What MCPS considers to be none of your business

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS staff person. This is inconsistent with how MCPS handles other issues. Consider sexting, as an example,
or cyberbullying. We get involved and tell students we have the right to get involved, if it can have in-school repercussions. I would consider this to fall under that category.

To clarify I’m saying they’re both off campus not that the offenses are the same.

I see.. so when two students have a fight in another city, on a weekend, then MCPS should let all the parents know that this happened?

cyberbullying and sexting is an on campus issue because those smartphones make it on campus.

MCPS staff person again—no, this includes off campus use of cell phones/computers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not suggesting that MCPS should have been patrolling the area. I am agreeing with the OP that a violent incident where the attacker and victim were both students and the incident occurred adjacent to the school should have resulted in an email to the school list serv.

+1000 I think if a student is violently attacked near the school, then the community should be informed. MCPS cares more about appearing to be perfect versus dealing with reality.

Perhaps the school PTA could send a message perhaps to warn students to not use that path?

Is the path not well lit - perhaps see if lights can be installed?

Perhaps have the police look at the area and speak to the PTA on after school safety tips. Maybe even extra patrols in the area?

MCPS could step and help spread the word but the other stakeholders in the community should also work towards improving safety not only on campus, but also the surrounding areas that students need to walk through to get home.

[Anonymous]

So you think MCPS should report crimes that occur off school property when school is closed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So you think MCPS should report crimes that occur off school property when school is closed?

This is outside their jurisdiction. It's a matter for the police.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not suggesting that MCPS should have been patrolling the area. I am agreeing with the OP that a violent incident where the attacker and victim were both students and the incident occurred adjacent to the school should have resulted in an email to the school list serv.

+1000 I think if a student is violently attacked near the school, then the community should be informed. MCPS cares more about appearing to be perfect versus dealing with reality.

Perhaps the school PTA could send a message perhaps to warn students to not use that path?

Is the path not well lit - perhaps see if lights can be installed?

Perhaps have the police look at the area and speak to the PTA on after school safety tips. Maybe even extra patrols in the area?

MCPS could step and help spread the word but the other stakeholders in the community should also work towards improving safety not only on campus, but also the surrounding areas that students need to walk through to get home.

It's not always that simple. They probably couldn't report the names if the students were under 18 and there would be privacy concerns.
As for "warnings" about the path, if the person who was the attacker was caught, is a warning needed? And again, if a warning given, would that open discussions and speculation that may get out of hand. MCPS is bound by legal issues and has a responsibility to all students, even those who may have broken rules.

I agree with working with the community to add lighting, but not in conjunction with reporting about a specific incident.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you think MCPS should report crimes that occur off school property when school is closed?

This is outside their jurisdiction. It's a matter for the police.

They kick kids off the football team for drinking on the weekend off campus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS staff person. This is inconsistent with how MCPS handles other issues. Consider sexting, as an example,
or cyberbullying. We get involved and tell students we have the right to get involved, if it can have in-school repercussions. I would consider this to fall under that category.

To clarify I’m saying they’re both off campus not that the offenses are the same.

I see.. so when two students have a fight in another city, on a weekend, then MCPS should let all the parents know that this happened?

cyberbullying and sexting is an on campus issue because those smartphones make it on campus.

depends on the principal to be honest

I've been around for almost 25 years. The days of the community schools and autonomous principals are long gone for the most part. Bureaucracy rules the schools now.

However, that doesn't mean that a principal shouldn't share this news with the school community and take on a more proactive approach b/c what goes on outside of the campus continues inside the school and more often than not,is connected to gang activity.

I have worked under the best principals in this county who valued safety, honesty and autonomy. One would drive around with security before school, scooping up truant kids. Another never held anything back from the news regarding dangerous incidents.

Weak principals - yes men and women - will continue to destroy the system b/c to them, it's about climbing and PR.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Consider the source. Kevin Lewis basically makes a living reporting on dubiously factual, click-bait articles that inflame readers. Plus he posts pictures and names of juveniles who have been accused of crimes, which is generally considered unethical journalism unless absolutely necessary: https://rtdna.org/content/identifying_juveniles

Were these juveniles sentenced as adults? If so, he's done nothing wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So you think MCPS should report crimes that occur off school property when school is closed?

Only 2 of the 3 masked assailants have been arrested. The 3 assailants threatened to jump the victim the next day in school.

MCPS did not send a community letter because the incident did not disrupt learning, and was quickly resolved by law enforcement.

Yet getting jumped in school will disrupt learning and with 2 assailants still in school it has not been quickly resolved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Consider the source. Kevin Lewis basically makes a living reporting on dubiously factual, click-bait articles that inflame readers. Plus he posts pictures and names of juveniles who have been accused of crimes, which is generally considered unethical journalism unless absolutely necessary: https://rtdna.org/content/identifying_juveniles

Were these juveniles sentenced as adults? If so, he's done nothing wrong.

Juveniles who haven't been sentenced or found guilty of anything, only accused. The Post, for instance, would absolutely not name them or show their photos on those cases.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you think MCPS should report crimes that occur off school property when school is closed?

This is outside their jurisdiction. It's a matter for the police.

They kick kids off the football team for drinking on the weekend off campus.

The MCPS Student Atlete Handbook only kicks kids off the team if they drink on campus or school sanctioned event. Off campus events are not grounds for dismissing from team, that would be a school or team specific punishment.

SMOKING, SUBSTANCE USE/ABUSE AND STEROIDS (MCPS)

The use of alcohol, tobacco, and controlled dangerous substances, including steroids, is an extremely serious health issue. Such use places the quality of life for the
student-athlete in jeopardy. Also at issue is the interdependency of team members and coaches, which requires that all student-athletes be mentally and physically prepared to give their best effort. If the student-athlete is using alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs not prescribed by a physician, he/she is placing himself/herself in serious jeopardy. If use, distribution, or possession of these substances by a student-athlete on school property or at a school-sanctioned event is verified, he/she will be suspended from the team for 30 calendar days. Upon verification of a second violation, the student-athlete will have a 12-month ban on participation in an extracurricular event from the date of the initial suspension. Suspension from a team for the remainder of the season includes the stipulation that no letter awards will be given to the suspended student.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not suggesting that MCPS should have been patrolling the area. I am agreeing with the OP that a violent incident where the attacker and victim were both students and the incident occurred adjacent to the school should have resulted in an email to the school list serv.

+1

Don’t have a kid at RM but I would like to know.

[Anonymous]

Since this was right after school there is a chance that that these weapons had been on school property or that a stray bullet could have hit another student nearby if there was a shooting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not suggesting that MCPS should have been patrolling the area. I am agreeing with the OP that a violent incident where the attacker and victim were both students and the incident occurred adjacent to the school should have resulted in an email to the school list serv.

+1

Don’t have a kid at RM but I would like to know.

We live in the RM cluster, and I don't think it's the school's responsibility to necessarily announce such an incident that happened off hours off grounds. I've asked this before.. when and where exactly did this happen? Were they students at RM? Or were the assailant strangers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not suggesting that MCPS should have been patrolling the area. I am agreeing with the OP that a violent incident where the attacker and victim were both students and the incident occurred adjacent to the school should have resulted in an email to the school list serv.

+1

Don’t have a kid at RM but I would like to know.

We live in the RM cluster, and I don't think it's the school's responsibility to necessarily announce such an incident that happened off hours off grounds. I've asked this before.. when and where exactly did this happen? Were they students at RM? Or were the assailant strangers?

http://wjla.com/news/local/police-student-robs-beats-classmate-at-gunpoint-beside-richard-montgomery-hs-campus