Assigned Reading

Sometimes people want to open the door, they just don’t know how far. School leaders in Providencetown, on the Cape, have run into such a dilemma. They believe sex among children is inevitable, and therefore want to make condoms available for free, and without parent permission, in their schools. But at what age should condoms be provided? High schoolers? Middle school kids? Rather than make a tough, subjective decision, P-town officials decided to make condoms available to any kid who asks, including elementary students.

From an AP article:

Provincetown School Board Chairman Peter Grosso says because there is no set age when sexual activity starts, the committee decided not to set an age for condom availability.

And there lies the problem. Sexual activity doesn’t just “start”. Those who engage in sexual activity make the choice to do so. And as responsible adults — parents, teachers, nurses, counselors — we need to be black and white when guiding students toward making the right choices. And for tweens and early teens, some choices are the right choices. They shouldn’t smoke, drink, use drugs, eat too much junk food, drive a car, swim without a lifeguard, or stay up too late. And they shouldn’t have sex.

Providing these kids with condoms is shameful. Doing so without telling parents should be criminal.

The invasion of Silly Bandz has reached local schools. And just as quickly, teachers and administrators are taking steps to curb the fad.

For those who don’t interact with elementary school kids, Silly Bandz are skinny strips of silicone molded into particular shapes. Kids collect them, and display their collections as bracelets around their wrists. They trade shapes and colors like baseball cards.

Trades gone bad have resulted in scuffles between students. Those without bracelets feel left out (don’t even bother trying to find them in stores as they are sold out everywhere). Some cases of thievery, from parents and other students, have been reported.

So as is typical, school administrators are banning these bracelets from schools. It seems ridiculous that such a simple toy can cause such disruption. But apparently it’s bad enough to garner the attention of Time magazine.

“It’s a distraction,” says Jill Wolborsky, a fourth-grade teacher at my son’s school, who banned them from her classroom before the principal implemented a schoolwide ban. One student stole some confiscated Bandz from her desk, choosing them over the cash in her drawer.

Students fiddle with them during class and arrange swaps — trading, say, a bracelet with a mermaid for one with a dragon — when they should be concentrating on schoolwork, teachers say. Sometimes a trade goes bad — kids get buyer’s remorse too — and hard feelings, maybe even scuffles, ensue.

That’s what prompted Karen White, principal of Snow Rogers Elementary School in Gardendale, Ala., in October to become one of the first administrators to forbid students their Bandz.

While they may be distracting at times, teachers should integrate the fad into their instruction as a way to stimulate kids during these final hot days of the school year. Like baseball cards of old, this fad is cheap so all kids can join in the fun.

As a first lesson, teachers might want to review the correct way to pluralize regular nouns. What’s with the Z?

The Journal’s front page feature on three teachers at Central Falls High School was a great read. It’s heartening to know there are talented and committed teachers working for the best interests of students. No one can honestly disagree with Commissioner Gist, who argues only the very best educators should be teaching at difficult, urban schools like CF. The three highlighted by the Journal appear to be exemplars.

My criticism is reserved for the newspaper and reporter Jennifer Jordan. While it was nice to read about these committed educators, it’s a shame their opinions about the recent controversy were omitted. All three teachers stay after school to help students, seem current on educational theory and strategy, and have strong personal relationships with students. So were these teachers opposed to the transformation goals originally proposed by Dr. Gallo? Was the union leadership effectively representing them when it ignored Dr. Gallo and allowed the mass firing to occur?

One wouldn’t expect the teachers to speak negatively in the press about their boss, or to throw their fellow unionized teachers under the bus. But the reporter could have asked, and shared their responses.

These talented teachers could help us learn so much more, if only the reporter had asked.

From an interesting interview in the Spring issue of CommonWealth magazine, RI Commissioner of Education Deborah Gist:

Many teachers begin to believe that because their students come from difficult circumstances or have challenges in their lives, they can’t achieve at higher levels. Just that shift in the thinking means that the expectations are lowered.

h/t Joanne Jacobs

Decisions like this one made by a Georgia middle school principal are what damage the reputation of public schools. Freshly out of prison and needing to do community service, rapper T.I. made an appearance at an assembly at Woodland Middle School in Henry County.

Still on probation for attempting to illegally purchase firearms, T.I. urged the students to stay in school and study. Undoubtedly the kids were thrilled to see such a celebrity, and perhaps his message will resonate.

But the real issue is that parents were not informed that a convicted felon, still on probation, would be a visitor to their children’s school. One parent, through e-mail, complained to the principal, and said he would have preferred an option; he didn’t believe his daughter should have attended the assembly.

Rather than attempt to show understanding for the parent’s concerns, or to consider making changes for future assemblies, the principal offered this snarky response:

I thought about asking a guy who snorted cocaine and got arrested for DUI when he was 30 to come and speak to our kids, but President George W. Bush was not available.

Not only was this principal, Dr. Terry Oatts, condescending to the parent, but incredibly disrespectful to the former president. This principal’s judgment certainly comes in to question.

The principal got to meet T.I., and introduce his celebrity “friend” to the student body. One wonders if, amongst all the incredible role models that could address students, this is why Dr. Oatts invited the musician.

Public schools do need to change the way they address behavioral concerns in the classrooms. The singular approach of positive reinforcement does not, alone, solve many behavioral issues. Most teachers would agree that behaviorally-challenged students take significant time away from instruction, to the detriment of those well-mannered students ready to learn.

But this is not the solution.

In an era when students talk back to teachers, skip class and wear ever-more-risque clothing to school, one central Texas city has hit upon a deceptively simple solution: Bring back the paddle.

The in-school suspension model is effective. Alternative placement for more severe behavioral concerns is also necessary. Both require additional staff, and therefore cost money. It’s a tough order in these economic times. But it’s far better than hitting kids.

Our profession lost one of its giants today. Jaime Escalante, the East LA high school teacher made famous as the subject of the movie Stand and Deliver, has died of cancer at the age of 79. Washington Post education writer Jay Mathews’ book about him was titled Escalante: The Best Teacher in America, and many agreed with Mathews.

You can read Escalante’s obituary in the LA Times, and a particularly moving tribute by Michelle Malkin on her website.

“I teach with my heart and my soul and not with my mouth alone.” –Jaime Escalante, 1930-2010

This story is disturbing. A school district in Pennsylvania issued laptop computers to some 2300 high school students. These computers include a security feature that allows the built-in camera to be activated externally. The school district claims this feature can help locate stolen computers.

But sophomore Blake Robbins may have discovered an abuse of the webcams by the school district. Robbins was accused of undisclosed “improper behavior” IN HIS HOME. The assistant principal making the accusation presented “as evidence a photograph from the webcam in his school-issued laptop.”

The gall of the school district is surpassed only by the assistant principal, who didn’t seem to understand the can of worms she was opening.

I’m looking at that little dot that is a webcam at the top of my computer a little differently now. Is that you Hal?

How does a school recover from a tragedy like this? In the hallway, a middle school student shoots another to death. I can’t help but wonder how much violent movies and video games are impacting some of our kids. Tough times ahead for the people of Madison, Alabama.

Congratulations to Cranston Schools Superintendent Peter Nero and Police Chief Marco Palombo. These two leaders worked together to address the problem of drugs at Cranston High School West.

According to the Providence Journal, an undercover investigation led to the arrest of 23 individuals. Most disturbing is that only 3 were students.

Let’s hope they throw the book at these drug pushers, whose charges including preying on the kids at Cranston West:

Arrested were Eric Jacques, 18, of 3 Western Hills Lane, who was taken into custody twice in two months, Ryan York, 22, and Kerri York, 24, both of 34 Grantland Rd., Richard Hogan, 19, and Jerry Gomez, 21, both of 64 Sherwood St., Kyle Ivone, 19, of 106 Bateman Ave., Jason Shamsi, 22, of 24 Sherwood St., Alberto Delgado, 20, of 42 Fernbrook Court, Mitchell Baldwinn, 20, of 19 Rosana Ave., Rumford, Gage Cate, 18, of 42 Blue Gentian Rd., Kauri Lynn Roderick, 18, of 32 Orchard Drive, Hope, David Ranieri, 19, of 2 Fountain Drive, Johnston, Ruben Cadet, 23, of 75 Clemence St., and Carl Heinz Pierre, 22, of 97 Warren Ave.