Elementary School Misbehavior and Violence

[Anonymous]

My 4th grader came home today and wanted to talk about "something weird that happened at recess". For reference, my child refers to anything they find disturbing as "weird", ie discussing options to flee in an active shooter situation.

A child in a younger grade was out at the playground with an aide and started stealing items from kids on the playground. When the kids tried to get their items back, this devolved into the younger child kicking and punching the 4th graders, then the aide that was with the child, then the principal and assistant principal who came out to assist the aide in removing the younger child from the playground.

The 4th graders who were injured were spoken to but my child said no one spoke to any of the kids who witnessed the scene and were disturbed by it. Apparently this isn't the first incident with this child that mine has witnessed and they're not even in the same class.

Is this something we should expected communication from the school or teacher about? Is this something we need to be speaking to admin about? I understand that some children have issues that they cannot control but it also isn't okay that my child felt unsafe and teachers didnt even check to see if the kids were okay unless they were physically injured.

[Anonymous]

I taught my kid to run around the school screaming very loudly “help me I’m scared” when something like this happens, then requested an evaluation for screaming and running at school. The problem child was removed.

[Anonymous]

Reach out directly to the teacher. However I do think this is normal. In kindergarten in FCPS (this was over 5 but less than 10 years ago) my DC:

* regularly had to evacuate due to a child with a one-on-one aide for behavior issues throwing chairs and making the classroom unsafe
* was regularly hit by that child and no one comforted DC or spoke to DC until DC finally got the courage to speak to us and we had DC moved away from said child
* watched another kid get punched in the face and get a bloody nose and the only reason I knew was that the parent of the punched kid told me (parent didn't even hear from the school until that kid got home), again by a kid with known behavior issues
* watched the same kid multiple times pull down the pants of other kids

Admittedly, the kindergarten teacher was entirely out of her depth and the following year the behavior issues kid was not nearly so violent. But yeah, this stuff does seem to happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 4th grader came home today and wanted to talk about "something weird that happened at recess". For reference, my child refers to anything they find disturbing as "weird", ie discussing options to flee in an active shooter situation.

A child in a younger grade was out at the playground with an aide and started stealing items from kids on the playground. When the kids tried to get their items back, this devolved into the younger child kicking and punching the 4th graders, then the aide that was with the child, then the principal and assistant principal who came out to assist the aide in removing the younger child from the playground.

The 4th graders who were injured were spoken to but my child said no one spoke to any of the kids who witnessed the scene and were disturbed by it. Apparently this isn't the first incident with this child that mine has witnessed and they're not even in the same class.

Is this something we should expected communication from the school or teacher about? Is this something we need to be speaking to admin about? I understand that some children have issues that they cannot control but it also isn't okay that my child felt unsafe and teachers didnt even check to see if the kids were okay unless they were physically injured.

If you have a question email the teacher. When these things happen, we normally talk about it for a few minutes after recess (generally a 5-10 min discussion), but I don’t email parents about it. If parents emailed me later on, I would respond.
-ES Teacher

[Anonymous]

OP, I never had to deal with that as a teacher. Lots of behavior issues with kids, but not that extreme.

This is still early in the school year. If the teacher was tending to hurt kids, she was likely overwhelmed and frustrated herself. I'd give a little on this one. See if it continues. But, do talk to your kid about being compassionate and try to help him understand that some kids are "different." Also, tell him to keep his distance from the child.

If it continues, I would suggest sending the teacher an email and sharing that it really upsets your child.

[Anonymous]

The school won’t tell you anything. But this kind of thing does happen all the time, unfortunately.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The school won’t tell you anything. But this kind of thing does happen all the time, unfortunately.

As a teacher and parent, this is it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The school won’t tell you anything. But this kind of thing does happen all the time, unfortunately.

+1

Also, I'm not sure this is really that different from when we were in school (or for those ages is developmentally inappropriate), but we had less interference from adults then, for better or worse. Not sure that having more involvement by adults has helped much, tbh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The school won’t tell you anything. But this kind of thing does happen all the time, unfortunately.

+1

Also, I'm not sure this is really that different from when we were in school (or for those ages is developmentally inappropriate), but we had less interference from adults then, for better or worse. Not sure that having more involvement by adults has helped much, tbh.

Do you mean different in teacher communication or kids acting like that?

Because I can tell you, it was not like that when I went to school or when I taught. And, I taught in some pretty rough neighborhoods.
I never remember a child having a full time aide, ever. Those kids were in a different type of environment and should be now.

Any child that needs a full time aide due to behavior issues needs a special environment. If he/she is a danger to other kids, it should be a very special environment.

[Anonymous]

Typical FCPS. Cater to the abnormal at the expense of the normal. The inmates are running the asylum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Typical FCPS. Cater to the abnormal at the expense of the normal. The inmates are running the asylum.

I hate it but have to admit you are 100% correct.

[Anonymous]

FCPS protects the bullies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I taught my kid to run around the school screaming very loudly “help me I’m scared” when something like this happens, then requested an evaluation for screaming and running at school. The problem child was removed.

This is impressively crafty. Did your kid wink at you after executing this routine?

[Anonymous]

This behavior is not at all acceptable. Why on earth is it allowed?

[Anonymous]

My 4th grader came home today talking about a kid having a huge “crash out” in the lunch room and throwing food …