Monday, March 12, 2018

Events in Florida/ suspension policy

Anonymous wrote:

"Has anyone questioned the no suspension policy in light of the recent tragedy in Florida. Please start a new post."

6 comments:

Questioner said...

The PPS no suspension policy is just for very young students, correct?

Anonymous said...

Right now yes, it is younger students but most people think that it will grow upward-- Dr. Hamlet really believes that discussing an issue is better than suspension-- hard if you are the injured victim (either faculty or student)

Questioner said...

Trump finds unlikely culprit in school shootings- Obama era discipline policies:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/13/us/politics/trump-school-shootings-obama-discipline-policies.html

Anonymous said...

Oh, Questioner, I can't even respond.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know if there is an incentive- tacit or explicit- for a reduction in suspension or arrests at school for principals or administrators? It seems like something that needs to be asked. It's been a question in schools for some time. Are people making money from not involving law enforcement???

PPS Teacher said...

8:03, I don't know if there is an organized reward policy for reducing school suspensions. But I sure know that principals who suspend "too many" students are told about it.

And it's the school district's policy to NEVER involve law enforcement. PPS building staff are told to NEVER call the (armed) city police, no matter how serious the problem is. You must call the unarmed school police instead.

A principal who calls the city police puts his/her career in jeopardy. I know that for a fact.

And here's why it's forbidden. The School Board can hide any report written by the school police. But any report written by the city police could possibly make the evening news. So do not involve the city police in school crimes! The district's image comes first. Safety is far down on the list.

Yes, the city police can, and do, respond to the schools. But the people on the scene - the building's staff - cannot call them. That decision is reserved for the central administrators. Valuable time is lost that way. But no matter. The district's image comes first.