As CPS prepares to close a record number of schools, the fate of students and communities is in question.
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In the News: CPS proposes Code of Conduct changes
By: Cassandra West / June 26, 2012
CPS unveiled revisions to its student code of conduct Monday that will eliminate mandatory 10-day out-of-school suspensions for even the most serious cases. The school board will vote on the proposed changes Wednesday. (Tribune)
CPS spokeswoman Robyn Ziegler said the proposed changes came after meetings with youth advocacy groups concerned about the district's high rate of suspensions.
School staff and students who see a child bullying another would be required to report it, and accusations of such behavior would have to be investigated within 10 school days under a proposed Chicago Public School Student Code of Conduct that includes a crackdown on the hot-button problem. (Sun-Times)
From the CTU blog: "Rahm's longer school day tearing an elementary school apart."
The number of Chicago Public Schools students killed in gun violence this past school year dipped slightly from the previous year, but the total number of students who were shot was up sharply, according to figures from Chicago police. (Tribune)
Disagreement with the Chicago Teachers Union over merit pay has apparently scuttled a $34 million federal merit pay grant that CPS won in fall 2010. (Catalyst)
In an interview with CBS 2's Dana Kozlov, Chicago Public Schools CEO Jean-Claude Brizard reflects on his first year on the job.
IN THE NATION
Data from the AP and the National Assessment of Educational Progress indicate continued achievement gaps between boys and girls in STEM fields, especially science. (Education Week)
Parents in New York City are finding themselves paying for an increasing number of school expenses, like class trips and basic supplies.
An investigation finds incidents of cheating on high-stakes standardized tests in several D.C. schools. (The Washington Post)
Problem--CPS allows 31 students in 1st grade!
Class size must be reduced--pay for this now so you do not have to pay for prison and death later. Or is this what the CPS Board wants?-there is money to be made in prisons.
Bring back truant officers! Cannot believe that judges-courts would rather be overcrowded with teen-young adults waiting for sentencing and trial, as they get educated in prison on how to be a better criminal, rather than the tickets given to neglectful parents to get their kids in school.!! Yes, parents are poor/unemployed and cannot pay the fine-so they can do work in the school and community instead--(brilliant idea!)
As for student code of conduct: in-school suspension is meaningless if CPS, and I mean CPS, will NOT pay for a person to run it. CPS-lip service=telling schools to do ISS and then gives no funds to have someone oversee it. Stop making schools use poverty money that SUPPLANTS what the Board wants that takes even more funds away from poverty schools' instructional needs.
just watch this!
this isnt cps..but!! It goes on EVERY DAY....most students are good! BUT this is what we deal with DAY IN AND DAY OUT! When will Obama and rahm and Duncan admit the students have some responsiblity in their conduct and must be punished!
http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/local_news/water_cooler/karen-klein-bus-mon...
just search karen klein video!! show this to the board!
reduce from 10 days to one
Reduce the suspension to one day! BUT MAKE the parents come and stay with the student FOR 9 days to see what their "innocent' child is really like in school!
i think this stuff only empowers the students...they suddenly are the "victim"
Limited funds
Doesn't this policy change essentially just shift resources from the majority of well behaved students to those who break the rules?
Unfortunately this is a "zero sum game". Staffing in-school suspension means unstaffing other functions.
The least bad alternative is probably letting principals have large discretion in disciplinary practices.
Funds for rule-breakers
Don,
Believe me, plenty of funds are already being spent on the students who break the rules. I work in a high school where nearly 30 staff members' sole role is to deal with discipline or attendance problems, not to mention the two school police officers we have in the building. Some of that money could easily be shifted to dealing with rule-breakers in a more positive way. Although I am not a huge fan of the practice, at least in in-school suspension, students are not out on the street getting recruited by gangs. And Restorative Justice is a research-driven method of helping students resolve problems in a way that holds them accountable for their actions without pushing them out of school.
to jean
I agree with your method. BUTTT a message must be made to the public that bad behavior will not be tolerated by the schools. rahm needs to PUBLICALLY admit that the students and their families are just as at fault as the school. students are becoming more empowered when they think they are the VICTIM....they are the victim but they are also the agressor in many cases! we cant act as if they behave this way because of the school suspensions. where is the parent roll in all of this. why doesnt brizzard go from school to school and emananule and say its time for PARENTS AND STUDENTS to do their part! if they are going to cut teacher salaries why cant parents be made to give more to the schools and students be asked to behave. if the news just blames the teachers day in and day out....students will get the message that their behavior is ok.......really i wish some people would.... visit our schools to see the problem...its really getting very frustrating....i know poverty plays a part in all of this....but go to latin america or china where there is REAL poverty....their students have uniforms and they respect the teachers PERIOD. the teacher has the power...in Chicago the students have the power....look where it has left us....we all must pay our dues....we all paid attention to our teachers...or at the very least we didnt hit and swear at them.....they need to be taught to respect....nothing more...i am sorry .....i am sick of being told i have a "colonial" attitude....i am sorry people ALL OVER the world respect their teachers....yes they fool around...but what is going on in CPS is CRIMINAL!
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