Theft is a constant problem at both my kids’ schools in MCPS.

Anonymous wrote:Got a note from school telling parents to not send electronics to school because kids are stealing them, but no mention of plans to address the stealing.

Back in the day, my Top 20 business school had noticeable amounts of Palm Pilot thefts.

My kids' elementary had unlocked lockers and I was surprised that nothing got stolen or tampered with. At my high school, people often pranked people's lockers.

I personally feel valuables do not belong at school. Unless they are continuously with the child.

Having police come to the school is very nervewracking/upsetting to some parents. And parents don't like to find out that their child has been a target of accusations. Given this, I think it's good for admin to start with removing the temptation.

One of my students stole pencils, reward stickers and candy from me. I teach Kindergarten.....

Anonymous wrote:My kids have gone to fcps schools since kindergarten and are now in high school. They have never had anything stolen and haven’t experienced any violence. (Their high school has an occasional fight that is a big deal of discussion between the students, but my kids haven’t been part of any of them or even witnessed any first hand).

Whatever. Be a DCUM pioneer and put down a flag with the actual school’s name!

Oh, and thanks for the data point of ONE.

Anonymous wrote:Is theft a problem at your school?


Should schools care about students stealing from each other? Or is anything brought to school free for the taking?

I’ve taught at 6 schools in my district and two international schools. I’ve been at my current school for 8 years and it’s the only one where theft and destruction of personal property has been a major issue. We care, but our cameras suck and a “no snitching” culture make it very difficult to investigate thefts.

I recommend leaving anything of non-trivial value at home. Buy your kid a dumb phone if you are worried about school safety. No one needs a coat worth several hundred dollars in our climate.

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Anonymous wrote:I'm a secondary teacher and have always kept my purse under lock and key at school. More recently I've had to keep everything else under lock and key too because of students stealing and being destructive. This includes any food I bring from home, tape, markers, stapler, clorox wipes, cheap headphones that are for students who get audio accommodations, my water bottle, etc.

Same. The students steal my food, tape dispensers, dry erase markers, binder clips, books, headphones, pens, extra Chromebook chargers (which are labeled with my name and are covered in fluorescent tape), and almost anything else that isn't glued down. I am required to keep my classroom door open between classes as well as to be in the hallways during transitions, so access is easy.

They've also vandalized the floors, desks, power strips, whiteboards, and bulletin boards. Their parents won't back me up, and admin says they have bigger fish to fry, so the behavior continues.

I've taught 7-12 for more than 25 years, and the past three years have been the worst I've ever seen regarding behavior.

Because zero consequences, right?
Why do you suppose this is happening?

1. Submissive parenting.
2. Parents and society making excuses such as "kids will be kids."
3. Admin trying to be friends with kids instead of holding them accountable.

Who appoints top administrators?

Anyone?

School theft fascinates me. In elementary school kids would take special erasers or jean jacket pins and then pretend they were theirs.

I went to a fancy suburban HS in the 90s and theft was a huge problem. There was a graphing calculator fencing ring run by a group of honors students and varsity athletes. Two of them are now successful doctors. They would steal calculators out of backpacks on the floor of classrooms during class. Then when you realized you didn’t have your calculator and would have to ask your parents to replace a $80 one in February, kids would magically appear to offer you one for $30-$40 that “they didn’t need anymore because they stopped using it last year”. Engraving them didn’t work because they would just scratch it out with a Dremel and say it had been a hand-me-down and that the scratched off part was a neighbor’s name or whatever.

I was shocked to visit one of my college friend’s private schools later and see unattended backpacks lining the halls. To me that was the height of luxury. My child now attends a private school and there are many behavioral problems but zero theft, even the small petty kind that little kids are tempted by.

On the other hand, we get emails 1-2 times per year from DD’s gymnastics gym about theft. That’s crazy to me because the team is small and they basically all know each other. I don’t understand why teammates would steal from each other.

There are little to no consequences if caught so there’s not much risk in stealing. This is true at school and if caught by police stealing as a juvenile. Get caught stealing a car? Get released to your parents that night.

Anonymous wrote:Back in my school days they stole everything, Walkman, Mattel games, cap guns, pocket knives, even notes. If you weren't careful, whatever it was ended up in the teacher's desk.

Yeah, kids have always unfortunately gone through each others backpacks and cubbies and what not. There’s just more of a microscope on it these days because it’s expensive tech, $40 water bottles, and name brand jackets being stolen vs. pocket change and a cassette tape.

Back in my school days they stole everything, Walkman, Mattel games, cap guns, pocket knives, even notes. If you weren't careful, whatever it was ended up in the teacher's desk.

Anonymous wrote:It’s common at my top rated well off elementary with 3% FARMS. Thu my s like keychains, toys, Pokemon cards, little reward prizes the teacher gives out.
Vandalism also happens more that I would have thought for 6-10 year olds. Last week it was papers stuffed into sinks to plug them up and flood the floor. Before that someone wrote the F word in the boys bathroom. I hear all this stuff from my 8 yo.

This is horrific.

Anonymous wrote:My kids have gone to fcps schools since kindergarten and are now in high school. They have never had anything stolen and haven’t experienced any violence. (Their high school has an occasional fight that is a big deal of discussion between the students, but my kids haven’t been part of any of them or even witnessed any first hand).

Even Langley and McLean have had violence. Which HS are you referring to?