Clear the One

All teachers and most of everyone else is aware that student behavior is at its most severe in the mainstream classroom. Personally, I have seen behavior classrooms that were more stable than some mainstream rooms. It shouldn’t be a surprise really. The societal decline going on around us doesn’t stop at the school steps. What’s happening in schools is a snapshot of what is happening in society. What teachers must endure to ensure their children learn is most unfortunate and often impossible to manage effectively.

Over the last decade, teachers and administrators’ hands have been tied increasingly tight as it relates to managing disruptive students. It is not unusual for students to bully, yes, bully teachers and peers, destroy property in the classroom, disrespect authority and a host of other infractions without significant consequences.

Teachers and administrators are admonished to be creative as they seek to consequence such behavior to avoid writing referrals or suspending students. What many educators may not know, is the state of Texas monitors the discipline of certain subgroups of students so many districts opt to manage the infractions in-house rather than sending the offending students home. These students frequently side-step any consequences at all.

So motivated are some districts to remain under the state’s radar, unruly students have been allowed to destroy classrooms while classmates are herded out to a safer place (and are learning nothing in the meantime). The action is called a “Room Clear.” I’ve witnessed this so many times it was no longer bothersome. It became normal.

I encourage readers to simply Google “Room Clear” and prepare to be disturbed. Often, communities seek security by assuming only the big city districts are having these problems. All school districts, large and small have these problems. Some are better at concealing this truth than others, but it hap-pens everywhere, nationwide.

Is this the best we can do given the average of more than $12,000 per year, per student taxpayers spend to educate students? What are we teaching them? That it’s okay to destroy public and personal property? There are no consequences for actions? The needs of the unruly usurp the needs of the entire class?

I long for the day that we stop making excuses for students who have no respect for teachers, schools, peers or themselves and hold them and their parents fully responsible for the damage they cause and if necessary, find alternative academic arrangements for them. More and more the right to a free and appropriate education should be considered a privilege.

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