Fights at ACHS/TC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I was speaking with some 8th graders at GW who told me they have seen two fights on the bus, one where a girl dragged another girl off the bus and the fight continued outside, and then another in the cafeteria where the boys ended up falling on kids at another table who weren't even involved. A friend's 6th grader has a child in her class that starts so many fights that he has an escort from class to class and during lunch. He either starts fights or literally just runs out of the school, every day.

My son saw a video that another student took of the bus fight between girls. He saw one minor "fight" in the cafeteria that was really just one boy standing menacingly over another. He says he has not personally seen another fight at school.

It's unfortunate about the child in your friend's child's class (younger than my son), but it sounds like he has a disability and an 1:1 aide, so what else are you wanting the school to do about him?

Kick him out because he's dangerous and disruptive.

I am the PP that you are referring to and I didn't write that "Kick him out..."

I don't know what to do, but he is violent in class almost every day. Perhaps a different setting is better for him and everyone else. My neighbor's child went to the Alexandria alternative high school and had an alternative/modified schedule and in the end it worked out great for that kid (who is now in college, happy and healthy). This particular child is not getting whatever services he seriously needs, he just has an escort, that's it. What happens when he throws a chair again in class and really hurts someone?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I was speaking with some 8th graders at GW who told me they have seen two fights on the bus, one where a girl dragged another girl off the bus and the fight continued outside, and then another in the cafeteria where the boys ended up falling on kids at another table who weren't even involved. A friend's 6th grader has a child in her class that starts so many fights that he has an escort from class to class and during lunch. He either starts fights or literally just runs out of the school, every day.

My son saw a video that another student took of the bus fight between girls. He saw one minor "fight" in the cafeteria that was really just one boy standing menacingly over another. He says he has not personally seen another fight at school.

It's unfortunate about the child in your friend's child's class (younger than my son), but it sounds like he has a disability and an 1:1 aide, so what else are you wanting the school to do about him?

Kick him out because he's dangerous and disruptive.

I am the PP that you are referring to and I didn't write that "Kick him out..."

I don't know what to do, but he is violent in class almost every day. Perhaps a different setting is better for him and everyone else. My neighbor's child went to the Alexandria alternative high school and had an alternative/modified schedule and in the end it worked out great for that kid (who is now in college, happy and healthy). This particular child is not getting whatever services he seriously needs, he just has an escort, that's it. What happens when he throws a chair again in class and really hurts someone?

I sympathize. Been there. My experience with this is that the teachers are just as frustrated as the students and parents, if not moreso. My kid had a chair-thrower two years in a row; different kid each year. One time, it hit a girl in the class. This was first grade.

[Anonymous]

More fights at TC today.

[Anonymous]

Perhaps a different setting is better for him and everyone else. My neighbor's child went to the Alexandria alternative high school and had an alternative/modified schedule and in the end it worked out great for that kid (who is now in college, happy and healthy).

The older brother of one of my son's friends went to the alternative high school, and it worked well for him as well, but unfortunately, I can't see something similar being a good option for a middle school kid that required more structure, just by nature of being younger.

[Anonymous]

I had three kids go through GW- never saw a fight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Perhaps a different setting is better for him and everyone else. My neighbor's child went to the Alexandria alternative high school and had an alternative/modified schedule and in the end it worked out great for that kid (who is now in college, happy and healthy).

The older brother of one of my son's friends went to the alternative high school, and it worked well for him as well, but unfortunately, I can't see something similar being a good option for a middle school kid that required more structure, just by nature of being younger.

DP. Then we need an alternative option for middle schoolers. Other children shouldn't be put in danger. They are entitled to a safe learning experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had three kids go through GW- never saw a fight.

Well, that settles it then, since your experience is universal.

[Anonymous]

I do wonder what the role of law enforcement is now that the SROs are no longer there? Are they still getting called? It is much "safer" to fight in schools when the likelihood of weapons is very low and the likelihood of arrest is equally low. That does not make for a very good learning environment, but I am not sure learning is high on the list if priorities in ACPS.

[Anonymous]

I have one child at AHS, one at GW. They confirm that there are definitely fights at the school, but have never been involved in or directly affected by any. Their view is that if you are there to do your work and focus on that, you are unlikely to be affected by fights.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lack of discipline.

Or- Children that have been slightly traumatized by a global pandemic and limited social interaction (rightly ) .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do wonder what the role of law enforcement is now that the SROs are no longer there? Are they still getting called? It is much "safer" to fight in schools when the likelihood of weapons is very low and the likelihood of arrest is equally low. That does not make for a very good learning environment, but I am not sure learning is high on the list if priorities in ACPS.

SROs should not have had hands on kids to begin with.

[Anonymous]

What schools did you all attend for MS and HS that didn't have fights? The escorted kid aside, this all sounds pretty normal. Not good, but not abnormal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lack of discipline.

Or- Children that have been slightly traumatized by a global pandemic and limited social interaction (rightly ) .

No, I worked there ten years ago before switching to a different district and fights were common back then too. They weren’t random and the kids almost always knew each other and had issues. Your kid minding his own business is not likely to get into a fight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do wonder what the role of law enforcement is now that the SROs are no longer there? Are they still getting called? It is much "safer" to fight in schools when the likelihood of weapons is very low and the likelihood of arrest is equally low. That does not make for a very good learning environment, but I am not sure learning is high on the list if priorities in ACPS.

SROs should not have had hands on kids to begin with.

Absolutely agree, but an assault is a crime. The fights at the school have been violent where one child's head was being banged against the floor. That is a law enforcement case. Just curious if investigations are occurring to discover genesis of the matters, and if they relate to activities outside the school what is law enforcement doing to engage the community on that end.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What schools did you all attend for MS and HS that didn't have fights? The escorted kid aside, this all sounds pretty normal. Not good, but not abnormal.

I grew up in the NYC suburbs and there were absolutely no fist fights at any of my schools. Outside of hockey games, the only time I've seen a fist fight was once in a bar. If this is normal around here, we definitely won't be using the public middle and high schools.