Violence in the Classroom: It's Inexcusable

Recently, the news has shown light on many outbreaks of violence in the classroom. One of the latest stories was that of a student beating up a teacher, while another student taped the whole thing on a cell phone. The footage was then posted on the internet for everyone to see. When news stations picked up the story, they interviewed the teacher who was victimized. She explained that she had spoken with a principal about the incident, but the principal’s reply was unsympathetic. In fact, the principal even told her that perhaps she had motivated the student to act this way by using a “trigger word.”

How are our schools supposed to function with discipline cases like these? And how can we expect teachers to work in an environment where they are threatened? I was able to find postings on blogs on the topic of physical confrontations in the classroom to which I posted comments of my own. Since I plan on joining the teaching force, this issue is obviously one of importance and concern. I anticipate having to deal with a lot of behavior issues, but I seriously hope that I am never confronted with any forms of physical contact.

My first comment is about students being violent with teachers, which is what we see more often. My opinions seem to be much in line with others that are posted. With general agreement about what should be done, it makes one wonder why we are still having so many of these behavior cases. My second post, however, is in response to the question, “Should a teacher be allowed to physically punish a student?” It is an interesting topic, and the question was directed toward members of different cultures in order to see the variations of punishment across the world. I think you will find both comments interesting and encourage you to visit each site.

Comment: As someone who is looking forward to teaching in public schools, the thought of being assaulted by a student scares me to death. No one should ever be afraid to go to work, and the classroom is no different. Just because the majority of the students are under eighteen does not mean their violent actions should be taken any less seriously. In fact, their young age only makes a lenient punishment worse; they need to suffer consequence that force them to realize that violence will not be tolerated in this country.

I completely agree that students who are threats in the classroom should be sent to alternative schools. If other students see that this behavior is tolerated and does not call for expulsion, then the message being sent is that it is okay to act this way. Instead, students should be expelled if they show any acts of violence that are considered threats to teachers, administrators, or other students. If not expelled, they should at least be suspended for a period of time during which they must go to the alternative school. Ideally, these schools would be boarding schools with structures comparable to that of prisons. Let us give these students a taste of true punishment, so that they learn their lessons.

However, I do wonder about the funding for the schools. I have heard all the statistics about more money being spent on prisons than on schools. I would hate to see the funding for alternative schools be taken from public schools so that they suffer. Would it not be great if the parents had to pay to send their children there? Most would agree that most behavior issues are a result of a bad home life. If a student is willing to assault a teacher, he or she obviously has no respect for authority, which most definitely stems from bad parenting.

At any rate, these students cannot under any circumstance be allowed to remain in the classroom after proving that they are violent threats. If there are no consequences for bad behavior, then students will never understand that it is not tolerated.

Comment: I too remember the days when principals had a paddle in their desk, and any behavior that was completely unacceptable would constitute a paddling on the behind. These days, any physical punishment by adults is completely unacceptable. Considering that most parents would be uncomfortable with other adults giving this kind of discipline, I agree that paddles probably should not be used at school. Along the same lines, teachers should not be slapping wrists with rulers.

Not to say that I am against this kind of discipline; I just think these methods should be used at home by parents and at their own discretion. My mom’s spankings were quite effective, and as long as they are given properly, I see nothing wrong with that form of disciplining. With the way law suits occur in this country, it is best that this discipline is only used cautiously by a student’s parent. Let me clarify that by “this type of discipline,” I mean a slightly stinging slap on the behind—anything else would be too much.

All in all, I think that any violence, whether it be a slapping on the behind for disciplinary reasons or a student pushing around a teacher should stay completely out of the classroom. The environment should be a learning environment that is a safe place for everyone. Any student who touches anyone else inappropriately should automatically be removed from the classroom. The same goes for any teacher who touches a student or another member of the faculty. While I realize that sometimes teachers end up needing to discipline students because they have not been disciplined at home and that I just admitted spankings are an effective punishment, the truth is that the teacher is NOT the parent. Therefore, he or she should sent serious discipline cases to the administrators who can then use detention, parent conferences, or suspension as they see fit.

Birth Control in Middle School: When Educators Become Parents

The decision to offer birth control to middle schoolers in Portland, Maine, has caused quite the commotion. On one hand, the age of middle schoolers typically ranges from eleven to fifteen, and many would argue that at school officials should not be handing out birth control like candy to such young students. The general fear is that this act makes it seem okay for students to engage in such a mature act. On the other hand, the outbreak in pregnancies indicates that middle schoolers are having sex. Not many students fall into this category, only a handful, but the public must be aware that the society in which Americans live encourages sexual activity more so than it inhibits it. Just look at who is idolized in the U.S.: Britney Spears come quickly to mind. Not surprisingly her sixteen-year-old sister, Jamie Lynn, is expecting a baby soon.

The argument against giving contraceptives to teenagers is not a difficult one to form. In the state of Maine, the age for consent is fourteen, given that the other person involved in the act is less than three years older. Not only are many of the girls that are having sex in middle school breaking the law, but more importantly, they are putting themselves at serious risk. Pregnancy is not the only consequence of unprotected sex. Sexual intercourse puts those involved at risk for dangerous sexually transmitted diseases, which only condoms can help prevent. Likewise, consider the emotional stress that these young students are going through--sex is commonly known as a very mature act, and most would agree that it is not intended for a pre-teen. Clearly, these students are suffering from poor parenting. But parenting is not something that can be controlled with a pill.

For some good parents who find this to be ludicrous, they can find comfort by knowing that in order for a student to use this school health center, they have to sign a waiver giving parental consent. Unfortunately, this means that the school nurse cannot even give their child aspirin in the case that he or she does not feel well. But if they are bothered by the fact that what happens in the health center cannot be disclosed to parents by law, then that will be a sacrifice they make. A parent can always choose to dismiss his or her student from class and take them to a family doctor instead. If they really are good parents though, they should trust that their children are making good, healthy decisions by the time they are in middle school.

The big picture here is that sex in middle school is a result of change in culture. The times are changing and so are the kids. While many want to teach abstinence, equally many want to teach protection. This brings about the question of teaching in general: "Whose responsibility is it to educate these children on sex?" The school or the parents? if it is left to the parents, then there are going to be a lot of issues. Parents are not legally responsible for sexual education; however, they are legally responsible for sending their children to school. Therefore, sexual education by the school is the best way to make sure everyone hears it. But on the flip side, school officials can only teach from an educational standpoint--they can not compete with a parent's abililty to instill morals. As long as schools are doing their best to explain that sexual activity is a mature and risky act, then they are doing job. And if they find out that students are having sex, then teaching them the best methods to stay safe is also appropriate, even if it means giving a twelve-year-old the pill. By no means does this imply that these nurses enjoy giving out contraceptives. The thought of a middle school student having sex would probably keep any health care provider up at night, but I am sure the thought of a middle school student having a baby is worse.

The good news is that according to health officials, there has not been any increase in the number of middle school students who are choosing to have sex, which should calm the nerves of anyone thinking that this is going to encourage pre-teens to have sex. Personally, I think that my middle school's method of teaching birth control was quite effective. Unfortunately, it is much too unconventional to be used anywhere else. Growing up in a small town in Mississippi, right smack in the bible belt, educators just scared us out of having sex. They assured us that God would punish us for sex before marriage and that you could get pregnant just by getting too close. Coming to California has shown me that as much as we do not want to think about it, there are things going on in our country that call for a change in management. If these students need birth control, then we cannot ignore the truth, no matter how sad it may be.

Additional Resources for Expanding Educational Knowledge

In order to make my site more resourceful, I have yet again added some great sites into the linkroll on the left. Firstly, it is important to stay updated on current education news; therefore, links to the education sections of the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and USA Today have been added. Out of the three, USA Today's education section is most user-friendly. The headlining articles are clearly visible so that they attract attention and encourage reading; site visitors can then post comments in response to these articles. Though I personally prefer USA Today, both the Los Angeles Times and the New York Times offer quality news on the field of education and should be utilized often. Other than staying updated on the news, the ability to research quality statistical information is equally important, which is why I encourage readers to stop by the Institute of Education Sciences. Results found through extensive studies are provided here, making it a great resource for anyone curious about the field of education. Then, there are sites which are specifically useful for educators themselves. Whether a teacher in the classroom or a parent at home, one will surely find the Federal Resources for Educational Excellence to be a fantastic stockpile of fun lessons. With topics ranging from history and space to foreign language and math, this site can even be a great resource for adults who want to refresh their memory on certain subjects. As far as math specifically, I would recommend trying Math Mirror, which is geared toward bettering math education. Now, allow me to mention some entertaining blogs, starting with the Cool Cat Teacher Blog. The author of this site, Vicki Davis, guides readers to some great tools on the internet and provides plenty of insight on the world of teaching. Another site where one can become enlightened by the real experiences of teaching is titled Looksee Fishy Fish. Recently on this site, the author posted an essay from a student that was highly entertaining, similar to most of the posts on her blog. Along with these blogs, I would also recommend The Strength of Weak Ties, of which the author is employed as an Instructional Technology Coordinator of a school district in Illinois. And lastly, I encourage readers to take a look at Musings - Just Learning, where education is also examined from an international perspective. Please take a moment to glance at the sites and share my admiration of quality blogging.

One in Three Drop Out: What is Next for Them?

While researching the field of education, I am often reminded that students are not receiving the education they deserve. Discussion about the problems of secondary education always catch my attention--it hits a soft spot, as I sometimes wish that my pre-college education experiences had been a little better, that my teachers had been a little tougher, and that my peers had been a little more competitive. And when I do become a teacher, my goal is to make sure that the students do their best to look back on their own experiences with no regrets. I hope that they are able to feel as though they met their full potential upon graduation. This includes all students, not just the ones with the highest potential, which is why I feel remorse after reading articles outlining the drop out problem in America. While I understand that making improvements to public education may be a difficult and daunting task, we must do our best to change the environment so that students are more likely to stay. We need to look at the reasons for students leaving in order to discover what we must do to keep them in school.

According to the American Youth Policy Forum, about one-third of our nation's high school students drop out before graduation. As T. Keung Hui notes in his publication "Dropout Rate, Suspension on Rise in N.C.," higher dropout rates mean large costs for taxpayers, as well as higher Medicaid and prison costs. Hence, committees are formed to come up with solutions and money is granted to fund alternatives for those who no longer choose to stay in school. These alternatives include continuation or opportunity schools, independent study, community day schools, and adult General Education Development programs. However, many would argue that these programs by no means measure up to the standards of an average public education. One twelve-year member of the Los Angeles Board of Education, David Tokofsky, wrote into the Los Angeles Times arguing that the test scores produced by students in alternative schools were not much higher than the test scores of dropouts. Taking troubled students out of public school systems only to throw them into other systems that hardly meet the standards seems like a waste of money. If we want to keep these students on the right path, we should certainly consider making changes to curricula that would encourage students to remain in school until graduation.

What are some things that could be done? In Hui's article Tony Parker, who is the Superintendent of Johnston County, described his proposal of an Evening Academy where students could retake classes they failed. While this plan sounds like a good one, I am skeptical about whether or not students who are already uninterested in school would actually dedicate their evenings to more class. Also within the piece, the Durham school administrators credit their attrition of dropouts to smaller, non-traditional schools. One such school, the Performance Learning Center in Durham, allows students to complete self-taught, online curricula, which means that students can work at their own pace. Mentors are employed in order to lead motivational activities and help the students stay on track. Different from alternative schools where students who cannot behave are often sent, the Performance Learning Center is a place where students choose to go.

Allowing students to educate themselves with the use of technology is a great solution. But why do we not try to merge this method into the public high schools that drove these students away? This is the suggestion of one of my favorite bloggers David Warlick, who is both a teacher and a writer. In his post "High School Rant", he expresses that maybe if the public schools were not quite so focused on reading and writing but capable of finding ways to incorporate innovative technologies that would make the classroom a little more entertaining, students would be more likely to stay. While one responder made her point that students need to learn early on that life is not all fun and games, most who commented on Mr. Warlick's post agreed that engaging the students is key. "[Education] should be so compelling that [students] want to be a part of it," expressed one replier. This is where one can see the benefits of more project-based learning. Not all students are cut out to ace standardized tests, nor are they all interested in reading Russian novels. Although these are important, high schools could certianly benefit a certain demographic of students by offering more technical classes to supplement the more traditional classes. Programs like No Child Left Behind are in place to make sure that all students are on equal playing fields, but we should recognize that students have a wide range of talents. Outdated curricula that give students no feeling of choice in what they study can be very discouraging. In fact, one person was quoted in the Hui article stating "...students who are disconnected, or have dropped out, feel that the traditional high school is not a setting where they've been successful, and they don't want to return."

My argument about the need of various programs to suit the needs of different schools slightly changes my previous views on the voucher system. After much discussion and reflection, I believe that the perfect solution to the education system would be a flawless voucher system--a system where any student can go anywhere he wishes. Then, students would feel more like they were personally choosing to attend school and be much more likely to stay. We will always have the behavior cases and the unmotivated students who are just completely uninterested in work of any form. But for those who are motivated, it is only fair that we provide them with incentives to continue to work hard. Since we do not currently have a nation-wide voucher system, we should at least aim to make students feel like they are making personal choices at their own school. We need to present challenges that are fun and interactive, but most importantly, challanges that are different than the typical tests and paper writing. Only then can we say that we gave these students our all.

An Excursion into the Web: Successfully Locating Resourceful Sites

I spent this week browsing the Internet for interesting sites pertaining to the field of education. The very first site in which I became entirely engaged was Edutopia. What I enjoyed mostly about the site was its many components: it has articles from the Edutopia magazine, video clips from the media, and a list of priority topics with links to external sites. Some sites, though, are smaller and easier to navigate, such as Education World. Education World focuses on a total of five components so it is much simpler, but subsequently it is also a little less interesting. Other sites hosted by organizations that proved to be useful resources include the National Education Association, which similarly to Education World is a great resource for lesson planning. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the National Education Association site was also a resource for dropout prevention. The Foundation for Child Development hosts a site that strictly focuses on improvement of the education system. I found this site to be a little too plain. Another site that was too simple for my taste was the American Association for School Administrators; however, I included a link to it because I found it to be a great resource for news articles. Anyone who is interested in education resources should make sure to visit the U.S. Department of Education. On this well-managed site, one can view the fiscal budget proposed by government. The only thing lacking on this site was interaction, but if it is interaction you are looking for, then you must see the New York Times Learning Network. It hosts a site for Teachers' connections, and I praise it highly for its ability to encourage interaction. If you are not looking for interaction but for substantial reading, make sure you stop by the Journal of Education Controversy. Not surprisingly, a couple of my favorite sites were blogs that I found. Education Reporting was an outstanding blog whose purpose was to provide reports, news, and tools, but the best blog I found was one titled 2 Cents Worth. The author, David Warlick, has a passion for education that is evident through his work. Both blogs met the standards laid out by the Illinois Mathematics and Science Awards Criteria. Likewise, the previously mentioned sites hosted by organizations or businesses met the Webby Awards Criteria. I believe my excursion of the best sites for education improvement was truly a success.

Education Vouchers: Where Is Our Money Going?

While researching solutions to better secondary education, I came across a couple posts on blog sites addressing the issue of education vouchers. Not knowing much about the proposed voucher solution, I dug deep to find out exactly how these vouchers work toward improving schools. I found that the idea behind vouchers is that if children and parents are giving the choice of what school the child would like to attend, then those schools that are not being chosen will be forced to improve.

One particular blog really persuaded me in my position on vouchers. In his post Voucher Legislation in Arizona, John Wright not only points out the faults in the voucher system, but he also provides suggestions alternate ways of improving our public education system.

Another blogger advocates the voucher system. Chuck Muth's strong opinions in his post entitled School Choice Shot Heard 'Round the World are quite moving but fail to address the problems the voucher system causes.

I have included my responses to both blogs below and hope that you will follow the links to read what they have to say on the subject.

Comment: The voucher system is a great suggestion... in the sense that we need to look at different options and assess their viability in order to come up with the best solution possible. Your argument is strong because it not only points out the problems with vouchers, but also provides alternatives. It makes so much sense that instead of taking tax-payer funding and rewarding children who win a lottery, we take tax-payer funding and invest in the schools that are sub-par. This way, everyone benefits, not just a lucky few.

It seems that those who oppose vouchers suggest that we threaten to take away students and funding if they do not pass a set of tests. How can taking away means for a quality school possibly improve that institution? Rather, I completely agree that we should spend the money as you suggested: reducing class size, starting new programming, holding teachers to higher standards, and also providing the child more than an education.

Not to say that I cannot see the appeal of vouchers; "school choice" sounds perfectly amazing. It would be great if any child and his parents could choose what school he attends, but that isn't what the current education vouchers allow. Instead, they give a very small percentage of students that choice, leaving the rest to a disadvantaged school which is going to lose even more funding because of its lack of efficiency. It is as though we are making good schools better and bad schools worse. Is this fair to those students who are never offered the chance to get out of those bad schools?

As I mentioned before, we should thank those who support vouchers for helping us better understand what we must do in order to get all schools on the right path. Proponents of the voucher system have good intentions, but their plan falters and leaves us seeking new and better ways to improve schools.

Comment: The argument that school vouchers provide a solution to the weak school system is definitely full of holes. I appreciate the sense of ugency in passing legislation to improve the public school system, but I feel that throwing money into the voucher system may do more harm than good.

First of all, your argument that we need to "attain an educated populace," but not necessarily through public schools, sounds to me that you are suggesting we should invest more in privatized education. Forgive me for not understanding, but if our nation turns to privatizing education, what are we doing for those students whose families will never be able to afford sending their kids to highly-priced schools? To this, you may answer: "Well, that's what the vouchers are for!" But as of right now, vouchers are only handed out on a lottery basis. Further, sometimes they only provide half the cost of a private education--undoubtedly insufficient for some families.

On another note, I am also failing to understand your comparison between secondary education vouchers and those provided by the G.I. Bill. The G.I. Bill rewards citizens who volunteer and risk their lives to serve in our military. Considering the lack of interest most young people have in our nation's defense, providing incentives is imperative. Giving a free education for years' worth of risking one's life for the good of our country is hardly enough to pay soldiers back for their dedication. It would be completely insensitive to argue that we shouldn't have this bill.

Secondary educatioin vouchers are different though. We are rewarding students on a random lottery basis, which, yes, rewards those lucky students, but it also punishes the unlucky ones. You said that those working with you on this initiative have children of their own. How can you guarantee them that their student will be given a voucher? Do you think they would feel differently if they supported this, only to miss out on the vouchers and have their children left behind in the sub-par school? I think not.

Extended Classroom Time: A Must in Bettering Education

If it is true that the United States of America is to be considered the land of opportunity, then one must be able to prove that children are provided such chances. By making secondary education mandatory, the government ensures that each child is given the chance to become educated. If we are doing everything we can to provide for students in the classroom, then these educated children presumably have the skill and preparation necessary to enter the real world and earn enough for a descent lifestyle. But how does one show that each child is given an equal shot? It is obvious that some schools are more equipped when it comes to educating children (usually private schools or magnet schools that have efficient funding). For schools that are less equipped, it is time that new solutions are sought out so that all schools may provide the best education for their students. Sure, new solutions are going to cost, but the children are the future of the country; it would be wise to ensure that they are on the right path. Valuing education and working toward providing the best education possible would no doubt benefit our country as a whole. So what is a good solution? One recent suggestion is the desire to extend the time students are in school. An article in the Washington Post entitled "Finding Time for Success" exhibits both sides of the argument for requiring students to remain in classrooms for longer periods of time throughout the week. On first glance, this proposed solution that if children were in school longer, they would learn more appears on the surface to suffice. However, there are several counter arguments that point to the fact that this solution is not just a quick fix and that there are several deeper issues at hand. Although these counter arguments are strong, the benefits of a longer school day clearly outweigh the costs and help in providing that equal opportunity children are promised by the government.

This idea is not a novelty--it has been thrown around for the last ten years--but the pressure is finally being applied so that these ideas may become realities. One foundation, Massachusetts 2020, published a forty-page report to support the claim that extended classroom time really is a necessity. The report, published in fall 2005, lays out case studies whose results demonstrate the claim that extended classroom time is effective. The authors argue that 180 six-hour days "is a vestige of nineteenth-century agrarian econonmy. It is not designed to meet the education demands of the Information Age." What the foundation hopes to achieve is more on time task, depth and breadth, greater opportunities for planning and personal development, greater opportunities for enrichment and experiential learning, and stronger adult-child relationships. All which I think most can agree are important. Still, there are critics with many valid counter arguments.

One obvious problem that arises when it comes to longer days in the classroom is the work set out in getting teachers to agree to more working hours. An article was recently published by Dan Baer in regards to the Lynn Teacher's Union rejecting a longer school day. The Department of Education that granted the Ford Elementary School over one million dollars was not able to reach an agreement with the union. While it is true that teachers need to be adequately compensated for the outstanding work, they must remember that the real victims are the children who are being deprived of the best education possible. No one can dispute that teaching is not easy, and now with programs like Teach for America, there are better incentives for individuals to teach. Teach for America is a program that only holds teachers accountable for two years worth of teaching with the hope that a small commitment will help to eliminate burn out. Because teaching is not a glamorous job here in America, it is imperative that members of society feel an obligation to act selflessly and better the education system. They should recognize what a privilege it was that they were able to attend college and in return, provide that same opportunity for others.


Another strong argument that extended classroom time is not worth the effort or money is that substance, not time, is the real problem. What good does it do to have the students at school longer if the curriculum is not effective? While this question makes a good point--having children sit in a classroom not really doing anything certainly will not better their education--aruguing that we need to focus on a strong, effective curriculum should not undermine the argument that children should be in school for a longer period of time. Of course it is fair to argue that a strong curriculum is important; it may be the most important element of an effective school. However, it is just as fair to argue that a stronger curriculum as well as a larger curriculum is a much better solution. Studies show that if teachers are in the working environment longer, they are more likely to produce better work, so extending the school day could ideally take care of both issues.

America is on the right path in requiring children to attend school, but we need to go a step further. Students needs lots of attention in all areas--not only inacademics, but in physical, health, and sex education as well. Local, state, and government officials needs to follow through when it says all children have a chance to elevate themselves and rise up in society. More programming just seems like a clear given in doing so. Whatever needs to be done so that teachers can realize this importance and students can reap the benefits can wait no longer. Extending the length of the day is crucial for this country to provide the best education possible.