Bullying is a problem in the Alamogordo Public School system – most public school systems. Why is that? School officials and teachers are aware but say they cannot do anything about it especially if it happens on social media and not during school. The fact that it spills over during the school day makes it a school issue. In fact students have been driven to suicide because of bullying that was continuous from school to social media and back to the classroom. Bullying does not have school hours.
Bullying can also take the form of getting others involved in the behavior through texting and social media. It never involves a one-on-one event. The bully involves others to emotionally and verbally attack one person. Bullies are not “strong” people – just loud and usually only pick on those who won’t fight back for one reason or another.
GUIDANCE ON DEALING WITH BULLIES
The current guidance in dealing with a bully is to laugh at them. Mock them. Another is to walk away. Sometimes that may be possible but not when you are blind-sided, thrown to the ground to receive a flurry of punches, head slamming and hair pulling. When is a bullying target supposed to laugh or walk away? Another suggestion is to talk real loud to draw attention to the threat. Once again, how does that work in a surprise attack?
Middle school years are a major adjustment and growth period during a complex time in life going through puberty. Emotions, confusion galore! But, why is it looked at like that’s the way it is? Just part of middle school almost like a rite of passage or “hazing” to get to high school. The students need guidance and boundaries to help them maneuver these years. Currently, that seems lacking. This behavior continues in high school as well.
In the last year and a half, a multitude of psychologists, therapists and social workers have inundated Alamogordo. Building after building and office after office have turned into some form of counseling center. On top of that so have the schools. The next question would be, “Has all of the availability of counseling in and out of schools helped?” Apparently not if fights in schools are a too frequent occurrence. What are the metrics on fights and disciplinary encounters? With the quantity of resources available the violence, hostility and lack of respect should have been reduced. Supposedly, that is why Social and Emotional Learning was brought in to calm the situation and address bullying. Has that helped? We need to see some numbers with the improvement identified.
Numbers tell a story, as long as they are not massaged or deliberately misreported. Considering the vast amounts of money and resources that have been spent on this problem, the improvement should be obvious not only in numbers but the atmosphere in the schools. Students need to feel safe. Teachers need to feel safe.
REWARDING BAD BEHAVIOR
There have been stories relayed concerning the handing out of candy to misbehaved students. On its face, that is hard to imagine. Why would a principal or counselor give candy to a disruptive student(s) then send them back to class or give the candy to the whole class that is out of control. This only teaches students they get rewarded and get attention when they create chaos. Isn’t that reinforcing bad behavior?
The six year old who shot his teacher had been sent to the principal’s office. The end result was he got candy before he returned to class. Is this a nationwide philosophy/ideology in dealing with troubled, misbehaved students? Where did this method of “discipline” come from? If it is practiced in other states, it would have to be taught by national groups. Is it coming from the different state education departments? Teachers’ Unions? Special Interest groups providing seminars or conference speakers at meetings?
CHAOS INSTEAD OF ORDER
How much chaos is being allowed in the schools by teachers and principals? Are teachers allowed to do their jobs and maintain order in the classroom? Since principals are considered the “captains of their ships” and allowed to deviate as they see fit from APS district policies for student behavior guidelines, has that made the problem worse? The principal can enforce or ignore whichever policies are inconvenient or uncomfortable. Policies are there for a reason. The policies carried out with “common sense” are not supposed to favor one over another in a given situation. What are they modeling to the students? Why not “act a fool” in school and do what is fun or comes to mind? Nothing happens.
It is understandable the district wants to hide incidents from the public like fights, bullying and physical threats because it is embarrassing to them. They also think it is a protective measure to the perpetrator. What about the victims in all of this? Hiding incidents does not mean they did not occur. Enough! It’s time for the APS district to operate in a professional manner, objectively and effectively. All of their efforts have not improved the troubled environment in schools or safety for students AND teachers.
ARRESTS
With the lack of order in classrooms and regular fights, more students are being arrested for assault. This is a last-ditch effort by parents of victims since the school system is not addressing it head on. Parents are asked if they would like to press charges. If the initial answer is no, charges can be filed within a year’s time no matter what the parent is told by school officials. Parents can change their minds within a year.
