A disturbing report at an elementary school
By Katy Murphy
Thursday, January 20th, 2011 at 7:28 pm in elementary schools, investigations, safety.
Oakland school district officials are investigating a report that two second-graders engaged in oral sex in their classroom while the teacher was present. They’re also looking into a complaint that, in the same classroom and in front of the teacher, some students were taking off their clothes and clowning around.
The teacher, who has been placed on administrative leave, apparently told school officials he was unaware of either incident — both of which reportedly happened last week. The principal got the report on Wednesday, immediately after a child told a staff member about it, said OUSD Spokesman Troy Flint.
After conducting multiple interviews, Flint said, “We believe the substance of the story is true.”
Here is a copy of the letter that went home to Markham families today.
Ug. Any Markham parents or teachers out there?
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January 20th, 2011 at 8:13 pm
This is awful. I hope the families, kids and school community can recover from such horrible events. The teacher ick.
January 20th, 2011 at 9:08 pm
An interesting story. Wonder what really happened?
Whatever did happen, the version given here is the silliest thing I’ve heard and I’ve heard a lot of stories about sexual acting out – some true, some not. There is no reason to believe any of this (teacher misconduct) just from this report.
I for one am not ready to condemn a teacher on a story like this without some credible evidence. And no, I don’t believe the first thing any 2nd grader says.
I would caution the school and it’s employees to watch their words very carefully when they speak about an employee of the district. People and employers are held liable when they repeat slander. And there are rules about how personnel actions must be conducted.
And a lot is being said here publicly while hiding the rest of the story. When I see that done my experience is that somebody is playing games or has an agenda other than the truth. Exactly what is it the speakers of this story are communicating – that the children were taking direction from the adult? That he or she encouraged and permitted the childrens’ conduct? That only the 3 of them were present for the activity and it was scheduled? Funny how they oh so carefully don’t say that. Just insinuate.
So we are left to go “bad teacher, BAD teacher”.
Maybe so, Maybe not. It remains to be seen, or at least disclosed. And since no arrest has been made I doubt the conclusions of wrongdoing are so clear. So somebody decided to release this statement at this time in this form. Hope they consulted with counsel first.
We’ll see. Just another day in the life of Oakland Teachers and their schools.
Could this statement have been instead released saying that –
“Schoolchildren were reported to have engaged in sexual activity with each other on more than one occasion, and a teacher reported to have been in the vicinity has been suspended pending further investigation”?
You see the difference.
Without a confession of wrongdoing or clear evidence other than possible self-serving statements of children, the district should not move so quickly to destroy the reputation of an employee. Common courtesy and decency says you wait for the conclusion of the Inquisition.
January 20th, 2011 at 9:18 pm
Just to clarify: I don’t think the district officials were suggesting the teacher orchestrated some sexual act in the classroom, but rather that — if the story is true — there was a serious supervision failure.
January 21st, 2011 at 6:59 am
Katy: I would hope that is the issue. The district could have said so explicitly and did not. It seems to me for their own reasons they posted this press release insinuating the more sinister facts. Since they were going to make a press release they could have just stated the suspension was related to the issue of failure to supervise/control.
I suspect they did not have any Counsel review the proposed press release and that kind of penny wise and pound foolish thinking – if it actually occurred – to me could reflect a willingness to harm employees for political expediency. Not only is there a duty of care to the students but for the workers also.
And if one is at a school district where neither means much, woe to both. It is during a crisis like this you see how a district really thinks.
I have seen workers thrown to the wolves by many businesses over many years, sometimes for nothing, just from casual indifference and neglect. I don’t like it. Maybe I’m just sensitive.
January 21st, 2011 at 7:19 am
But that’s not a press release: it’s a letter to families of that specific school, which made its way to the press. I am genuinely curious about how it did this, as it seems beyond stupid for OUSD to have intentionally shared this incident with the media.
January 21st, 2011 at 7:20 am
Nextset, this is the first time I have agreed with you. Well stated.
January 21st, 2011 at 7:20 am
Edit to Add:
Not well stated because I agree with you. Well stated because you didn’t include any indication of racial or class bias.
January 21st, 2011 at 8:00 am
As I understand it, KTVU found out about the reported incident first — from a parent, I think — and then OUSD released details about it. Letters sent home to parents are public record.
January 21st, 2011 at 11:06 am
I agree with Nextset as well. Unless we know what actually happened, its hard to make a determination as to what is true. What I do know from the teachers that work or have worked at Markham, is that the principal at Markham has a history of being hostile to the staff (if its the same principal from last year and the year before). Of course, that might just be people that I know and their reality, I don’t know from first hand knowledge. I’m not saying that this is the administrator fault but perhaps there was a break down in communication between the teacher and the administration concerning the incident.
January 21st, 2011 at 11:47 am
Teaching is difficult and kids come with all sorts of sad baggage, but the bottom line is that teachers are accountable for what happens in their classroom. There is absolutely no excuse for thie to have occurred while the teacher was in the classroom.
January 21st, 2011 at 11:48 am
Teaching is difficult and kids come with all sorts of sad baggage, but the bottom line is that teachers are accountable for what happens in their classroom. There is absolutely no excuse for this to have occurred while the teacher was in the classroom.
January 21st, 2011 at 12:42 pm
This is very disappointing, especially for the kids involved. However as a 1x incident it does not deserve front page headlines on either the Tribune or Chronicle websites. It is simply not reflective of the broader issues impacting the broader community.
It should be reported. It is just one more sensational, as well as anti-Oakland bias, to report it as the one of the lead stories.
January 21st, 2011 at 12:54 pm
I strongly agree that these allegations should be reported, but not sensationalized. I was asked to write a follow-up story for tomorrow’s paper — not sure where it will be placed — but today’s print story was buried on the back page.
Online news placement is a little less clear-cut, as I understand it. Most breaking news goes up top, and if it gets a lot of hits, it stays there.
January 21st, 2011 at 1:28 pm
“Officer-involved shooting. Officer placed on paid administrative leave pending investigation.”
This kind of statement happens every week in Oakland. Why wasn’t something as simple as this done? Every morning I turn on the news and hear those words which is why I could repeat them. No need for insinuation. No need for assumption. No need for “we believe the stories to be true.”
Just take the allegations seriously, conduct your investigation and provide the employee paid leave while the investigation is ongoing.
Why are simple things made complicated?
At least I get to agree with Nextset.
January 21st, 2011 at 1:40 pm
As for news coverage, this is getting national attention. It’s getting that attention because humans are sick and the media plays on that sickness. If what is alleged actually occurred, it is symptomatic of what is going on in the communities in which these children live. That is what is not being reported. The tortuous lives some of these children endure is not being reported and certainly not sensationalized toward ACTION.
If I thought reporting would lead to action, I might be OK with it. I don’t. Reporting will lead to a week of sick titillation and mock outrage. Maybe some children will be placed in some marginal foster care (if they’re not already in foster care). Maybe the teacher will be moved to another poor neighborhood school. Maybe a speech. Maybe a task force.
BUT, generational poverty and self-predatory community behavior will continue unabated. A few “lucky” kids will escape and the rest will be doomed to the cess pool of their birth. Without structural interruption and intervention, what has gone on will simply continue and intensify. That his been the lived experience for 50 years and I see very limited signs of change.
sigh
January 21st, 2011 at 2:35 pm
Katy-
If this were a story about such a despicable incident at a charter school- what would the storyline be from your angle?
On this blog?
Truth is, while this act is a horrible incident for the kids, staff and parents- its another incident at Oakland Unified School District- who celebrate inches of growth in a ditch hundreds of feet in depth!
There are far more damaging daily incidents that have continued from one generation to the next such as dismal graduation rates, school violence (reported or not),and terrible education.
Charters have to seek “approval” from one of the worst districts in the state, while they( school districts) can destroy children for generations. When will schools such as Mrakham march up to a firing squad to be judged?
Using the sad story at present, if this were a charter school I bet that Katy, to her credit, would have her slant revealed ever so slightly as it happens every so often, while other media would be in a rush to sensationalize it and charter schools across the nation would feel the brunt of such a tragic story. One fall all fall in the charter world-but for the traditionalists- its okay. OUSD will roll on in a matter of a weekend.
How much equity can a system take- or do we have it in public education?
January 21st, 2011 at 2:38 pm
An interesting hypothetical, Charlie G. — and one I hope never comes to pass.
January 21st, 2011 at 2:58 pm
Real Issue: Watch out, if too many people agree with me the world is going to end…
As far as the racial and class bias thing – I’m a realist. Other’s often aren’t. I can get racial and class real fast on this. Why should I since the info is so sketchy?
But how about this… Let’s suppose you are a teacher and you have a choice of working in an upper class white/jewish/asian district – say, Piedmont. Or you have an offer from a gritty urban black dominated district – say Oakland.
And you know that you will have days like this… Who is going to do a better job taking care of their staff? And exactly why is that?
I have relatives teaching or recently retired at LA Unified and Richmond/Contra Costa Schools. Family have been teachers in (black) public schools for over a century. Teaching is a tough job and despite any complaining I do I want to come down on the side of the classroom teacher – they work hard for the money.
And there is far more that can go wrong fast an urban black school. Is it always the teacher’s fault (as opposed to bad students, bad families and bad administration)? No it’s not.
The facts aren’t in yet at all and they probably will be hidden because the bad actors here are the minors. I would be pleased if the teacher gets vindicated. Maybe not, but I hope so.
January 21st, 2011 at 3:11 pm
Say your prayers, the world is ending soon.
January 21st, 2011 at 3:51 pm
TheTruthHurts made an important point: these kids bring these behaviors from home. They probably sit around with the grownups watching porn or something. Generational poverty produces some pretty anti-social behaviors.
And it is kids raised like this that teachers get blamed for producing. Of course the district chose to vilify, without basis, the teacher. It’s the zeitgeist–it’s all because of crappy teachers. Except we know it’s not.
Nextset is on the money.
January 21st, 2011 at 4:25 pm
TFT,
“it’s all because of crappy teachers. Except we know it’s not”.
The problem is, that “we” don’t yet know much of anything, the most you could claim would be, “we are reasonably sure in the majority of cases that it is not the fault of the teachers”, in some cases it is . Only certain things are absolute.
January 21st, 2011 at 4:28 pm
I would not assume that exposure to pornography is limited to children born into poverty (or to low-income parents, for that matter). Just think about who has the most access to online content.
A study published in the journal Pediatrics in early 2007 (before the iPhone) found that 42 percent of kids between the ages of 10 and 17 had seen online pornography in the previous year. It also found that 66 percent of those children said they didn’t want to see those images.
http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/pdf/CV153.pdf
January 21st, 2011 at 4:32 pm
In fact, the Berkeley Parents Network — a group I don’t exactly associate with generational poverty — has a thread about it. The top entries are from the freaked-out parents of 12- and 11-year-olds.
They’re not 8, but still.
January 21st, 2011 at 4:52 pm
I didn’t say exposure to porn is limited to children born into poverty.
Your argument does not negate what I am saying. Sure, older kids who have computers in the house (they also probably have books) may have seen some pornographic images. And their parents were probably able to help ease the freak that may have ensued.
The kids in the story apparently engaged in mocking behavior. Sex play is common among very young children, and should be ignored. But when an 8 year old demonstrates this behavior, which by 8 years old should disgust most children, you can be pretty sure they have seen it and it has been okay-ed by the grown up present. It is anti-social, learned behavior.
This is more likely to happen in homes suffering generational poverty, and we all, including Nextset, know that.
January 21st, 2011 at 4:55 pm
J.R. says: “in some cases it is”
J.R., if I can’t make a definitive statement, neither can you. Or, we both can, and we would both be right.
January 21st, 2011 at 5:04 pm
This is what you said: “… these kids bring these behaviors from home. They probably sit around with the grownups watching porn or something. Generational poverty produces some pretty anti-social behaviors.”
In response to your speculation about what’s “probably” going on in the living rooms of Oakland’s poor families, I thought I’d point out that kids of all stripes seem to be viewing pornography these days — intentionally or unwittingly.
We don’t know what happened in that Markham classroom, but it seems premature at this point to assume it was a product of generational poverty — just as it is to conclude that it was the fault of a grossly negligent teacher.
January 21st, 2011 at 5:14 pm
No, I described what might very well be going on in the homes of the kids involved if it turns out they engaged in the activity, which is completely possible.
My point was to show how quick OUSD was to blame the teacher publicly while avoiding what could be a contributing factor to the incident–that the family was not raising social kids. Of course OUSD can’t say anything negative about the family, even if the family is headed by an incompetent–they don’t know.
What OUSD leaders should know is that they have a population in Oakland that has been suffering for generations. OUSD veterans have seen this behavior before, as have most teachers who work in impoverished districts.
I have seen this stuff. I have worked in these schools. I live near these Markham folks. What I am describing is frighteningly common, and to ignore the possibility is to continue to deny that generational poverty affects kids more than just about anything when it comes to educational outcomes.
I agree we should not condemn anyone in this specific case, especially without knowing the truth. Maybe we shouldn’t condemn them if the case turns out to be true, either. Disseminating the accusation should wake folks up to the fact that there are neglected children in their midst, and they have a responsibility to help them, if only to protect their own kids from the negative influence of this kind of anti-social behavior.
January 21st, 2011 at 7:22 pm
I still condemn the school’s press release/parental notification letter. It was wrong to draft that letter the way they did to trash the teacher’s reputation before formal hearing. There was no need to make the statement read the way they did. My opinion is that they did so the slam the teacher. Now maybe they know something. Maybe the writer of that letter was angry at the teacher – it sounds like it. There are ways to write these notification letters and this is a good example of when you call in your lawyer. Lawyers are experienced at writing things for publication that are written to avoid saying something while saying something.
Back to the life of the poor teachers… Yes, at lower class/black schools you have problems you don’t commonly see at Piedmont. Yes, children of single mothers have a host of social problems, behaviors and issues normal kids don’t have. Yes, children of single mothers are at higher risk for a host of problems including getting molested (“Mommie’s Boyfriend” is one of the most dangerous people these kids will keep company with) as well as sexually acting out. Yes, lower class children and poor black children are getting more exposure to dope fiends than the Piedmont Kids. Children of druggies and alcoholics are really at higher risk for getting molested and getting involved in premature/precocious sexuality. Piedmont residents can be alcoholics and worse of course, but you have more drunks and druggies per square block when you go downmarket.
So if you take that OUSD job instead of that Piedmont Unified job you are going to have more opportunity to deal with childhood sexual issues and acting out. Is the school going to tell you this, establish protocols and conduct training great enough to cover the issues? I don’t know, I don’t work there. Will someone at OUSD tell us what the training and protocols are that are put in place by OUSD to protect the teachers and the students (In that order)? Is there even a practice of expelling sexually active and acting-out kids so they don’t contaminate the other kids?
January 21st, 2011 at 8:49 pm
I am still reflecting on what I think of this story, which sounds terrible, but I do agree with those who say we don’t know enough to understand it yet and that the great interest in it is mostly prurient–the media loves sensational stories of depravity.
On another note, I am moved to comment in response to Charlie G, post 16: Do you really think school districts ‘destroy children for generations’? Did you reread your post after writing it? Seriously?
January 21st, 2011 at 11:58 pm
Ms. J
Generations is correct! Just because the word Achievement Gap was recently developed doesnt mean that an acheivement gap did not exist right?
What about those years before mandated testing when hippies were current and running schools without any measures? Could you imagine a black inner city chid sitting in those classrooms?
How many Black and brown dropouts were produced in the 60-90′s? Prisoners? Deaths? Minority doctors? Now compare this to whites and you know what you got? Generations of miseducated colored adults breeding miseducated kids.
Yes- effects ripple on through genealogy as does DNA Ms J. Only the lucky ones have survived.
January 22nd, 2011 at 9:15 am
Isin’t this the same district where board members have relationships with students? AND, I might add…..nothing happens to them and furthermore, they are allowed to run and win re-election!!
The most improved district…..HA,HA,HA….
Such a disaster of a city- only those without kids and those who dont care would stay in the crap!
Oakland…once again the disgust of the nation!
January 22nd, 2011 at 9:19 am
I agree with Nextset about the apparent rush to judgment, because:
1. When I was in middle school, I witnessed a boy IN THE FRONT ROW pull his pants open so that the girl next to him peered down his pants. They did it very quietly as the teacher turned her back. So, here’s what I bet happened in the classroom:
a. The teacher assigned individual or group work.
b. The teacher went to give individual attention to a struggling student.
c. The class is quiet – quiet enough that there is no evidence of students being off task (because, unless kids are sleeping, off-task usually equals noise, especially in elementary school)
d. In the back of the room, the two students very quietly and briefly engage in sex play. (Note that i said “briefly,”; when we hear “oral sex,” the image that comes to mind is of a lengthy encounter as is normally depicted in the media (including the porn industry). I’m guessing that the actual physical contact in this case was 15 seconds, tops.
2. The Chron article this a.m. quoted a pediatricain thusly:”‘Oral copulation between children is profoundly not normal,’” said Dr. James Crawford-Jakubiak, medical director of the Center for Child Protection at Oakland Children’s Hospital. Crawford-Jakubiak said investigators should find out whether one child initiated the contact, and what that child had been exposed to outside the classroom. He said it’s possible one of the children has been sexually abused and needs help.”
So, my guess is: 1) The incident was NOT the result of poor supervision by the teacher; and 2) The incident is NOT indicative of any systemic problem in the school, in Oakland, etc.
January 22nd, 2011 at 9:39 am
To what extent is the principal being held accountable for lack of supervision of staff at her school? Do things like this happen at schools where principals are about and aware of what is actually going on and keeping on top of things?
January 22nd, 2011 at 10:29 am
As the person who said the teacher ick, I think what is ick is that he didn’t know about nor did he do anything about the incidents. Clowning around in various stages of undress is not something an aware teacher would miss. None of this would have come to such media hysteria if the teacher had dealt with it at the school and parent level. Kids need to be supervised at all times. If two incidents happen in one week in one class there were probably other problems with supervision.
To me, what is most disturbing is that this issue was unknown to my principal until I brought it up yesterday. Teacher, families, staff and volunteers be reminded to keep watchful eyes on our charges for so many reasons, among them, safety and liability.
January 22nd, 2011 at 11:04 am
Jacob, How is that helpful? Do you have ideas that might make a difference? We can’t tear it all down. Is everything perfect in your world? If it is, how did it happen.
January 22nd, 2011 at 2:43 pm
As a Board Member, I am so concerned about the incident which was reported to the school on Wednesday. There is a very serious investigation being held at this momet to ascertain what happened at the school. I am however very troubled with the tenor of the conversation being held on this Blog. At this momet none of us actually knows what really took place, and for us to come to some judgement of the events, economic-social status, employment status, which precipitate certain actions, family connections, etc. is just as bizzare to me as the reported incident. Yes we all have speculations, that is just human, but to rush to judgement as some of you have exspressed, please. The seriousness of the reported incident has to be investigated and we need to wait to pass judgement until there is a report about Who, What, When, and Where. And Yes, this incident could have happened at any school, public, private, or charter. Public Schools report, Private and Charters do not Report, so who is to say how many of these types of incidents go unreported, therefore un-noticed to the public?
I am so ashamed that this incident happened. I am so ashamed that I live in a city that had 13 murders of children attending our schools last year go unsolved. How many other incidents has happened to children in this city that go unreported, I know there are thousands, we have CPS, and they are not out of business. Our school district has to beg for funding to have some sort of intervention services that serve children of need, we have to beg for funding too keep childcare centers open. When will this city prioritize children and services to familes, when will citizens stop usuing prostitizing words, get out of their comfort zones and help? The internet is very good at sheilding you, many unlike me do not use their God Given Name, but choose to remain anonmous, safe from on looking eyes, you may have to defend your comments in public.
Trust Me, when this investigation closes and the report is made, APPROPRIATE ACTIONS will be taken by this district, no matter who are involved. This is a fact!
January 22nd, 2011 at 4:01 pm
Ms. Spearman:
If the Internet and the World Wide Web disappeared tomorrow, people would still be talking to their family, friends and neighbors about this incident in the same manner that you see reflected on this comments board.
What struck me about your responses is that you stated that the matter is still under investigation, so why has OUSD staff made any statements verbally or in writing about what actually took place? Nextset, made the point quite well regarding statements made about the classroom, but what of the students? Was there any thought of how the districts statements might negatively affect the students involved and their families, or even the investigation? The national attention that has been generated by this case is in large part due to how information has been disseminated by OUSD.
As to the request for help….many of us have mortgages and rents that we can barely afford, and jobs that can be gone tomorrow–if we have not lost them already. That’s the reality that many of OUSDs families and people within the city at large deal with. The most some of us can do is to send our child to school well loved, well prepared, well fed, etc. Some may have money to give, others just have their time. These are really troublesome times. My best hope for this situation at hand is that the kids are safe, and that help is provided if needed.
January 22nd, 2011 at 4:37 pm
AC,
We do not know what actually happened. You have to be very delibverate when it comes to questioning children. Hindsight is 50/50, there is always another way to say something, I was not involved when it came to dissemenating the information.
Let me say this about involvement. If you have children in any school, take time out to go and visit the school atleast every other month and check on your child is the best involvement that anyone could do. Don’t cost anything, your employer cannot peanalize you either, there is a state law that allows parents to go see about their children.
January 22nd, 2011 at 5:01 pm
You are a board member, Alice? Charters are public schools and have to report. Every private (and public, for that matter) school I know of has staff sign documents indicating they will report.
Perhaps Oakland only needs a new board?
January 22nd, 2011 at 7:01 pm
Several things disturb me about this. First of all, why did the principal feel it necessary to send a bulletin to the parents on this? This seems a gross violation of the privacy rights of the students involved. Yes, the children remain unnamed, but in an intimate setting like an elementary school, everyone knows everyone. This is a matter that should have quietly been referred to CPS if the principal believed that there was explicit sexual behavior. Such indicates to me that a child has been exposed to something they should not have been or is perhaps a victim of abuse. The principal has seriously mishandled this and should also be placed on administrative leave. Second, this must have happened in a secluded area of the classroom or coatroom (I believe a parent said as much). There is no way that something like that could have happened in a public area without a chorus of “ews” and “icks” from the other students. If anything, perhaps the teacher was too trusting. I can imagine a student or students asking to go to the coatroom to get an eraser/pencil/book from a backpack. Third, the rush to judge the teacher is disheartening. We don’t know the circumstances or even if anything as sensational as has been reported actually happened.
January 22nd, 2011 at 7:49 pm
Alice wrote,
“Our school district has to beg for funding to have some sort of intervention services that serve children of need, we have to beg for funding too keep childcare centers open. When will this city prioritize children and services to families”
For decades now the US has spent at a rate at or near the top of any other country(year after year)on education. The real problem is that the money that is meant for the kids education gets frittered away in a system full of people who are not directly tied to teaching. If things were different and the economic downturn never happened, people would still be spending more than we have and still delivering questionable academic results(enough is never enough). The lid is coming off the education system and taxpayers are able to see inside, and they aren’t thrilled with what they see. So when you opine about being underfunded ask yourself if the system is not too bloated, please think about what is the really important objective of education funding, the adults or the kids?
January 22nd, 2011 at 9:21 pm
I pray for all of the students in that classroom. The district should put a true “highly qualified” teacher in that class for the remainder of the year…the children deserve it.
January 22nd, 2011 at 9:24 pm
I agree with Alice’s first point about the rush to judgement, and I agree with Nexset, LK and others about the principal’s bulletin.
However, I don’t agree with Alice’s 2nd point, especially “When will this city prioritize children and services to families?”. Uh, Alice, how about the 3% of the City’s General Fund that goes to OFCY funding? The significant amount of funding that goes to Measylure Y programs in OUSD? The Measure B bonds for Facilities upgrades financed by property taxes?
Certainly not signs that this, one of the most liberal cities in the country, isn’t prioritizing children…
January 22nd, 2011 at 10:49 pm
I tend to agree with AC Mom. Ms Spearman and the board need to think long and hard about that parental notice letter that was sent – I call it a press release because the administrator who sent it out knew and should have known it would be sensational and hit the media – now worldwide. The school, the district and the students now live with this ink on their reputation. Regardless of the merits of the poor teacher at the center of this mess, we must turn first to the administrators who serve to keep the lid on the place.
I think that letter did unreasonable harm to the school and the district and of course the teacher and children. Such a huge bombshell should never have gone out no matter what the merits, without direct involvement of school counsel and the superintendant and or board chair. Now for all we know, they were involved. I wasn’t there. But there are two problems here, that letter and the fact that perhaps the kiddies are doing sexual gymnastics on the property.
I would expect the board to deal with both and you know, it’s going to largely have to be done behind closed doors. It’s a personnel matter and the board will have to make a statement that to the extent it’s a personnel matter there will be no public discussion of the whys and wherefores.
But I’d probably dismiss the principal if I’m actually correct about everything that has occurred, and quickly. If the principal reads this – don’t worry, I couldn’t possibly ever guess or know the truth about all this, as I’ve said, I wasn’t there. But if I’m correct on my assumptions…
So I don’t know what went on in the classroom, but Nonetheless if the school is in an uproar and everybody in authority is humiliated and distressed, you’ve got to fire the administrators who serve at the pleasure, and bring in fresh personalities to clean up the mess and see to it that the place doesn’t get into a scandal again. They would need to go just because they were there and in charge at the time of the problem. No further cause is required. When you make someone principal it’s on the understanding that you have ever confidence that their mere presence avoids scandal and disaster. If you no longer have that confidence, they must go. The replacement principal can investigate and decide what if anything to do with the teacher.
This is what I expect from the Board and the Super.
Or I’d replace them too.
January 22nd, 2011 at 11:19 pm
Why isn’t anyone pointing out that this school made remarkable gains in its 2010 CST scores? Maybe the highest gains in the district?
January 23rd, 2011 at 7:48 am
Whys isint anyone pointing out ther test scores? Are you serious? How many kids do you have at this school and if so, does that matter right now?
How many care that we also have a board member who had an affair with a sudent and still remains-in fact re-elected?
January 23rd, 2011 at 11:55 am
Gordon Danning thank you for you comments
my niece told me a boy expose himself in the hallway of a north oakland high school..and it was vidoetaped..an investigation occurred and the boy was still going to my nieces’ classes..
Charlie G.charter schools have there problems if you want good reading I read the 64 page report from fresno and it was eye opening.
“Charter school faces withdrawals over punishment
By HEATHER VOGELL
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sunday, March 22, 2009
A south Fulton County charter school following one of the most lauded education programs nationwide is embroiled in a dispute over discipline that has led at least seven parents to yank their children out midyear.
Madfloridian’s Journal
The KIPP Fresno Horror Story That the National Media Won’t Tell: Part I
In April, May, and June 2008, parents of children attending KIPP Academy Fresno Charter School filed multiple complaints with the Fresno Unified School District about practices at the school. Even though the District passed the complaints to the KIPP Board to investigate, the Board had no authority to demand answers or to make personnel changes and, therefore, advised the District to take charge of the investigation. Following an investigation, a 64 page Notice to Cure and Correct report was issued on December 11, 2008.
January 23rd, 2011 at 12:08 pm
Susan, Good questions, especially that last one.
January 23rd, 2011 at 1:40 pm
That last question is easily answered–the board member won an election. Blame the voters.
January 23rd, 2011 at 3:19 pm
TFT, Yes I am a bord member! Wether you belive it or not, Charters report what they want to report. There is no oversight as to what they do administratively. You had your chance last November to replace 3 board members, all three were re-elected, someone agreed with them
Nexstet, this time I agree with you! It is this boards responsibility, all these issues will be discussed. Whatever decisions are made, it will take a quorum of the board, (4 members to agree), I am only one, to give directions to the Superintendent.
January 23rd, 2011 at 5:56 pm
Gee You;
I think you are missing the point in regards to Charlie’s post. Charters are not perfect nor are they the sole solution. If Im not mistaken, that is not what was posed.
Charters by law, have a 5 year existence window before having to go before the board to be judged and in fact shut down. Traditional schools do NOT have this level of scrutiny.
That is the essence as I understand it Gee. But I do not want to speak to anothers idea.
However, Susan brings up an excellent poitn… OUSD’s reputatation has undergone a series of tarnishes including the boaed member misconduct that was in fact very sketchy.
What did they do to him? In this case they throw the teacher under the bus and not administration……typical.
January 23rd, 2011 at 6:20 pm
I am still trying to process the information. I, too, have witnessed inappropriate sexual interactions in my middle school classrooms. I redirect behavior, separate students, report when appropriate, and attempt to have conversations with parents and guardians.
This is all so very sad.
My students are in the range of 11 – 13 years old. I have about 1/3 of my students parents in the age range of 26 – 30. What this means is that the parents of my students were engaged in similar or more sexualized behavior at roughly the same age. I have heard parents say there is nothing they can do; that it’s just “the age”; or that they’re okay with being a “young grandparent.”
It is all so very sad.
January 23rd, 2011 at 6:23 pm
Jacob,
The teacher was not thrown under the bus. Proper protocal states any employee involved in such matters will be put on administrative leave until the matter is throughly investigated. The employee has not lost any of the employee’s rights,(compensation,medical, etc.), also the employee has union representation. If the alleged charges are unfounded, the employee will return to the previous post. All per contract language.
The board member you are referring to was not found guilty of any crime, but he was censored by the sitting board, we had no authority to remove him. However the member was re-elected by his city constiuency of District 6 in November, 2010, he ran unopposed, which says a lot!
January 23rd, 2011 at 9:25 pm
It’s the “thoroughly investigated” part, though, that genuinely should have happened before a letter like that went out. Right now, we have secondhand-from-seven-year- olds tarnishing the man’s reputation on what seems, with the media jumping on another “look at crazy Oakland” bandwagon, to be quickly reaching a global scale.
No, his name isn’t out there yet. But I could get it in ten minutes if I were so inclined. And so could most people reading this.
I know teachers accused of physical abuse against students: as a special education teacher working with students who were physically aggressive and needed at times to be physically restrained, I experienced these allegations myself once when a bystander thought he saw a child being hit, rather than a child hitting me. A thorough investigation cleared me, cleared another colleague, and is in the slow, steady process of clearing a third: imagine what it would have been like if the media had gotten hold of these stories before they ran their course.
I really think the administrator needs to be called on the carpet for this. If I were a teacher at that site, I’d feel pretty darn shaky on a good number of levels right now.
January 23rd, 2011 at 10:16 pm
Why is this teachers rights to privacy more important then a parents right to make good choices about where they send there kids? If he didn’t do nothing wrong then his name will be cleared. If nobody knows who he is and then the district is just going to sweep this under the rug and move him to a different school. I don’t want my kids in a room with a teacher who lets something like this happen and doesn’t even see nothing. At least with the sick ousd member we know his name and we can keep our kids away.
I’m not saying this teacher did something wrong. I don’t know but I don’t trust the district to tell me the truth so if I don’t know him then I can’t protect my kids. Then who will?
January 24th, 2011 at 5:32 am
One of my sons is no longer in the district. he secured an interdistrict transfer to another district and is doing very well.
The district he is in also had inappropriate sexual behavior – the difference between how the two districts handled the situation was as different as night and day – Parents who had email were sent an email blast that included the letter that was sent home. Counselors were many and were available to all students, not just students in the class(es) and there was a list of references, websites and books that discussed appropriate and inappropriate sexual behavior by children’s ages.
Parents could also receive counseling through the district counselors.
Our situation is also under investigation. In our case the police were called and the case is being investigated and sorted there.
I have not read about the students involved. One thing that came out of the issue in the other school district is that family support services investigated the home of the student and closed their case.
Oakland has tried to hold up their part, if they could learn two things by this action, my opinion would be that they need to more quickly send information home to parents and teachers at the school, an email including the letter as an attachment is most appropriate (they may have done so with the teachers in the school, I don’t know, but I have not heard any parents state they were emailed with information) and counseling should be made to all families in the school and it should include information about age appropriate exploration and inappropriate sexual activity.
January 24th, 2011 at 6:56 am
There are rumors going around that Markham’s test scores aren’t legit. In fact, I’ve heard rumors about cheating in several OUSD elementary schools, from teachers and from administrators.
A board member in this thread is making consistent spelling mistakes in her posts. Another board member was caught having an affair with a minor a few years ago. The board president is a nice guy, but he is clueless.
OUSD is a joke and charters are going to overtake the district because teachers and administrators are not let go when they can’t do their jobs. This entire system doesn’t work. Go see Waiting For Superman.
How can oral sex happen in a 2nd grade classroom without the teacher knowing? Did the teacher leave the room? Was he asleep? C’mon Oakland. Our kids deserve better.
January 24th, 2011 at 8:52 am
Shiela,
While all those things that you mention “do happen” in our education system, there is very little known of this “sexual” incident at this time. This may be overblown, or a mis-interpretation so just let the investigation finish before tossing blame just yet. Waiting for Superman is good(somewhat slanted), but anyone who cares to investigate the claims can see that there are big problems with the education system, and it needs an complete overhaul badly.
January 24th, 2011 at 10:18 am
A message to parents
“DO NOT TRUST ANYBODY!” do your job keep your children safe participate in classrooms, especially when the kids are young. Question everything! 20kids = 20 parents rotate be in alert of what’s happening in class and school. Kids get intimidated when they see parents around.
SOME teachers don’t care for your kids they get paid regardless if they teach or are at home, the UNION protects them. That is why I chose Charter schools for my kids, after bad experience at Oakland Public schools.
NOT all Charter schools are good either so parents take the time to check who you leave your children with, at the end of the day its worth so much.
January 24th, 2011 at 10:25 am
From what I understand, one of the students admitted to the act. It must be reported because of all tthe students in the class being exposed to “the act”, and Alice S. is right, there is something wrong with the votership if a board member (CD) can have an affair with a teen and get re-elected. There is not enough genuine interest in OUSD-everone wants to be mayor!! This case if easily solved bc the teacher was in the room and should be held liable for any action that occurs in his presence. If it was an INJURY to the student that rule would apply. Somebody needs to look at the household bc my second-grader isn’t performing fellatio!
January 24th, 2011 at 11:26 am
Post #37 Edit: Sentence two, paragraph two should read. “made about the classroom TEAHCER,”.
Ms. Spearman:
Thank you for your response. I do visit my child’s school as often as I can. But, that brings up another point, perhaps better suited for another discussion, but since you are listening…Some teachers/schools actively encourage parents to visit and to be involved and others do not. Although, parents are never barred from visiting (with the exception of those parents restraining orders and the like), some teachers definitely give the vibe that they would rather not see parents in their classroom. If OUSD wants increase parental support and involvement, then a teacher’s lack of enthusiasm for a parent even sitting in the class can certainly put one off from contributing their time or talent to the school, and quite frankly a teacher’s reluctance can set of some alarms about what is actually going on. Personally, I will just show up if I am concerned about what’s going on in my child’s classroom, so it doesn’t affect me that much, but I must admit that I am irked by a teacher that holds that opinion.
One of the qualities that seems (I say seems because I am basing this on my personal experience and not empirical data) to distinguish higher performing schools (even when you factor income and education into the equation) is the level of parental involvement at the site. Head Start and Even Start build that into their programs; in fact program sites are evaluated in part by the level of parent participation. What can we take from that model to create a school community? Of course, an attitudinal shift is the first step.
With respect to the Markham case, one of the many lessons learned should be that the district require that any statements sent to parents/public about matters that might result in staff and/or student disciplinary action (or as in this case result in a CPS investigation) be thoroughly vetted by OUSD Counsel and probably the Superintendent before it is distributed. Such a policy should be implemented immediately.
January 24th, 2011 at 2:21 pm
“The teacher’s name will be cleared in the end if he did no wrong.” The man that was accused of the Atlanta bombing was cleared by the FBI but he still was looked at sideways until the day he died. This man’s reputation is going to continued to be tarnished.
I don’t believe protocal was followed. The principal found out about the allegations on Wednesday and released a statement to the public on Thursday. The district should have done an investigation first. CPS should have been called. Witness statement should be filed. None of this should have been made public until all of this was done.
January 24th, 2011 at 2:39 pm
Jenna, Sounds like the other district made resources & knowledge available. Was the press brought in and was it kept for days as THE headline store? Of course maybe info was given to families at this school too, and it just wasn’t reported on. Remember just because something was reported, doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.
Finally, regarding the Police being brought in, understand that would simply not happen, or be acceptable, in Oakland.
January 24th, 2011 at 3:08 pm
A couple of things:
One, I wouldn’t say the press was “brought in” to the story. I understand that a parent contacted KTVU. Once the story was out, the OUSD administration reported to the media what it had shared with the families.
Secondly, the police have been brought in to investigate the Markham report. OPD, as well as the Oakland Schools Police, are involved.
Maybe the letter that went out in Jenna’s district revealed less about the alleged incident. Maybe families at her son’s school decided to keep the story private. Maybe, even if an outraged parent had contacted a local news outlet, the story wouldn’t have been such a media sensation because it didn’t involve a city with a reputation quite like Oakland’s (or the details weren’t quite so shocking).
It’s possible that if Markham and OUSD had held off on informing families about the investigation until more was known, or if the letter had been more cryptic, the story wouldn’t have blown up like it did. On the other hand, it might have led to more questions, rumors and accusations of a cover-up. Who knows.
January 24th, 2011 at 3:55 pm
I hate to say it, but if not for this blog, its the same as most sensationalist stories…its dissappearing.
The sad part is that their are kids involved. Has anyone though of the other kids who may have wtinessed it? What about the so called stripping incident in this class- what happened in that case? Weere parents notified?
A few years ago (2006?) there was an alleged sexual assault at Brett Harte Middle. My child did not go there but she knew. I was dumfounded because how could the kids know but not adults know about this? My daughter did not go to Brett Harte bu learned about it on the bus;(the story was confirmed by the school via mail).
How many other times has this happened in schools yet we know nothing?
January 24th, 2011 at 4:54 pm
Katy, I looked back at your more detailed story and it does say “the investigation is continuing with school district police officers and the city’s special victims unit.”
Now I don’t know if by “the city’s” it means Oakland PD or another agency. I was contemplating why it was easy for a reader to miss this. Maybe it was such a brief mention. Maybe because the words weren’t capitalized. Maybe in such a hot topic it shows the importance to read calmly and carefully (as always). Maybe it’s because the facts were intermingled in between the fears of parents and the questions (not the answers) surrounding the story.
http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_17161104
I agree with you that if OUSD had released no information the parents would have heard more & more rumors anyway (as they did) and then been labeled a coverup.
Did, in fact, the school and/or OUSD give resources to the parents to better understand age appropriate and inappropriate sexual activity? To me this impacts how well OUSD handled the situation.
PS. In that same link there’s a clip of Chanel 7 News coverage, that makes it sound like the teacher knew about this, without a direct accusation: “Some students say the teacher allowed this to happen more than once…”.
Is Channel 7 quoting students? Or are they ad-libbing? Does “allow” mean the teacher knew or didn’t? Words and who said what matters.
PPS. Troy Flint and some of the parents come out quite rational. Much more so than the Channel 7 News casters.
January 24th, 2011 at 5:48 pm
Yes, the special victim’s unit is part of OPD. I guess that wasn’t very clear. Sorry about that.
January 24th, 2011 at 8:06 pm
I emailed Troy Flint, OUSD’s spokesman, today to see if there were any updates in the Markham case. Here is what he had to say (well, write) about the investigation, the district’s counseling response and the timing of the disclosure:
January 25th, 2011 at 6:48 am
The incident was reported in the press. However, by the time the press had the story the parents knew more than was reported in the headline. This was comforting (in an otherwise frightening set of events that involved a teacher and student).
This particular school district also notifies WITHIN THE HOUR when there are things like a man exposing himself on a route to school regularly used by students, a car pulled over and attempted to talk to students two days in a row, an attempted kidnapping of a teen girl. Over the past two years these four incidents happened. One may say that’s a lot to happen in two years. May it’s true and maybe not – but I put out to this blog – how many OUSD principals have the authority to send an email blast and a flyer home on such incidents within an hour. I don’t believe any do have that authority or would even pay attention to a car stopping and talking to students unless there was an attempt to take a child.
There was a mentally disturbed naked man who was walking near some of the hills elementary schools a few years back. It took a district approved flyer home several days after the first sighting to have it reported to parents.
The only principal that I know that comes close to this type of reporting is at Oakland Tech. But even that takes a couple of days or more.
In Oakland we seem to be significantly more concerned about what “everyone thinks” than how to inform the parents who then can inform the students served by the district.
To those parents who talk about “more resources” – it takes almost no resources to send an email blast. It takes few resources to send home a letter or flyer. When my sons were in elementary school, the one in OUSD middle school and even high school, papers with information about fundraising, activities on campus and camps/lessons come home at least twice a week.
January 25th, 2011 at 11:36 am
I have to say, given the fact that whatever the OUSD does is wrong, I’m surprised posters haven’t yet blamed the district (or teachers) for what happened in Tucson. Or at the Moscow airport.
Seriously, this is a terrible, terrible thing. Many different groups of people may or may not have acted in wise or unwise ways in their reactions to it.
But the idea that OUSD should be blamed for every sickness in the community is pure scapegoating, and it demonstrates just how effectively the education ‘reform’ folks have managed to demonize educators.
January 25th, 2011 at 11:41 am
Hang in, Troy.
This one’s “unwinnable.”
Betwixt Monday-morning quarterbacks and the know-it-alls, you are truly damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
January 25th, 2011 at 11:55 am
“it demonstrates just how effectively the education ‘reform’ folks have managed to demonize educators”.
I would also say the huge percentages of ill prepared students(that far outnumber the poverty stats btw), and the horrendous costs involved have something to do with the taxpaying public’s opinion as well. I will go on saying it, if the public education monopoly was doing its job nobody would have ever paid any attention to any reformers.
January 25th, 2011 at 12:06 pm
Ms.J
So are “the reformers” just making this stuff up, or what?
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/25/BAH11HDK7G.DTL&tsp=1
Some people are in serious denial.
January 25th, 2011 at 3:12 pm
Ms. J- obviously there is nothing one could say to you to change your mind- not even hard data facts. You are a unionist school district supporter true and true, and others are school reformers that cannot be swayed either.
The battle is for the community, families, and parents minds. In inner city districts like OUSD- thats where your side will eventually los footing.
Figures and historical data cannot lie.
Are you a relative of the Dr.J?
January 25th, 2011 at 4:16 pm
Shades of the McMartin pre-school – false memories, and innocent adults thrown into prison on the testimony of children. (Wikipedia).
The ’70s & ’80s were rife with this type of hysteria.
So, what’s next – blood sacrifices, flying witches, underground tunnels, orgies at car washes and airports?
(Wikipedia)
Per Troy Flint, I don’t really understand the need for a psychologist. Did anything really happen? Does this alleged incident have direct bearing on the kids’ perception of safety? I’m curious.
Considering the ham-handed interviews conducted in McMartin and others, I wonder how many false memories are going to result in this instance.
January 25th, 2011 at 9:26 pm
So, JR and Charlie G, you are saying that this incident is OUSD’s fault? And I am a ‘unionist’ if I question that?
I am just asking you to reflect on that question. You are maintaining that I am in denial if I question the idea that this terrible incident, the details of which we don’t yet know, is the fault of Oakland Schools? That is what I am asking.
I have been reading Pedro Noguera recently. In Public Schools and The American Dream he states that one thing that will need to happen in order for public schools to succeed is for teachers to be willing to change, to expand, their idea of what a school’s function is. I am struggling with this challenge, but to the extent that I am willing to accept it I want it to be made explicit. Schools are now expected to feed, clothe, and nurture students in ways that families used to be expected to do. No doubt some families have never done so, and no doubt some teachers have always filled in the gaps. But I don’t think we should criticize today’s schools for the poverty and desperation of the larger society.
January 25th, 2011 at 10:35 pm
“I don’t think we should criticize today’s schools for the poverty and desperation of the larger society”.
What I am telling you is that the education system has become nothing more than an employment service where a sizeable amount of the teaching is mediocre at best, and the system is inundated with overpaid unnecessary bureaucrats. The real problems started decades ago when the safety net became a hammock. With the benefits(welfare,afdc,subsidized housing), even totally irresponsible people could have children, a home and even get tax refunds even though technically they don’t pay taxes(except sales)though not in reality. People wanted to support irresponsible people and now they have procreated 2-3 generations of irresponsible offspring. We are paying the price for that now.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/25/BAQB1HE0PQ.DTL
January 26th, 2011 at 5:47 pm
Katy, When Jena made comments about what the other district is doing, she said they gave parents resources for further reading. Now I don’t know if that was just to the students at the school, or to the broader District. But this incident has created conversations in the broader OUSD community, and at many schools. Namely, what’s normal and what’s not? & how do we handle any similar incident?
With this in mind, could OUSD not share further info on what is age appropriate & what’s not?
Of course we can search online on our own. There’s a world of self-described experts out there and the challenge is not knowing who truly is and who isn’t. That’s where OUSD could step in and help the knowledge-base. & demonstrate it’s viability as a resource.
This demonstrates once again that OUSD is challenged at communications.
(& so is the press).
January 27th, 2011 at 1:36 pm
Mrs. J;
Inner cities schools have been about everything else other than education for 3 generations now. There are food dives, clothing drives, protests, community meetings…you name it but student perfomance down right disgraceful. Anf yes teachers, and educrats are to pay for this as are liberal minded politicians who kids do not even attend inner city schools.
And more to your point….union leaders and their cronies have demonized school reformers right?
As I said…families will vote with their feet!
January 28th, 2011 at 11:48 am
One small question. Does anyone have any idea, logistically, how this could happen without the teacher seeing? Are these classrooms so big that the kids could hide behind bookshelves or something? I know it sounds stupid, but I just couldn’t get my head wrapped around the simplest part of this…
Do people think the teacher sat there and watched? Or that is happened so fast that the teacher missed it? Or that the teacher was actually not present or sleeping or what????
Or maybe it didn’t really happen and the kids made it up? Even if the teacher is a poster child for anti-teacher union school reform, I just can’t see how something like this could happen in practice…
January 28th, 2011 at 2:11 pm
Cadnerd: Here are a couple of ways it could happen – I am not suggesting that things did happen this way: 1) Two students were physically fighting as is common in many schools. The teacher has been told to work with the students in a way that preserves self-esteem (common in OUSD). Teacher pulls students apart. Takes them to a quiet place in the back of the class. Turns back to class while getting down on one knee to make eye level contact. Asks each boy what happened, listens to each boy for about 4 minutes, gives suggestions and feedback – total interaction time 16 minutes with teacher paying attention to students who will attack each other again if given the chance.
2) Teacher takes one student outside, then the other leaving students in the class alone for about 15 minutes.
3) Students are working in groups – a group at the computers, another listening to books on tape, another writing stories, another creating artwork to go with their stories. The teacher works with the group on the computer and has his back to the students listening to the books on tape. One student slips below the table.
4) Students are working on math contracts. One group is doing tangrams, another is doing math with blocks, another is working on the computer – - – similar scenario to #3.
The list can go on and on. Because there are many students who do know have self-discipline, particularly those who have not learned it at home, they do not know how to behave when given tasks to work in small groups. That is why many teachers in schools where students have discipline problems have been warned over and over “Never turn your back to the students in the class, never!” It is the mantra of teaching credential programs for urban education, of professional development courses and of district leaders. This is the reason why when asked why there is no creativity in the Title 1 classrooms, teachers have a difficult time. If students cannot be trusted to work in groups of four or six because they do not behave in a socially acceptable way – or even a few students in the class cannot be trusted to behave, all students must learn while sitting at their desks having the teacher up front giving the lecture telling students when to pick up their pencil and when to put it down.
That is the reality of the situation when we have students who do not behave in a socially acceptable way. When parents send students to school having watched R or X rates movies, watched adults having sex, watched sexually explicit video games, did not stop students behavior because it was “cute” at 4 or 5 or because “He didn’t mean anything by it” or “You always target students of color” or the myriad of other excuses you will have to constantly watch students, more like a guard than a guide. Because ultimately, we have a teacher that will likely lose a job when he may have been doing what the district had trained him to do, rather than separating out students who misbehave. Instead of saying “knock it off!” or filming students misbehaving and requiring parents to sit with students who misbehave and the misbehavior can be shown to parents and the district on video. Oh, and yes, video taping student and teacher behavior for the improvement of teaching practices is perfectly legal.
It is time that students, yes, even second grade students and their parents be held as equally accountable for their behavior as parents. It is time for other students and parents of children who behave to demand that the district hold misbehaving students and their parents accountable for their actions. Only when the district begins to lose money because parents of well-behaved students pull those students from the district legally through inter-district transfers will the district take the responsibility of behavior seriously.
I feel for these students, I really do. But it may be that someone’s career is at stake. Someone who did what the district defined as right.
January 28th, 2011 at 4:06 pm
Catherine;
A large number of students do pull their well behaved children out of the district. Of course I am equating well behaved with the ability to score “advanced” or “proficient” on the CST, but I think that most people would agree with that analogy.
http://www.ibabuzz.com/education/2010/12/13/oaklands-middle-school-brain-drain/
I do agree that parents need to be held accountable, but how does one do that?
January 29th, 2011 at 7:35 am
AC Mom:
You hold parents accountable by video recording the activity in your classroom that is disturbing. Some teachers currently record their classrooms for their own protection and to improve their teaching. You tie aid money to parents / guardians for taking care of children. This means that children / tweens / teens who display risky or unacceptable behavior by standards of agreement (children sit in chairs, do not crawl across floors, do not lie on their chairs and on the desktops, students do not use cell phones or text in class, girls to not intentionally lift their skirts to show what is underneath, boys do not unzip their pants, girls do not pull down the shoulders of their shirts to display their bra/camisole/lack of straps underneath). Students who display these behaviors must have a parent come and sit with the child all day to receive aid. For parents who work, they must take off time from work and come and sit with their children. Is this a burden. Yes. It is a burden for the parent and the teacher.
As it stands now, I have students who have done all of the behaviors I have described above. When you say the burden is too high for parents to have to sit with their children. I say, yes, the burden / cost is high. The cost is also high for the other 30 students in the class with students who misbehave to the point of being socially unacceptable. And when you tell me parents simply cannot take time off work or you cannot require a parent on aid to sit with their child I would like to offer an alternative perspective: what you are saying is that the life of one adult is more important to you and to society than the lives of 30 children. Because if you allowed a grown man to expose himself to 30 adult women, we would consider it a crime worth prosecution. But when the person who exposes his genitals or sings in class “suck me” or who grabs girls around the waist to simulate sex is 8 or 10 or 12 it is more a burden to require parents to take action than it is to protect the others in the class.
And by well-behaved, I was not referring to test scores at all. I was referring to students who arrive on time, sit in their seats, do not shout across the class, do not use cell phones and other electronics that parents have threatened me over when I have taken them away. I was referring to students who are well-behaved as students who when you ask them to take out their text book and turn to page 76, they take out their textbook and turn to page 76, they do not take out their lip gloss and apply it.
I wish their were ways for the people on the blog to see what happens in classrooms in deep east Oakland and west Oakland in some of the “slope” schools where students have been shipped from relative to relative. I currently have a 13 year old boy who is partially deaf because his mother did not take him to the doctor soon enough after contracting meningitis. He survived. He has four siblings. His 18 year old sister is taking care of their 16 year old brother while their mother is still collecting aid on both boys. She’s doing so hoping he can stay in school until he graduates. She didn’t, she has an infant son and lives on aid in a housing project. The 13 year old boy slips out at night where he and his friends steal cars to go joy riding. He has been in the hospital after 2 crashes. Everything stops when he is in the hospital. Mother spends the aid on “her man.”
And for every one of these boys I have another 5 – 8 in a class of 30 just like him. He has turned in exactly 2 assignments this semester. He has video games and a cell phone. He’s “cool with the ladies.”
So the direct answer is teachers videotape the behavior that is unacceptable. It is viewed by at least one administrator and one other teacher. The panel of three deems the behavior unacceptable. At that point if parents want financial aid to take care of their children they must show up every day in class and actually take care of their child. Their other children are in schools with breakfast and lunch served with child care before and after school, so having to take care of other children is no excuse. Only when parents are held responsible for their children will the behavior stop.
January 29th, 2011 at 10:33 am
Catherine: We are actually discussing the difference between a real school with real students and a ghetto pretend school with pretend students.
A real school flunks out bad students. A real school expells or transfers bad acting students. A real school conveys the discipline standards early and often to the students and their families and will not hesitate to expel a student a day before graduation if that student crosses the line of tolerated behavior. And I’m not talking about the nonsensical zero tolerance malarky where a boy gets it for drawing a gun either. I’m talking of the decision a principal makes in consultation with teaching staff that a student is no longer appropriate to be retained because they don’t fit the program and you don’t want to expose the class to him or her any further.
OSUD really does believe the OUSD students are unworthy of a real school and they collectively are no better than the bad actors anyway (there’s your racism…). And this is the difference between OUSD schools and Piedmont/Moraga type schools.
The families had just better vote with their feet. Actually, they are.
As far as why the teaching staff remains at bad schools – that’s another discussion.
Brave New World.
January 29th, 2011 at 11:23 pm
Catherine, you have shared with us many of the difficulties and frustrations you have faced in your teaching, but surely there must also be positive experiences and successes you have had. Would you share some of those with us?
January 30th, 2011 at 10:25 am
Catherine, thanks for telling it like it is. I wish there were more teachers who thought like you. Once in my education class I asked the prof what one does if there is a 16-year old boy who doesn’t want to be in class and learn and is disruptive. I was angrily told that doesn’t happen and if it does it is my fault and that all children want to learn. The teachers who teach education classes are completely out of touch with reality. The constant use of cell phones, Ipods, makeup using, is constant throughout classses in high school. At least one fourth are engaged in this behavior in the class I observe daily and that is
“well behaved” class with a good, albeit new and young, teacher.
When I was an intern I was admonished because a child had pages missing from his textbook so how could he read? The child was the one who had ripped out the pages of the textbook and who had written grafitti all over it – yet it was the teacher’s fault. I had taken the class from a teacher who had quit due to lack of administrative backup for the behavior problems so there was no record of which book had beeen assigned to whom, which gave license to the students to destroy them, and they did.
The idea of taping the classroom is great – it should be done in all classses whre there are children whose parents think the teachers are picking on them and who can’t believe their angels could act that way – it should also be used to tape those who are just disruptive on a daily basis so the princupal and parents can see what is going on. Get them out of the classroom! If they can’t behave like students, they need to either go to a place for kids who don’t want to behave or as Catherine suggests, have mom come to the classroom and stay with her kid and tie the aid to it. If the kid reverts to his previous behavior, then mom or dad comes back. Bet it won’t happen more than once.
January 31st, 2011 at 10:49 am
San Leandro has a school for the most disruptive kids. It is too bad for them but itsbetter than dragging the rest of the student population with them. Does OUSD have such a school? What IS OUSD HQ doing to support it’s teachers and schools deal with such disruptive children, both before it gets to a point of no return, and after?
Is there a well spelled out process or not? (This would b good for every body, in addition to spelling out resources).
This issue of disruptive behavior keeps coming up, yet we hear nothing from OUSD about it. It would b nice to know what’s being done to improve things, if anything.
January 31st, 2011 at 11:33 am
Catherine:
Thank you for responding, and I agree with you 100%. If the school that I was assigned to had the reputation for behavior that you describe, I would not send my child to school there. I would move, apply for a charter, work two jobs to pay for private or parochial school, whatever it took. My point is parents “voting with their feet” already occurs; OUSD knows this as enrollment has been declining for years, especially in the middle and high school ranks. As a parent of an OUSD student, I can honestly say that I feel that I do not have a voice as far as what the district chooses to pursue. Is that perceotion inaccurate, perhaps, but it is one shared by many. All that I can do is what is best for my child, right now I am satisfied with what occurs at his elementary school, but, if needed, I too would pull my child from OUSD.
In the end, I hope that your words are passed onto someone (or someones) that can make the changes that you speak of, or at the very least put those changes in motion.
February 1st, 2011 at 4:50 pm
At the request of Steven, I will give examples of students who are doing good to excellent work against many obstacles. The vast majority of my students are not working to grade level. Some of the students are able to make it into the “proficient” category, in one area of the CST, however, their writing often does not begin with capital letters or end with an end mark. Despite this, and some arrangements for students to hand in and receive their work back “on the sly” to avoid embarrassment from peers for trying hard and reworking essays over and over, the following students produce excellent work and generally have what I would describe as “scholarly behavior.” To protect the identities I have changed the names of my students.
Jabari is 13, a little older than his peers, he and his sister are being raised by their mom who had his sister at 17. Jabari’s reading of expository text in elementary school was the Bible. Jabari used the information from the Bible to help his classmates argue against the spread of Islam, while he, himself, through a flip of the coin had to argue for the spread of Islam. (6th grade standards in social studies)
Kenesha is 11 and her single mother is 25. They just moved into their own apartment after living with grandma. Kenesha recently finished the book Tom Sawyer and wrote an essay in defense of the language in the book based on its historical context. She argued that although there were parts of the book that offended her personally, she would not change it.
Che is 12 and one of five children of an ice cream vendor and a mother who is a housekeeper for an Oakland motel. They live in a two-bedroom apartment, above a liquor store. Che came here three years ago and when he arrived in my classroom he spoke about 150 words in English. His reading was at a second grade six-month level in his native Spanish. He is now reading at fifth grade fifth-month and improving weekly. His vocabulary has improved. He writes about missing Mexico and of the sacrifice his entire family makes to get an education and improve their lives. He comes in every afternoon, faithfully, to make sure he does his homework, because his parents were incredibly disappointed to see his first “F”.
Isabel lives with her grandmother and several cousins. I cannot get a parent in for a conference. She is at my door every morning, first thing. She has edited single pieces of writing up to seven times. First with capitalization and punctuation, then spelling, then subject verb agreement, and so on. She can tell you about the importance of the Hindu Kush mountain range and can explain the roots of the divide making two countries of Pakistan and India. Oh, and if you want to know why the Kashmir region is so important to both countries, Isabel is the person to ask.
Aliyah has three sisters, a 28-year-old mother and a pregnant 14 year old sister. She is determined to make sure that she gets through high school and becomes a math professor. Although English and Social Studies are “not her thing” her social studies journal is meticulously kept. She wants to know where her future students come from because she is expecting to teach math in Oakland. Her writing improves everyday because she wants to be able to apply to the engineering academy at Oakland Tech for the math program. To get in she knows she will have to write an essay and advocate for herself.
I have several other students such as these. I wish we knew what contributed to the resilience my students demonstrate. These students are what keep me in Oakland.
February 1st, 2011 at 5:14 pm
Catherine: Now just imagine what it would be like if the “scholary students” only went to school with other students who were scholarly.
And the disruptive students had to go to a school for disruptive students and were not permitted on a scholarly campus.
OUSD diserves good schools also, just like Piedmont.
February 1st, 2011 at 8:04 pm
This blog is heartbreaking all around. The most committed educators burn out under the strain in order to support the few resilient students. Teachers cannot by themselves overcome problems of poverty and ignorance. But the system also encourages rather than limits disruptive behavior by associating all discipline with racism.
February 1st, 2011 at 9:35 pm
Thank you for sharing these positive stories from your classes. I wish these students and you further success.