Yesterday, on March 26, two students were involved in an altercation on the second floor of the main building. The students involved were one female and one male. After the very brief physical altercation, the young lady in particular was close to hysterics and difficult to calm down. Fortunately (I guess), her rant was more dangerous to school staff than it was to the other student.
Rest assured that both students will receive severe school consequences. In addition, the young lady will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law for her outlandish behavior.
As may be expected, I received two inquiries today from other South parents about the incident. The inquiries are often based upon information arising from the rumor mill. I would like to take this opportunity to clear up a few things.
Q. Is this just one of the many fights that have taken place this year?
A. We have not had an increase in fights this year, and hallway behavior has not changed significantly in the eight years I've been principal at South.
The difference is that we have more incidents of arguing among young females. These young ladies talk behind each other's back, build alliances, and then argue in the halls because they know someone will be there to break it up.
Frankly, these are usually minor in nature, but they are still disruptive. They are disruptive because other students gather to watch and then want to discuss the incident when they get to the next class.
Q. Are you hiding information about these types of incidents?
A. We have not withheld information in any way. We had two kids make bad choices, and they will suffer severe consequences. In the eyes of their parents, we will be accused of overreacting and blamed for ruining their lives.
For anyone that knows me very well, I am usually accused of being too open with information about the school, or sharing too many details. I can hardly be accused of hiding information.
Q. Do kids cluster in the halls to the point of blocking other students from passing by?
A. I've never observed that. I've seen kids congregate in the halls or near lockers, but I've seen that in every high school where I've worked or visited. But are they trying to impede others from passing, of course not. They're just being kids and hanging with their friends.
Q. What are you doing to keep my kid safe at school?
A. Everything I do is for that end in mind. I know that ultimately a principal is judged by the perception of safety at the school. That outstrips the strength of the curriculum or any extracurricular program. Kids must feel safe if they are expected to learn. It is a precondition to learning, and is a basic need that I will safeguard as long as I am in this seat.
One of my former colleagues was also a high school principal. When I used to inquire how it was going, he would often answer, "Pretty good, but I'm only the stupid mistake of a 16-year old from being on the front page of the paper". It's the same for me, but in this case it was the mistake of a 15-year old girl.
We'll hope for better next week.
Friday, March 27, 2009
An Unfortunate Incident
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8 comments:
As a teacher at South High School I must respectfully disagree with your assessment of the situation.
There are large groups of students that gather at various places in the building during the school day.
These students can be loud, disruptive and often block the hallways so that students are not able to get to class.
As a school community we must work together to help students to understand the appropriate ways to behave in school. Recognition that a problem exists is the first step to finding a solution.
In regards to the answer saying that there has not been an increase in fights this school year, I strongly disagree. From a student's perspective, I have seen at least five altercations in the hall ways this year and all of them have come have come these past couple months. It seems as if they are becoming more and more frequent as well. There needs to be resolutions. I suggest that a policy of immediate expulsion be instituted to prevent future fights and getting rid of the students who part take in them. As a school, we need to re-claim South's tradition of a safe and profound academic school.
Im sorry but i must disagree with most of what you have just said. Have you ever walked down the halls of South? Or maybe you just live in your own dilusional world.
Regardless, South has gotten severly less safe this year.
You can call them whatever you want a verbal assault or a fight honestly I don't care but what ever they are they continue to disrupt the learning environment at South. I would know considering they have personally affected me. I was going to my 6th hour which is in the S building on my way i was stopped by a huge huddle of kids. Another "verbal assault" was occuring. Because of this "verbal assault" i was stalled in the hallway and was considerably late to my 6th hour. Thankfully there wasnt a test that day. Bare in mind that this was a month ago and still nothing had been done to stop these brauls.
In regards to your first point, "We have not had an increase in fights this year" i believe you are wrong. Last year I remember their being at most one fight no more than once a month. This year i would say one of your "verbal assaults" happen once about every three days. Maybe you werent a strong math student in high school so you cant see that this is more than last year but let me assure you it is.
To your third point, i ask "What South hallways are you walking down?" because I have repeadetly been blocked from continuing down the hallways. This happens multiple times a day. One student that i know was trying to get to her locker, but it was blocked by a group of students. She politly asked them to move and they started yelling at her and harrassing her. I believe this occurence falls under the category of "trying to impede others from passing".
Finally you say that "everything i do is for that [keeping kids safe] end in mind" yet you dont give any evidence to back it up. Why should i believe that you are doing something when you arent telling me what you are doing or how or when? You do however say "We'll hope for better next week" since you give no evidence on you previous point i must assume this is you tactic for keeping south safe. Well Mr. Diver in my experience you can't just hope something gets better you actually have to do something about it.
If these incidents continue to occure i will have to go to the school board. This gives you about two weeks.a
Unfortunately, "Concerned Student" beat me to the punch. However, I completely agree with what this person had to say. Here is my piece: Mr. Diver, you speak so nonchalantly on the matter and this bothers me. I am rather tired of having to maneuver my way around groups of students who block the hallways. Whether the so called "altercations" are verbal or break out into physical fights, they are not the main thing bothering students every day. It is the collecting of groups of kids all over the halls. We have these new things called hall monitors who, and I am just guessing, have the authority to break the groups up. Now whether or not they are trying to do this, it's not working. Mr. Diver, I speak not just for myself, but for my fellow students as well when I say we are disgruntled by the coagulation of students in the halls. Please do something, or "Concerned Student" and I will have to. NOT A THREAT. Thanks for listening-SSG
Mr. Diver, I would like to respectfully disagree. As a student I am walking through the halls multiple times everyday. The halls are so congested with students who are completely stationary, that at times it takes physical force, to clear a path through the crowd of students. The students stand in the main areas of the hall during peak mobility times speaking loudly and causing many to be late to their next class. As an administrator, when you stand in the halls, I am sure students walk quickly and quietly past you, but once you are back in your office, the students resume their stationary position. Mr. Diver, please do something about the situation in the hall way. If students were moved along to their next class, then the chance of a physical confrontation or as you put it, "verbal assault" between two aggressive teenagers would dramatically decrease. I am not suggesting that the hallways be completely cleared, I am only suggesting that they be unclogged of the masses of students who chose block the paths of others. Mr. Diver, you have a situation on your hands. Students are becoming more and more angered with your blatant lack of action. There are more fights at South than ever before. Granted there are not as many fights as Warren Mott, for example, but are you really going to wait until we need police to patrol the halls just to keep the students safe? Something needs to be done about this problem now, before it gets any worse. Acknowledge the problem Mr. Diver, and then work with the students and school board to fix it.
I appreciate you addressing concerns about fighting in the hallways, however, you might be more credible if you provided more facts.
-a student assaulted one of YOUR
teachers
-a student assaulted one of YOUR administrators
-the student was arrested
-if the GP News report is accurate, the student has only been assigned a 5 day suspension
In leaving these facts out, you minimize the severity of the incident. It also allows you to deny the severity of the problem. The South community, however, is not in denial. We support our teachers and assistant principals and think they deserve your support as well.
I find it funny that these people are getting sketchy because of a few fights.We are lucky to have a few a year. Fight will occur in any school no matter what. We are lucky enough to have such an environment were fights dont occur as often..yes the hallways are a clutter at some points but so are streets of new york and many other places yet people dont complain..get a reality check people dont go complaining about small things and making a big deal about it Mr. Diver is doing what he can.
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