Please share proactive, effective approaches for our children and school personnel...for Safer Schools.
saferschools@yahoo.com
saferschools@yahoo.com
Thank you for working with us for Safer Schools.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
DOJ and DOE Launch Joint Initiative on School Discipline
By Council of State Government: Published 8/1/2011
On July 21, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced the launch of the Supportive School Discipline Initiative, a collaborative project to encourage effective disciplinary practices that help make classrooms safer and more conducive to learning. It will also promote evidence-based practices that reduce the likelihood that students disciplined at school will have subsequent contact with the juvenile justice system. The initiative was announced at the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, whose membership includes representatives from 12 federal agencies.
Attorney General Holder underscored the need to build consensus across disciplines. “By bringing together government, law enforcement, academic, and community leaders, I’m confident that we can make certain that school discipline policies are enforced fairly and do not become obstacles to future growth, progress, and achievement,” he stated.
“Any comprehensive effort to improve outcomes for students who are misbehaving in school is going to require the engagement of leaders in the education and juvenile justice systems. The announcement of this joint initiative by the Secretary of Education and U.S. Attorney General models the kind of leadership we need in local and state governments on this issue,” said CSG Justice Center Chair and New York State Assemblyman Jeffrion Aubry (D-35th District). “We look forward to working with the Departments of Justice and Education, as well as other agencies and individuals concerned with improving outcomes for all our school children.”
In announcing the initiative, Attorney General Holder referred to the release of the “landmark” report that the CSG Justice Center released two days earlier and to the briefings the Coordinating Council had received on the report. Attorney General Holder and Secretary Duncan cited various statistics from Breaking Schools’ Rules: A Statewide Study on How School Discipline Relates to Students’ Success and Juvenile Justice Involvement, which tracked nearly 1 million public middle and high school students in Texas.
“The Texas study revealed that the majority of students studied had at least one suspension or expulsion in their middle school or high school years and those disciplined had a greater likelihood of repeating a grade, dropping out, or coming into contact with the juvenile justice system,” aid Texas State Representative and Justice Center board member Jerry Madden (R-67th District). “This collaborative initiative cannot come at a better time as states like mine work diligently to address school discipline issues.”
The Department of Justice press release can be found at http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2011/July/11-ag-951.html and information about the CSG Justice Center study, done in partnership with the Public Policy Research Institute at Texas A&M University with the support of the Atlantic Philanthropies and Open Society Foundations, can be found at http://justicecenter.csg.org/resources/juveniles.
The Council of State Governments Justice Center is a national nonprofit organization that serves policymakers at the local, state, and federal levels from all branches of government. The Justice Center provides practical, nonpartisan advice and consensus-driven strategies, informed by available evidence, to increase public safety and strengthen communities (see www.justicecenter.csg.org).
Attorney General Holder underscored the need to build consensus across disciplines. “By bringing together government, law enforcement, academic, and community leaders, I’m confident that we can make certain that school discipline policies are enforced fairly and do not become obstacles to future growth, progress, and achievement,” he stated.
“Any comprehensive effort to improve outcomes for students who are misbehaving in school is going to require the engagement of leaders in the education and juvenile justice systems. The announcement of this joint initiative by the Secretary of Education and U.S. Attorney General models the kind of leadership we need in local and state governments on this issue,” said CSG Justice Center Chair and New York State Assemblyman Jeffrion Aubry (D-35th District). “We look forward to working with the Departments of Justice and Education, as well as other agencies and individuals concerned with improving outcomes for all our school children.”
In announcing the initiative, Attorney General Holder referred to the release of the “landmark” report that the CSG Justice Center released two days earlier and to the briefings the Coordinating Council had received on the report. Attorney General Holder and Secretary Duncan cited various statistics from Breaking Schools’ Rules: A Statewide Study on How School Discipline Relates to Students’ Success and Juvenile Justice Involvement, which tracked nearly 1 million public middle and high school students in Texas.
“The Texas study revealed that the majority of students studied had at least one suspension or expulsion in their middle school or high school years and those disciplined had a greater likelihood of repeating a grade, dropping out, or coming into contact with the juvenile justice system,” aid Texas State Representative and Justice Center board member Jerry Madden (R-67th District). “This collaborative initiative cannot come at a better time as states like mine work diligently to address school discipline issues.”
The Department of Justice press release can be found at http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2011/July/11-ag-951.html and information about the CSG Justice Center study, done in partnership with the Public Policy Research Institute at Texas A&M University with the support of the Atlantic Philanthropies and Open Society Foundations, can be found at http://justicecenter.csg.org/resources/juveniles.
The Council of State Governments Justice Center is a national nonprofit organization that serves policymakers at the local, state, and federal levels from all branches of government. The Justice Center provides practical, nonpartisan advice and consensus-driven strategies, informed by available evidence, to increase public safety and strengthen communities (see www.justicecenter.csg.org).
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Call To Action: What Can We/I Do?
*Organize church/community forums led by "Safer Schools" Team. (contact: saferschools@yahoo.com)
*Encourage and share proactive, effective safer school approaches.
*Write legislators requesting their support (see website page: Legislation: Requests Made to NC Legislators & to NCAE).
*Write editorials regarding school safety.
*If threatened or feel unsafe, complete and file a police report ASAP. Keep the original copy: this will be needed if I petition the court for a Restraining Order.
*Share our "Safer Schools" website: http://www.saferschools.blogspot.com/
Your comments will be published only at your request.
"Safer Schools" Team
saferschools@yahoo.com
*Encourage and share proactive, effective safer school approaches.
*Write legislators requesting their support (see website page: Legislation: Requests Made to NC Legislators & to NCAE).
*Write editorials regarding school safety.
*If threatened or feel unsafe, complete and file a police report ASAP. Keep the original copy: this will be needed if I petition the court for a Restraining Order.
*Share our "Safer Schools" website: http://www.saferschools.blogspot.com/
Your comments will be published only at your request.
"Safer Schools" Team
saferschools@yahoo.com
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
School Safety Is Every Child's Right!
School Safety Is Every Child's Right!
School Safety Is Every Educator's/Employee's Right!
School Safety Is Every Educator's/Employee's Right!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
How are GCS "leaders" addressing community safety/integrity/trust needs for families and employees?
Questionnaire 2008/Board of Education, School Board Platform: In running for her 3rd term for GCS School Board, GCS Board Member was asked:
Is there anything about the school system that you consider an embarrassment? If so, what is it? How would you attempt to change it?
Her response:
"The climate of fear and distrust in our school system embarrasses and saddens me. When I hear of administrators mistreating or threatening our employees it angers me and I report the actions to the appropriate staff, however, there does not appear to be consequences for these behaviors, thus this climate continues. There should be openness throughout the system and teachers and principals and parents should be able to talk with Board Members without fear of losing their jobs or being reprimanded or having their children negatively impacted. This fear and distrust starts at the top and it is my primary goal to change this climate. It is crucial that we hire a superintendent who demonstrates that he or she values our employees and will not lead by intimidation. It is my hope that the new superintendent will lead our school system in a new direction and through his or her leadership will demonstrate respect for all employees."
a) If, during three terms, GCS School Board Members and GCS "leaders" cannot address this concern, who can?
b) Who can improve the ability of GCS Board Members and GCS "leaders" to address community integrity/trust/safety needs for families, employees, and situations similar to "Safer Schools" website www.saferschools.blogspot.com page: "Teacher intercepts GCS student written threats of violence..."?
c) Does this emphasize the urgent need for legislation including:
Is there anything about the school system that you consider an embarrassment? If so, what is it? How would you attempt to change it?
Her response:
"The climate of fear and distrust in our school system embarrasses and saddens me. When I hear of administrators mistreating or threatening our employees it angers me and I report the actions to the appropriate staff, however, there does not appear to be consequences for these behaviors, thus this climate continues. There should be openness throughout the system and teachers and principals and parents should be able to talk with Board Members without fear of losing their jobs or being reprimanded or having their children negatively impacted. This fear and distrust starts at the top and it is my primary goal to change this climate. It is crucial that we hire a superintendent who demonstrates that he or she values our employees and will not lead by intimidation. It is my hope that the new superintendent will lead our school system in a new direction and through his or her leadership will demonstrate respect for all employees."
a) If, during three terms, GCS School Board Members and GCS "leaders" cannot address this concern, who can?
b) Who can improve the ability of GCS Board Members and GCS "leaders" to address community integrity/trust/safety needs for families, employees, and situations similar to "Safer Schools" website www.saferschools.blogspot.com page: "Teacher intercepts GCS student written threats of violence..."?
c) Does this emphasize the urgent need for legislation including:
Requests made to NC Legislators & NCAE (NC Association of Educators)/NCRSP (NC Retired School Personnel):
1) Include oral and written threats of violence in the School Law Enforcement Report Form and publicly report this information on the monthly school board agenda.
2) Institute a Violence Risk Threat Assessment, a process in which school administrator, law enforcement, mental health counselor, & teacher(s)/employee(s) involved TOGETHER investigate, examine, evaluate and report the threat.
3) Enact PROACTIVE legislation similar to VA Code 18.2-60: VA Teacher Association and VA legislators passed AFTER the VA Tech massacre: at school or school activities, oral threats of bodily harm are a Misdemeanor 1; written threats of bodily harm are a Felony 6.
d) Hope/goal: our community unites to develop proactive safer schools under our school superintendent's leadership.
How can we effectively work to assure the safety of our children and school personnel?
Comments may be shared at: saferschools@yahoo.com
2) Institute a Violence Risk Threat Assessment, a process in which school administrator, law enforcement, mental health counselor, & teacher(s)/employee(s) involved TOGETHER investigate, examine, evaluate and report the threat.
3) Enact PROACTIVE legislation similar to VA Code 18.2-60: VA Teacher Association and VA legislators passed AFTER the VA Tech massacre: at school or school activities, oral threats of bodily harm are a Misdemeanor 1; written threats of bodily harm are a Felony 6.
d) Hope/goal: our community unites to develop proactive safer schools under our school superintendent's leadership.
How can we effectively work to assure the safety of our children and school personnel?
Comments may be shared at: saferschools@yahoo.com
Only at your request will comments be published.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Empathy/Compassion: Modeling/Teaching Our Children and Each Other
* Expressing Regret: “I am sorry.”
* Accepting Responsibility: “I was wrong.”
* Making Restitution: “What can I do to make it right?”
* Genuinely Repenting: “I’ll try not to do it again.”
* Requesting Forgiveness: “Will you please forgive me?”
Chapman, Gary & Jennifer Thomas. 2006. Five Languages of Apology: How to Experience Healing in All Your Relationships. Chicago: Northfield Publishing
Chapman, Gary & Jennifer Thomas. 2006. Five Languages of Apology: How to Experience Healing in All Your Relationships. Chicago: Northfield Publishing
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
"If you see something, say something."
State Trooper George H Murphy Jr. says kids need to speak up when they notice something out of the ordinary.
"Studies show up to 20,000 children and teenagers die each year from bullying and that's mostly from suicides," Trooper Murphy said.
A number that can decrease if students just realize the difference they can make.
"We really need the kids to think of it differently, and to get behind this problem," he said. "As adults, we can work to diminish it, but the students can stop it, by interacting and taking action against bullying."
Share with a trusted adult: law enforcement, teacher, staff member &/or parent
Share with a trusted adult: law enforcement, teacher, staff member &/or parent
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