Alexandria Times OpEd on disconnect of the superintendent's column and their column on MH issue

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:


My son is Black and he reports the same, that NO ONE is being disciplined. He finds it frustrating and just walked home when this happened earlier this week. No one seemed to notice or care. I came home sick from work to find him at home. I agree with you that the administrators need to be on guard against disproportionate discipline for students of color. Or any group (special education or language learners for example).


If your DS was able to leave school without permission and no one said anything then yes, they must not be punishing anyone. That also seems like no one cares enough to keep track of students which actually might be more of a problem.

I'm not that poster, but it is high school. When I was in high school in NYC, we were allowed to come and go as we pleased. Same thing with my husband's public high school in Chicago? Do other local high schools NOT allow this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:


My son is Black and he reports the same, that NO ONE is being disciplined. He finds it frustrating and just walked home when this happened earlier this week. No one seemed to notice or care. I came home sick from work to find him at home. I agree with you that the administrators need to be on guard against disproportionate discipline for students of color. Or any group (special education or language learners for example).


If your DS was able to leave school without permission and no one said anything then yes, they must not be punishing anyone. That also seems like no one cares enough to keep track of students which actually might be more of a problem.

I'm not that poster, but it is high school. When I was in high school in NYC, we were allowed to come and go as we pleased. Same thing with my husband's public high school in Chicago? Do other local high schools NOT allow this?

I think there's a difference between leaving campus for lunch and just leaving campus when you have scheduled classes. I seriously doubt any public schools allow students to just go home early without signing out or claiming sickness.

[Anonymous]

As the parent of a white male he deserves to be disproportionately punished. He benefits due to the color of his skin which is wrong. So please, come down for eye rolling or other disrespectful behavior- even if it is to pad numbers. At some point everyone needs to be part of the solution and those who have paid the least need to now pay the most.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As the parent of a white male he deserves to be disproportionately punished. He benefits due to the color of his skin which is wrong. So please, come down for eye rolling or other disrespectful behavior- even if it is to pad numbers. At some point everyone needs to be part of the solution and those who have paid the least need to now pay the most.

Excellent troll.

[Anonymous]

ACPS is not the only school system in this country with these issues. Why aren’t they following similar school systems? Why are they operating in a vacuum?

[Anonymous]

I'm not that poster, but it is high school. When I was in high school in NYC, we were allowed to come and go as we pleased. Same thing with my husband's public high school in Chicago? Do other local high schools NOT allow this?


I think there's a difference between leaving campus for lunch and just leaving campus when you have scheduled classes. I seriously doubt any public schools allow students to just go home early without signing out or claiming sickness.

I'm telling you, we could leave as we pleased and so could my husband. It wasn't just lunch. There were free periods at various points of the day and kids could go out when they wanted. No one was demanding a printed copy of your schedule to see if you were actually free at that time. That wouldn't be a productive use of time for kids who are 16-17 years old.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:ACPS is not the only school system in this country with these issues. Why aren’t they following similar school systems? Why are they operating in a vacuum?

Agree. I think one of the biggest things is having more than one HS so you can move students who have problems with each other and separate them.

I think having a true alternative school would be helpful too. And more mental health services and engagement of the families with the students who continuously engage in violent behavior.

[Anonymous]

ACPS is not the only school system in this country with these issues. Why aren’t they following similar school systems? Why are they operating in a vacuum?

What school systems are similar in the sense that there is only one giant high school? I am sure if you look at the level of violence in public high schools in parts of Baltimore, or Brownsville or Mott Haven in NYC or similar, it's comparable. However, I don't think that the issue likely gets as much media coverage, because there are not also kids living in 1.5-2 million homes also attending the same school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:


My son is Black and he reports the same, that NO ONE is being disciplined. He finds it frustrating and just walked home when this happened earlier this week. No one seemed to notice or care. I came home sick from work to find him at home. I agree with you that the administrators need to be on guard against disproportionate discipline for students of color. Or any group (special education or language learners for example).


If your DS was able to leave school without permission and no one said anything then yes, they must not be punishing anyone. That also seems like no one cares enough to keep track of students which actually might be more of a problem.

I'm not that poster, but it is high school. When I was in high school in NYC, we were allowed to come and go as we pleased. Same thing with my husband's public high school in Chicago? Do other local high schools NOT allow this?

I think there's a difference between leaving campus for lunch and just leaving campus when you have scheduled classes. I seriously doubt any public schools allow students to just go home early without signing out or claiming sickness.

They may not be allowed but it’s not like schools are maximum security prisons. The reality is students can and do walk out of the building and there isn’t much the school can do other than trying to appeal to their senses and appropriate disciplinary action. MH/AC are so huge nobody can possibly keep tabs on every kid. It’s one of the downsides of such a large school. It feels less personal. Past time for a second high school!

[Anonymous]

Just watched that video it is horrifying. Who would believe that was a high school! ACPS should be by ashamed of themselves. I totally agree with that article. They need to have two high schools with mixed grades in there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:ACPS is not the only school system in this country with these issues. Why aren’t they following similar school systems? Why are they operating in a vacuum?

For some reason the ACPS party line is that we are a unique snowflake, completely different from every school district in the entire world, so things that work elsewhere could never possibly work here. It's yet another thing that folks in this city are told to stop them from asking questions, or demanding change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As the parent of a white male he deserves to be disproportionately punished. He benefits due to the color of his skin which is wrong. So please, come down for eye rolling or other disrespectful behavior- even if it is to pad numbers. At some point everyone needs to be part of the solution and those who have paid the least need to now pay the most.

Excellent troll.

I don't think this was a troll.

[Anonymous]

I'm generally against charter schools but I think in the case of ACPS, charters might be the answer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can someone post Dr. Kay-Wyatt's column that the Alexandria Times is referencing? Or is it in the ACPS Express?

It's here on page 23:

https://alextimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/12.8.22-Layout.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm generally against charter schools but I think in the case of ACPS, charters might be the answer.

Charter schools is not a realistic or timely solution. The solution would be for parents to speak up, demand better, demand that their PTAs actual represent them (at least some of the west end PTA leaders actually lead) and do a better job of vetting school board candidates.

Alexandrians are always looking for a savior so they don't have to find the courage to do the hard work.