Dear Lou,
I read Ann Bradshaw's response to your letter ... rather laughable so I took the liberty of translating her document:
I am aware of 3 assaults on staff that have been reported this school year.
The first occurred at Pacheco and involved a six-year old student with developmental delays. The student punched a special education teacher in the arm and then stabbed her with a spork. A report was filed with the superintendent and with the police. The student has been moved to a more appropriate placement.
TRANSLATION: WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THREE FORMAL COMPLAINTS OUT OF 1100 MEMBERS AND ONE WAS BY A SPECIAL ED. STUDENT WITH A SPORK- EVERYONE KNOWS SPORKS ARE NOT REALLY WEAPONS!
The second involved a teacher at NBHS who attempted to detain a student who was leaving the classroom by holding onto the student’s backpack. Other students surrounded the teacher to prevent her from detaining the student.
TRANSLATION: LOU WHY DO YOU BOTHER ME WITH THIS TRIVIAL B.S. - IT IS CLEARLY ACCEPTABLE FOR STUDENTS TO COME TO THE ASSISTANCE OF A PEER WHO IS BEING HARASSED BY A TEACHER!
The third assault occurred at NBHS on November 19 in ASA. A report was filed with the superintendent. The student was suspended. As of yesterday, the teacher is considering whether to file charges.
TRANSLATION: OMG LOU REALLY... REALLY WE ALREADY SUSPENDED THE OFFENDER AND THE TEACHER PROBABLY WON'T TAKE IT ANY FURTHER SO WHY ARE YOU BOTHERING ME WITH THIS YOU KNOW HOW BUSY I AM BULLYING EVERYONE RIGHT NOW SO BACK OFF!
You asked what is being done to protect educators. In addition to strict control of access to buildings, SROs, and NBPD support, these actions are being taken at NBHS.
PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) information is being distributed to staff. PBIS focuses on teaching and reinforcing pro-social behaviors and providing interventions for those who need them.
The PA system has been used to remind students of behavioral expectations.
Information on behavioral expectations has been sent home to parents.
TRANSLATION:
FOR CHRIST'S SAKE LOU, WE ARE STILL LOCKING THE DOORS AND WE HAVE THIS GREAT NEW WAY TO MAKE THE KIDS BEHAVE. FIRST WE TELL THE TEACHERS TO TELL THE KIDS "PLAY NICE" THEN WE USE THE INTERCOM AND TELL THE KIDS "PLEASE BE NICE" FINALLY, WE SEND A LETTER HOME TO THE PARENTS TO TELL THE KIDS THEY NEED TO BE NICE AND NOT ATTACK TEACHERS WITH SPORKS ... I ASSURE YOU LOU ... WE ARE "ON" THIS WE TOLD THE KIDS "USE YOUR WORDS" AND WE ARE CERTAIN THIS WILL RECTIFY THE SITUATION IN A TIMELY FASHION BECAUSE IT IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION PLAN EVER - THAT IS WHAT THE DATA AND FROM THE NEWTON WELLESLY AND NEWPORT PUBLIC SCHOOLS INDICATES
Specific actions at the high school include:
7:00 - 7:25 AM
All areas of the building will have supervisory coverage during this time.
1. Housemasters will circulate through their houses, including cafeterias, checking in with teachers and making sure students are where they belong. ADMIN WILL COME OUT OF THEIR OFFICES
2. Headmaster will work with lead custodian to make sure appropriate doors are open ADMIN WILL MAKE SURE THE CUSTODIAN DOES NOT LOCK THE WRONG DOORS INCLUDING THE DOORS TO THEIR OWN OFFICES
3. In addition to paid duty personnel, two additional administrators are on duty in the second floor core. WE HIRED TWO NEW PEOPLE, PAY THEM AN ADMINISTRATOR'S SALARY TO WATCH THE STUDENTS ON THE SECOND FLOOR BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE ALL THE NAUGHTY CHILDREN ARE
4. D-Block and Phys. Ed. area will also be monitored by an administrator. THE POOR PE TEACHER HAS YET ANOTHER DUTY
5. SROs will be stationed in high traffic areas (opposing sides of the core) WE'RE SAVING THE COPS FOR THE ULTRA BAD AREAS - WHERE MOST OF THE KIDS GO AND GET THIS, WE DO THIS ALL IN A 25 MINUTE PERIOD AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY ...CERTAINLY YOU ARE IMPRESSED NOW!
1. Increase the efficiency in attending to conduct referrals, especially critical offense issues. Clerical support has been provided to reduce the backlog of conduct cards. WE MAY REVISIT THE NAUGHTY BEHAVIOR OF A SELECT FEW AND WE NOW HAVE THE SECRETARIAL STAFF TO TYPE EVERYTHING IN TRIPLICATE
2. Increase our communication with informing the referring staff of the outcome of the referral 3. Check-ins with staff involved in difficult incidents ADMIN WILL NOW LISTEN TO TEACHERS WHO ARE GETTING THE CRAP KICKED OUT OF THEM
3. Increase walk-throughs of Freshman classes, including electives, to monitor appropriate behaviors WE'RE GOING AFTER THE FRESHMAN CLASS BECAUSE THEY SEEM TO BE THE NAUGHTIEST OF ALL (SANTA PROBABLY WILL LEAVE THEM COAL THIS YEAR - ESPECIALLY THE "SPORK" PERPETRATOR HE IS DEFINITELY ON THE NAUGHTY LIST)
4. Periodic check ins with substitute teachers throughout the day - especially with known difficult classes WE CAN'T LEAVE THE SUBS IN THE CLASSROOMS ALONE - THEY ARE GETTING EATEN ALIVE BY THE STUDENTS
5. Additional hallway presence during passing periods and C-Block lunch shifts. EVEN THOUGH THERE IS NOT ENOUGH SEATING FOR ALL OF THE STUDENTS IN THE CAFETERIA ... WE FEEL MORE SUPPORT IS NEEDED IN THAT SETTING... CHAIRS WILL BE FORTHCOMING
I hope this information is helpful. NOW GET OFF MY FREAKING BACK LOU ... THAT IS ENOUGH OUT OF YOU
Respectfully Submitted,
A New Bedford Educator
28 comments:
Lou, You have 1100 of us behind you and numbers speak volumes ... Hopefully, nothing horrific happens to a teacher or student before things change for the better. ...and they will
The problem is that the mayor has no money to buy Pia out of her contract. To save face he must support her but inevitably the truth will come out.
Sweeping the assaults, attacks, altercations or whatever anyone wants to call them under the carpet isn't working. I have family members who work for large companies who are reporting back to me that their co workers truly believe that teachers are being attacked physically as well as professionally. I've overheard some of my AP students saying their parents are looking at alternative high schools not because they are dissatisfied with the education but because they have no confidence that the current admin is doing what they should to get the students under control. What is sad is that we will lose some of our best students. What I wish is that all parents speak out, tell the school committee, mayor etc that they will not accept the flimsy excuses and dismissals that are being printed.
Anyone who thinks that teacher assaults have not increased this year is delusional and either not being told the truth or hearing it and choosing not to accept it. Not only are teachers unsafe, but what about the students who are being attacked by other students? Once again, thank you, Lou, for attempting to bring the situation to light.
Thank you Louis John for standing up for teachers
Lou, Did she use rigor when she gave you the fudged numbers?
they are looking for a new headmaster to start in January. Seems like that is the strategy---all the blame is at the school level....doesn't seem possible when the biggest change has been the leader of the system. She needs to right the discipline ship immediately.
Thank you Louis St John for believing us, for believing IN us, and for courage above and beyond
Thank you Louis St John for believing us, for believing IN us, and for courage above and beyond
The students will eat their school turkey day dinner with a spork. It's sturdy enough for that.
What is wrong with our School Committee and Mayor for not being outraged that teachers are getting assaulted and injured? They are becoming part of the problem.
As far as Ms. Bradshaw, she is in her nice safe office receiving her $110K salary and fluffing off these incidences. Doctoring the numbers won't solve the problems, all the announcements are just a waste of breath as some of these students just don't care.
Guess the new School Improvement Manager at $1,000 per day is just a waste of money.
The Mayor and School Committee need to spend a full day at the high school and not use some lame excuse as Mitchell did the other day. They ALL have their degree and are able to sub. Once they experience what we all go through, I bet strong disciplinary action will begin to take place. If not, our school system will fall flat on its face.
As I have said before, incidents are being reported. Some teachers are being asked not to press charges, some are being told the student is pressing charges on them. Teachers have been taught that a conduct referral is enough. No it isn't. Write the report, get I ouch with the police and let the union know what's going on. My protection comes from the union, not from an administrator that has been told to reduce suspensions by 40%.
Lou was being beat up on the radio this morning for defending the teachers. Not one teacher called to defend him, so sad.
By the time I tuned in...the Church Lady took over and then the final hour was a GNBVT love fest.
We are very grateful for all that Lou has done and continues to do for teachers. I think the program you are speaking about begins at 7:00 or 8:00 a.m. After five, 8-9 hour days for some of us, of rigor, rigor, rigor are we not allowed to sleep a little later on our day off. We do have lives of our own and other responsibilities when we leave school. For some of us, listening to an early morning radio show doesn't make the list. Now we're being attacked for what we do or in this case what we aren't doing on our day off.
The mayor and school committee can continue to lie and deny that there is teacher assaults on teachers at the high school, but eventually the truth will come out to the public. I just pray it doesn't take a student bringing in a knife or gun and doing harm that cannot be reversed. At that point Mr. Mayor will have to address the serious issues.
The assaults aren't being reported. The student at Pacheco didn't punch a sped teacher. He hit and stabbed his gen ed classroom teacher with a spork as well as kids in the classroom. Sounds like its ok as long as it was only a sped teacher. There was also a third grader who hit his teacher. The police were called and superintendent was notified. Why wasn't this included in the report to Lou?
I've already told my family that if ANYTHING happens to me while I'm at school to get me the best attorney they can find and sue the mayor, superintendent, HR assistant superintendent, school committee, and city of New Bedford for refusing to protect me on the job!
The children throughout this school district are running the schools and they know they are in charge. Where is this manager that's making $1000,00 per day when attacks on teachers are happening? She's probably hiding out with the housemasters in behind their closed office doors. There is no money for paras, but all I've seen Durkin do is hire, hire, hire since she arrived. Whatever she wants to do or spend the school committee approves.
^
Why didn't you call to defend Lou?
Ah, the lovely Anne Bradshaw. She came to our PD and had the audacity to shushh the teachers at the training. One was asking another what the presenter had just said. It was hard to hear the presenter due to her being ill. Then a phone rang in the crowd. Bradshaw stood up to see who could be guilty of such a crime. No one did a thing. No one shut the phone off. She got more agitated as it continued to ring. Ahhhhhhhh then she realized it was HER phone! She dashed off never to be seen again.
Anne Bradshaw is Pi-diddy's gopher.
Thank you Lou first of all! Ann Bradshaw is a puppet and What will our raise be in Feb. Another 20.00 a week while old Pia and her cronies make thousands?
Thank you for sharing that hilarious story on your PD Day. It as a powerful example of imperfect administrators demanding perfection from underlings, not through support and motivation--but through fear, bullying, and Big Brother style interactions. I think it should have been reported to Pia. She should be confronted with her poor hiring choices when warranted.
I think Ann Bradshaw should sub at the high school for two days then and only then will she see if her list is working. Let her put up the with abuse we have to deal with on a daily basis. Wonder how she will feel when her conduct card(s) are rejected!!! New policy to be set in place.
Honestly, can anyone believe what is happening at NBPS? It is absolutely ridiculous!!! The motto on the bottom of district's letterhead which reads, "A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE" is a sore reminder of where we really are. . . . .in the pits! On a positive note, the only way we can go is up. . . . . I hope! But how long will that take and at what cost?!?
FYI Bradshaw lost or pushed out over 30 valued administrators in her
tenure in Mashpee, it was a "my way or the highway" management style
(and no leadership skills) and most disappointingly, no tangible results... When hiring a female for a new position, she was once quote as saying: "welcome to my all female management team." It's hard to believe it took the Mashpee, so long to tell her they're not going to renew her contract...
6. Students who undermine teachers and tell them to F off will be promptly given a pep talk by the their new "Behavior Buddy" - a newly formed postion starting at $75,000 a year. Behavior Buddies are now part of the district's accelerated improvement plan.
Disclaimer: the position has already been filled by an expert in the field.
Talk to the SRO's and court magistrates. They tell a different story.... 11 arrests at NBHS, double that in summons where teachers were wise enough to press charges. Court dockets don't lie.
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