lkeithlu
Posts: 321
Joined: Feb. 2006
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Just to add one more problem to the mix:
I am the disciplinarian at a small church-affiliated private boarding and day school. (I also teach science) The school is quite liberal; many aging hippies like me on the faculty. Although religion is taught, it is in the context of a survey or world religions. Religious activities are offered to all students, but not required. Chapel is compulsory, but participation is not (I'm an un-believer, and don't feel at all uncomfortable).
My observation regarding private school is as follows: In the times where I can hang out with public school teachers both here and in other areas, one complaint seems to surface often. The school is hamstrung in dealing with severe behavior problems. The complaints bring up the following aspects:
Mainstreaming special needs students (under the guise of equality of instruction, but these teachers feel it is a way of cutting costs)
Parents who do not support the school when their teen misbehaves. They demand "proof", and gradually schools have shifted to using police officers, removing the authority from school teachers and administrators. Finally, only severe criminal behavior results in removal, but the damage is already done.
Large classes that cannot be supervised effectively. In workshops where I introduce hands-on methods for science, the comments from public school teachers is always "there is NO way I could let my kids do this-they would be out of control in minutes." Teachers constantly having to stop teaching to deal with behavior issues cannot be as effective in reaching the goals set for the activity at hand. If they cannot remove the nuisance and get back to teaching quickly, they lose the whole class.
In my school parents sign a contract saying that they agree to hold their student accountable to our rules. We reserve the right to cancel the contract if they don't. Most parents want their kids there, and it shows up in the kids behavior. In 23 years I have only removed a kid from class 6 times, for behavior that would seem mild to a public school teacher (mild horseplay, mild disrespect) In each case I required a meeting with the parents. My classes, like all the classes in the school, are filled with kids that are relaxed, motivated, respectful and considerate (of course, taking into account that they are teenagers, they are NOT perfect.)
In my role as disciplinarian, I must deal with the most serious of violations: drugs, alcohol, hazing, boundary violations. I have not been treated with disrespect or threatened by any student. Parents, well, I just pass them up the chain to the head of school, where they quickly settle down under his firm, steady approach. Students are allowed to express anger, frustration, pain or fear, just not inappropriately.
Now, with all this said, do I have any ideas about public school? No. Parents contribute to the problem by excusing their kids behavior. Schools are understaffed and underfunded. They cannot remove students until the situation is so bad the courts are involved. Authority by administrators and teachers is not respected. Not all schools are like this but enough are. I student taught in two; one was wonderful; well run, quiet, clean, well-behaved kids. The other was pretty bad-no texts, kids who could not read (7th grade), etc. Both were rural southern schools serving similar demographics.
As much as vouchers would help my school, I am against them. There are too many kids who could not, even with vouchers, come up with the remaining amount to pay the $13 K day tuition, much less afford to transport themselves to school (bus route costs extra$) The local schools need this money. Perhaps charter schools, where students compete to enter and the school can remove kids for behavior issues. Small charter schools instead of large county schools may do a better job. I am not sure.
Sorry for the length of the post.
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