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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Kids can’t be punished at deal. That’s the rule. [/quote]

This isn't only an issue at Deal.

This is really an issue of a well-intentioned piece of legislation that was written and passed by folks with ZERO classroom or school-based experience. It was passed over the objections of MULTIPLE school leaders (though none in DCPS because no principal or school-level staff dare testify and go against whatever canned response the Mayor/DME or other political actors declare is the DCPS position). There were working groups and meetings where school staff and career professionals told DC Council how this would play out. There were teachers and principals (again, charter) who showed up and said..."this will have a huge impact on our schools". Of course, that was seen (by some) as a statement that charters didn't want certain students. Maybe that wasn't the case?

Seasoned teachers and school staff (like me) are leaving (or have gone) because we have no sense of safety in our work place. I could honestly deal with the threat of a school shootings. I couldn't take the fact that a kid could walk up to me and call me a wicked name (like the constant "gay" or other slurs), spit on me, slap me, or just come in my classroom to disrupt it. Honestly, it was not like that for me until about 5 years ago.

It is just exhausting- I don't want kids in the prison pipeline, but I also don't need to feel threatened or to see other kids put in that position. It is really such a small number of people- we just need a "something" for them to help them get what they need to be successful with other kids. Of course I hate removing some from the opportunity to learn. But you know what I hate more? Dumbing everything down and not getting through 30% of my course material because 2 kids can't let the others learn...what do we owe to the other 22 students?

Perhaps the pendulum just swung too far in the "restorative" without realizing that a necessary condition to "restoring" something is the actor realizing they did something wrong? Oddly, I was trained in restorative practices nearly 10 years ago and that was the first thing we learned- it only works with active participants and those that see a harm has occurred. It is sad that such a wonderful tool was put forward as the panica in education and then, it didn't pan out.

There is no consequence, nor incentive that seems to be working to curb these enormously disturbing and disruptive behaviors. There are so few tools for schools to handle these situations. THEY HAVE NO OPTIONS. For some, I think they believed that this was all in the name of anti-racism and providing more opportunities for under-invested youth. I agree we need something (and I believe there is an answer) but lowering the expectations (academic or behavioral) for significant numbers of students and our schools because we can't figure out something better is only allowing our schools to continue to fail large numbers of DC youth.

I'm glad folks are realizing these issues are present- email your elected reps, because I guarantee you that Ms. Neal and other school-based staff want a solution WAY more than you can every believe. 
[/quote]

Great post. I have a kid who acts out and the school is not willing to give him consequences that I think would be appropriate. On the flip side, his behavior is very much learned from/kindled by other children’s bad behavior. I honestly think if “being sent to the principal’s office” was still a thing, he’d be much better. Kids need swift, unemotional consequences, but somehow it turns into a giant production that gives too much attention to it.

The flip side is that DCPS is woefully unprepared to deal with behavioral issues that stem from legitimate diagnoses. [b]That means kids stay in gen ed dysregulated because everyone knows the BES classes are only for the really really tough kids.[/b] [/quote]

This was our experience!! (elementary at DCPS) We BEGGED them to pull our kid with medium level behavior issues out of the school and place her in a different setting. She wasn't "bad" enough to go to BES, they said, "you don't want her with *them*") -- I was like ... ok, well you aren't equipped to deal w/ her in gen ed, so ... what do you propose? SHe was absolutely disrupting others. (But not hurting them)  I had to pull her and file a due process complaint. I won, but like -- WHO was served w/ that initial policy? Not my kid. Not the other kids in the class. Literally served no one -- except DCPS who didn't want to pay for non public [/quote]

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