I see people online arguing that school principal positions should be "professionalized." What does that even entail? If this means a "professional" administrator just gets to park themselves in a plush office until retirement, I am dead set against it. As much as there are decent leaders out there, there are far more who treat public institutions like their own private fiefdoms—hiring relatives, hand-picking favorites for expensive training seminars, and bleeding a meager school budget dry through shady means, like charging $200 $0.00 to fix a single restroom. In my view, we need a mandatory audit of all school maintenance and construction projects to ensure the work was actually necessary and that the costs align with standard US market rates.
Furthermore, there needs to be strict regulation regarding funding for professional development. It should be distributed equitably to everyone, perhaps even following a simple alphabetical order, rather than the current nonsense where certain insiders get to fly out to San Francisco while everyone else can't even get their meal per diems covered.
Look, people here are sharing their personal stories, and honestly, reading this is gut-wrenching 🤦 The scars from bullying don't just fade; they stay with you for life and can even drive someone to suicide.
I haven't seen any posts from you yet! If you have something on your mind or just want to jump into the conversation, feel free to share. I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts! kaže: I was chatting with a colleague who used to teach over there, and he mentioned that things have actually improved quite a bit. It sounds like the situation is incomparably better than it used to be.
What does "incomparably better" actually mean? How many different schools did he teach at, and roughly how many students did he work with over the years? What exactly is he basing his claims on? You know what they say—the grass is always greener on the neighbor's lawn. I used to think that was just a cliché until I moved into my current place. Every time I look over at the yard next door, it looks like something straight out of a professional landscaping magazine! It’s funny how we work ourselves up over things that seem perfect from the outside, isn't it? 😬
Quincy:
I haven't seen any posts from you yet! Looking forward to hearing what you have to say. kaže: That’s exactly why I keep bringing up family therapy instead of just focusing on temporary isolation.
What exactly are you basing that claim about guaranteed efficiency on? Family dynamics aren't going to shift overnight, and honestly, it feels like it could be a long time before we see real progress. In some households, things are so deeply rooted that change seems almost impossible. This often leads to children being sidelined or isolated from the rest of the family, which can be heartbreaking. I’ve seen cases where this isolation actually backfires, making a child's behavior or emotional reactions even more difficult to manage. It really makes you wonder: what are we supposed to do for those kids caught in the middle? Does the school system actually have any patience left for kids like them? And more importantly, how much is left in the tank?
The one thing that really jumps out at me is the suspension.I just hope things don't end up like that here in the States.Family therapy can be such a game-changer when things feel a little off at home. It’s not just about fixing one specific problem; it’s more about looking at the whole picture and helping everyone communicate better. I remember a few years back, my own family went through a bit of a rough patch where we were all talking past each other instead of actually listening. We decided to try a few sessions with a counselor, and honestly, it helped us find our rhythm again. It’s really about building those stronger connections so everyone feels heard.Let others deal with them.What exactly should teachers be looking for, and what tools do they actually need to succeed? Beyond that, I’ve been thinking lately about what the true role of a school should be in a student's life. Is it just about the curriculum, or is there something deeper going on? I can't shake the feeling that this recommendation is actually a way to push problematic kids aside. It feels like the underlying goal is to get them out of the classroom entirely so the teachers can just focus on the curriculum in peace. It’s almost as if they want to minimize their presence in school just so the rest of the class isn't interrupted.
Shouldn't a school be a safe haven where a parent can drop off their sixth grader without worrying they'll get jumped by an eighth grader?
Shouldn't students with severe behavioral disorders be handled by professionals specifically trained for that level of intervention? As it stands, it sounds like we're expecting teachers to moonlight as family therapists.
Ultimately, they expect one teacher to act as a surrogate parent, a psychologist, a security guard, and an educator all at once. It's absurd.
That’s precisely why you have to tackle the family dynamics first. Family therapy isn't some magic wand—it won't provide an overnight fix—but it is undeniably more effective than just barking orders at people.
Susan James said:I never said I knew better than everyone else. As a teacher, it honestly makes me a bit sad that you're perceiving it that way, or rather, that you're reading so much between the lines.
There isn't any peer violence in Austria or Germany.😕 Really?
No, what is that? 🤣
Do you actually think the fear of being socially isolated is enough to make someone correct their violent behavior? (I'd drop an LOL here, but since you're a teacher, I'll just stick to this 🤦)
Do you seriously believe that a kid who was popular because he got into fights at school is going to become socially isolated just because he's out of school for 30 days? 🤣 That nobody will want to hang out with them just because they weren't there? That they won't be able to connect with people on Facebook, on the street, or with even tougher criminals while practicing their "street survival skills"?
I totally get the need to protect the kids who aren't violent and behave well, but please realize that a child who is aggressive, impulsive, lacks self-control, has no sense of norms, or holds warped values needs to be surrounded by positive role models they can actually learn from.
They won't find that on the streets, they likely don't have a stable home, and the chances of finding it in a juvenile detention center are slim (because even with the best staff, they are still surrounded by peers just like themselves).
The goal shouldn't just be to "correct" violent behavior (even though you're advocating for punishment), but to teach the child how to act in a socially acceptable way. Where or from whom are they supposed to learn if you just isolate them?
A colleague of mine who used to teach over there tells me the situation is incomparably better.
Do you honestly believe that the mere fear of social isolation is enough to force someone to correct their violent behavior?
I have already pointed out how one disruptive student can poison the entire classroom dynamic. When there are zero consequences for bad behavior, these troublemakers don't just get away with it—they become leaders. Without real discipline, they aren't being forced to change; if anything, they’re being encouraged to act out even more.
The goal isn't merely to correct—though I certainly advocate for strict punishment—but to actually teach a child how to behave in a socially acceptable manner. If you isolate someone, who exactly do you think they’re going to learn from? They’ll be left with nothing but their own thoughts.
That is precisely why I constantly advocate for family therapy instead of just settling for temporary isolation.
It’s absolutely absurd. This is nothing more than a complete farce! kaže:
Look, you have to hire educated, highly motivated professionals if you want results—but good luck finding anyone willing to work in the middle of nowhere for today's wages. $2000Monthly check-ins with those "troublemaker" kids and their parents—especially if you live nearby—might be exactly what’s needed to motivate them to stop quitting so easily. Do you honestly believe that is even a possibility? 😬
Susan James said:Let’s look at the details here: Where are you actually going to take a kid for those 30 days? At best, the kid is just going to get a reward by sitting in front of the TV, scrolling through social media, or playing video games, enjoying a break from a school environment that was already stressing them out anyway. It sends the wrong message to the other kids: "Hey, if you act out, maybe you can get sent home too, so we can just hang out and play Xbox all day." That sounds way better to a kid than getting lectured.
And then what happens after the suspension? Is one month really enough? How does the student make up for all the material the high-achieving students mastered during those 30 days? Is the school going to play nice and hand out easy assignments just to keep the peace at home? Isn't that just another reward? Or will the school even want to let a "rehabilitated" bully back into the classroom...
Shouldn't that child be tasked with making amends—doing something productive that serves as both a consequence and a way to show others that justice is being served? Shouldn't someone use those 30 days to actually teach them, through words and actions, how to behave properly?
And family therapy? In just one month, 🤣
Besides, what are you actually going to do about it? Who are you even going to mandate to attend family therapy if the aggressive child has been placed in a juvenile detention center?
He’ll feel like a celebrity once you isolate him, especially with the way you're suggesting this be handled. Instead of dealing with teachers, reading assignments, homework, and responsibilities, he gets to stay home and relax. Do you honestly think the other kids—especially toward the end of the semester when everyone is stressed about finals—are going to look at him with sympathy? 😕
They’re going to struggle with the curriculum regardless, so how else is he supposed to pass the grade? He doesn't need pity. And frankly, how can you, acting as a psychologist, be oblivious to the fear of social isolation? Was that not part of your college curriculum?
Actually, there's no need for further explanation. The system I'm proposing would require psychologists to be far more involved than they currently are, and that's where the real issue lies.
This exact system works perfectly fine in both Austria and Germany, yet we have a group of self-important egos who insist they know better than everyone else. It’s that kind of arrogance that landed us right where we are today.
It’s common sense—family therapy wouldn't just wrap up in a single month.
Furthermore, intervention should start at the very first sign of trouble, rather than waiting for things to spiral out of control.
Paul Wilson72 said:I can't say I'm surprised. Criminals are being raised from childhood these days. If there are no consequences at home, there certainly aren't any in the school system because kids are treated like they're made of glass. It seems like the modern way to raise a child is to teach them how to be an aggressor. Apparently, being a bully is considered a better life choice than being a victim.
Regardless, I think it's vital to enroll the kid in some kind of martial arts; not to turn him into a thug, but so he actually has the means to defend himself when necessary.
That’s just the state of things today. My mother-in-law mentioned she was walking the dog across a bridge near some kids yesterday, and one of them barked, "Should we throw that Pekingese into the river?" Well, you better watch your step then.
Paul Wilson72 said:It’s exactly that kind of mindset that makes these kids think they can get away with anything... Besides, if it were your own kid on the line, you’d likely change your tune pretty fast. Or maybe you'd be looking at a Nobel Peace Prize nomination. ☕
The law really needs an overhaul. It’s hardly a reward when you have your parents nagging you every single day because of some suspension; you certainly won't be thinking about how much "fun" you're having. If these systems work perfectly fine in Austria and Germany, why on earth wouldn't they work here in America?
The answer is painfully simple—and honestly, it's just pathetic—why wouldn't it work? Because we are America... and around here, everything has to be done the hard way, if anything even gets done at all.
A system without actual sanctions is completely unsustainable. These penalties are a joke, and frankly, what is the USSA even doing? Do they just drop by to check on supervised families once in a blue moon and call it a day?
Paul Wilson72 said:True, those countries might just have more effective ways of handling these issues... at the end of the day, there should always be consequences...
I agree. These purely bureaucratic pedagogical measures only serve to escalate violence. It eventually leads to even worse behavior in class, ranging from a total lack of respect for teachers to general chaos and laziness. Clearly, this approach isn't working. The real question is whether anyone at the Department of Education has the sense to take concrete action to put a stop to this...
It's unbelievable... just pure stupidity. Honestly, I hope they were held financially responsible for the damages. I'm also curious—what happened to the ones caught on camera? Beyond just piles of paperwork, did anything actually happen to them?
It was just one repeat offender. Over the summer, he ripped the camera off, broke into the high school, and trashed the student directory.
He got a formal reprimand. 😬
He didn't pay for the damages because he's on public assistance.
Jessica Howard5 said:Look, I get where you're coming from, but if the setup makes it impossible for one teacher to monitor an entire hallway, then you need two people. In the cafeteria, one person is plenty because you have a clear line of sight. As for parents, if they didn't schedule a meeting, they have no business cornering you. If there's an emergency and a parent shows up outside of scheduled hours, you should find a colleague to cover you, and if the principal needs you, it's on them to provide coverage. You also have the janitorial staff who can help keep an eye on things during breaks; we usually have at least two on shift. Listen, this is a serious job, and you are responsible for student safety in that building. As parents, we expect our kids to be safe at school, but if something does happen, you want the investigation and inspection to show you did absolutely everything within your power. Scuffles and fights have always existed and always will; it's a reality. But if you've kept an eye on the kids in the "high risk" group—the ones who've shown aggressive tendencies since elementary school—and you're monitoring them, you minimize the risk. It's still no guarantee, but at least you can sleep at night knowing you did your part. One solid solution is installing security cameras. In schools with them, these incidents drop to almost zero. Believe me. Fights still happen, but you see them sooner, you react faster, and there's no "my kid would never do that" excuse when the video footage speaks for itself. Ultimately, the school is responsible for student safety. I work at least 8 hours a day with one 20-minute break. If student safety and your own liability are on the line, forget the coffee in the lounge—get out in the halls and watch. It sounds harsh, but it's the reality.
I work at an American school that uses video surveillance, and despite that, students continue to file complaints. It doesn't stop there—they even vandalize school property. They actually ripped a camera right off the wall, which was the absolute height of stupidity since they were recorded doing it. Apparently, they had no clue the footage was being saved somewhere.☕
I can't even begin to process this level of sheer, unadulterated nothingness. You really sat there, stared at your screen, and decided that providing absolutely zero substance was the best way to contribute to this conversation? It’s frankly exhausting to witness such a blatant display of emptiness, though I suppose I shouldn't be surprised given the current state of things. If you're going to take up space in my feed, at least have the decency to provide a coherent thought instead of this hollow void. I completely get why everyone is acting like I’ve lost my mind after I laid out exactly how these situations should be handled: you give them a month-long suspension from school and mandate intensive family therapy.
He really shouldn't be allowed to just lash out at anyone he pleases, let alone target someone younger and weaker right in the middle of a high school hallway, but clearly, he thinks he’s somehow above the rules.
Do you think this reprimand will actually stick, or is he just going to brush it off? I honestly can't decide what his future looks like five or ten years down the road. Personally, I’m hoping this slap on the wrist serves as the wake-up call he desperately needs to finally get his act together.
You have to isolate a bully from their environment, even if it's just temporary, because of the toxic influence they exert on the other kids. Right now, he’s acting like some kind of local celebrity, and honestly, it’s infuriating how every single newspaper in town has been obsessively covering his every move.
I’ve made this point before, and I’ll say it again: when things go sideways in our elementary school system, the absolute pinnacle of what they consider a "pedagogical solution" is simply shuffling a kid off to a different school and calling it a day. Of course, a reprimand isn't some life-altering event for a student; at its core, it’s just a scrap of paper stating they’re in trouble for this or that. If the school actually manages to function like it’s supposed to, then we can finally start talking about moving forward. There has to be a mandatory protocol where violence is reported directly to the Center and the relevant Department of Education. From there, you take the next step, which is transferring the student to a different school. But which one? That depends entirely on what the psychologists decide based on their official evaluations—whether that means placing them in a specialized program or a school specifically designed for kids dealing with behavioral issues, which, let’s face it, definitely exist within NYC. The law is written in stone, and apparently, the concept of suspension just doesn't exist in our legal system anymore; frankly, I’m not even sure what we'd actually achieve if we forced some kid to stay home for a month, because at this point, it feels like a completely futile gesture. As if he’d actually consider that some kind of reward. The issues we’re facing here run far, far deeper than anyone seems willing to admit.
We need to change the law. It isn't some kind of prize to have parents nagging you every single day about a suspension; you wouldn't exactly think he’d be "having fun." If these systems work in Austria and Germany, why can't they work here in America?
The real reward was what he got today—a reprimand and absolutely nothing else. He’s all over the news now and is basically a celebrity. What on earth is going to stop him from doing the exact same thing again?
The school district implemented a new policy—something schools everywhere seem to do—but we keep pointing out that these moves are completely ineffective and might actually backfire.
I honestly don't get why everyone is acting like I'm crazy for suggesting the obvious solution: a month-long suspension from school and mandatory family therapy. 🙄
He shouldn't be allowed to lash out at anyone like that, let alone target someone younger and weaker right in the middle of the hallway. But clearly, he thinks he’s untouchable.
So they gave him a reprimand 😁, but seriously, what kind of adult do you think he'll be in 5 or 10 years? As if a slap on the wrist is going to fix his character.
Bullies need to be removed from the environment immediately, if only to stop them from poisoning the rest of the kids. Right now, he's playing the hero because every newspaper in town has been running stories about him. 🙂
Jessica Howard5 said:I'm not generalizing. Sure, there are divorced teachers who are amazing, but then you have those who were totally checked out during the divorce process or right before it. Look at the entire social services department—they're all married with no kids. They have all the theoretical knowledge in the world, but practically speaking? Zero real-world experience.
That's what I meant.
I believe everyone in those positions should be forced to undergo basic life training and social integration before they’re even allowed to hold a job. It is an absolute joke; they have zero practical experience and spend all their time peddling useless theories. Now I finally understand why our entire system is such a complete disaster. 😁
Paul Wilson72 said:Kids start socializing practically from the moment they are born. Parents play the biggest role here—how present they are, whether they actually react to behaviors the child shows toward other kids before preschool even starts, and whether those traits lean toward being anti-social, aggressive, or possessive. By the time a child enters kindergarten, parents have already paved the way for how that child will ultimately behave. There is only a tiny window left where character can truly be reshaped; everything else is just fine-tuning. They might learn to act socially acceptable when the situation demands it, but their true nature will always surface whenever they feel they can get away with it, including later on in high school.
Since there is often a massive gap between theory and reality, we shouldn't expect much from family counseling or child therapy, especially once they hit adolescence. However, you can at least influence how certain behaviors are sanctioned. These kids aren't stupid; they know exactly what might fly with their classmates but won't work with a teacher, and what might pass with a teacher but won't hold up with the principal. If they realize a teacher lacks the actual authority or means to restrain them, nothing will change. I doubt anyone is arrogant enough to argue with someone like a principal, because they know the power lies with them—the principal is the one who signs off on suspensions or expulsions. Usually, everyone behaves themselves in front of the administration, unless the parents are somehow "somebody" in town, in which case anything goes...
It isn’t realistic to expect students who are causing trouble right now to suddenly become model citizens or deeply principled adults in a few years. Besides, anyone who had solid moral values instilled in them during childhood isn't going to wake up one day and decide to go mug someone or commit a crime just because it's Saturday and they're bored. This behavior started long ago, well before elementary school, during those times when parents simply didn't step in. So, regardless of how much people philosophize here, a school relying on mere paperwork is essentially useless. It's like trying to wipe something with sandpaper; it's just not going to work.
That said, if anyone has a positive story, I’d love to hear it. If you knew a student who arrived in first grade as a little wild child but turned into a genuinely kind soul by eighth grade or their senior year of high school, please share. Honestly, my instinct is sometimes just to say, "let someone else deal with them," because dealing with these types is exhausting for everyone involved...
On a brighter note, I have to brag a little. Last week, I spent some time with a group of young men who truly earned their time and attention, and ultimately, the recognition for their hard work. That is the one beautiful side of education—that we can still devote proper attention to the kids who deserve it, rather than just focusing on the problems that seem to dominate every meeting and daily routine...
We dealt with a handful of kids who had zero respect for authority, even toward the Principals. Usually, the administrator just tries to move past it, but then you get a kid who isn't even ten years old shouting, "Screw you, you're gonna call CPS on me?" 😲