What in the world is happening at Carson?

[Anonymous]

Just got this and my son says he has no idea why, and definitely did not see anything on TV. Am I missing something? We never received this when older son was at Carson.

12/01/2025
Dear Carson Middle School Parents and Families,

I am writing to you today to address an important topic, student behavior. Carson Middle School is dedicated to fostering a Ready, Respectful, and Responsible learning environment for all students, and we need your partnership to reinforce these core values.

While we understand the normal enthusiasm and camaraderie that comes with being middle school students, it is critical that we continue to address behaviors that require our collective attention and correction. We are seeing an increased amount of hands-on horseplaying between students. While this often begins innocently and playfully, it can, and at times does, escalate into unnecessary arguments and friction among peers.
In order to maintain a safe and supportive learning environment, our students must demonstrate respect towards their teachers and every adult in the building, themselves, one another, and respect for school property. 
Here at Carson MS, our expectations are explicitly tied to the 3 R's:
* Ready: Students need to show up to class on time and ready to learn. This means being prepared with materials and a mindset focused on instruction.
* Respectful: It is not okay for students to distract their teachers from teaching or impede the learning of others in their classrooms. Students must treat every member of our community and our shared spaces with courtesy.
* Responsible: This includes making sound choices that support a positive school environment.

Just like in the classroom, we need students to be mindful of their actions in all school areas. In the hallways, while it is okay to talk to friends, these conversations need to happen while students are actively making their way to their classrooms, so that they are in class by the time the bell rings and ready to learn. In the cafeteria, students need to eat their lunch, talk using inside voices, stay at their lunch seat until it is time to throw away their trash (which they are given directions when to do so) and practice responsibility by cleaning up after themselves, leaving their tables ready for the next group of students to use.

When we observe student actions that are not aligned with our school’s core values of being Ready, Respectful, and Responsible, appropriate consequences will continue to be applied and increased as needed. Students who choose to make poor choices will face consequences aligned with the FCPS Students Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R).
It is imperative that we, as a community, understand the impact of such behaviors. They can significantly disrupt the learning environment and process for both students and teachers and, most critically, can create unsafe conditions. Please know that we take matters like this very seriously. We will continue to revisit our expectations around the 3 R's, as well as hold future discussions with students around the FCPS SR&R and the consequences for not following county and school guidelines. Additionally, your children saw a video this morning on RCTV from myself, reiterating expectations around appropriate school behavior.

Most importantly, addressing student behavior is a partnership. I encourage each of you to speak with your children about appropriate behaviors and help reinforce school-wide expectations at home. We will be reaching out to families directly in cases where a student's behavior requires individual attention, support, and consequences.

I have no doubt that by working together, we can ensure that Carson Middle School remains a welcoming, positive, and safe place for all.

Thank you for your continued support and cooperation.
Sincerely,
Tony Washington
Principal

[Anonymous]

It's a problem across lots of middle schools. It's due to permissive parenting, making excuses for inappropriate behavior ("he's just a kid!"), refusal to hold kids accountable, and coddling.

There is no reason so many middle schools have had to send communication like this. Parents need to step up and actually parent. I am flabbergasted by what I see other parents allow from their children. It's appalling.

My kids try stuff, of course, but my husband and I hold them accountable and give consequences for ill-mannered behavior. I feel as though we are in the minority as parents.

[Anonymous]

I am wondering what triggered that email. It is long and oh so generic but something had to have happened.

[Anonymous]

The TV channel they mention is the Carson run news - it gives announcements, etc. It's not something you would see. It's just shown within the school.

[Anonymous]

I think he is just addressing the atmosphere and would appreciate some parental reinforcement. I also think that the operative word and reason for the letter might be "horseplay."

When it is just a handful of kids acting out, it should have been handled with those kids. But, I've no kids there so this is all speculation. But, middle school kids are not known for being docile.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think he is just addressing the atmosphere and would appreciate some parental reinforcement. I also think that the operative word and reason for the letter might be "horseplay."

When it is just a handful of kids acting out, it should have been handled with those kids. But, I've no kids there so this is all speculation. But, middle school kids are not known for being docile.

It's not just a "handful" of kids. It's become an epidemic, not just at Carson, and it needs to stop.

[Anonymous]

My child said many students came in late for the first period. Is this the reason?

[Anonymous]

I hope the younger kids parents now understand why those older kids parents want to stay, in order to stay far away from those problematic kids from those problematic school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hope the younger kids parents now understand why those older kids parents want to stay, in order to stay far away from those problematic kids from those problematic school.

HUH?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think he is just addressing the atmosphere and would appreciate some parental reinforcement. I also think that the operative word and reason for the letter might be "horseplay."

When it is just a handful of kids acting out, it should have been handled with those kids. But, I've no kids there so this is all speculation. But, middle school kids are not known for being docile.

It's not just a "handful" of kids. It's become an epidemic, not just at Carson, and it needs to stop.

You know what would be helpful? CONSEQUENCES. If kids got real detentions and real suspensions again, this would stop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hope the younger kids parents now understand why those older kids parents want to stay, in order to stay far away from those problematic kids from those problematic school.

This is a Crossfield/Navy AAP mom who has forgotten that an Oakton student murdered two girls a couple years ago.

[Anonymous]

I asked my Carson student if anything unusual had been happening at school (fights, kids lingering in the hallways, kids being rude to teachers) and he said he wasn't aware of anything like that. He did, however, say that his English teacher told his class that they are the worst class that she has ever had and that she frequently pulls aside one table of girls and teaches just them and ignores the rest of the room, so I hope the teachers got a similar email from the principal about respectful behavior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hope the younger kids parents now understand why those older kids parents want to stay, in order to stay far away from those problematic kids from those problematic school.

Oh yes, fine, let's instead send our kids to Franklin where kids just draw swastikas all over everything. This behavior is endemic, it is everywhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope the younger kids parents now understand why those older kids parents want to stay, in order to stay far away from those problematic kids from those problematic school.

Oh yes, fine, let's instead send our kids to Franklin where kids just draw swastikas all over everything. This behavior is endemic, it is everywhere.

I thought that was Langley where that happened.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think he is just addressing the atmosphere and would appreciate some parental reinforcement. I also think that the operative word and reason for the letter might be "horseplay."

When it is just a handful of kids acting out, it should have been handled with those kids. But, I've no kids there so this is all speculation. But, middle school kids are not known for being docile.

It's not just a "handful" of kids. It's become an epidemic, not just at Carson, and it needs to stop.

You know what would be helpful? CONSEQUENCES. If kids got real detentions and real suspensions again, this would stop.

Consequences need to BEGIN AT HOME and should continue at school. Stop making excuses for kids' ill-mannered behavior and stop pawning off parenting to the schools.