Okay students are leaving droves to go where but to Charter schools that are throwing them out in droves. Which they re-enter back into DCPS in droves. So who's driving, Miss Daisy?

Anonymous wrote:00:43
These things will not even get you suspended in DCPS, much less expelled. Not trying to go for the dramatic touch here, but it's true. If we ( the admin) thinks that a kid can bring them an extra allotment in the budget, we will put up with anything.

And hence, you have families leaving DCPS in droves! It is ridiculous that DCPS schools let the majority of the student suffer due to the disruptions and bad behavior of a few.

00:43
These things will not even get you suspended in DCPS, much less expelled. Not trying to go for the dramatic touch here, but it's true. If we ( the admin) thinks that a kid can bring them an extra allotment in the budget, we will put up with anything.

Anonymous wrote:Look at the population of the school system and the percentage of discipline issues. It is relatively low. The discipline code for DCPS is doing what it was crafted to do. We have an alternative school for disruptive students, last time I checked it had less than 25 students. This has bee relative smooth year for discipline problems for DCPS. What is needed more are the professional development instruction on classroom management.

There are fights every day in DCPS high schools, ask anyone who works as a security guard, even the good schools. Just because they are not reported does not mean they don't happen. To get expelled at DCPS you have to be an extreme criminal, ripping thing off walls, cursing out teachers, fighting, taking drugs, coming to school high or intoxicated, roaming the halls not going to class, cursing out everyone (teachers & administrators) does not get you expelled.

Look at the population of the school system and the percentage of discipline issues. It is relatively low. The discipline code for DCPS is doing what it was crafted to do. We have an alternative school for disruptive students, last time I checked it had less than 25 students. This has been a relative smooth year for discipline problems for DCPS. What is needed more are the professional development instruction on classroom management.

"Yes, there is a place for expulsion in extreme cases. But what should be the trigger? What should happen before it comes to that? What rights do kids have in a school? Traditional neighborhood schools have an extensive process. But each charter creates its own process. D.C.’s state education office is reviewing new guidelines that apply to all students, public and charter, but charter leaders are vigorously opposing it, claiming that they are exempt under federal law."

I'd love to know what the guidelines are. That charters are opposing them is not surprising, but I do think there should be some threshold that is universal.

Sorry. PP here 20:08 and of course I meant to write that
It [suspension] was NOT the first tool the charter tried to use.

If this was their best example of a charter unfairly kicking out a student, they're not making a terribly good case. They didn't expell the kid. They asked him to stay home (suspension). I'm not a DCPS teacher (and I'd love for one to weigh in here) but I'm thinking that:
1. getting into fights
2. destroying property (tearing posters, knocking over bookcases)
3. Countless summons to the school during the day to discuss child's behavior
4. a "particularly bad week during standardized testing"
Would have led to a suspension for a kid at DCPS as well.
How awful for the other kids in the classroom.
I'm not hearing the mom argue that the kid had a 504 or IEP that was being ignored. Her kid was a behavior problem. Suspension is one tool that a school can use to enforce discipline. It was the first tool that the charter school used, and from the description in the article, it sounds like it was the correct course after the incident with the bookcase--that could have really injured somebody!

but you know kids with special needs can't get kicked out no matter what if the parents say it's a manifestation of the kid's disability, right? So lots of kids with things like adhd, conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, etc. now get to stay no matter what they do.

I have a friend who teaches in another city. This week an 8 year old pushed her into a wall. One of her vertebrae are fractured. (I think that was the injury.) The kid has been suspended 15 times since January. The school can't get rid of him.

I am sorry these kids have sh*tty parents. But no one's child deserves to sit in a room with them. And yes, I blame the parents 100%.

This reminds me of the article about Basis summer program where one kid hit another! It wasn't even actual school. I think parents pick these schools because THEY think they sound good rather than looking at what is good for their child. Clearly this charter wasn't good for her child (or for the child who clocked the other one at Basis). Somehow these parents missed all the signs? So what if her IB school is bursting at the seams. How is it for the child? Can't be worse than the charter!

Bad parents annoy me.

The mom does not think things through and acts on impulse (which she later regrets). At least we know where her son gets "it" from. So she withdrew him voluntarily, how is this the charter's fault?

Sounds like mom Nicole needs to get on top of her parenting responsibilities.

J's behavior is completely unacceptable. How dare they blame the schools.

DC needs to open alternative schools because there's no way I would want my child (who was conditioned to behave appropriately and go to school to LEARN) in a classroom with him. Nor would I want my child to miss out on education because the teacher's too busy dealing with J's OUTRAGEOUS behavior.

There's nothing but excuses for that child's behavior.

The mother should be ashamed.

Part of the problem is too many parents like the author and subject of this silly opinion piece who refuse to acknowledge their culpability in situations. My guess is that if the mom hadn't gotten hurry with the principal and withdrawn her child, but rather gotten on the same page with the principal to set firm boundaries, the child may have gotten the message. Yes he was sad and acting out and probably needed some counseling, but that doesn't negate the need for consequences for unacceptable behavior.

Not just charters, but dcps too: what's up with kids' behavior in school? why are there so many discipline issues? is it schools or parents or just crazy kids?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/03/16/what-school-choice-means-to-parents-with-bad-kids/