An Open Letter to the Los Angeles Unified School District
Please read my update on the situation: My Beef: An Update
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Dear LAUSD,
For years I've been reading about looming teacher layoffs, failing schools and low parental-involvement in the Los Angeles Unified School District. (Not to mention stories like this, about an LAUSD teacher being paid $68,000 not to show up for work! Which led me to inquire about applying for his job.)
Yet, from the time my children, now 11 and 13, were old enough to attend school I've been a huge proponent of our district, and public schools in general. I've served as PTA president, organized fundraisers (my family has enough wrapping paper to last them through Christmas, 2016), helped out in classrooms, donated money, chaperoned field trips and baked countless numbers of cupcakes for bake sales (okay, I confess - some of them were store-bought.) I'm not alone - there are many parents like me, striving to contribute in hopes that our efforts will, in some way, make our schools a better place for our children and our teachers.
And for the most part, it's worked. My daughters are honor students and are now attending our local public middle school and have, in my opinion, made valuable contributions to their school communities.
And then something like this happens, that makes me want to throw in the whole public-school-towel and make a mad dash for the nearest private or religious school. Ugly uniforms? Mean nuns? Probably preferable to what my kid had to go through today.
It started when my 8th grade daughter (at a school I won't name here but would be glad to divulge to anyone who asks), was talking with one of her teachers in the hallway and got 'dress coded,' and not in the nicest way, by the vice principal. Despite her apologies and even an appeal by the teacher present who tried to intervene on my daughter's behalf who said what a great student and a nice kid she was, the VP insisted she be cited.
For the record, this is what my daughter was wearing, on this 90° day. I understand spaghetti straps, or any strap narrower than 2-inches, are not allowed. But really - since she offered to put on her jacket wouldn't that have sufficed? And can I see the studies that show a correlation between strap-width and academic achievement and character? Are SPAGHETTI STRAPS REALLY THE PORTAL TO PROMISCUITY AND DEPRAVITY?
My daughter walked crying to see her counselor, who was apologetic, saying he knew how unfair it was but alluding to the fact that he had to 'listen to his boss.' He told her he 'entered it into her record' and gave her a notice to be signed by her parents. He told her to come back and see him later to prove that she had covered up by wearing her jacket. (Again, did I mention 90° day?)
During lunch my daughter approached the counselor to show him she had covered up, and the VP found it necessary to once again chide her for violating dress code and asked the counselor to notify her parents by phone. The counselor replied that he knew my daughter and that a signed notice would suffice. When the VP still tried to insist on a phone call the counselor prevailed and thank goodness because who knows what punishment the VP was planning on meting out? Ten years of hard labor? A public lashing with a rolled-up tank top?
I get it - rules are necessary - but where does common sense and discretion come into play? Is spending this much time dealing with an honor student's strap-width violation really the best use of this administrator's time? How about busting the boys who have a locker near my daughter, who stand around and flip through Playboy magazine and then make lewd comments to girls passing by? (Yes, that's a true story.)
And don't get me started on the countless girls who I see wearing things far far worse than what my daughter was cited for today. Let's just say they'd make Hugh Hefner blush.
And why did this administrator find it necessary to subject my daughter to his needling twice, even in the face of both a teacher and a counselor speaking out on her behalf? Was this out of some need on his part to shame her? And why the insistence that the parents be notified by phone, in light of the fact that my daughter's counselor who has known my daughter for the past three years and knows her immaculate record, felt it was unnecessary?
Can I introduce another visual here? It's my daughter's last report card that I wanted to shaare, if for the only reason to show how overwhelmingly proud we are of her, even though some adults might treat her like crap. Oh, and to show how her grades kick ass:
I can think of so many ways he could have handled this differently. How about speaking to her quietly and giving her a warning? How about stopping himself before he talked to her the second time, knowing that the problem had been handled and she was contrite? How about stopping to consider that maybe his time as an educator, a supposed advocate for children, could be used in a more valuable way?
And wait there's more! After my daughter came home and told me this whole sordid tale through tears, I called this vice principal and he was rude and dismissive and repeatedly interrupted me. Is this how administrators are supposed to treat parents, to make them feel that intervening on their child's behalf is the wrong thing to do? And when I asked why some kids were allowed to violate the dress code while others, like my daughter, weren't, his reply was something to the effect of, "I don't have time to police all the kids." I guess zero-tolerance only applies to an unlucky few. How fair is this?
I'm not sure what message the VP was hoping to get across, but it has backfired tenfold. My daughter sees this person as a man to be feared now, and certainly not as someone who is on her side or who is encouraging her success. It has left me angry and bitter at a system that is supposed to work for our kids, not against them. It's sent the message to me and my daughter that good behavior and hard work are not rewarded at this school.
It sends the message to parents everywhere that the problems of the LAUSD may lie in administrators who abuse their power and refuse to get to know our children and who fail to act in in their best interests. And sadly, those are problems that aren't going to go away, no matter how hard we work with our kids or how much wrapping paper we sell.
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tags: lausd | los angeles unified school district | lausd dress code | spaghetti straps and other signs of the apocalypse
40 Clicked here to comment:
Marsha, I'm getting mad just thinking about this. Don't these administrators have anything better to do with their time? With all the dropping scores and school bullying issues, I would think so.
What about getting rid of his lame ass, AND HIS HIGH SALARY, and keeping on a few more teachers?
At the end of first grade, we moved across town. There were 3 weeks of school left, and my grandmother lived right across the street. It was June and hot, so I wore a sundress. It was a halter-type dress, and showed my back.
Lucky me got picked to bring the attendence report up to the office. That's where the VP saw me, and stopped me in my tracks. He read me the riot act & told me in no uncertain terms was I to be wearing that dress when I returned the afternoon attendence report. I was scared to death.
I went home for lunch, and told my grandmother. Unfortunately I didn't have a change of clothes. The only thing she could find was a navy blue sweater.
We didn't want to tell the truth about the move, and risk being forced to change schools (the plan was to move us to private school in the fall).
When I returned in the afternoon the VP wasn't exactly pleased to see the dress covered by the sweater, but tecnically my back was covered. A part of him did seem to gloat at my discomfort. I am not sure my mom was ever involved in the whole incident.
While LAUSD may hide behind their opinion that one of their dress code rules were broken, it seems that the VP involved went out of his way to enforce a rule. His actions should be reviewed for their appropriateness.
Also, I completely believe your account of the boys harassing girls in the hallways. I observed this many times from boys attending my daughter's middle school. This behavior goes beyond school house flirtations.
Again, I would hope that LAUSD review this VP's actions.
Forget working as a community and seeing your actions as having consequences whether positive or negative. I have no issue with citation, but to go so over-beyond and then speak so condescendingly to a parent, way to make the hard-working, time-donating parents go away ... We are supposed to respect you how and want you to be a possible influence and emotional dent on my child? We are becoming more and more desensitizes to care as a community, then this happens. We all have less hours in the day ... you always hope the hours you give are worth it, and they are. I am so sorry this happened. There will always be that wanker with power struggles, and I am so sorry he spoke to you in such a fashion. Well as a parent, I appreciate all you have done for the school. It's funny how one jerk can color the experience dark. You have amazing daughters and they are the product of your efforts and love. This person guaranteed was last picked for kickball ... just sayin!
This so reminds me of the recent case of the 6 yr old who was suspended for bringing a Cub Scout knife to school:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/12/education/12discipline.html?_r=1&bl
Clearly underscores administrator's inability to use their own brains and relate to the kids on an individual level.
Why are they working at a school in the first place? Perhaps this guy should find a job selling hot dogs, where he wouldn't have to make the effort to make informed, intelligent decisions.
-annie
Incidents like these, and the School Board’s apparent refusal to hire compassionate and intelligent administrators as well as their procrastination to reform the public school system in favor of the education and well being of children, are the reasons why the public school system will continue to decline until it is destroyed entirely. The system will fail until those people who are responsible take action and pursue solutions to the serious problems plaguing the very institution we place so much trust in to motivate and inspire our children to create a great future. The system is broken, it is absolutely crucial that it be fixed ASAP!!
Absolutely ridiculous. This makes me so mad!! I'm so sorry she was subjected to this kind of treatment. Nuts
In my opinion, the VP handled the entire situation badly. I understand the need for rules, I understand the need to enforce them. I do not understand the need for some adults to act so aggressively obnoxious to children nor can I fathom a school administration that would allow an employee to speak so dismissively to a parent.
My advice would be for you to complain to the VP's supervisor and, if that fails, to the school board in general. Not about the code violation, not neccessarily about the way the VP treated your daughter (although it was heinous) but about the way YOU, as a parent in that school system were treated by the VP, a person whose salary YOU support via your tax dollars.
I think you need to send a link of this post to the superintendent's office, and copy your school's principal. From what I've seen, schools with strong and compassionate leaders do much better despite the obstacles. Writing this letter may have a stronger impact than all the gift wrap you've sold in all the years.
Well, I hope your daughter learned her lesson!
There are people in high places that have a lot of personal problems--they need to have a position of authority and lots of young innocents to pick on. What better place for him than a middle school! It makes them feel better about themselves. Your daughter can feel good about providing an opportunity for this poor unfortunate man.
Your daughter may also have learned (that is, if she's a quick study--I did see a "B" on her report card) that there are some things up with which she should not put!
Unfortunately, she will probably model her behavior after her strong, self-respecting mother who has gone to battle for her. (I can tell you from personal experience that there few more intoxicating feelings than having a Mom stick up for you.) She'll begin to question authority, think for herself and teach people how she wants to be treated. I fear it may be too late for her--one more uppity woman is born.
Grrrrrrr. Let's start with the 90-degree day. I could barely stand to wear a tank top yesterday, much less a JACKET. I wondered how my HS soph daughter stood it...and the truth is, not so well. She was hot, tired, grumpy, and miserable by day's end.
Dress codes are stupid. I understand why they have them, but they're still stupid. But what bothers me most isn't that she was dinged for the dress code. It's how she was treated, and how you were treated. It strikes me as counterproductive to hammer an A student like she just got caught with a gun for wearing a tank top with narrow straps. While I understand that the administrators have a difficult and demanding job, it seems to me that making such an issue of this is, well...counterproductive.
In the greater scheme of things, her attire on a 90+degree day is far less important than her attitude toward school, which is now colored with some resentment and anger she didn't really need to have.
She should be proud of all she's accomplished in school, and try to let this one stupid thing fly away...because she's better than the petty guy who picked on her.
Hugs to you both.
This VP completely exemplifies what people want to avoid when they enroll students in private school despite the fact that they pay for public school through taxes. As a public educator and parent in the public system, I support the schools whole-heartedly except when horrible stories like Kira's chip away at my devotion. The administrator that violated his role should be seriously reprimanded with a mark in his record if not removed. Get loud! Maybe they'll get rid of him.
Talk about a lack of common sense and common courtesy. Who raised him? Why is he VP? I think a petition is in order. Raise hell. We pay his salary. Get him fired and see if he thinks twice about belittling someone as fragile as an 8th grader on a 90 degree day !! OMG I'm pissed my money is paying his petty self.
While I do understand the concept of appropriate school dress this seems way out of context to the situation. It seems a rather meaningless and petty infraction by (in my humble opinion) one the better students in the school. Getting straight A's, "pleasure to have in class" and part of a "rainbow" school club who's only job is to make peoples day brighter. A simple "warning" would have been MORE than enough...there MUST be more important things to focus on at the school.
I am so sorry your daughter has this man helping her through her formative years and even more sorry that he's made such horrible choices dealing with his discomfort. I hope the District can deal with him kindly and firmly. That'd be a start.
This is one of the MANY reasons I ditched my education degree and decided not to teach. The public schools in our country - especially LAUSD - are full of people who don't care about the children. The bureaucratic BS of the administrators and, well, anyone above the teachers, is out of control and this is a perfect example of how our kids are being robbed of their right to a decent public school education.
The dean of your daughter's school should be ashamed of himself. So sorry your daughter was treated so poorly. I can't believe this is how LAUSD rewards honor roll students who have never caused trouble a day of their lives. Pathetic.
What a jerk. Like your other commenters, I understand the necessity of dress codes, but a quiet warning would have been fine. And when he did it a *second time* he really crossed the line into the territory of harassment.
I'm planning to homeschool my kids, and stories like this are one of the reasons why. Unlike many religious homeschoolers, I don't think public schools are run by some evil secularist cabal bent on corrupting my kids. It's the bureaucratic nonsense that stomps on good kids that I want to avoid.
I wore a tank top with spaghetti straps in 7th grade. See what good it did me? It's a wonder I was even able to get into college let alone grad school. Oh the horror!
Nothing good comes from wearing spaghetti straps I tell you, NOTHING.
Don't even get me started on shorts that are above the knee, but not so short your ass hangs out...
Wow. Like you, I can completely understand the need for rules and enforcement of rules. Yes, the VP can't see every rule violator but he *can* control how he treats other people. I am firmly convinced that adults who treat children with no respect are *increasing* the problem of disrespectful children.
As a lawyer, I see my fair share of flaming assholes and people who feel they are entitled to treat others with as much disrespect as they want. But there is never any excuse to treat people badly. Ever.
Given how he treated your daughter, it's no surprise that he was just as disrespectful to you.
Of course, you realize that he'll never admit that maybe he was a rude ass, right?
The sad thing to me is that absolutely nothing has changed since I was in 7th grade, more than 3 decades ago. My parents were conservative dressers and would never have let me out of the house in something they considered inappropriate. I was wearing a skirt and a "pucker" blouse that was popular in the '70s. At one point in the day, I reached into my locker and the blouse rose above the waistband of my skirt, showing about 1/2 inch of skin.
My vice principal pulled me by the arm to his office, called my mother to come get me, suspended me for the rest of the day and would not let me return to school without a signed note from my parents. I was mortified. There were girls walking around that school in much more risque outfits, so why he picked on me I'll never know. (Those girls also looked like women, while I still looked like a little girl.)
Rules are rules, to be sure, but a little discretion in administering those rules goes a long way, especially for body-conscious adolescent girls.
I can see the need for dress codes but I think the spaghetti strap rule is ridiculous ESPECIALLY in the summer when it gets unbearably hot. I also think that the way your daughter was treated was out of line. Fine, cite her but to continue to harrass her about it? I'm sure there were much more important issues for the VP to deal with rather than a small dress code violation.
When I was reading about the 6 year old who was suspended for bringing his Cub Scout utensils to school there was a quote from someone that said "zero tolerance" shouldn't equal "zero common sense".
They should remove this "mark" from your daughter's record and issue an apology. Also, they should make "common sense" a part of their process in the future.
Good luck!
I think that the lesson here is that rules even apply to honor students. Since your daughter knew that was the dress code, why did she violate it? She seems like a smart girl -- one who just learned the hard way that actions have consequences. Everyone seems to want an exception when she gets caught!
There's no question that both she and you were treated beyond the pale, though, and that's not okay. As a fellow mom, though, I'd focus on that and drop the arguments about what other kids are wearing and the sporadic enforcement; those arguments won't work for speeding tickets when she's older, either. It sounds like she should've been able to put on her jacket and that should've ended it -- but for her to be re-cited, etc. is ridiculous. Hopefully these administrators will issue an apology for that and for how they talked to you.
I've hesitated to comment but here goes.
I taught for twenty years. Mostly middle school. I think the spaghetti strap issue came up several times every time it got warm. Buildings in my district have only been air-conditioned in the last five years, so heat was a real issue.
The spaghetti strap is not all that big a deal when the girl in question is young, and by "young" I mean still developing, but on a girl who has matured? And isn't wearing a bra or wears undergarments better suited for the chorus line of a Madonna show? Big (no pun there) difference. And believe me. Boys are distracted by this - even when girls are still growing.
So would shirts underneath help? Yep. But there in lies the issue of everyone reads that differently. You wouldn't believe the number of parents who thought double spaghetti strap tops or tube tops were appropriate fixes.
Short of uniforms. Dress codes are imperfect and easily nit-picked into submission and really the last thing on the mind of teachers.
My guess is that this VP was at the end of his dress code rope and your daughter was in the wrong place at the wrong time. It happens. It happens to adults in the workplace too. He should have been approached quietly and after the fact by his superior - not the teacher or the counselor and after his dismissal of you, the principal should have been the next call.
Here's what really caught my eye. This dress code is apparently well known and yet your daughter violated it anyway and with your knowledge. And the teacher and counselor pretty much broke ranks and sided with you daugther, reinforcing a lack of respect for the VP (even if he is a douche - he's the VP. That kind of behavior on the part of staff indicates a problem. It's telling the kids they can play the adults off each other and that is bad.)
When I had students walk into my room inappropriately dressed, I would tell them that they were going to get nailed at some point during the day and that I was not going to stand up for them and they should take their punishment without whining because they brought whatever on themselves. Why? Because I knew who on staff and in the office overlooked and who went ballastic just as well as the kids did. Your VP is probably a drama queen all the time and all the kids know it. Figuring out how to deal with multiple personalities (being punny now) is part of growing up.
Are there bigger fish to fry in a school? Always But that doesn't mean allowing all the "little" rules to slide because they pale in comparison.
The VP was out of line with you. I would take that to a higher level. The teacher and the counselor are underminers and I wouldn't let that slide either. I wouldn't want them teaching my child that it is okay to let good kids break rules because I am betting that if your daughter wasn't a good kid - they wouldn't have said a word. Knowing that if you are mostly good and smart you can break rules that other kids can't, is not a good thing. Even if it may be true of the real world sometimes.
"the problems of the LAUSD may lie in administrators who abuse their power and refuse to get to know our children and who fail to act in in their best interests."
I'm surprised it took this long for you to have direct experience with this. Almost every LAUSD family I know has a similar story. I am sorry you were not spared, Marsha, and I can only hope that that VP fucked with the wrong mom this time, and his behavior will get the reprimand and consequence it deserves.
Ahem. If you send a link to the school, maybe you can edit my previous comment to make it less flaggable? After all, my kids may end up in LAUSD within the year...
This is a sad state of affairs when school administrators are wasting their time going after honor students who happen to wear a tee shirt (that was quite fashionable and had the right coverage may I add) with straps! There are so many other bigger problems to deal with right now. Public education is so important - it teaches kids that will be the future of our country (our most precious commodity). I say instead of saving businesses that failed because of bad business practices are therefore lost money (http://www.capitalismalovestory.com/) - BAILOUT our public schools! There are lots of amazing public school administrators and teachers - let them step in to help reform. Maybe we should even have some voting system using crowdsourcing to make sure the right people are in the education reform team... Sorry, I am ranting and imagining a better world for our kids.. For now, tell them to stop bothering honor students that wear shirts with straps..
I agree with the commenter who said that your daughter learned her lesson: even people we think are on our side may not be.
It's a rough one to learn, and a he sounds like one of those "a little power corrupts" kind of guys. But the truth is, in any social situation, academic situation, job -- whatever. There are going to be people who are jerks, and who abuse their position.
She's learned that now. And she's learned from you that you can fight back, speak up, and keep your self respect.
Bravo Mom!
Anniegirl138,
I never denied that my daughter was outside the dress code rules – I said it in my post. My issue is with the validity of the rules and how the punishment is meted out. It’s sort of like being the person in charge of sorting through Enron and then deciding to go after the guys who stole Post-Its.
Also, when there are so many kids ignoring the rules, unfortunately it becomes a non-rule. While on a field trip with my daughter’s school today I counted five girls who were on that bus wearing a similar outfit to what my daughter got called in for and that was just in the group of kids on this field trip. How does that make the others feel, who’ve been forced to pay the price? Like they’ve been singled out for some reason. I say if they can’t enforce the rules better than they have been, they need to change it or get rid of it all together before it starts to smack of discrimination.
As for you calling the teacher and the counselor underminers, I couldn’t disagree more. They are the EXACT types of educators and administrators who I want around my kids– ones who have taken the time to get to know them and are truly acting as advocates on their behalf. Individuals with the presence of mind and the courage to stand up when they think an injustice is being done. Aren’t those the types of people we want on our children’s side? I certainly do. The type of cookie-cutter mentality that you’re championing is too rampant in our schools, and it depresses me.
Marsha, I've met your kids, and they're wonderful girls.
Looking at this as an outsider, I don't really see what was so wrong. My kids go to a school with a uniform and if the girls have skirts more than 3 inches above the knee, they're sent home.
Maybe I like dress codes more than other moms, but being a fabulous, delightful, bright, articulate and beautiful honor student shouldn't make anyone exempt from the rules.
I did say that your girls are wonderful, didn't I?
Jessica, drive by my daughters' middle school one day at around 3pm. You'll see half the student body dressed like my daughter was. Not saying 'just because everyone else does it, it's okay,' just saying it's a non-rule at this point, so for her to be singled out seems unfair.
Also, if she was cited in a civil, respectful manner, that would be one thing. To be harped on twice, even in the face of another administrator already ably handling the problem is approaching harassment.
You're right about one thing - my girls are wonderful.
I'm curious about a few things:
What was the teacher's response when you pointed out that girls on the field trip were violating dress code?
What was the administration's response when you provided them with the "Playboys" locker numbers?
What was the school site council's response when you gave input regarding revising the school's dress code?
Anonymous:
1) I was a parent chaperone on the field trip – it wasn’t my place to point out dress code violations to the teacher.
2) In all honesty, my daughter hasn’t officially reported the ‘Playboy’ locker boys to the admin, but after having a talk with the counselor today, I’m going to encourage her to do so. It’s a slippery slope though – we all know how kids don’t want to feel like they’re ‘ratting out’ their peers.
3) That’s a good suggestion, to bring up the dress code subject at a school site council meeting. I spoke today with an administrator at another school, and she shared some of the same problems – not being able to police all the kids all the time, and the unfairness of that. Which is why some schools move to uniforms, which I’m not entirely opposed to (although I know the kids detest it.)
chap·er·one
n.
1. A person, especially an older or married woman, who accompanies a young unmarried woman in public.
2. An older person who attends and supervises a social gathering for young people.
3. A guide or companion whose purpose is to ensure propriety or restrict activity
I would argue that your role as chaperone WAS to point out violations of the dress code. A chaperone is there to ensure propriety . . . hence pointing out dress code violations. At what point of misbehavior would you have found it appropriate to speak up?
Regarding the "Playboys" there's a difference between "ratting out" and speaking up. What these boys are doing is 100% wrong and is in violation of Title IX. Ratting out = "She's chewing gum." Speaking up = protecting the rights of others to attend school free of sexual harassment. I do hope you help your daughter to see the difference and to encourage her to be a champion of her own and others' rights.
Kudos to you for considering attending a school site council meeting. They would definitely benefit from your input.
Just be careful . . . it appears that you have noticed some issues, but are not voicing your concerns to anyone who is in a position to make a difference. If you don't communicate your concerns, you shouldn't be surprised if they're not addressed!
Anonymous:
Thanks for your input. I'd really like to address these issues, but not as long as you remain 'anonymous'; I don't feel comfortable continuing when I have no idea who I'm talking to.
Would you be courageous enough to come forward and reveal who you are, either privately or in this comments section?
I remember in school, not being allowed to wear spaghetti straps. But all we got were warnings and some ugly smelly t-shirt to wear until the end of the day. I see nothing wrong with what your daughter was wearing,and even if the school did, I don't understand why they would rather verbally harrass her, make her cry, and then be jerks to you rather than just providing her with something, like a t-shirt, to wear...not a jacket in 90 degree weather. Sheesh!
Anonymous:
Also, regarding your definition of 'chaperone': At no time did I feel that what these girls were wearing was a threat or a hindrance to the activity we were engaging in, especially on a warm day in LA. The teacher in charge clearly laid out the rules she wanted followed on the outing, and I adhered to and respected those rules, which included gum chewing, use of cell phones and loud talking.
I opted to use my discretion to assess the situation as a responsible adult, and chose not to point out that wearing anything less than a 2” strap was going to impact these students’ art museum experience, nor that those less-than-2-inch straps were going to somehow damage any of the properties we were viewing that day. I would have spoken out, however, if I witnessed any of these girls using their tank tops to deface a Jackson Pollock.
Oh, excuse me, LAUSD. I thought you had bigger things to do -- like fix your F-ing budget -- than pick on honor students. If this is how our district chooses to mistreat its customers, then it's no wonder many of us are trying to scrounge the money together to go to private schools or move the heck out of the district. I am so irritated, you have no idea. Thank you for sharing this story and fueling my disgust for LAUSD with yet another tale that makes me shake my head...
LAUSD is a joke. Unwieldy and unwilling to work at fixing the many issues that plague the district.
I am killing myself to send my kids to private school so that I can avoid that mess.
Marsha, I couldn't have said it any better myself. What happened to the phrase "Let the punishmant fit the crime." I'm appauled that an administrator would feel the best use of his time would be to torment an honor student. What about all the kids who are trouble makers, major discipline problems and truant kids. I hope there is some retrobution for this administrator. He obviously is more interested in the power he can wield rather than being an influencial part of a student's path through higher education. What a shame this individual is this way. Me thinks he's been in education too long and forgotten why he chose education as a career in the first place
I don't have any words of wisdom, to make it all better. I do, however, have a story of my own that I would like to share that illustrates that this attitude is prevalent across the U.S. I grew up in a small town in Wyoming, where, I too, was a straight-A honor roll student who was involved in various school activities and groups. When I was a freshman in high school, my nightmare began to take shape. It began with a boy I was dating beating me up at the homecoming dance, with a chaperone right around the corner. Next, began the bullying by the older girls in the school, the name calling, and threats.
Shortly thereafter, I was attacked in the school lunchroom. Under the watchful eye of my old cheerleading coach who was a teacher at this school, countless other school disctrict staff and administration and approximately 150 other students, I was beaten until I was black and blue and bloody. After the other girl decided she was through with me, I pulled myself to my feet and stared directly into the eyes of the coach I mentioned. He turned and walked away. I was only offered help when entering my next class, I asked the gym teacher if I could go to the nurse to get an ice pack. The gym teacher snottily asked, "Why do you need an ice pack??" And I responded that my face hurt. As she escorted me to the nurse's office, I began to cry. I was instead sent to the guidance counselor for my tears. This was where I was informed that I would be suspended for two weeks for fighting in school.
This abuse continued throughout my four years at this school. I would have food thrown at me in the lunch room, I would be spit on my other students, and verbally attacked. I continued to be an honor student, and I continued to excel at countless school activities. Maybe it was expected and accepted because, for some reason unknown to me, I had become an outcast. You take a girl, a cheerleader who is dating a football player and is popular and liked by all. You let the football player beat her up at a school function and she becomes something which is disgusting and unloved.
I'm not looking for pity. I am an adult with a child of my own now. I vow never to let these kinds of things happen to her.
What is wrong with the world today? Children are the future of our country. They are pure and innocent. Why harrass them? Why not nurture them and protect them? You answer is as good as mine, but this attitude is prevalent everywhere.
- Mandy S., Wyoming
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