West Potomac HS situation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Im the poster that said 20-30% of kids are engaging in these behaviors. I do think the vaping is that high, and the kids don’t get caught and that teachers and parents are not aware of kids vaping. The kids are vaping in class right in front of teachers and teachers don’t even know. There are also more fights than parents and teachers are aware of, because a lot happens in the bathrooms and do not get reported. The fights are being filmed and sent around on Snapchat. The rates of vaping and violence are much higher than what is being reported, and higher than parents and staff realize. Which is how FCPS wants to keep it. It is not just “the problem kids” or “the Hispanic kids” or “the bad schools.” Tons of kids are scared to go to the bathroom at my child’s school.

It’s not a small percentage of kids, and it’s more than staff and parents realize.

Sorry, but you are just not accurate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I concur -- I think the violence is greater than the parents here think.

Kids can punch, kick, and perform acts of violence, and then break up before a teacher arrives. In larger schools, the hallways are so crowded that fights can easily be obscured. Violence can happen so quickly.

Like vaping -- a kid can pull out a vape, inhale, and have the vape back in their pocket in seconds. It's over in the blink of an eye.

If a teacher or staff member tries to fight back against such behaviors, they've got the angry parents who don't want any black marks on their kid's record and the administration has to deal with that.

It's a mess, to be sure.

I’m curious to know how you have become so aware of this high rate of violence when others, including those adults in the schools, are not.

I asked my upperclassman at a region 4 high school if there wwre regular fights or many fights at their high school.

They thought for a few minutes, then said there was one a few months ago between 2 guys that resulted in punches being thrown. There was also one a while back during a sports game, which can happen in the heat of a tough game.

Those were the only 2 this school year.

My kid in a different grade who runs with a different crowd said the ssme thing.

Of course there are lots of kids vapinflg in the bathrooms. Duh. Every high school parent is aware of this, except maybe freshmen parents.

Fighting is one category.

Vaping is a totally diffetent disruption.

There are not regular fights at FCPS high schools like you keep claiming 20%-30% poster.

With social media, everyone paying attention, including most parents, knows who is fighting and how many fights are happening and when these fights are happening.

It is not happening anywhere close to your 20%-30% number. Not at the "good" schools and not at the "bad" schools.

A more accurate estimate for fights would be a couple of times a quarter, if that.

This would translate to fewer than a dozen fights per year, around 1% of the student population at any fcps high school, "good" or "bad"

If you are going to make up stats, at least try to be a little bit factual and realistic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The county needs to build a juvenile detention center. Problem kids can be educated at the detention center. When they reach 18/end of senior year they have a choice, productive life or prison.

People don’t need and shouldn’t get 3rd, 4th, 5th, …, 11th chances like they do in DC.

The county already has a JDC. I think you mean that you want all of the kids caught fighting and vaping to be sent there.

We need to put an end to the restorative justice crap. Yes, send repeat offenders who are violent to JDC. Impose in school suspensions for lesser offenses. As part of the boundary study they should consider having a holding cell in each school so that the SRO can remain on patrol.

Teacher here. Giving ISS to kids caught vaping does not seem to deter them, sadly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The county needs to build a juvenile detention center. Problem kids can be educated at the detention center. When they reach 18/end of senior year they have a choice, productive life or prison.

People don’t need and shouldn’t get 3rd, 4th, 5th, …, 11th chances like they do in DC.

The county already has a JDC. I think you mean that you want all of the kids caught fighting and vaping to be sent there.

We need to put an end to the restorative justice crap. Yes, send repeat offenders who are violent to JDC. Impose in school suspensions for lesser offenses. As part of the boundary study they should consider having a holding cell in each school so that the SRO can remain on patrol.

Teacher here. Giving ISS to kids caught vaping does not seem to deter them, sadly.

It doesn’t deter them but it does free up bathroom space for the kids who just want to pee and it lessens the burden on the teachers who have to watch certain kids like hawks every time they leave the room.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The county needs to build a juvenile detention center. Problem kids can be educated at the detention center. When they reach 18/end of senior year they have a choice, productive life or prison.

People don’t need and shouldn’t get 3rd, 4th, 5th, …, 11th chances like they do in DC.

The county already has a JDC. I think you mean that you want all of the kids caught fighting and vaping to be sent there.

We need to put an end to the restorative justice crap. Yes, send repeat offenders who are violent to JDC. Impose in school suspensions for lesser offenses. As part of the boundary study they should consider having a holding cell in each school so that the SRO can remain on patrol.

Teacher here. Giving ISS to kids caught vaping does not seem to deter them, sadly.

It doesn’t deter them but it does free up bathroom space for the kids who just want to pee and it lessens the burden on the teachers who have to watch certain kids like hawks every time they leave the room.

Sure... for the 1 or 2 days that they are in ISS, and then what, it starts all over again. Personally, I am for harsher punishments for vaping. Perhaps getting the parents involved -- like maybe the family has to attend a 10 week class or something in order to avoid a 10 day suspension.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The county needs to build a juvenile detention center. Problem kids can be educated at the detention center. When they reach 18/end of senior year they have a choice, productive life or prison.

People don’t need and shouldn’t get 3rd, 4th, 5th, …, 11th chances like they do in DC.

The county already has a JDC. I think you mean that you want all of the kids caught fighting and vaping to be sent there.

We need to put an end to the restorative justice crap. Yes, send repeat offenders who are violent to JDC. Impose in school suspensions for lesser offenses. As part of the boundary study they should consider having a holding cell in each school so that the SRO can remain on patrol.

Teacher here. Giving ISS to kids caught vaping does not seem to deter them, sadly.

It doesn’t deter them but it does free up bathroom space for the kids who just want to pee and it lessens the burden on the teachers who have to watch certain kids like hawks every time they leave the room.

Sure... for the 1 or 2 days that they are in ISS, and then what, it starts all over again. Personally, I am for harsher punishments for vaping. Perhaps getting the parents involved -- like maybe the family has to attend a 10 week class or something in order to avoid a 10 day suspension.

Yes, progressive punishment. Keep breaking the same rules then punishment must increase until compliance is achieved. Discipline must be restored to FCPS if it is return to even a shell of its former self.

[Anonymous]

Dr Reid needs to be fired. Literally nothing is being done to help prevent vaping and drugs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dr Reid needs to be fired. Literally nothing is being done to help prevent vaping and drugs.

I am not a fan of reid, but the vaping and drug thing is a parent issue and a society issue.

Fcps should add at least one resource officer per high school and middle school though. If there are vaping sensors available, they should be added to the bathrooms, paired with a camera that is trained on the entrance to the bathrooms to catch the kids vaping at school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dr Reid needs to be fired. Literally nothing is being done to help prevent vaping and drugs.

I am not a fan of reid, but the vaping and drug thing is a parent issue and a society issue.

Fcps should add at least one resource officer per high school and middle school though. If there are vaping sensors available, they should be added to the bathrooms, paired with a camera that is trained on the entrance to the bathrooms to catch the kids vaping at school.

It’s not just a parenting issue. Most parents are not aware of the vaping. Kids are buying then, using them, and keeping them at school. The approach needs to come from both school and parents to address vaping.

The weapons detections system will help because kids will get searched more. More Security officers would help to monitor areas that kids are using, selling, and storing. Parebt classes would be great because parents don’t know what to do. No phones in schools also help so kids can’t communicate as easily online about vaping or connect with vapers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don’t worry, no precious adults got hurt. It took students to break up the stabbing. There is even video footage of it on X. A male student (with his backpack still on) is holding back the stabber while he still waves around the knife and is holding it. A child risked their own life to stop this. A child.

This is what we have become, as society, just walk away. Don’t say anything. Don’t do anything. Let the kids kill themselves and don’t intervene. The adults are not responsible.

The child has (legal) protections that adult does not.

Here you go: 2 students holding the kid back while he’s still holding the knife.

I mean, why ever help as an adult at all, just let the kids handle it. WTAF is wrong with you?

https://x.com/davidez1911/status/1915423557137404117?s=46&t=E8qDVnObwqD3VskYpcZ1Jg

And? What do you think this proves in the context of whether adult teachers should physically get involved in student fights?

Should the adults in the building just sit back and watch as one student stabs another to death? Is this the Hunger Games?

A lot of keyboard warriors....teachers are humans too. Would you jump in knowing you could die or go get the officer who has been trained on this? Maybe you'd jump in but also maybe not. This was horrible but society is a hateful messy place and you acting like a typical FCPS parent know it all help no one.

Just trying to follow up here:

- were there any consequences at all for the teacher who just walked right by while observing the stabbing? Is he still at the school??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don’t worry, no precious adults got hurt. It took students to break up the stabbing. There is even video footage of it on X. A male student (with his backpack still on) is holding back the stabber while he still waves around the knife and is holding it. A child risked their own life to stop this. A child.

This is what we have become, as society, just walk away. Don’t say anything. Don’t do anything. Let the kids kill themselves and don’t intervene. The adults are not responsible.

The child has (legal) protections that adult does not.

Here you go: 2 students holding the kid back while he’s still holding the knife.

I mean, why ever help as an adult at all, just let the kids handle it. WTAF is wrong with you?

https://x.com/davidez1911/status/1915423557137404117?s=46&t=E8qDVnObwqD3VskYpcZ1Jg

And? What do you think this proves in the context of whether adult teachers should physically get involved in student fights?

Should the adults in the building just sit back and watch as one student stabs another to death? Is this the Hunger Games?

A lot of keyboard warriors....teachers are humans too. Would you jump in knowing you could die or go get the officer who has been trained on this? Maybe you'd jump in but also maybe not. This was horrible but society is a hateful messy place and you acting like a typical FCPS parent know it all help no one.

Just trying to follow up here:

- were there any consequences at all for the teacher who just walked right by while observing the stabbing? Is he still at the school??

He was a sub. He probably realized he'd be better off working just about any other low wage job where no one blames you for not intervening in a knife fight.

[Anonymous]

Private schools like NCS, Landon and Potomac don't have knife fights in the hallways. West Po should look at what the privates are doing and model their approaches.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Private schools like NCS, Landon and Potomac don't have knife fights in the hallways. West Po should look at what the privates are doing and model their approaches.

I hope this is sarcasm. Of course private schools don’t have the same issues. Unlike public schools, they can handpick their students and remove the ones who don’t behave.

[Anonymous]

West Potomac is no different than most high schools in FCPS. A cadre of kids headed to college, a cadre headed to the trades, a a cadre headed to interface with the criminal justice system. Percentages will vary from school to school and while vaping may reach 30%, day to day violence does not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Private schools like NCS, Landon and Potomac don't have knife fights in the hallways. West Po should look at what the privates are doing and model their approaches.

I hope this is sarcasm. Of course private schools don’t have the same issues. Unlike public schools, they can handpick their students and remove the ones who don’t behave.

PP - yes it was pure sarcasm! the cute preppy girls at NCS can be brutal socially, but at least there are no knife fights!