Quiet lunch?

[Anonymous]

7th grader told me they had to have a “quiet” lunch yesterday at Swanson because the kids were being too noisy. That seems strange to me- they’re 12 years old, of course they’re loud at lunch! Is this common in MS?

[Anonymous]

Just stop in during lunch one day at Swanson. That will give you your answer. It’s lord of the flies level chaos They must have been awful the day before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:7th grader told me they had to have a “quiet” lunch yesterday at Swanson because the kids were being too noisy. That seems strange to me- they’re 12 years old, of course they’re loud at lunch! Is this common in MS?

I don't know if it's common but it wouldn't surprise me that the solution to noise is to create an expectation so draconian that they then have further ammunition to discipline the kids (probably boys) who can't abide by "quiet" lunch.

[Anonymous]

You must be new to APS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You must be new to APS.

What? Nope, not new. But they took away phones so the kids would communicate more and on day 2 of that- said they were being too loud!

[Anonymous]

APS is continually ignorant...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:APS is continually ignorant...

Just because you don't realize how toilet paper works doesn't mean you stuff more in the toilet and then complain it won't flush. Give the kids a few weeks to adjust and if they're normal, they'll figure out what's appropriate. I mean all you phone advocates were saying how responsible and mature your kids were, right?

[Anonymous]

Quiet lunch is usually about more than being loud. It's about being up out of seats, all over the place, and disruptive. Just a bunch of kids talking or even shouting (though not at the top of their lungs) will not get that kind of response.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:7th grader told me they had to have a “quiet” lunch yesterday at Swanson because the kids were being too noisy. That seems strange to me- they’re 12 years old, of course they’re loud at lunch! Is this common in MS?

I don't know if it's common but it wouldn't surprise me that the solution to noise is to create an expectation so draconian that they then have further ammunition to discipline the kids (probably boys) who can't abide by "quiet" lunch.

From what my kid reported about lunch yesterday and other incidents it's been exactly this since school started. This class has a new admin who appears to be trying to come in heavy with the discipline, especially directed at the boys. Also of note: "of course it was loud - it was raining so everyone was inside"

I hope that the "20" (kid reported) kids that got sent to Bridget Loft's office yesterday during lunch are a sign to her that this admin may need to be guided to try another strategy - one that actually connects with middle schoolers, perhaps?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Quiet lunch is usually about more than being loud. It's about being up out of seats, all over the place, and disruptive. Just a bunch of kids talking or even shouting (though not at the top of their lungs) will not get that kind of response.

+1

I remember this happening a few times at Williamsburg and it was for issues like what PP describes. Not simply because they were being too loud. Sounds like your child is not a reliable narrator.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:7th grader told me they had to have a “quiet” lunch yesterday at Swanson because the kids were being too noisy. That seems strange to me- they’re 12 years old, of course they’re loud at lunch! Is this common in MS?

I don't know if it's common but it wouldn't surprise me that the solution to noise is to create an expectation so draconian that they then have further ammunition to discipline the kids (probably boys) who can't abide by "quiet" lunch.

From what my kid reported about lunch yesterday and other incidents it's been exactly this since school started. This class has a new admin who appears to be trying to come in heavy with the discipline, especially directed at the boys. Also of note: "of course it was loud - it was raining so everyone was inside"

I hope that the "20" (kid reported) kids that got sent to Bridget Loft's office yesterday during lunch are a sign to her that this admin may need to be guided to try another strategy - one that actually connects with middle schoolers, perhaps?

You can't be against both quiet lunch and specific kids being sent to the office. You KNOW that there are a small number of kids acting more wild than the others or riling other kids up and the school needs to be able to address this behavior. I don't like punishing all the kids via stuff like quiet lunch because I think the majority of kids are actually behaving fine and a handful are taking it over the line. So send those kids to the office and address it and let the rest of the kids enjoy lunch.

Also come on. No one is "directing" discipline at boys. Boys this age struggle more with behavior because their puberty hormones cause more aggression. I don't think you should shame them for this but let's not pretend that this specific kind of behavioral issue is not a lot more concentrated in boys. Girls have their own issues (that need to be addressed) but they are a lot less likely to creating major disruptions at lunch or in the classroom. Teachers and admin aren't "targeting" boys they are addressing the kids who are causing the biggest disruptions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:7th grader told me they had to have a “quiet” lunch yesterday at Swanson because the kids were being too noisy. That seems strange to me- they’re 12 years old, of course they’re loud at lunch! Is this common in MS?

I don't know if it's common but it wouldn't surprise me that the solution to noise is to create an expectation so draconian that they then have further ammunition to discipline the kids (probably boys) who can't abide by "quiet" lunch.

From what my kid reported about lunch yesterday and other incidents it's been exactly this since school started. This class has a new admin who appears to be trying to come in heavy with the discipline, especially directed at the boys. Also of note: "of course it was loud - it was raining so everyone was inside"

I hope that the "20" (kid reported) kids that got sent to Bridget Loft's office yesterday during lunch are a sign to her that this admin may need to be guided to try another strategy - one that actually connects with middle schoolers, perhaps?

You can't be against both quiet lunch and specific kids being sent to the office. You KNOW that there are a small number of kids acting more wild than the others or riling other kids up and the school needs to be able to address this behavior. I don't like punishing all the kids via stuff like quiet lunch because I think the majority of kids are actually behaving fine and a handful are taking it over the line. So send those kids to the office and address it and let the rest of the kids enjoy lunch.

Also come on. No one is "directing" discipline at boys. Boys this age struggle more with behavior because their puberty hormones cause more aggression. I don't think you should shame them for this but let's not pretend that this specific kind of behavioral issue is not a lot more concentrated in boys. Girls have their own issues (that need to be addressed) but they are a lot less likely to creating major disruptions at lunch or in the classroom. Teachers and admin aren't "targeting" boys they are addressing the kids who are causing the biggest disruptions.

So boys have an endocrine difference from girls that means boys will be disciplined more than girls but should be held to the same expectations than girls? Sure. Got it. Super helpful. Definitely don't think about your response at all before you post it.

[Anonymous]

APS doesn't know what they are doing...

[Anonymous]

Quiet lunch means the level of screaming might approach tolerable decibels.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Quiet lunch is usually about more than being loud. It's about being up out of seats, all over the place, and disruptive. Just a bunch of kids talking or even shouting (though not at the top of their lungs) will not get that kind of response.

+1. There's a difference between loud and seemingly feral which is how some of these kids act. It continues because we don't support our teachers and admin who try to come down on these kids and uphold standards of behavior. Instead of jumping all over APS saying they don't know what they're doing, or they're being draconian, maybe volunteer to help at lunch and see for yourself.

Quiet lunch is code for "sit the f*ck down and act like a human being" not a mandate for monk-like silence.