How many fights did your kid see at Deal this week?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are no consequences for kids any more and kids know it.
Teenagers are impulsive and sometimes make bad decisions. Restorative justice, etc., ain’t cutting it. Principal Neal needs to wake up and get tough. In her defence, the woke movement of trying to reform kids with love, tolerance and understanding is all over the country. Even private schools have way less student accountability than they used to. Eventually the pendulum will swing the other way.
Teachers are in a bad spot. They are in their own. The administration does not want to hear complaints about unruly kids. I work in a suburban school district and we are facing some of the same issues. Very stressful being a teacher these days

First, middle school kids are a difficult age. Second, you really do not have any clue about restorative justice or whether it works or not so STFU with that claim. Third, out of school suspension completely rewards kids for bad behavior.

Chef’s kiss for articulating your defense of restorative justice as “STFU.”
It must work great.

No kidding! What an angry human to use such aggressive language.

Either accept my view of restorative justice or STFU.

😭

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are no consequences for kids any more and kids know it.
Teenagers are impulsive and sometimes make bad decisions. Restorative justice, etc., ain’t cutting it. Principal Neal needs to wake up and get tough. In her defence, the woke movement of trying to reform kids with love, tolerance and understanding is all over the country. Even private schools have way less student accountability than they used to. Eventually the pendulum will swing the other way.
Teachers are in a bad spot. They are in their own. The administration does not want to hear complaints about unruly kids. I work in a suburban school district and we are facing some of the same issues. Very stressful being a teacher these days

First, middle school kids are a difficult age. Second, you really do not have any clue about restorative justice or whether it works or not so STFU with that claim. Third, out of school suspension completely rewards kids for bad behavior.

Chef’s kiss for articulating your defense of restorative justice as “STFU.”
It must work great.

No kidding! What an angry human to use such aggressive language.

This is your idea of super aggressive language? You’re precious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are no consequences for kids any more and kids know it.
Teenagers are impulsive and sometimes make bad decisions. Restorative justice, etc., ain’t cutting it. Principal Neal needs to wake up and get tough. In her defence, the woke movement of trying to reform kids with love, tolerance and understanding is all over the country. Even private schools have way less student accountability than they used to. Eventually the pendulum will swing the other way.
Teachers are in a bad spot. They are in their own. The administration does not want to hear complaints about unruly kids. I work in a suburban school district and we are facing some of the same issues. Very stressful being a teacher these days

First, middle school kids are a difficult age. Second, you really do not have any clue about restorative justice or whether it works or not so STFU with that claim. Third, out of school suspension completely rewards kids for bad behavior.

Chef’s kiss for articulating your defense of restorative justice as “STFU.”
It must work great.

No kidding! What an angry human to use such aggressive language.

This is your idea of super aggressive language? You’re precious.

Are you the one not standing up for the victims? What’s your solution?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are no consequences for kids any more and kids know it.
Teenagers are impulsive and sometimes make bad decisions. Restorative justice, etc., ain’t cutting it. Principal Neal needs to wake up and get tough. In her defence, the woke movement of trying to reform kids with love, tolerance and understanding is all over the country. Even private schools have way less student accountability than they used to. Eventually the pendulum will swing the other way.
Teachers are in a bad spot. They are in their own. The administration does not want to hear complaints about unruly kids. I work in a suburban school district and we are facing some of the same issues. Very stressful being a teacher these days

First, middle school kids are a difficult age. Second, you really do not have any clue about restorative justice or whether it works or not so STFU with that claim. Third, out of school suspension completely rewards kids for bad behavior.

Chef’s kiss for articulating your defense of restorative justice as “STFU.”
It must work great.

No kidding! What an angry human to use such aggressive language.

This is your idea of super aggressive language? You’re precious.

Are you the one not standing up for the victims? What’s your solution?

This is my first comment on this thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Restorative Justice sounds so good in theory. I worked in two DCPS Middle Schools over three years that claimed to utilize this strategy. The truth is, RJ is rarely used, and if it is used, it's way after the fact. Often the victim is made to apologize for some trumped-up offense. The aggressors rarely own up to what they've done or the harm they've caused. Noone is restored and there is no justice.

Actually it doesn’t sound good in theory at all. It sounds like Soviet Russia.

[Anonymous]

Interesting that the principal is blaming this on the racism that has been exposed by COVID.

“The COVID-19 pandemic and America's wakening to racism have presented many challenges to students, educators, and families. The impact of these challenges is being manifested in schools throughout the country. As our students continue to re-learn social norms and coping skills, we have experienced a higher-than-normal number of students who are experiencing social-emotional concerns and displaying unacceptable behaviors.

Our priority is the safety and well-being of all our students and staff. As we continue to grow and heal as a school community, we will reinforce Social-Emotional Learning and Restorative Practices and leverage a Multi-tiered System of Support. During the next two weeks, we will meet with our 6th, 7th, and 8th graders to hear their thoughts and recommendations for supporting a safe and positive school climate.”

[Anonymous]

How about not putting kids and teachers in a building that is overcrowded?

Thank you Mayor Bowser for creating a feeder plan that does not support learning. You had the choice not to "Grandfather" in certain neighborhoods - you decided it was in your best political interest.

There is no way to enforce the policy that if you move to another neighborhood in DC that you get to stay at your current school through the truncating grade.

And every year you make Deal fight for every budget dollar that they get - I need to check records again - but I believe it is the smallest budget as measured by total school budget per pupil.

Why not give the teachers there and the administration so city wide respect and enable them to do their jobs. They are trying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How about not putting kids and teachers in a building that is overcrowded?

Thank you Mayor Bowser for creating a feeder plan that does not support learning. You had the choice not to "Grandfather" in certain neighborhoods - you decided it was in your best political interest.

There is no way to enforce the policy that if you move to another neighborhood in DC that you get to stay at your current school through the truncating grade.

And every year you make Deal fight for every budget dollar that they get - I need to check records again - but I believe it is the smallest budget as measured by total school budget per pupil.

Why not give the teachers there and the administration so city wide respect and enable them to do their jobs. They are trying.

Frankly, Bowser grandfathered in all the kids who fight. It's not PC to say this but they're always, year-after-year from those schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How about not putting kids and teachers in a building that is overcrowded?

Thank you Mayor Bowser for creating a feeder plan that does not support learning. You had the choice not to "Grandfather" in certain neighborhoods - you decided it was in your best political interest.

There is no way to enforce the policy that if you move to another neighborhood in DC that you get to stay at your current school through the truncating grade.

And every year you make Deal fight for every budget dollar that they get - I need to check records again - but I believe it is the smallest budget as measured by total school budget per pupil.

Why not give the teachers there and the administration so city wide respect and enable them to do their jobs. They are trying.

This.

“ All members of the Deal community should feel valued, connected, respected, and supported.”

The mayor, chancellor and the CO have created a situation where the school is overcrowded and underfunded that every person there is under a constant chronic low level of stress. The students there should have an environment where they can learn. All the rhetoric like the quote from the website above and the social emotional talk is nothing when you can’t even keep kids safe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are no consequences for kids any more and kids know it.
Teenagers are impulsive and sometimes make bad decisions. Restorative justice, etc., ain’t cutting it. Principal Neal needs to wake up and get tough. In her defence, the woke movement of trying to reform kids with love, tolerance and understanding is all over the country. Even private schools have way less student accountability than they used to. Eventually the pendulum will swing the other way.
Teachers are in a bad spot. They are in their own. The administration does not want to hear complaints about unruly kids. I work in a suburban school district and we are facing some of the same issues. Very stressful being a teacher these days

First, middle school kids are a difficult age. Second, you really do not have any clue about restorative justice or whether it works or not so STFU with that claim. Third, out of school suspension completely rewards kids for bad behavior.

Chef’s kiss for articulating your defense of restorative justice as “STFU.”
It must work great.

No kidding! What an angry human to use such aggressive language.

This is your idea of super aggressive language? You’re precious.

Are you the one not standing up for the victims? What’s your solution?

This is my first comment on this thread.

And it was such a useful comment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How about not putting kids and teachers in a building that is overcrowded?

Thank you Mayor Bowser for creating a feeder plan that does not support learning. You had the choice not to "Grandfather" in certain neighborhoods - you decided it was in your best political interest.

There is no way to enforce the policy that if you move to another neighborhood in DC that you get to stay at your current school through the truncating grade.

And every year you make Deal fight for every budget dollar that they get - I need to check records again - but I believe it is the smallest budget as measured by total school budget per pupil.

Why not give the teachers there and the administration so city wide respect and enable them to do their jobs. They are trying.

Frankly, Bowser grandfathered in all the kids who fight. It's not PC to say this but they're always, year-after-year from those schools.

I can send you a link of a video of a fight that involved one white kid and one Indian looking kid. It was kind of pathetic but a fight nonetheless. And if you think the Crestwood kids are the ones fighting you’re sadly mistaken and racist

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting that the principal is blaming this on the racism that has been exposed by COVID.

“The COVID-19 pandemic and America's wakening to racism have presented many challenges to students, educators, and families. The impact of these challenges is being manifested in schools throughout the country. As our students continue to re-learn social norms and coping skills, we have experienced a higher-than-normal number of students who are experiencing social-emotional concerns and displaying unacceptable behaviors.

Our priority is the safety and well-being of all our students and staff. As we continue to grow and heal as a school community, we will reinforce Social-Emotional Learning and Restorative Practices and leverage a Multi-tiered System of Support. During the next two weeks, we will meet with our 6th, 7th, and 8th graders to hear their thoughts and recommendations for supporting a safe and positive school climate.”

"Social-Emotional Learning, Restorative Practices, Multi-tiered System of Support" blah blah blah. In other words, more of the same nonsense we've been doing for the past three or four years.

Is there any evidence that racism was a cause of the fights at Deal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting that the principal is blaming this on the racism that has been exposed by COVID.

“The COVID-19 pandemic and America's wakening to racism have presented many challenges to students, educators, and families. The impact of these challenges is being manifested in schools throughout the country. As our students continue to re-learn social norms and coping skills, we have experienced a higher-than-normal number of students who are experiencing social-emotional concerns and displaying unacceptable behaviors.

Our priority is the safety and well-being of all our students and staff. As we continue to grow and heal as a school community, we will reinforce Social-Emotional Learning and Restorative Practices and leverage a Multi-tiered System of Support. During the next two weeks, we will meet with our 6th, 7th, and 8th graders to hear their thoughts and recommendations for supporting a safe and positive school climate.”

I saw that too and my initial reaction was no, keeping schools closed for 18 months is what created these issues and Principal Neal supported WTU's efforts to keep schools closed. Now she refuses to accept responsibility for her own actions that have greatly harmed Deal's students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interesting that the principal is blaming this on the racism that has been exposed by COVID.

“The COVID-19 pandemic and America's wakening to racism have presented many challenges to students, educators, and families. The impact of these challenges is being manifested in schools throughout the country. As our students continue to re-learn social norms and coping skills, we have experienced a higher-than-normal number of students who are experiencing social-emotional concerns and displaying unacceptable behaviors.

Our priority is the safety and well-being of all our students and staff. As we continue to grow and heal as a school community, we will reinforce Social-Emotional Learning and Restorative Practices and leverage a Multi-tiered System of Support. During the next two weeks, we will meet with our 6th, 7th, and 8th graders to hear their thoughts and recommendations for supporting a safe and positive school climate.”

I saw that too and my initial reaction was no, keeping schools closed for 18 months is what created these issues and Principal Neal supported WTU's efforts to keep schools closed. Now she refuses to accept responsibility for her own actions that have greatly harmed Deal's students.

No there was trashy violent behavior before the pandemic too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interesting that the principal is blaming this on the racism that has been exposed by COVID.

“The COVID-19 pandemic and America's wakening to racism have presented many challenges to students, educators, and families. The impact of these challenges is being manifested in schools throughout the country. As our students continue to re-learn social norms and coping skills, we have experienced a higher-than-normal number of students who are experiencing social-emotional concerns and displaying unacceptable behaviors.

Our priority is the safety and well-being of all our students and staff. As we continue to grow and heal as a school community, we will reinforce Social-Emotional Learning and Restorative Practices and leverage a Multi-tiered System of Support. During the next two weeks, we will meet with our 6th, 7th, and 8th graders to hear their thoughts and recommendations for supporting a safe and positive school climate.”

I saw that too and my initial reaction was no, keeping schools closed for 18 months is what created these issues and Principal Neal supported WTU's efforts to keep schools closed. Now she refuses to accept responsibility for her own actions that have greatly harmed Deal's students.

No there was trashy violent behavior before the pandemic too.

There definitely was. And having dealt directly with Ms. Neal as a parent, I felt she did a good job in supporting my student who was facing these issues. I think the problem is structural.