Whitman being evacuated

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Racist and classist hysteria aside. It is fair to ask if the school is prepared to service and supervise students in this level of crisis. Simply calling them troubled in insufficient if it is the Greetree Program.

The school and inpatient psychiatric program may very well be prepared. However, it us not inappropriate to use this as an opportunity to ask.

Racist?? What are you talking about. No one is speaking at all about race. Please keep race out of the conversation where it does not belong!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From what I heard, the suspect has been in altercations before.

The overall issue with school violence in MCPS is that they closed down the school for students with behavioral problems (Twain) a couple years ago, to much fanfare. Now, students with issues who are a threat are just shifted around between schools. In the Damascus rape case, the ringleader was on his third high school by that point, since that's all they can do.

There are other alternative schools that MCPS has access to. There's RICA. There's Blair Ewing, although I don't think it's geared for kids with behavioral problems. MCPS needs to do a better job of identifying the kids' needs and sending them to the appropriate schools. Maybe they can even expel a kid from MCPS and use that money to send the kid to a private school like Ridge or Foundations. If MCPS doesn't want to reopen the alternative schools, they should at least do something and not let the kids devolve into WWE in the regular high schools. The BOE has been dropping the ball for years, neglecting money and resources toward behavioral problems (closing Twain). The recent MCPS behavioral incidents in the news are not normal (Richard Montgomery HS hallway sex in 2014, Damascus HS football team, Rockville HS sex in bathroom, now Whitman frying pan). BOE needs to get their heads out of their sand and do something, anything. I get that they want to close the achievement gap, but they can walk and chew gum at the same time right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is completely and utterly unacceptable.

For Whitman (or MCPS) to allow an individual with this background to attend high school without proper supervision is shocking and a dereliction of duty (at best).

This individual (a legal adult) apparently hit a student (a child) in the head with that metal frying pan. Using it in that way makes it a deadly weapon. Yes, we can thank god it wasn't a different type of weapon, but none of that excuses allowing *this* weapon to make it into the school. The trauma inflicted as other students hear/saw the commotion - and the ensuing chaos is unacceptable. The bland, misleading email from the school -- clearly intended to downplay the incident - is a shocking and unacceptable insult to injury to the entire community.

No Whitman, this is not ok. You have failed the students of this school. It is ONLY by sheer grace and luck that this wasn't much, much worse.

Maybe start talking about protecting the students - not the rights of an *adult* with a dangerous background - during "One Whitman" and the counselors breakfast. Maybe that would help with the stress at the school.

Good luck with that.

Parents at Rockville HS tried to get this message across but were thoroughly shut down by MCPS. You’re not allowed to question why it’s a bad idea to have adult students mixed in with children because it makes you a racist jerk.

So.all.the Whitman male holdbacks should go to.an alternate school.that's one way to get rich parents to.stop holding kids back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is completely and utterly unacceptable.

For Whitman (or MCPS) to allow an individual with this background to attend high school without proper supervision is shocking and a dereliction of duty (at best).

This individual (a legal adult) apparently hit a student (a child) in the head with that metal frying pan. Using it in that way makes it a deadly weapon. Yes, we can thank god it wasn't a different type of weapon, but none of that excuses allowing *this* weapon to make it into the school. The trauma inflicted as other students hear/saw the commotion - and the ensuing chaos is unacceptable. The bland, misleading email from the school -- clearly intended to downplay the incident - is a shocking and unacceptable insult to injury to the entire community.

No Whitman, this is not ok. You have failed the students of this school. It is ONLY by sheer grace and luck that this wasn't much, much worse.

Maybe start talking about protecting the students - not the rights of an *adult* with a dangerous background - during "One Whitman" and the counselors breakfast. Maybe that would help with the stress at the school.

Good luck with that.

Parents at Rockville HS tried to get this message across but were thoroughly shut down by MCPS. You’re not allowed to question why it’s a bad idea to have adult students mixed in with children because it makes you a racist jerk.

There is nothing miraculous that happens on the day of the 18th birthday that makes the person who was a child yesterday an adult today other than they are one day older.

Then why are there laws that are based on age? Do you propose that they are all useless?

What makes an 18year old suddenly able to vote? What makes him suddenly eligible for the draft?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From what I heard, the suspect has been in altercations before.

The overall issue with school violence in MCPS is that they closed down the school for students with behavioral problems (Twain) a couple years ago, to much fanfare. Now, students with issues who are a threat are just shifted around between schools. In the Damascus rape case, the ringleader was on his third high school by that point, since that's all they can do.

There are other alternative schools that MCPS has access to. There's RICA. There's Blair Ewing, although I don't think it's geared for kids with behavioral problems. MCPS needs to do a better job of identifying the kids' needs and sending them to the appropriate schools. Maybe they can even expel a kid from MCPS and use that money to send the kid to a private school like Ridge or Foundations. If MCPS doesn't want to reopen the alternative schools, they should at least do something and not let the kids devolve into WWE in the regular high schools. The BOE has been dropping the ball for years, neglecting money and resources toward behavioral problems (closing Twain). The recent MCPS behavioral incidents in the news are not normal (Richard Montgomery HS hallway sex in 2014, Damascus HS football team, Rockville HS sex in bathroom, now Whitman frying pan). BOE needs to get their heads out of their sand and do something, anything. I get that they want to close the achievement gap, but they can walk and chew gum at the same time right?

You clearly have no understanding of the legal requirements of the special ed process or the nature of these private placements. You talk as if it's just a matter of MCPS assigning problem students to the right schools. It has nothing to do with the BOE. RICA, Ridge, Lourie Center, Pathways, Jefferson, Foundation, etc. are only for kids with IEPs. They have a right under federal law to be in the least restrictive environment. It's very often not until you have an incident like this frying pan attack that you have the evidence you need to demonstrate that a more restrictive placement is warranted. The IEP team isn't clairvoyant. And placing a kid in a 100% special education school is not a simple decision or an easy process--it's months of jumping through hoops, assessments, data collection, etc. and these private schools are not part of MCPS and can reject kids they don't think are a good fit. And they are ludicrously expensive. Blair Ewing is an alternative placement for kids who have been expelled, meaning you actually have to have done something terrible first to get there.

And that's assuming the parents are even on board. MCPS can try its best but parents can wreak havoc on the process. Getting a kid an IEP for Emotional Disability is already difficult because it's widely regarded as the third rail of special ed codes and many parents will do anything they can to avoid it or deny it, even if it's appropriate. Hence, the classrooms often end up filled with FARMS or minority kids because the wealthier parents hire lawyers and advocates to do gymnastics to avoid these placements, which MCPS is rightfully concerned about. Nobody wants to be in the ED classrooms in a comprehensive school, let alone be placed in RICA or Foundation unless the situation is absolutely desperate. Nobody wants their kid to be one of "those" kids (same with Intellectual Disability, sadly). With the Damascus rapist ringleader, all of MCPS's efforts to give him special ed and change his placement were stymied by his mother, who was in total denial of her son's issues and refused consent for services, which MCPS can do absolutely nothing about. Only when he did something truly horrible and was in legal trouble did she suddenly have an epiphany.

You seem to be advocating some kind of Minority Report world where MCPS magically knows who these problem kids are and forces them into 100% self-contained special ed placements before they've done anything to warrant it. IDEA doesn't work that way.

[Anonymous]

Well said!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Good luck with that.

Parents at Rockville HS tried to get this message across but were thoroughly shut down by MCPS. You’re not allowed to question why it’s a bad idea to have adult students mixed in with children because it makes you a racist jerk.

There is nothing miraculous that happens on the day of the 18th birthday that makes the person who was a child yesterday an adult today other than they are one day older.

Then why are there laws that are based on age? Do you propose that they are all useless?

What makes an 18year old suddenly able to vote? What makes him suddenly eligible for the draft?

My kid will become an adult halfway through high school senior year. I guess they should kick my kid out when that happens. No adults mixed in with children.

[Anonymous]

It was Bethesda so I’m assuming it was a le creuset.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It was Bethesda so I’m assuming it was a le creuset.

You win the thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is completely and utterly unacceptable.

For Whitman (or MCPS) to allow an individual with this background to attend high school without proper supervision is shocking and a dereliction of duty (at best).

This individual (a legal adult) apparently hit a student (a child) in the head with that metal frying pan. Using it in that way makes it a deadly weapon. Yes, we can thank god it wasn't a different type of weapon, but none of that excuses allowing *this* weapon to make it into the school. The trauma inflicted as other students hear/saw the commotion - and the ensuing chaos is unacceptable. The bland, misleading email from the school -- clearly intended to downplay the incident - is a shocking and unacceptable insult to injury to the entire community.

No Whitman, this is not ok. You have failed the students of this school. It is ONLY by sheer grace and luck that this wasn't much, much worse.

Maybe start talking about protecting the students - not the rights of an *adult* with a dangerous background - during "One Whitman" and the counselors breakfast. Maybe that would help with the stress at the school.

And how do we know the kid has a history of violence/dangerous background? Or are you just assuming because he has mental health issues and lives in a group home?

If you're in the school, you can check his logs. I've had students with 30 pages of comm logs. Year after year, teachers (and other staff members) log in incidents, and many of these kids return. Some are impulsive and thus, create chaos. Others and impulsive and dangerous to themselves and others.

Sadly, life as a teacher is about CYA. It's exhausting but sadly, necessary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was Bethesda so I’m assuming it was a le creuset.

You win the thread.

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Good luck with that.

Parents at Rockville HS tried to get this message across but were thoroughly shut down by MCPS. You’re not allowed to question why it’s a bad idea to have adult students mixed in with children because it makes you a racist jerk.

There is nothing miraculous that happens on the day of the 18th birthday that makes the person who was a child yesterday an adult today other than they are one day older.

Then why are there laws that are based on age? Do you propose that they are all useless?

What makes an 18year old suddenly able to vote? What makes him suddenly eligible for the draft?

My kid will become an adult halfway through high school senior year. I guess they should kick my kid out when that happens. No adults mixed in with children.

Mine will become an adult less than a month into his senior year (September birthday). I guess he should be kicked out too. Don’t want the big bad adult fraternizing with kiddos.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Good luck with that.

Parents at Rockville HS tried to get this message across but were thoroughly shut down by MCPS. You’re not allowed to question why it’s a bad idea to have adult students mixed in with children because it makes you a racist jerk.

There is nothing miraculous that happens on the day of the 18th birthday that makes the person who was a child yesterday an adult today other than they are one day older.

Then why are there laws that are based on age? Do you propose that they are all useless?

What makes an 18year old suddenly able to vote? What makes him suddenly eligible for the draft?

My kid will become an adult halfway through high school senior year. I guess they should kick my kid out when that happens. No adults mixed in with children.

Mine will become an adult less than a month into his senior year (September birthday). I guess he should be kicked out too. Don’t want the big bad adult fraternizing with kiddos.

Do you mean your kid will be 19 next months? Will He be in the same classroom with 15 years old?

[Anonymous]

My senior ended up taking a freshman class because he thought he could work out a schedule where he didn't need a certain elective. Ended up having classes with freshman his senior year... i think it was an art credit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From what I heard, the suspect has been in altercations before.

The overall issue with school violence in MCPS is that they closed down the school for students with behavioral problems (Twain) a couple years ago, to much fanfare. Now, students with issues who are a threat are just shifted around between schools. In the Damascus rape case, the ringleader was on his third high school by that point, since that's all they can do.

There are other alternative schools that MCPS has access to. There's RICA. There's Blair Ewing, although I don't think it's geared for kids with behavioral problems. MCPS needs to do a better job of identifying the kids' needs and sending them to the appropriate schools. Maybe they can even expel a kid from MCPS and use that money to send the kid to a private school like Ridge or Foundations. If MCPS doesn't want to reopen the alternative schools, they should at least do something and not let the kids devolve into WWE in the regular high schools. The BOE has been dropping the ball for years, neglecting money and resources toward behavioral problems (closing Twain). The recent MCPS behavioral incidents in the news are not normal (Richard Montgomery HS hallway sex in 2014, Damascus HS football team, Rockville HS sex in bathroom, now Whitman frying pan). BOE needs to get their heads out of their sand and do something, anything. I get that they want to close the achievement gap, but they can walk and chew gum at the same time right?

You clearly have no understanding of the legal requirements of the special ed process or the nature of these private placements. You talk as if it's just a matter of MCPS assigning problem students to the right schools. It has nothing to do with the BOE. RICA, Ridge, Lourie Center, Pathways, Jefferson, Foundation, etc. are only for kids with IEPs. They have a right under federal law to be in the least restrictive environment. It's very often not until you have an incident like this frying pan attack that you have the evidence you need to demonstrate that a more restrictive placement is warranted. The IEP team isn't clairvoyant. And placing a kid in a 100% special education school is not a simple decision or an easy process--it's months of jumping through hoops, assessments, data collection, etc. and these private schools are not part of MCPS and can reject kids they don't think are a good fit. And they are ludicrously expensive. Blair Ewing is an alternative placement for kids who have been expelled, meaning you actually have to have done something terrible first to get there.

And that's assuming the parents are even on board. MCPS can try its best but parents can wreak havoc on the process. Getting a kid an IEP for Emotional Disability is already difficult because it's widely regarded as the third rail of special ed codes and many parents will do anything they can to avoid it or deny it, even if it's appropriate. Hence, the classrooms often end up filled with FARMS or minority kids because the wealthier parents hire lawyers and advocates to do gymnastics to avoid these placements, which MCPS is rightfully concerned about. Nobody wants to be in the ED classrooms in a comprehensive school, let alone be placed in RICA or Foundation unless the situation is absolutely desperate. Nobody wants their kid to be one of "those" kids (same with Intellectual Disability, sadly). With the Damascus rapist ringleader, all of MCPS's efforts to give him special ed and change his placement were stymied by his mother, who was in total denial of her son's issues and refused consent for services, which MCPS can do absolutely nothing about. Only when he did something truly horrible and was in legal trouble did she suddenly have an epiphany.

You seem to be advocating some kind of Minority Report world where MCPS magically knows who these problem kids are and forces them into 100% self-contained special ed placements before they've done anything to warrant it. IDEA doesn't work that way.

And this sort of support from the school to try to provide help is rare. Most parents of kids with special needs beg for assistance and appropriate supports but are denied until the kid breaks down at school. The incidence of anxiety/ PTSD in children from abuse and lack of supports is astounding. There really should be some sort of liability for educational malpractice.