Monday, November 08, 2004
Decision Making
I hadn't planned on doing another work-related post tonight. But today's events compelled me to write about them. I had to make a difficult decision, one that I believe is correct, but that leaves me troubled. Ever wanted a window into how school administrators make decisions? Well, here's your chance.
"J" is a 15 year old 8th grader with learning disabilities. He has experienced significant discipline problems during his four years of middle school (he was retained one year). He also comes from a hellish home life and is actually a pleasant kid to talk to.....and I have talked to him often this year.
"J's" mom was evicted from her home last month with him and his two brothers. She found a place to live with a friend, but that friend would not allow "J" to stay there. He ended up living with his aunt who has several children of her own, and let it be known that "J" was on a very short leash with her. Mom then moved 100 miles away, stayed gone for a month, and is now back to the friend's house. "J" has worn out his welcome at his aunt's home and his mom really has no idea where he will live now.
Today, two boys reported to the office that "J" had a knife and had threatened them with it, telling one, "don't mess with me or I'll stick you with this knife". I pulled "J" from class, brought him to my office with a witness, told him that we had reason to believe he had a knife, and asked him to empty his pockets. He denied having the knife and began to empty his pockets onto my desk. He told me he was done, and I asked him to turn the pocket inside-out. "J" stuck his hand back in, looked at me and said, "oh, maybe I do have a knife". I asked him to hand it to me and he complied. When I informed him of the consequences he faced he sobbed and kept saying, "my life is so worthless".
When I consider discipline issues I must go by the "Code of Student Conduct" which specifies minimum and maximum penalties for every conceivable offense. The minimum for this type of offense is a 5 day suspension and the maximum is expulsion for the remainder of the school year. So how do you decide what to do?
Several things come into play here. First, what was his intent in bringing the knife? Allegations of threatening other students take this to a very serious level. Second, what is the discipline history of the student? Has he committed similiar offenses in the past? Third, does the presence of the student constitute a danger to other students in the school? I strive to be fair and make a judgement consistent with the facts and common sense.
"J" vehemently denied making a threat of any kind. He denied showing the knife to anyone at school. My question for him of course was, "how did these other students know you had the knife if they haven't seen it"? His denial casts doubt on his credibility. But in the end it comes down to his word against the word of another student. It is difficult to expel a student from school on that basis. Every time I make a decision like this, I picture myself defending it before the school board and lawyers. If it doesn't feel right I make another decision.
Then I pulled "J's" discipline record up on our school's mainframe computer. Since he has been in middle school, "J" has three suspensions for possession of a weapon (other than a gun), including a 31 day suspension just last year. He also has several suspensions for battery or fighting. This turns things on its head a bit. What are the consequences if I DON'T long-term suspend him? What happens if he brings another knife to school next month and harms another student? Given his history, the school could very well be held liable and I could even be sued personally. Furthermore, can I risk the safety of the rest of the student body?
I went to the principal of the school, and with a heavy heart, recommended that "J" be suspended from school for the remainder of the school year. She agreed, and I began the paperwork to set the wheels in motion. "J" will be given an opportunity to attend alternative school if a slot exists for him. This may sound like a good option but one of the staff refers to alternative school as "Thugs R Us". If anything, it will hurry him down the track he is already headed on.
I will meet with "J" and his mother tomorrow and inform them of my decision. I don't look forward to doing this one little bit. I believe that my decision is the right thing to do, but I can't help but wonder if this will be the final nail in this kid's coffin. He doesn't have a stable place to live...he'll probably just bounce around. His mother is....well....loony. Now he's losing the one normal thing in his life. He loved the "leadership" class and the Army Captain (who just spent a year in Afghanistan) who taught it. I saw this as one of the few forces in his life pulling him away from the "Dark Side".
Now its gone. What will become of this troubled young man? What does his future hold? I told him, "I'm so sorry that you got yourself into this mess. When you do something like this I can't do a lot to help you anymore."
Good luck "J". When I said I was sorry I really meant it. You didn't see me after you left my office. I buried my face in my hands, pounded my fist on my desk, and let out a big "damnit".
Damnit.
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"J" is a 15 year old 8th grader with learning disabilities. He has experienced significant discipline problems during his four years of middle school (he was retained one year). He also comes from a hellish home life and is actually a pleasant kid to talk to.....and I have talked to him often this year.
"J's" mom was evicted from her home last month with him and his two brothers. She found a place to live with a friend, but that friend would not allow "J" to stay there. He ended up living with his aunt who has several children of her own, and let it be known that "J" was on a very short leash with her. Mom then moved 100 miles away, stayed gone for a month, and is now back to the friend's house. "J" has worn out his welcome at his aunt's home and his mom really has no idea where he will live now.
Today, two boys reported to the office that "J" had a knife and had threatened them with it, telling one, "don't mess with me or I'll stick you with this knife". I pulled "J" from class, brought him to my office with a witness, told him that we had reason to believe he had a knife, and asked him to empty his pockets. He denied having the knife and began to empty his pockets onto my desk. He told me he was done, and I asked him to turn the pocket inside-out. "J" stuck his hand back in, looked at me and said, "oh, maybe I do have a knife". I asked him to hand it to me and he complied. When I informed him of the consequences he faced he sobbed and kept saying, "my life is so worthless".
When I consider discipline issues I must go by the "Code of Student Conduct" which specifies minimum and maximum penalties for every conceivable offense. The minimum for this type of offense is a 5 day suspension and the maximum is expulsion for the remainder of the school year. So how do you decide what to do?
Several things come into play here. First, what was his intent in bringing the knife? Allegations of threatening other students take this to a very serious level. Second, what is the discipline history of the student? Has he committed similiar offenses in the past? Third, does the presence of the student constitute a danger to other students in the school? I strive to be fair and make a judgement consistent with the facts and common sense.
"J" vehemently denied making a threat of any kind. He denied showing the knife to anyone at school. My question for him of course was, "how did these other students know you had the knife if they haven't seen it"? His denial casts doubt on his credibility. But in the end it comes down to his word against the word of another student. It is difficult to expel a student from school on that basis. Every time I make a decision like this, I picture myself defending it before the school board and lawyers. If it doesn't feel right I make another decision.
Then I pulled "J's" discipline record up on our school's mainframe computer. Since he has been in middle school, "J" has three suspensions for possession of a weapon (other than a gun), including a 31 day suspension just last year. He also has several suspensions for battery or fighting. This turns things on its head a bit. What are the consequences if I DON'T long-term suspend him? What happens if he brings another knife to school next month and harms another student? Given his history, the school could very well be held liable and I could even be sued personally. Furthermore, can I risk the safety of the rest of the student body?
I went to the principal of the school, and with a heavy heart, recommended that "J" be suspended from school for the remainder of the school year. She agreed, and I began the paperwork to set the wheels in motion. "J" will be given an opportunity to attend alternative school if a slot exists for him. This may sound like a good option but one of the staff refers to alternative school as "Thugs R Us". If anything, it will hurry him down the track he is already headed on.
I will meet with "J" and his mother tomorrow and inform them of my decision. I don't look forward to doing this one little bit. I believe that my decision is the right thing to do, but I can't help but wonder if this will be the final nail in this kid's coffin. He doesn't have a stable place to live...he'll probably just bounce around. His mother is....well....loony. Now he's losing the one normal thing in his life. He loved the "leadership" class and the Army Captain (who just spent a year in Afghanistan) who taught it. I saw this as one of the few forces in his life pulling him away from the "Dark Side".
Now its gone. What will become of this troubled young man? What does his future hold? I told him, "I'm so sorry that you got yourself into this mess. When you do something like this I can't do a lot to help you anymore."
Good luck "J". When I said I was sorry I really meant it. You didn't see me after you left my office. I buried my face in my hands, pounded my fist on my desk, and let out a big "damnit".
Damnit.
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