#14 When In Rome... Oregon Schools and Concealed Weapons

Happy Thanksgiving! So, I'm here at the sister's place in Portland, Oregon. The topic came up, a Medford teacher is fighting for her right to bear arms in the high school she teaches. This seems like a good idea, if you live in Alaska and are worried about bear or wolverine attacking the kids while on a hiking expedition, right? Well, she's earned her concealed weapons permit which grants her the right to carry her 9 mm Glock in practically any public facility in Oregon. Her beef is with her school district since they don't allow weapons to be carried by teachers. Should she have a beef?

I don't know. I wouldn't say the threat would be too great that her ex-husband would come in with his concealed weapons permit carrying self and ensue shooting her and the students, but that's a concern she has. Her ex says it's her trying to get everyone believing she should have full custody of their daughter. She also has voiced concerns about all the shootings in schools in the past. She practices regularly with her weapon, and it is her right she earned to carry. How safe would you feel if your English teacher was packing heat? Why do we feel safer when some police officers are packing heat? Are they somehow better because society deems it acceptable for a police officer to pack heat but nobody else?

I'd say if it was a perfect world, we wouldn't have guns for anything other than hunting for the food we need to eat. However, being there is war, there is violence, and people can be hurt by a full range of things in our society, I'd say owning a gun is low on the totem pole. My thought is that if every teacher were permitted the right to carry a gun, which isn't going to happen, more people would second guess going into a school and killing dozens and hurting dozens more. They probably would realize their chances for getting to hurt so many wouldn't be worth the risk of losing their own life. The parents of kids hurt from such violence would probably make a hero out of the teacher who packed the final blow to stop the violence from reaching more bystanders. There is no perfect scenario. There are so many variables. It seems to me the argument can be made either way very well. It will come down to which group has the most money to support the cause.

Would you feel safer if she had a gun or didn't? Would you have regrets if your child was harmed from a disaster at school and she wasn't there with her gun?

You can read about her story here. Have a Happy Thanksgiving! Thank God you don't really have to concern yourself with owning a weapon to protect yourself today... if it's true.

#13 The Real Pandemic

The pandemic isn't H1N1 these days in schools across the nation. It's weak administrations who cannot stand firm in school rules and/or homework policies. Parents transformed the way their children are being educated across the United States. Strong willed helicopter parents have invaded our schools at the administrative levels. Unfortunately, the trickle down effect adversely affects their own children and the future of America in negative ways.

I've been reading the book, Crazy Like a Fox- One Principal's Triumph In the Inner City by Dr. Ben Chavis with Carey Blakely. After being inspired from a previous blog this year, I did some investigation into this school's success. I've even gone so far as contacting the current principal. I'm still in the early stages of the book, but it is clear that this man is a minority of all minorities. He's a man who doesn't listen to the haters. He doesn't allow parents to run his school. He is a man who has set a foundation in a school that will surely last lifetimes. His school, nearly extinct, went from below a 300 API scoring school to over 900 in eight years. He did something controversial, he affected students in lasting ways and even turned around an entire neighborhood.

Dr. Chavis really found a school in need. He also found a neighborhood that was disgusted with the school and the kids on their block. They created an environment perfect for crime and the previous administration and staff did nothing to support positive learning or excellence. Previous to his administration, the American Indian Public Charter School in Oakland, CA was a place where drugs, sex, and crime were commonplace. We're not talking about high school, either. It's a middle school. The school was on the verge of dissolving and the neighborhood couldn't wait. How did he turn it around? In part setting the bar high. By using the old 1950 standards of discipline and school policies for today's age. You'll have to read the book to learn more, however. This is just the tip of the iceberg. The book is an inspiration and a hope for a better future for all education.

The following passage from the book is a memo Dr. Chavis sent the parents of his school on March 16, 2006 in response to the school rules and policies.

Dr Chavis' memo:

"I respect parents who support our staff and accept the consequences when their child breaks the rules. You are preparing your children to be successful in school and life. You can stop reading this now!

Why do some parents of AIPCS students have selective memories? If your child brings a cell phone to school and it is taken by a staff member, you will not get it back until the last day of school. You have the option to withdraw your child from AIPCS. We will return the cell phone and accept students who will follow our rules.

Is there anyone in their right mind who believes I am going to change the rules of American Indian Public Charter School because of a sad story, an argument, or a cussing out? I grew up with a whole family of crazy Indians and I can act like a fool with the best of you. I'm always nice to people who are nice to me.

Why do some of you love to threaten that you are going to the school board to get me fired? Will you please get me fired? I have already retired in Arizona and get a monthly check. I would love to spend more time with my wife, children, and grandchildren and collect another check.

Once again, I respect families who reinforce to your child the importance of following the rules."

It's obvious from this memo, that Dr. Chavis is a man who stands firm in his commitment to instill values in children that go beyond academics. He understands that schools are responsible for pushing academic excellence. This is a man I'd love to work for any day in a school district. He demands great things from his teachers and students and expects parents to back him up at home.

I've been privileged enough to work for five different administrations in twelve years at two different districts. Privileged because it's given me a chance to see people who represent the teaching staff and students well, while keeping the helicopter parents at bay. The other half of the time, however, I've been disgusted with administrations who merely faint at the sight of a parent stomping into the office on a war path. For some crazy reason, there are principals and superintendents who actually believe parents should have control of a classroom. Teachers get micromanaged by parents and weak administrations. Students suffer in more ways that academics. They lose the ability to learn how to submit to authority. They are the future generation of haters. The future in larger prison populations. Why can't some administrations stand firm and resolute and in partnership with teachers to educate on more levels than academics? Dr. Chavis, save us!

#12 Calling All Subs, We Need Backup!

There are many districts throughout the country finding themselves overwhelmed with substitute possibilities. With the economy in shambles, our nation's educated went back into the marketplace and fell back on the fact that anyone can be a substitute teacher for a buck. There actually isn't a desperation for substitute teachers like there were just a year ago. Our superintendent urged us to not take our employee days off if we could help it. There were too many substitute teacher shortages and often they'd have to fill in with office personnel or administrative staff to help out in areas that couldn't be covered. If it was an elective schedule like music or P.E. that was lost, they let it go, even with the union breathing down their necks saying they can't break the contract like that. This year, it's quite the opposite. Instead of substitutes being overwhelmed with phone calls from schools and trying to decide where they wanted to go for the next two months, we have substitute teachers who rely upon the job as their only form of income advertising their desire to help to the entire teaching staff. They're sending personal "business" cards, resumes, and letters to full-time teachers to have them be the choice to fill the vacancy for absence.

I'd say that the schools of our nation could possibly serve as the "frog in the pond" for our nation's economic standing pretty well. When the schools are suffering, so is the nation. When people are turning to the schools for jobs, it's like they've exhausted almost all other means besides working at McDonald's or God forbid, Walmart. Oh no!

What has it meant for districts who are also cutting jobs even though the stimulus apparently saved so many? We have more and more loonies on the loose and people who have no business being in the classroom entering, and it's not a joke. Fortunately, for my classroom, our district has a list of about 12 absolutely amazing substitute teachers we call upon regularly. There are few times, if we give them time, that we cannot get them to help us out. Thank goodness we're not in an area that doesn't have the small school mentality or community group that keeps an eye out for the loonies.

Another thing to consider, according to this article Round Rock, Texas has over 1,200 substitute teachers in the pool this year. That's more than double what they're used to having. Not only that, they had 5,000 apply for 322 jobs. That is just about as bad as me not getting to even apply for a teaching position north of Seattle my first year out of college. Many places there had 500 applicants for a 4th grade position that hadn't been advertised publicly. The boss there told me that they're overwhelmed and unless I have a doctorate or straight A's from Harvard, I need not apply. That was in 1997. I wonder what it's like now.

With all the people just trying to stay afloat these days, and more pressure on education and the business sector from above, I wonder how it will turn out in 10 years. Will we come out ahead of the educational and business world, or will we be set back 50 years and more backwards than the hillbilly? I'd say we need backup now, but definitely don't need any more substitutes.

#11 Holistically Accepted

Teach to the test. That's the command many districts are giving these days. Get our student prepared to test well and appear successful under the scrutiny neighboring schools, counties, states, or even countries judge our education standards. Will it be effective enough for admission to our universities? What happens to the students who come from districts that eliminated all extra-curricular activities, music, P.E., and even interest groups? Do we think they'll make the cut in the new challenges universities are expecting our students to complete and show evidence of completion?

To gain admission into various institutions throughout the nation, the requirements vary. One thing that seems to be changing and becoming more common place is the inclusion of an essay or further involvement in extra-curricular activities or community organizations. No longer can a student be admitted under the review of high GPA, SAT, or ACT scores. According to this article at New York Times, public universities around the nation are utilizing a holistic or comprehensive review of student applicants. What do we think the trend will be after the budget crisis is eventually averted if it ever is? Will higher learning be an untouchable for more and more students? Currently, California is bankrupt. Our schools have cut music education, physical education, and extra-curricular activities for years for various reasons. The trend in schools out here is to focus mainly upon reading, writing and arithmetic. I worry that this will adversely affect the next generation's ability to perform at the higher learning level.

I think it's a smart move on the part of the universities around the nation. Why not know they have students who will have more of an impact upon their peers beyond being book smart? Promotion of students who are more well rounded will provide higher learning that is well rounded. There are many students who may be meant for the classroom for life, but can they practically apply their book smarts to the street and job world? Not everyone can. With this shift in admissions process across the nation, we'll find more people are going to need to get their noses out of their books enough to move to the next level.

Join community organizations, seek out districts and schools that promote diversity in curriculum and activities. Make yourself the jack of all trades and become holistically accepted.