Forum Index
»
Private & Independent Schools
Troubles at GDS high school?
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
| I'm a parent at another schoool, and I'd say the disciplinary process at our kids' school and probably at many other independent schools should also be scrutinized. Our son, who is white, was a witness to an incident (not involving any racial or sexual dimension) that resulted in a disciplinary action against another student. An administrator met with our son to "persuade" him to hand over his cell phone to look at texts. Our son was not sure what to do, felt threatened by the administrator, and asked if he could talk this over with us. He wasn't allowed to do so and ended up allowing the administrator to see the texts. He feels terrible about this and the outcome for the other student. |
Anonymous
| What is happening at GDS is consistent with what is going on college campuses. Yes. We all believe in freedom of speech. Yes, most of us - and everybody I respect - thinks racism is evil. Yes, most of us - an everybody I respect - thinks women are equals. But the conversations have twisted out of control. I wonder if its a natural reaction to the temperament of the way conservatives yell at each other and us on the left. |
Anonymous
| Just seems like all this navel gazing is a waste of valuable educational time. There are jerks in the world, they are everywhere. To be shocked that GDS or Bullis or others have racists is a bit ridiculous. They are everywhere, just like domestic abuse, drug/alcohol abuse, etc. Just accept that and get about life instead of wallowing in why it happened. It's never going away. |
Anonymous
+1 Completely agree. We are so vested in the idea that things like this could NEVER happen at OUR school, because every single person who walks through the doors is completely scrutinized in the admissions process and of course only the very best are admitted. We want to believe that, because that is what people want to think they are getting with all of the $$ they pay. |
Anonymous
| This is why lots of lawyers give their kids what I think of as POW instructions -- the authorities get name, rank, DOB, and service number but nothing more from you until a parent is contacted and decides whether s/he and/or a lawyer should be present. |
Anonymous
| thanks for these later posts. the questions and comments on disciplinary process are important and helpful. |
Anonymous
Sometimes the 'very best' turn out to be real lowlifes. Every single one of these schools has a kid that's dealing drugs or taking advantage of girls who've had too much to drink or stealing from his classmates. It happens. Punish it, throw them out, and move on. |
Anonymous
| Privacy, due process, freedom of speech even freedom of thought are dead, dead, dead in colleges and in schools. Sad, but that unfortunately is the way it is. That is our messed up culture now. The totalitarians are in charge at every level. Gloomy and dismal I know, but this is what we have wrought. |
Anonymous
|
[quote=Anonymous]Privacy, due process, freedom of speech even freedom of thought are dead, dead, dead in colleges and in schools. Sad, but that unfortunately is the way it is. That is our messed up culture now. The totalitarians are in charge at every level. Gloomy and dismal I know, but this is what we have wrought.[/quote]
But that is so not the point here. Parents who send kids to GDS are buying into a well identified and advertised socio-political ideology. You pays your money and makes your choice! |
Anonymous
| Which brings us back to the due process issues. This is a school whose 8th grade curriculum prominently features constitutional rights (Hill Day) and encourages students to embrace and defend those values. When I paid my money and made my choice I sure as hell didn't think I was buying into a system where some administrator could decide which kids were "real lowlifes" and "throw them out" without any fair process for determining whether such kids had actually done something expulsion-worthy. |
Anonymous
There is what they say, and then there is also a clear sub-text. Good to focus on the latter! As with all schools. |
Anonymous
| GDS didn't use those terms -- prior posters, defending this type of behavior, did. I'm just saying that while some people may buy into private schools generally based on this logic, in the specific case of GDS, parents have a right to expect better treatment of their children. What we're seeing is a betrayal of the school's mission and core values. |
Anonymous
| Frankly, the school's "mission" and core values are exposed as the shams they are by these episodes. |
Anonymous
| Well, depending on how the school responds to these issues, we'll see. Everbody and every institution makes mistakes. It's how you respond to those mistakes, once identified, that shows your true colors. |
Anonymous
| +1 |