Journal editorial, Crack Down On Bullies, simply wrong

Let's begin where they got it right.

A common thread through the essays was that, many children feel resentment that reporting bullying to adults was feckless; adults don't do much to stop it.

I hope that readers will read and reread that last sentence; because it is absolutely true. And the betrayal of trust that it implies is "heartbreaking".

The conclusion of the Journal editor(s) was to blame all adults at the school; suggesting that adults at schools be required to write an essay on bullying entitled "What I should have done."

If those essays are ever written, they will have a common thread as well;

"I should have made the administration do its job ".

(which of course, is categorically impossible for any of the adults at a school to do)

The following scenario depicts the average first encounter between a juvenile delinquent and an administrator:

The youngster does something deliberately wrong; and is reported to the principal. The principal assigns an appropriate consequence. It would normally include some kind of punishment.

Not an insignificant number of parents will respond by calling the superintendent and demanding that the principal be fired on the spot for singling out their little angel for harassment and intimidation.

The superintendent listens politely; hangs up and then calls the principal and asks,
what the fxxx? ???

It doesn't take many of these phone calls before the principal gets the picture and begins to fashion more inconsequential consequences.

...and then you have bullies in schools.

I once wrote a referral on a student (bully) who was throwing rocks at another student. The referral was returned to me with a post it note that read.

"Please handle this and similar problems on your own".

I actually have a photograph of this same administrator standing in a middle school hallway during passing period. His arms are appropriately folded and he is just standing there; watching the saggers parade; permitting prohibited behavior.

APS administrators; Wayne Knight and Michael McNamara can not be held accountable for their conduct or competence.The leadership of the APS provides no venue where a complaint can be filed by a teacher and against an administrator, and where that complaint will see a principled resolution.

In the APS, administrators cannot be held accountable to any meaningful standard of conduct or competence against their will.

And the editors of the Journal would blame the "adults" at the schools for crumbling discipline; the real root of sinking test scores.

They want to blame the teachers.

Does any one of you even know a teacher?

Has even one of you substitute taught, even once?



You own the "adults" at schools an apology.



up yours, Mr/Ms Journal editor.