Why don't parents demand that schools do something about disruptive students?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, It’s telling how most parents don’t have the energy to make this a priority. If only they knew what’s going on. They don’t deserve outstanding teachers like you.

This is part of the issue. Parents often don’t know what’s happening in the classroom. Teachers aren’t allowed to share information and the administration certainly doesn’t share either. How are they supposed to act on information they don’t have?

Don't their kid's tell them about the antics going on in their classes?

No. Most kids respond with one word grunts at this age, and they have learned through years of public education that their parents can't help with anything that happens at school anyway. Their parents get exactly 5 minutes of teacher time twice a year max. Maybe some girls share more with their parents. I learned my kid's friend was being bullied because a girl in his class told her Aunt who told a friend who knew me.

[Anonymous]

Boost.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Schools are not made to assist with behavior issues. Schools are made to teach academics. Most of the disruptive kids need a doctor, not a teacher. Yes, as a teacher, you need to build a relationship. I am a teacher. That relationship is NOT that of a friend. They are not my peer. It is an authoritative relationship. You are a child and I am in charge when you are here in my classroom. A teacher runs the classroom, admin runs the school. It’s stupid to send a disruptive child in class to admin. They have other stuff to deal with. You deal with that child. How do I deal with it? It’s not in school suspension. That’s a glorified time out that does not address the issue that the child has. I document everything. Every student that disrupts, I call the parents on my phone and then follow up with an email to go over the phone call. Your job will get interrupted just as much as your child interrupts me. Your child will get to special services because I will word the shit out of your child’s problems. “Billy walks out of class.” No…. “Billy creates an unsafe environment for himself when he elopes m. Use triggering words. These children do not get extra credit. They do not get a redo. They do not get made up work. They fail. My job is to teach. I love teaching. My job is not to parent or be any child’s doctor.

Wow. You’re a rare gem.

I can only imagine how much teaching time is lost to dealing with disruptive children. American students are so far behind others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Schools are not made to assist with behavior issues. Schools are made to teach academics. Most of the disruptive kids need a doctor, not a teacher. Yes, as a teacher, you need to build a relationship. I am a teacher. That relationship is NOT that of a friend. They are not my peer. It is an authoritative relationship. You are a child and I am in charge when you are here in my classroom. A teacher runs the classroom, admin runs the school. It’s stupid to send a disruptive child in class to admin. They have other stuff to deal with. You deal with that child. How do I deal with it? It’s not in school suspension. That’s a glorified time out that does not address the issue that the child has. I document everything. Every student that disrupts, I call the parents on my phone and then follow up with an email to go over the phone call. Your job will get interrupted just as much as your child interrupts me. Your child will get to special services because I will word the shit out of your child’s problems. “Billy walks out of class.” No…. “Billy creates an unsafe environment for himself when he elopes m. Use triggering words. These children do not get extra credit. They do not get a redo. They do not get made up work. They fail. My job is to teach. I love teaching. My job is not to parent or be any child’s doctor.

How often do parents even pick up? I very much try to be available for phone calls from school, but I still only manage to answer abojt 1-in-3. But if you called regularly with things that aren't immediately actionable, I'd stop picking up and just let you leave a message.

As for services, great. Teachers usually seem to downplay needs that would result in additional special education services.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your admin sucks (many do) your laws (our laws) suck. But to pawn this off on the parents “do something!” because of “negative branding” -seriously?? How about the teachers band together, make demands, and walk off? I don’t know about your school district but ours is constantly looking for teachers, and they fight over teachers. I believe you could be powerful negotiators.

As a parent, what am I supposed to do? I’m not there. I have no facts. It’s all second hand hearsay. You said it yourself, parents wouldn’t be told any information or any facts! A PTA can’t even get the names of the parents OR kids in a kids’ class, unless every parent signs a privacy waiver.

I don’t know any district that is better than others in respect to behavior, and I don’t walk off because I have a mortgage and need health insurance. I am saddened by the current state of things, but I am too close to retirement to gamble it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your admin sucks (many do) your laws (our laws) suck. But to pawn this off on the parents “do something!” because of “negative branding” -seriously?? How about the teachers band together, make demands, and walk off? I don’t know about your school district but ours is constantly looking for teachers, and they fight over teachers. I believe you could be powerful negotiators.

As a parent, what am I supposed to do? I’m not there. I have no facts. It’s all second hand hearsay. You said it yourself, parents wouldn’t be told any information or any facts! A PTA can’t even get the names of the parents OR kids in a kids’ class, unless every parent signs a privacy waiver.

It's illegal for teachers to strike in MD. Many just work to their contract but then parents get pissed. It's a vicious circle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, It’s telling how most parents don’t have the energy to make this a priority. If only they knew what’s going on. They don’t deserve outstanding teachers like you.

This is part of the issue. Parents often don’t know what’s happening in the classroom. Teachers aren’t allowed to share information and the administration certainly doesn’t share either. How are they supposed to act on information they don’t have?

We do know. Our kids tell us. Oh Erica smashed everyone’s pottery or Jacob hit the teacher and threw a chair at her. We know the parents of the sped kid will sue so there is nothing we can do. They can mover everyone out of the nightmare kids’ class. My kid has an iep. He has to he in the sped class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your admin sucks (many do) your laws (our laws) suck. But to pawn this off on the parents “do something!” because of “negative branding” -seriously?? How about the teachers band together, make demands, and walk off? I don’t know about your school district but ours is constantly looking for teachers, and they fight over teachers. I believe you could be powerful negotiators.

As a parent, what am I supposed to do? I’m not there. I have no facts. It’s all second hand hearsay. You said it yourself, parents wouldn’t be told any information or any facts! A PTA can’t even get the names of the parents OR kids in a kids’ class, unless every parent signs a privacy waiver.

It's illegal for teachers to strike in MD. Many just work to their contract but then parents get pissed. It's a vicious circle.

If teachers were just honest during IEP meetings and due process complaints, the legal process would force schools to provide more resources to special education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Schools are not made to assist with behavior issues. Schools are made to teach academics. Most of the disruptive kids need a doctor, not a teacher. Yes, as a teacher, you need to build a relationship. I am a teacher. That relationship is NOT that of a friend. They are not my peer. It is an authoritative relationship. You are a child and I am in charge when you are here in my classroom. A teacher runs the classroom, admin runs the school. It’s stupid to send a disruptive child in class to admin. They have other stuff to deal with. You deal with that child. How do I deal with it? It’s not in school suspension. That’s a glorified time out that does not address the issue that the child has. I document everything. Every student that disrupts, I call the parents on my phone and then follow up with an email to go over the phone call. Your job will get interrupted just as much as your child interrupts me. Your child will get to special services because I will word the shit out of your child’s problems. “Billy walks out of class.” No…. “Billy creates an unsafe environment for himself when he elopes m. Use triggering words. These children do not get extra credit. They do not get a redo. They do not get made up work. They fail. My job is to teach. I love teaching. My job is not to parent or be any child’s doctor.

Parents of these kids usually don't ever answer the phone (if the number is still working). They never read your emails. They don't care about grades but you aren't allowed to fail them. I used to be able to fail kids but even kids who failed everything still went to the next grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because it’s public school. The nightmare disruptive kids who will never be productive citizens or even live on their own are entitled to a public school education. If we don’t like it, we can go private.

But schools used to send kids to ISS. There is no reason they can't still do it.

Isn't ISS considered to be denying FAPE, or something, for kids with an IEP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because it’s public school. The nightmare disruptive kids who will never be productive citizens or even live on their own are entitled to a public school education. If we don’t like it, we can go private.

But schools used to send kids to ISS. There is no reason they can't still do it.

I was the screwed up kid and got sent to ISS a few times in middle school. It may have made the classroom calmer or whatever, but it didn't help me at all. Not socially, not academically, not emotionally. Nothing. I was given my assignments for the days I was there, and a different teacher babysat me each period.

The other kids might have been able to learn. It shouldn't be the Teacher's job to fix a child's social or emotional issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because it’s public school. The nightmare disruptive kids who will never be productive citizens or even live on their own are entitled to a public school education. If we don’t like it, we can go private.

They were entitled to that when we were growing up too (Gen X/Y), but the schools weren’t overrun with feral room-clearing, wildly disruptive behavior cases NEARLY to the degree they are now. Absolutely no comparison. So clearly something’s changed, and not for the better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because it’s public school. The nightmare disruptive kids who will never be productive citizens or even live on their own are entitled to a public school education. If we don’t like it, we can go private.

They were entitled to that when we were growing up too (Gen X/Y), but the schools weren’t overrun with feral room-clearing, wildly disruptive behavior cases NEARLY to the degree they are now. Absolutely no comparison. So clearly something’s changed, and not for the better.

It is better for kids with special needs who otherwise would have been warehoused and forgotten about.

[Anonymous]

Because we don't know about it. There's no way to know what goes on unless your kid is super talkative and/or reliable.

[Anonymous]

Sure there are laws in place guaranteeing these children an education but the biggest reason is $$$$$. State and local governments, school boards, and taxpayers won't prioritize spending money on special education so there is not enough money to pay for good special education teachers and separate special education institutions.