Cooper Middle School

[Anonymous]

I agree that assigned lunch seating removes the joy from the MS experience so to speak. Hopefully they only will do this for a week or two.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My daughter has said they have assigned seats at lunch? Or they have to sit only with their class? Why are they treating these kids like hardened criminals? When we were overseas, the middle schoolers were allowed to take their lunch, eat outside etc. Kids that didn't make it to their next class were dealt with but the other kids were allowed free rein.

In addition, my daughter says there are over 100 kids in her PE class? I thought the whole reason it was ok not to have a longer lunch was that they were getting plenty of exercise in their PE classes. No one will be exercising with 100 kids squeezed into 1 gym.

Lol, welcome back, it’s not the same FCPS you left! Too bad you couldn’t get another assignment abroad. It’s better to do your DC time when the kids are younger and take them abroad when they’re older. It might give you a little boost for college acceptances and the kids will appreciate regional travel during break more.

[Anonymous]

Can someone tell me why there are constant daily fights, bullying, sexual harassment, vaping… at Cooper Middle School and the administration is not taking control of it? It’s been going on all year and nothing has improved. The perpetrators are allowed to do what they want without real consequences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can someone tell me why there are constant daily fights, bullying, sexual harassment, vaping… at Cooper Middle School and the administration is not taking control of it? It’s been going on all year and nothing has improved. The perpetrators are allowed to do what they want without real consequences.

Same for all middle schools. Administrators need to be able to discipline but they have no power.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone tell me why there are constant daily fights, bullying, sexual harassment, vaping… at Cooper Middle School and the administration is not taking control of it? It’s been going on all year and nothing has improved. The perpetrators are allowed to do what they want without real consequences.

Same for all middle schools. Administrators need to be able to discipline but they have no power.

The parents of the problem kids know they have problem kids (for years), and they fight to keep their problem kid in the mainstream. Same parents fight to sue the school and also well practiced at blaming the victim. Entitled behavior is worse in the wealthy areas. If something happens to your kid, get the video tape from the school immediately and hire a lawyer immediately. Police will do nothing. Parents should know their rights.

[Anonymous]

Why don’t they have power to enforce school rules? Why do teachers seem to take a blind eye stance? It’s gotten out of control and has created an unsafe, negative environment.

[Anonymous]

Interested in the culture at school - will be moving over summer and our quiet DS will start 7th in the fall with no prior friendships.

[Anonymous]

I work at a middle school in FCPS and do lunch duty every day. We can barely get the kids to sit much less assign seats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interested in the culture at school - will be moving over summer and our quiet DS will start 7th in the fall with no prior friendships.

I had a quiet who did have prior friendships and he has done fine.

Like all middle schools, there are many different groups of students. There are many smart talented students. There are also some troublemakers but all middle schools have them.

I have not been satisfied with organized activities and sports. I believe there will be track starting next year but my kids are not interested in that.

[Anonymous]

I also have a rising seventh grader who will be attending Cooper coming from private school, where there has definitely been mean girl stuff and way too much personal electronic use, “rich kid” culture, etc but otherwise it’s been pretty tame. Definitely no vaping, or physical fights. Bullying happens, but it’s more under the radar. Is Cooper going to be a rude awakening for her? I would like to know what exactly to prepare her for because private school is no longer an option for us financially so she’s gonna have to endure the next two years ant Cooper even if she hates it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I also have a rising seventh grader who will be attending Cooper coming from private school, where there has definitely been mean girl stuff and way too much personal electronic use, “rich kid” culture, etc but otherwise it’s been pretty tame. Definitely no vaping, or physical fights. Bullying happens, but it’s more under the radar. Is Cooper going to be a rude awakening for her? I would like to know what exactly to prepare her for because private school is no longer an option for us financially so she’s gonna have to endure the next two years ant Cooper even if she hates it.

I expect next year will be better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also have a rising seventh grader who will be attending Cooper coming from private school, where there has definitely been mean girl stuff and way too much personal electronic use, “rich kid” culture, etc but otherwise it’s been pretty tame. Definitely no vaping, or physical fights. Bullying happens, but it’s more under the radar. Is Cooper going to be a rude awakening for her? I would like to know what exactly to prepare her for because private school is no longer an option for us financially so she’s gonna have to endure the next two years ant Cooper even if she hates it.

I expect next year will be better.

Why do you say that? Because most of the trouble making is done by the current eighth grade class?

[Anonymous]

She's in for a rude awakening. All being said, I do think there is much less social drama/mean girl stuff in public school. I don't really know what rich kid culture means but there are plenty of rich kids at Cooper.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can someone tell me why there are constant daily fights, bullying, sexual harassment, vaping… at Cooper Middle School and the administration is not taking control of it? It’s been going on all year and nothing has improved. The perpetrators are allowed to do what they want without real consequences.

They try, as much as is feasible, to follow restorative justice, or at least equitable discipline.

Far too often in the past, only BIPOC children faced consequences while white kids got second chances.

Doesn’t everyone deserve another chance?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone tell me why there are constant daily fights, bullying, sexual harassment, vaping… at Cooper Middle School and the administration is not taking control of it? It’s been going on all year and nothing has improved. The perpetrators are allowed to do what they want without real consequences.

They try, as much as is feasible, to follow restorative justice, or at least equitable discipline.

Far too often in the past, only BIPOC children faced consequences while white kids got second chances.

Doesn’t everyone deserve another chance?

Cooper has so few BIPOC kids that it’s hard to imagine school-wide policies based on consideration of disparities in the treatment of BIPOC students there. More likely it’s White kids at Cooper who end up the beneficiary (or victim) of division-wide policies.