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Thursday, March 26, 2015

School board member concerned about discipline at the transformation schools

From the Times Union: But some School Board members say they wish there were more signs that transformation schools were catching up to the rest of the district.
“I’m still very concerned. ... We’ve got a lot of work to do,” said Constance Hall, adding that when she visits transformation schools she sees teachers and students working hard.
It will take time, she said, for high-performing teachers to have an impact. National research shows it can take four or five years to turn around a persistently low-performing school, she said.
She added that she wants more improvement in children’s behavior, especially more respect for teachers and principals. But mostly she is concerned about reading progress.
“Do we really promote and teach the joy of reading,” she asked.
Okay, there is a lot of yada, yada, yada there but notice when Hall said,   She added that she wants more improvement in children’s behavior, especially more respect for teachers and principals.
Who wants to bet referrals are way down at those schools? If a sitting school board member mentions that discipline isn't where it should be shouldn't we stand up and take notice? Shouldn't we say, what about all of Vitti's reports that it has improved?
Discipline is hard but necessary and I am not saying to drop the hammer or be cruel but it is something we have to address and its something that is holding back the learning of many children. If a teacher spends just ten percent of their time disciplining, usually just a couple kids too, then the entire class has lost out on 18 days of instruction.
The teachers that transferred to those schools deserve every dollar they get and then some but if we wanted to make real gains, we should have had smaller classes, behavioral supports and wrap around services. You know things that have proven to work. 

4 comments:

  1. Discipline at all schools is in the toilet. The disrespect I deal with every day is unconscionable.

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  2. “Do we really promote and teach the joy of reading,” she asked.

    Answer: NO. You don't fund media specialist positions, close school libraries, & then you you ask about promoting the joys of reading? Might as well be a rhetorical question.

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    Replies
    1. Still, just shows her lack of foresight. Apparently her left cortex does not serve her well. People on the School Board should be thoughtful analytic individuals, not politicians who are there to guarantee a lifetime pension after they get out. This type of CLASSISM is destroying our public schools.

      And yes, discipline is in the toilet, especially in the URBAN SCHOOLS; I have been screaming about it on this blog for a long time. Beside, we have 2 (TWO) very different cultures in Duval County School District. There is still a lot of discipline and respect in the schools East of the St' Johns River. But there is almost none in the schools West of the St Johns River.

      The DUVAL COUNTY SCHOOLS DISTRICT needs to be split into 2 (TWO) separate SCHOOLS DISTRICTS. Disrespect of teachers, especially White- and Asian-male teachers are well tolerated in the DUVAL URBAN SCHOOLS; inner-city students and their parents know 'that teachers are supposed to be treated as TRASH', because that is the way the DUVAL SCHOOL DISTRICT and the FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION treats them.

      How is it really possible for a single SCHOOL DISTRICT to set policies for so many schools that have vastly opposing cultures in terms of discipline, respect, and education values. Vitti might be O.K., for WEST DUVAL COUNTY SCHOOLS DISTRICT but we should certainly have SOMEONE BETTER to lead EAST DUVAL COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT. You see I am aware, because I worked in both cultures and I can tell you ONE REALLY STINKS. And OH! How they have excuses and know how to barefacedly put up a defense for their filthy behavior.

      And guess what...Duval County School District is large enough to be split into 2 districts, which will be definitiely more easy to manage and with greater efficiency.

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  3. The whole city of Jacksonville should be concerned about discipline in the schools. It's going to be a horrible place to live when these kids go into the community with no skills and the belief that there are no consequences for anything they do.

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