When things happen... at work.... I deal with them... I encourage and support kids to the best of my ability... and, when needed, I dole out consequences... some of those consequences are short term and some have potential to lead to bigger consequences... I assign detentions... arrange times for students and teachers to meet with me to mediate difficult situations... and when students really make big mistakes... I have to suspend them... per school board policy...
I prefer to keep kids in school, and not suspend... but... there are cases in which I feel the best decision is to not have a student return to school. I have participated in one expulsion hearing and been part of meetings that could have led to others... and it is never fun.. definitely never easy... in those situations I have been asked difficult questions... is the student a safety risk for other students? If I say yes the school board may say the student no longer has a right to be educated in our school... if I say no... I put the rest of my students at risk if the student is allowed to return... there is no good answer... let alone the right answer... I do make judgments... about students... I do it every day... about which students I believe, which students need a little more flexibility than others... about which teachers are being forthright about their treatment/interactions with kids... but there are other judgments... that others make... with which I have to live...
When there are students against whom there are significant allegations... some of which I know to be true... and the powers that be have determined that student will return to school and be part of the student body once again... it can be hard...
When you hear information about someone... what they have done... you create, in your mind, what you think this person is... WHAT that person is... it can be difficult to have those judgments... especially as you get to know WHO that person is...
This year I have started working with a student who has been accused of being violent towards several opposite sex peers outside of school... and has a history from elementary school and middle school of threatening with sharps... (Sharps is a term used to describe items that are sharp...knives, scissors, needles, etc.) There have been, of course, psychological examinations... multiple meetings... and this student is in my school... I did not work with this student in previous years...but this year have been brought into the loop... and meet with this student several times per week. This student, with me, is very respectful, more so than many other students... this student has come to me when frustrated as I have requested...and has been able to 'own' a few small mistakes made this year... this student is likable... demonstrates kindness... has been doing what the teachers ask... and I forget, at times... about the allegations...some of which I know to be true... and I feel bad for what may evolve legally from those allegations... what impact that may have on the future for this student... and I catch myself enjoying the interactions I have with this student... and when we make eye contact... I see moments of kindness... calmness...and my heart goes out to this student ....and I also see moments that give me chills... and wonder what will happen when...if ... the charges move forward and guilty is the verdict... will this student still come to school? will it change how we (staff) interact with the student? Will this student be 'allowed' to continue attending? It gives me mixed feelings...
If... I had only these last few weeks to look at... separate from everything else... I would advocate that this student remain in our school and we continue operating as we have been... daily searches... multiple check ins... adults having eyes on this student at all times... with hope that outside counseling could help...could change things for this student as things move forward... hope that there would not be reason for future allegations... but... the last few weeks is such a small piece of the puzzle... the truth is, that while we, as a school, have no legal basis to say the student cannot be enrolled... at this time... is it the right thing? The truth is that we can take precautions... but we are such a small part of this student's puzzle... we cannot control what happens outside of school... the impulses... the possible neurological miswires... my gut tells me this student is unwell... that there is a risk... that there may be an expiration date for the student's ability to maintain...
Another situation... where I KNOW without a doubt what has happened... and I know much about the student involved and the impact this student has on others... and for the first time in my career... I could, without guilt, say that expulsion of a student would be warranted... but... I do not get to make that decision... and I respect the decision that has been made... and I believe that another situation will arise that will have that eventual outcome... I will do my part in interacting with this student and doing business as usual... and will be vigilant about keeping my eyes on things... and it is my responsibility to try to protect other students from being negatively impacted from this student... and... to protect this student from being negatively impacted by others... and help this student move forward... it won't be easy, but it is the right things to do.
I guess I take some solace in knowing that is is not MY decision to have these students enrolled in my school despite their missteps... my role is to work with the students as I have been directed...to treat them fairly in my daily interactions.... but that won't be comforting should anything new happen under my watch...
When you are not the judge and jury... there is some comfort in the responsibility not being fully on your shoulders... relief even... if I am being totally honest...but... when you have to live with the decisions of the judge and jury...knowing other students are at risk... sometimes not being the judge and jury can make you feel powerless... So... I do the best I can do... given what I have... and be vigilant ... to try to prevent further damage...
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