Last week, a friend told me teachers are under siege in both the public and charter Chester schools.
He says, the young white teachers just out of college are smart and have good intentions, but they are going home crying everyday from the abuse they are taking from the students and the parents who defend their kid’s misbehavior. Some teachers have quit as a result.
Strong words indeed.
He asked me to write a story about it, but I am not an eyewitness or a reporter going in to interview teachers and staff.
Yet, I’ll share a solution that I think would appeal to Chester folks.
In a simple sense, a great teacher used to be one that could instruct and inspire their students to learn. Now, a teacher’s ability to control a classroom is a highly desired skill set.
It takes a special teacher to be able to do both, control the kids and teach them, too.
Obviously, if a class is out of control, there is no learning going on. Unfortunately, it’s the teacher's career that is in jeopardy if the kids don’t learn even if in tamer environments they would be a highly effective instructor.
My solution hinges on the fascination of many in this community with helping ex-offenders get back on their feet. From city government to grass roots organizations, there is a huge interest in these re-entry programs.
Two weeks ago, we paraded a huge ex-offender in front of an impressive audience of all ages in a well received program to help steer kids away from a life of crime and to assist Chester’s re-entry programs.
So, why don’t we put these ex-offenders in the schools to bring order to the classrooms?
Without a doubt, if our schools had a dozen or more men roving the hallways and sitting in classrooms everyday to assist teachers, we could virtually control these rooms and bring teaching back to the schools.
This is a win-win solution since the ex-offenders will be employed, the teachers will be teaching, and the kids will be scared to act out, and start learning, or at least give those who want to learn a chance to achieve that goal.
I envision the ex-offenders are paid by the programs that support their re-entry and not be school district employees.
When you are associated with a poorly performing school district, you better consider all suggestions, because what’s going on now hasn’t been working for a long while.
Okay Stefan, I know your Ex-Offender idea is well intended but to work in the school system, you must have criminal, FBI, and Child Abuse background checks. I don't think any schools are lawfully allowed to bring in ex-offender for the purpose of controlling a classroom.
ReplyDeleteI have long thought that they should bring in the National Guard or get ex-soldiers to help out. Or maybe we can teach our teachers how to deal with students in urban areas. Classroom management is out of control. If you are a young teacher coming in with an idealistic view about teaching, you are definitely not going to last. Kids these days come to school with a whole lot of baggage and they take it out on anyone.
So teacher training on how to work in a combat zone is a better idea for professional development. Hey, if you can get the cons in, let me know please.
If we want the kids to learn and the teacher to teach, the law makers can change the laws, the school district will go along, and the parents can use a voucher if they want out.
ReplyDeleteMost ex-offenders are not bad people. Some were not guilty in the first place. Some earned degrees in prison. Some have truely been rehibilitated.
Don't put murderers, kingpins, and child molesters in the schools. And make the punishment severe if they harm a kid in school.
We gotta break some rules if we wanna make a change. What's going on now ain't working.
If they can change the laws for the casino new hires, they can change the laws in schools, too, we demand it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with both comments, I beleive in grades 1-8 we should have a military presence in the schools and in the high school have the ex cons that pass several screening to be in the school system. Yes we need to think outside the box. What worked 15-20 years ago is not working now.
ReplyDeleteI cant understand why we are supporting Ex offenders who served time in jail come into Chester and start a job program. What about my daughter who will be 16 this month who cant wait to find a job in Chester this summer?Mr Roots, How can You say they have changed Ive been to jail and see how majority of the men try to find any kind of scheme to get out and discuss what they did to others who sit and find a way to make up believable stories for the parole board. Not to mention lots of these men don't even want to take care of their children who have'nt seen or spoken to their fathers ever. Now their kids are going to jail.Kids are saying should I go to jail for a little while then join this group and then I can get a job!
ReplyDeleteLet me know if these guys are coming to my children school so I can get my kids away from this place. We know some of these guys did'nt do these crimes but what about the 1 ones who did. I know a guy who went to jail for doing a terrible thing when we were younger he stilll tells people he didnt do it but we know he did because he was doing the same things in my neighborhood with my brother who remembers the story and finally admitted he was there when this liar did it. I t can't be taht bad to get cold blooded criminals in our schools I rather have former drug users than the dealers who cant wait to get a way to come up!
ReplyDeleteI happen to work in the school system (not in Chester)and I totally agree with Stefan. Something has to be done to enforce discipline in the class room. Male teachers are missing in most class rooms, Black males especially. These thugs disrupt the classes and won't allow the students who are there to learn to learn. Something has to be done. Calling an adminstrator is a waste of time. Most times the adminstrator will tell the teacher if they can't control the students maybe they need to seek another career. Get troops,excons or someone in the class room to aid the teacher or the teacher will find something else to do as soon as they can find work outside of the school system.
ReplyDeleteI love the voices of idea floating for our schools. I agree with the suggestion of utilizing ex-cons within the school system. A lot of cons would change if they were given the chance to retain employment respectively. As previously stated, many "cons" should not have those titles. If I could arrest the banks, bad cops, city officials and "yes men" authorities that legally do wrong, I would. Many of these persons have done and continue to do unlawful things; but, because of their titles they are upheld as good and respected citizens. If these "cons" are not child molester's, I feel that they would be a great asset.
ReplyDeleteMilitary presence within the school system would seemingly feel like prison. Also, it would suck the atmosphere out of childrens' experience at school. I'd love for children to return to childhood and adults stand in their position of parents, mentors and leaders.
As an attorney, I see so many problems with ex-offenders in the classroom that I can't even begin to count. The simple truth is that schools can't do what parents won't. If parents don't support the process, it won't matter what disciplinarian is in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteOk I am a parent and I don't think a Military presence in the classroom is neccesary (OVER KILL MUCH) But I do agree with Stefan on the Ex-Cons the few that were convicted of non-violent crimes NO Pedo's or Drug dealers, or Murders....but yes can pass pyschological and criminal backround checks, not allowed in the bathrooms with the kids maybe supervised by an outside organization like Stefan suggested, but to build on his suggestion, maybe not so much as to keep order but also to maybe be Teachers Aids....in the classroom to aid in the learning process, so the kids can see Black men and Men in general in the class room again. Then to go further the school district or some other agancy can reach out to the parents, and teach them how to help the parents help the children and the teachers...teach them how to talk to the teachers for conflict resulotion...and support...etc. I think that is better then making poor children live in a Military state..don't you?
ReplyDeleteNo! I like the soldier idea because I made it. If anything can help me with the monster that I've had since September, I'll take it.
ReplyDeleteOne of my old classmates reared a monster and her comment the first day was I can't do anything about IT. If neither the parent nor the administrators are willing to do anything about IT, then where does IT leave the teachers? I've been hearing that this has been an ongoing situation for years so the next teachers have to put up with it. While the child is saying verbally that they have tried everything to get out of here. Now that is a cry for help if I ever heard one. I've past the information to the right people but to no avail. Where are you June? And I hope I don't have to deal with this next year.
A lot of the mothers of the children in the Chester-Upland Charter and Public schools have these "ex -convicts" living in their homes with their children anyway, so what is the problem with them coming into the schools and being gainfully employed? I see it as a Win-Win situation.
ReplyDeleteWow!I'm liking that last comment anonymous (I'm the 1st anonymous). You are right. Some of these ex-cons are already in the home anyway. Some of them are also the kids in the school system.
ReplyDeleteSefan, got to hand it to you with this posting. You hit the heart and soul of the community with this one, whether we agreed or disagreed.
I don't understand why people are not supporting the military being part of the solution. If a lot of the ex cons are living in the homes and the schools are still a problem then I don't see our problem getting solved that way. When I think of a military presence inside of the classrooms I see order and discipline that our teachers need to provide proper education to our youth. I am not saying it needs to be a MILITARY school just a presences in the school. Look at the ROTC students at CHS they are not the problem at the high school. Lastly all students need order and discipline in their lives and since they are not getting it at home then when have to provide it in the schools. Its out of the box thinking.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much anonymous for supporting my military point of view. Very good point about the ROTC.
ReplyDeleteI believe we all need to take a step back and think about where these children are coming from that warrant us brainstorming ideas of ex-con and/or military presence in a school. It starts at home parents need to be held more accountable for the actions of their children in school.
ReplyDeleteWith that said the ex-con/military idea is a good one when I think about it in a "them people over there" standpoint. If someone started talking about putting some criminal in the same space as my child I would do anything in my power to not have this happen. If it did happen anyway I would move. Period. But if "those people of there" want to do it oh well it aint my child. Are there any Chester High parents reading the blog? If not how would you feel if something like this was done at your child's school? Why is this happening at Chester High and not Academy Park, Pennwood or Chichester? Once we find that out we may not even need ex-cons to monitor our children. Although I'm not a Chester resident anymore it hurts to even hear people consider these radical notions.
Alicia, read my post.. Danyel Jennings
ReplyDeleteI think that as a re-entry program for the ex-cons that have gone to school and have been really redeemed then ok it's a job. I think our children need to see Black men in the class rooms and let's face it we are losing our Black male teachers, like an epidemic...I think Parents SHOULD be held responisble for what their children are doing in school to hinder the learning process for themselves and the other students then maybe they(the parents) would care more. I am a Chester resident and a parent of a High school student in CUSD and a child in WPSC, at WPSC it is a requiredment that we the parents be invovled in our children's education...I think the same should be done in CUSD, I think there should be more contact from the district to the parents and not just when the child is a problem. I believe if the parents are better educated on how to deal with their children's issues then they can finally be apart of the solution not the problem, Yes it starts at home and continues into the school but if they are not working together then our children and COMMUNITY as a whole will fail and always fail. Reach the parents! (i know some of them are making it hard)
Alicia, I never said anything about Chester High School and I made a few post. The blog was about teachers being under siege in both the public and charter schools in Chester. I'm still okay with the military presents. Don't just blame Chester High for this discipline problem. These kids had to start from some where, the home and elementary school.
ReplyDeleteDanyel I'm still uncomfortable about having ex-cons or military presence in the classrooms. If it were a program like Scared Straight or Boot Camp where the trouble makers were singled out and put in a separate setting for a few hours a day, after school or summer camp I would feel better about it. But I would not like if my child was doing what they are supposed to and have to sit with a drill sergeant type or ex-con. Also for ex-cons I would be concerned about the type of training they would have in dealing with children. Even if they are not convicted pedophiles or had been involved in a sexually based crime I would wonder what type or violent or sexual behavior they had learned while away. What type of interview and training process would they go through to make sure our kids are safe. I am glad that we agree that the parents need to be reached first
ReplyDeleteAnonymous I wasn't trying to target your posts when talking about Chester High students. If anything it was more of a target toward Stefan and me speaking of my own experience at the High. Since you are anonymous I'm not sure what posts are yours but I'm glad that we can agree that the problem is starting somewhere. Hopefully if we reach that problem we can find a solution.