Keeping Newark High School safe
The Advocate reports that Newark City School officials are working on ways to keep the Newark High School campus safe. The Advocate reports that the challenge comes, in part, from the campus-style setting of the school. The Advocate reports that officials have considered metal detectors and cameras as well as increased visibility.
As a parent of two high schoolers, I applaud the efforts.
Free advice: Start with classroom discipline and basic control of the grounds. A couple of weeks ago I watched a cell phone video of a NHS student being held in a chokehold by another student IN A CLASSROOM. The camera pans to the hapless teacher who is simply watching. My son assured me that the choking incident was a joke but the teacher was simply watching. Not to sound too nostalgic but in my day, this wouldn't have happened. When Don Bay threatened another student while I was at NHS, he was immediately dispatched to the dean's office.
Other reports from both of my NHS-student-children are that the teachers are afraid of the real troublemakers so they check the hall passes and carry out discipline for the normal students and avoid the problems with troublemakers.
The fact that the knife fight at NHS was broken up by a student rather than a teacher, administrator or police officer speaks volumes.
Take control of the school grounds and the problems will decrease. There is a substantial sense from students that they are responsible for looking out for themselves. That is not good and will lead to more violence. Yesterday my son showed me the video below.
I apologize for the language in advance. If you are offended by swear words or slang references toward homosexuals, don't watch the video. It appears to have happened behind H building and I don't see anyone breaking up the substantial crowd.
Take control. Parents - talk to your kids. Tell them to show some leadership and stop crap like this rather than filming it for youtube. Citizens - if you see crap like this going on, show some responsibility, step in a stop it. That is how we can turn things around. The Advocate's editorial on the stabbing says as much, but control must be re-established.
As a parent of two high schoolers, I applaud the efforts.
Free advice: Start with classroom discipline and basic control of the grounds. A couple of weeks ago I watched a cell phone video of a NHS student being held in a chokehold by another student IN A CLASSROOM. The camera pans to the hapless teacher who is simply watching. My son assured me that the choking incident was a joke but the teacher was simply watching. Not to sound too nostalgic but in my day, this wouldn't have happened. When Don Bay threatened another student while I was at NHS, he was immediately dispatched to the dean's office.
Other reports from both of my NHS-student-children are that the teachers are afraid of the real troublemakers so they check the hall passes and carry out discipline for the normal students and avoid the problems with troublemakers.
The fact that the knife fight at NHS was broken up by a student rather than a teacher, administrator or police officer speaks volumes.
Take control of the school grounds and the problems will decrease. There is a substantial sense from students that they are responsible for looking out for themselves. That is not good and will lead to more violence. Yesterday my son showed me the video below.
I apologize for the language in advance. If you are offended by swear words or slang references toward homosexuals, don't watch the video. It appears to have happened behind H building and I don't see anyone breaking up the substantial crowd.
Take control. Parents - talk to your kids. Tell them to show some leadership and stop crap like this rather than filming it for youtube. Citizens - if you see crap like this going on, show some responsibility, step in a stop it. That is how we can turn things around. The Advocate's editorial on the stabbing says as much, but control must be re-established.
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