Seeking an update on Hardy Middle School

[Anonymous]

One thing that I've observed over the years, on DCUM and in real life: among a certain group of NW DC parents, there is a huge desire to see harsh punishment for kids involved in even the slightest amount of misbehavior, circumstances be damned, at Hardy or Wilson. I often wonder why they are so bloodthirsty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One thing that I've observed over the years, on DCUM and in real life: among a certain group of NW DC parents, there is a huge desire to see harsh punishment for kids involved in even the slightest amount of misbehavior, circumstances be damned, at Hardy or Wilson. I often wonder why they are so bloodthirsty.

I don't agree with it but I get it. Parents don't want their children's learning disrupted by students with behavioral issues. They are also concerned that problematic behavior may be directed at their children.

The biggest indictment against harsh punishment is the lack of evidence that it's effective. That's particularly true of out of school suspensions. Programs that help students resolve issues with their peers show promise but the schools are not consistent in utilizing these approaches. Programs like restorative justice should be common throughout the system and supported by DCPS

[Anonymous]

That requires resources and costs money. where, pray tell will it come from? DC teachers are leaving, not staying

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That requires resources and costs money. where, pray tell will it come from? DC teachers are leaving, not staying

You have that the wrong way around - teachers are leaving because they don't get support but they get all of the blame. It's not enough for the Chancellor to talk about reducing harsh punishment and providing minimal support for such programs. Too many principals are actively reducing harsh punishment on the backs of teachers rather than the system employing effective and compassionate discipline.

[Anonymous]

I know of a student in elementary school that was suspended from school for one day because he squirted a mustard packet in the cafeteria which got on the ceiling. It is beyond me why school suspension would be appropriate in such a situation. Why wouldn't requiring that child to clean up his mess and then do additional cleaning tasks around the school as punishment? Instead they suspended an elementary school child? This was at very well regarded west of the park school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One thing that I've observed over the years, on DCUM and in real life: among a certain group of NW DC parents, there is a huge desire to see harsh punishment for kids involved in even the slightest amount of misbehavior, circumstances be damned, at Hardy or Wilson. I often wonder why they are so bloodthirsty.

It isn't a matter of being blood thirsty but a matter of age and continual problems. By middle school and definitely by high school kids know how to behave and what expectations are at school. They have had 7+ years of schooling to know what is expected. When they act out at that age it is a choice. Kids (and parents) are tired of it by then. I can tell you from our Deal feeder school, the kids who were a problem in grades 3-5 are still the most likely to be problems at Deal and Wilson. It is amazing to me.

That said Deal doesn't do harsh punishments like Hardy. There are suspensions but Deal is much more creative on punishments which don't include suspensions. With kids at Wilson now I am all about the harsh punishment. I just want them out. They are not only disruptive but some are dangerous.

But where do you send them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One thing that I've observed over the years, on DCUM and in real life: among a certain group of NW DC parents, there is a huge desire to see harsh punishment for kids involved in even the slightest amount of misbehavior, circumstances be damned, at Hardy or Wilson. I often wonder why they are so bloodthirsty.

It isn't a matter of being blood thirsty but a matter of age and continual problems. By middle school and definitely by high school kids know how to behave and what expectations are at school. They have had 7+ years of schooling to know what is expected. When they act out at that age it is a choice. Kids (and parents) are tired of it by then. I can tell you from our Deal feeder school, the kids who were a problem in grades 3-5 are still the most likely to be problems at Deal and Wilson. It is amazing to me.

That said Deal doesn't do harsh punishments like Hardy. There are suspensions but Deal is much more creative on punishments which don't include suspensions. With kids at Wilson now I am all about the harsh punishment. I just want them out. They are not only disruptive but some are dangerous.

But where do you send them?

+1. People are just worn down by the behavior, and have been through 6+ years of seeing DCPS fail to help these kids.

Also, in middle school there is a lot more of a sexual edge to inappropriate behavior, and kids are big enough and clever enough to do some real physical harm to each other if they try. So the stakes are a lot higher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That requires resources and costs money. where, pray tell will it come from? DC teachers are leaving, not staying

You have that the wrong way around - teachers are leaving because they don't get support but they get all of the blame. It's not enough for the Chancellor to talk about reducing harsh punishment and providing minimal support for such programs. Too many principals are actively reducing harsh punishment on the backs of teachers rather than the system employing effective and compassionate discipline.

PP here. I agree with you, but that doesn't mean I have it all wrong. What I'm saying is that it's hard enough now with a shortage of teachers. DCPS is desperate for bodies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think he has superpowers. I'm sure he has plenty of flaws and he'll disappoint once in a while. But I do believe he's the right leader at the right time for Hardy. And for a motivated school leader, Hardy is a dream job. Not too big and a quickly growing engaged feeder school community with parents willing to step up and help precisely when DCPS has made middle school a real emphasis and priority and we have a new Chancellor anxious to hit one out of the park and make his tenure distinct from Henderson's. We're lucky but so his Mr. Cooke.

Parent of a Hardy feeder here who has some time before we need to decide on Hardy... the people I've spoken with on the selection panel are very positive about Mr. Cooke and I am very optimistic that Hardy now has someone in place who can make a real difference. I am going to be watching closely, getting involved where/if I can, and keeping an open mind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hardy has had a suspension problem.

Per the last equity report, 87 of 434 students were suspended 1 or more days (none were expelled) in one school year.

The suspended students were of ALL races and demographic groups (white, black, Asian and Latino).

Were any suspensions for failing to wear the Hardy school uniform?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Restorative justice -- such as mediation between students -- certainly works, but it costs money to hire skilled people to do it. And, if Hardy were the only school to have it, that would be inequitable because other schools would not have it. So better not do it.

What the heck is "restorative justice"? It sounds like it came from the same leftish, academic-jargon factory as "cultural appropriation," "safe spaces" and "micro-aggression."

I'd love for DCPS to spend more time on ensuring that all schools focus on rigorous academics, and are not afraid to sanction the behavior problems so that good, motivated students can learn in peace. And put the jargon-y word salad in the circular file.

[Anonymous]

Enough about the f-ing uniforms at Hardy. How about we talk about Deal's problems with their dress code instead? How girls are consistently told they are being distractions and forced to change clothes, wear dirty items out of lost and found and even wrap themselves in a towel? How about we talk about that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Restorative justice -- such as mediation between students -- certainly works, but it costs money to hire skilled people to do it. And, if Hardy were the only school to have it, that would be inequitable because other schools would not have it. So better not do it.

What the heck is "restorative justice"? It sounds like it came from the same leftish, academic-jargon factory as "cultural appropriation," "safe spaces" and "micro-aggression."

Except words like "safe space" and "micro-aggression" at least indicate what they might mean. "Restorative justice" doesn't even sound like a concept that would make sense in educational discipline. I can't guess what the term is supposed to mean. What is being restored and to whom?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Restorative justice -- such as mediation between students -- certainly works, but it costs money to hire skilled people to do it. And, if Hardy were the only school to have it, that would be inequitable because other schools would not have it. So better not do it.

What the heck is "restorative justice"? It sounds like it came from the same leftish, academic-jargon factory as "cultural appropriation," "safe spaces" and "micro-aggression."

Except words like "safe space" and "micro-aggression" at least indicate what they might mean. "Restorative justice" doesn't even sound like a concept that would make sense in educational discipline. I can't guess what the term is supposed to mean. What is being restored and to whom?

It is about restoring the relationship and the harm that was done. So apoligies, cleaning up if you make a mess, that kind of thing. Not some arbitrary punishment from on high, but learning what it means to make amends, acknowledge your mistakes, and maintain relationships.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Restorative justice -- such as mediation between students -- certainly works, but it costs money to hire skilled people to do it. And, if Hardy were the only school to have it, that would be inequitable because other schools would not have it. So better not do it.

What the heck is "restorative justice"? It sounds like it came from the same leftish, academic-jargon factory as "cultural appropriation," "safe spaces" and "micro-aggression."

Except words like "safe space" and "micro-aggression" at least indicate what they might mean. "Restorative justice" doesn't even sound like a concept that would make sense in educational discipline. I can't guess what the term is supposed to mean. What is being restored and to whom?

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/restorative-justice-resources-matt-davis