After downloading a copy of the CMSD Student Code of Conduct handbook, it became apparent that when students break the rules, the consequences are pretty much discretionary at best. It begs the question on whether a student will have to take responsibility for any bad choices they might make.
The CMSD Student Code of Conduct
In some cases if a student breaks the rules, it is the taxpayer who will suffer the consequences. Taxpayers should read the section entitled “Suspension and Expulsion from the School Bus”.
Specific violations are defined as Level 1 through 4 offenses, level 4 being the worst of the offences. In every instance where the corrective actions are defined, you can read that the student may be held responsible for his or her actions.
The Student Code of Conduct handbook lacks any real bite. It amounts to a subjective discretionary policy which can be viewed as nothing more than a book of idle threats.
Chapter 14, section F, concerns misbehavior on a school bus. What consequences do you think a student will face if his behavior warrants suspension or expulsion from the school bus? Will the student have to walk to school? Will the student’s parent(s) have to drive him to school? No, the taxpayer will pay the price by providing the student with RTA tickets. The student then becomes the RTA’s problem, compliments of the taxpayer.
In my blog entitled “Trying to make a horse drink in fantasy land”, I brought up that some Cleveland teachers have told me that there are consequences for them if they punish students for their bad behavior. These consequences also apply to principals. It is easy to blame the teachers and principals for a students poor choices leading to inappropriate behavior. Here is an excerpt from my blog:
“This blame is perpetuated in some cases by the Free Stamp City school administration itself. It is unfortunate that within the Free Stamp City school system, it is the teacher who is held responsible for the dysfunctional students’ choices not to learn. The teachers are doing their jobs, but these students and their parents are not doing theirs, yet the school administration holds the teachers responsible for the bad choices of these students and their dysfunctional parents.
In some cases if discipline is bad at a Free Stamp City school, or if a school has a high suspension rate, the school principal can be replaced for not keeping control. This is why at times a disruptive student will not be documented because a principal wants to show the administration that bad behavior is being controlled. A student being suspended does not look good to the administrators. It is easier to blame the teachers and principals for a student’s bad behavior rather that holding the student and their parents accountable for their actions. And these policies have been written by some of the highest paid school administrators in the country.”
I am not making this up folks. Several Cleveland teachers have personally confided this information to me. On the Cleveland.com forum where this blog is still posted, a Cleveland teacher responded in agreement. Here is what that teacher wrote:
“This part’s true. Yes, it's true in many schools. The fear that abounds about suspension numbers in many schools is palpable. It makes for an unmanageable environment in those schools.
What we need, like “Delta” [another blogger] has posted so many times, is to exclude the criminals from school. Students who assault others, bring weapons or drugs, or destroy property recklessly should be prosecuted, not merely suspended or allowed to return with a parent.”
After the Asa Coon shooting, Dr. Eugene Sanders has announced that millions of dollars will be spent to install airport like security in all Cleveland schools. Dr. Sanders has also stated that additional security staff will be hired to operate this equipment. Dr. Sanders has also announced that an outside consulting firm will be paid to review the CMSD’s current security policies. And do you know who will pay for this? The taxpayers of course.
From reading stories in the media about the Asa Coon incident, here is some of what was reported.
Asa Coon was suspended – he should not have been on school grounds.
Asa Coon walked into the school in the early afternoon, an odd time to be reporting to school – should not have the security guard stopped him and demanded a written excuse and/or sent him to the office?
Asa Coon did not appear to be wearing his proper school uniform and was carrying a backpack.
Asa Coon was recognized as a student by the security guard
The school security guard did not act on any of these red flags that Asa Coon was displaying. The guard missed any and all opportunities to do his job.
Security measures that were in place and laws on the books should have worked if they were enforced. But they were not enforced. What good is a policy or law that is not followed or enforced? Mayor Jackson said he would now make sure that current city laws are enforced. Kind of late for action don’t you think Mr. Mayor?
There is no need to spend millions on reinventing the wheel at taxpayer’s expense. I think what needs to be done is the taxpayers should get rid of the incompetent buffoon lawmakers and school administrators. It’s time that city and school leaders should be held accountable.
And as always, I anticipate that there will be those on the Cleveland.com education forum who respond to my post with their sociological theories on the troubled Cleveland students being the victims. They will write how “Myopic” I am. They will write that I am just “bitching” because I am an angry firefighter. I did finish my post on the Cleveland.com education forum these words:
As for being myopic, you folks are entitled to your opinions and I am free to disagree with your opinions. I do not have an understanding on what some believe are the so called “real and significant effects of social constructs" The writer chose not elaborate on them.
Others posting on this forum have stated that “society is culpable to the so called bad kids”; I personally do not believe that society is a single faceted entity; therefore I do not believe that society as a whole can be blamed for people choosing not to exercise their rights, and not living up to their presumed responsibilities to be productive citizens. And I know I am not alone in these beliefs.
But I do believe that there is a part of society can be culpable; that part of society which has written and supports the enabling policies currently in place. There are those members of society who believe that money should be continually spent for the sake of those citizens who choose to live without the reason or the need to be accountable to the rest of society; money spent to fund policies which enables them to live off the system without the fear of any consequences for making their bad choices, and with no real incentives to become a productive player in society.
And I wonder if those who disagree with holding the irresponsible accountable for their actions actually live in the city of Cleveland? How many teachers who post on this site standing up for the CMSD actually live in Cleveland and if they have children, send them to the Cleveland schools? I’d love to have those statistics.
And for the idea people who live outside Cleveland’s borders with all your ideas and theories; if you truly believe in what you say, you should be the first to open your city borders and let the troubled people of Cleveland in live in your cities - free of charge. You should be the first to allow the troubled people of Cleveland to use your schools - free of charge. You along with all the other tax paying citizens of your cities should pick up the tab for the any inappropriate behavior of the troubled people of Cleveland.
It’s so easy to have ideas and answers when living safely outside of city limits. I hope the do-gooder cities are the first to open their doors to regionalism.
But then again, this is Free Stamp City.
The CMSD Student Code of Conduct
In some cases if a student breaks the rules, it is the taxpayer who will suffer the consequences. Taxpayers should read the section entitled “Suspension and Expulsion from the School Bus”.
Specific violations are defined as Level 1 through 4 offenses, level 4 being the worst of the offences. In every instance where the corrective actions are defined, you can read that the student may be held responsible for his or her actions.
The Student Code of Conduct handbook lacks any real bite. It amounts to a subjective discretionary policy which can be viewed as nothing more than a book of idle threats.
Chapter 14, section F, concerns misbehavior on a school bus. What consequences do you think a student will face if his behavior warrants suspension or expulsion from the school bus? Will the student have to walk to school? Will the student’s parent(s) have to drive him to school? No, the taxpayer will pay the price by providing the student with RTA tickets. The student then becomes the RTA’s problem, compliments of the taxpayer.
In my blog entitled “Trying to make a horse drink in fantasy land”, I brought up that some Cleveland teachers have told me that there are consequences for them if they punish students for their bad behavior. These consequences also apply to principals. It is easy to blame the teachers and principals for a students poor choices leading to inappropriate behavior. Here is an excerpt from my blog:
“This blame is perpetuated in some cases by the Free Stamp City school administration itself. It is unfortunate that within the Free Stamp City school system, it is the teacher who is held responsible for the dysfunctional students’ choices not to learn. The teachers are doing their jobs, but these students and their parents are not doing theirs, yet the school administration holds the teachers responsible for the bad choices of these students and their dysfunctional parents.
In some cases if discipline is bad at a Free Stamp City school, or if a school has a high suspension rate, the school principal can be replaced for not keeping control. This is why at times a disruptive student will not be documented because a principal wants to show the administration that bad behavior is being controlled. A student being suspended does not look good to the administrators. It is easier to blame the teachers and principals for a student’s bad behavior rather that holding the student and their parents accountable for their actions. And these policies have been written by some of the highest paid school administrators in the country.”
I am not making this up folks. Several Cleveland teachers have personally confided this information to me. On the Cleveland.com forum where this blog is still posted, a Cleveland teacher responded in agreement. Here is what that teacher wrote:
“This part’s true. Yes, it's true in many schools. The fear that abounds about suspension numbers in many schools is palpable. It makes for an unmanageable environment in those schools.
What we need, like “Delta” [another blogger] has posted so many times, is to exclude the criminals from school. Students who assault others, bring weapons or drugs, or destroy property recklessly should be prosecuted, not merely suspended or allowed to return with a parent.”
After the Asa Coon shooting, Dr. Eugene Sanders has announced that millions of dollars will be spent to install airport like security in all Cleveland schools. Dr. Sanders has also stated that additional security staff will be hired to operate this equipment. Dr. Sanders has also announced that an outside consulting firm will be paid to review the CMSD’s current security policies. And do you know who will pay for this? The taxpayers of course.
From reading stories in the media about the Asa Coon incident, here is some of what was reported.
Asa Coon was suspended – he should not have been on school grounds.
Asa Coon walked into the school in the early afternoon, an odd time to be reporting to school – should not have the security guard stopped him and demanded a written excuse and/or sent him to the office?
Asa Coon did not appear to be wearing his proper school uniform and was carrying a backpack.
Asa Coon was recognized as a student by the security guard
The school security guard did not act on any of these red flags that Asa Coon was displaying. The guard missed any and all opportunities to do his job.
Security measures that were in place and laws on the books should have worked if they were enforced. But they were not enforced. What good is a policy or law that is not followed or enforced? Mayor Jackson said he would now make sure that current city laws are enforced. Kind of late for action don’t you think Mr. Mayor?
There is no need to spend millions on reinventing the wheel at taxpayer’s expense. I think what needs to be done is the taxpayers should get rid of the incompetent buffoon lawmakers and school administrators. It’s time that city and school leaders should be held accountable.
And as always, I anticipate that there will be those on the Cleveland.com education forum who respond to my post with their sociological theories on the troubled Cleveland students being the victims. They will write how “Myopic” I am. They will write that I am just “bitching” because I am an angry firefighter. I did finish my post on the Cleveland.com education forum these words:
As for being myopic, you folks are entitled to your opinions and I am free to disagree with your opinions. I do not have an understanding on what some believe are the so called “real and significant effects of social constructs" The writer chose not elaborate on them.
Others posting on this forum have stated that “society is culpable to the so called bad kids”; I personally do not believe that society is a single faceted entity; therefore I do not believe that society as a whole can be blamed for people choosing not to exercise their rights, and not living up to their presumed responsibilities to be productive citizens. And I know I am not alone in these beliefs.
But I do believe that there is a part of society can be culpable; that part of society which has written and supports the enabling policies currently in place. There are those members of society who believe that money should be continually spent for the sake of those citizens who choose to live without the reason or the need to be accountable to the rest of society; money spent to fund policies which enables them to live off the system without the fear of any consequences for making their bad choices, and with no real incentives to become a productive player in society.
And I wonder if those who disagree with holding the irresponsible accountable for their actions actually live in the city of Cleveland? How many teachers who post on this site standing up for the CMSD actually live in Cleveland and if they have children, send them to the Cleveland schools? I’d love to have those statistics.
And for the idea people who live outside Cleveland’s borders with all your ideas and theories; if you truly believe in what you say, you should be the first to open your city borders and let the troubled people of Cleveland in live in your cities - free of charge. You should be the first to allow the troubled people of Cleveland to use your schools - free of charge. You along with all the other tax paying citizens of your cities should pick up the tab for the any inappropriate behavior of the troubled people of Cleveland.
It’s so easy to have ideas and answers when living safely outside of city limits. I hope the do-gooder cities are the first to open their doors to regionalism.
But then again, this is Free Stamp City.
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