENTS WHO THINK THEIR KID IS AN ANGEL AND THEY WILL SUE IF YOU "TALK MEAN" TO THEIR LITTLE ANGEL. APPARENTLY YOUR DISTRICT IS AFRAID TO CLAMP DOWN ON LITTLE JOHNNY, WHO IS A CONSTANT PROBLEM. UNTIL YOU START DICTATING TO THE PROBLEM PEOPLE AND THEIR KIDS HOW IT WILL BE, WITH ENOUGH FORCE TO CREATE SOME DEGREE OF INTIMIDATION, THEY WILL PERCEIVE THE ENVIRONMENT AS A JOKE. JMO

squeemy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Resident Joined: Dec 23 2009 Location: Middletown Status: Offline Points: 125	Post Options Post Reply Quote squeemy Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct 31 2012 at 10:16am
	Given the following 7 lessons taught in American schools, I'm surprised there's not more "unruly" kids. 1. Confusion – Teachers are sometimes forced to teach lessons out of context. The material is often unrelated and disconnected between subjects and is taken from curriculum that lacks coherence—but is required by state and local mandates. 2. Class Position – Teachers often spend too much time on teaching “where students are required to stay within the classroom. Students are ordered, numbered, and are given little choice as to where they “fit.” 3. Indifference – In many cases, students are taught not to care too much about anything and to appear as though they do. Students are required to become totally involved in boring lessons, to jump up and down with anticipation, and compete against each other for the teacher’s attention. 4. Emotional Dependency – Teachers teach “dependency” by using stats, red marks, stickers, smiles, frowns, honors, and disgraces. Students are taught to surrender their will to the predestined chain of command. Honor rolls exist to shame those that didn't make it. 5. Intellectual Dependency – Students are taught that “good kids wait for the teacher to tell them what to do.” The teacher makes all of the important choices regarding learning…after all—the teacher is the expert. 6. Provisional Self-Esteem – Teachers teach provisional self-esteem. Students must realize that they must conform. If not, monthly and weekly reports go home to show the parents how dissatisfied they should be with their children due to nonconformity! 7. One Can’t Hide – The seventh lesson is that “one can’t hide.” Students are taught that they are always being watched. They are under constant surveillance by the teacher. They have no private spaces and no private time allotted. Is it any wonder that America has 5% of the worlds population and 50% of its incarcerated people?

Marcia Andrew Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Citizen Joined: Jan 09 2010 Status: Offline Points: 365	Post Options Post Reply Quote Marcia Andrew Report Post Thanks(1) Quote Reply Posted: Oct 31 2012 at 9:32am
	I look at this story a little differently. I see that an "unruly child" was removed from the classroom--so he did not continue to disturb other students. The principal involved the school resource police officer and the child's parent. This was handled appropriately. The child was not sent back to class by the principal. As far as I know, it is not a crime to fail to pick your child up at school when called by the principal. Nor is it against any law to fail to teach your child how to behave properly in school and to respect teachers, principals, police officers and judges. (To be clear, I definitely disapprove of this behavior. I am just saying it is not illegal.) A parent can be brought to court if their child is chronically truant, but not for the other. So, the school has little it can do to get the parents to cooperate. The child will probably end up either in Juvenile Detention or an alternative school run by the county for severe behavioral problems--either of which will cost the school district more money. And his chances of graduating from high school and becoming a productive member of society do not look bright. The school district cannot "fix" the behavior and character of students like this without the support of the community--churches, Big Brother Big Sister, Boy Scouts, the Community Center, etc. We also have no idea from this story what this child may have been through in his life that contributes to him acting this way. As a community, though, it is in our own financial interests to try to help him and not just write him off.

tracyl Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Immigrant Joined: Apr 05 2012 Status: Offline Points: 15	Post Options Post Reply Quote tracyl Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct 31 2012 at 6:59am
	And welcome to MCSD. Not every student and parent acts like this for sure, but there are enough that do, all the way down to KINDERGARTEN, that cause serious problems for instruction and manpower. It's one of the few dirty little secrets we aren't supposed to talk about, considered "talking bad" about the district.

VietVet Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Council Joined: May 15 2008 Status: Offline Points: 7008	Post Options Post Reply Quote VietVet Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct 31 2012 at 6:39am
	Police Briefs Oct. 26 A student at Highview Sixth Grade, 106 S. Highview Road, was brought to the principal’s office because he was unruly. He was charged with disorderly conduct, and when the school resource officer Kenny King answered another call, the student ran out of the school. He was caught a few streets away and charged with obstruction of justice. His father was called numerous times and told school officials he was on his way, but he never showed. While in the cruiser, the boy was laughing and telling the officer everything was funny and he didn’t care what the judge said BOOT CAMP WITH MILITARY INSTRUCTORS FOR THIS LAD. (AND HIS DAD). BUT, OF COURSE, HE'LL BE GIVEN ANOTHER CHANCE WITH A SLAP ON THE HAND AND, LAUGHING AT THE AUTHORITIES......BE RIGHT BACK IN POLICE CUSTODY IN NO TIME HAVING LEARNED NOTHING. AIN'T IT GREAT THIS KINDER/GENTLER SOCIETY WE HAVE?