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Show f 16N6 .. America, America, thy sins prepare thy doom; Monoxide cloud shall be thy shroud; Thy cities be thy tomb. son came home from school saying the principal had grabbed him around the neck and threw him against the wall when the boy was standing in a lunch line. She said the principal told her that the boy had "pulled a face at a passing teacher." "I thought the action was harsh," she said, but when asked other kids who saw the incident, they said that the principal's actions were unprovoked. I Concerned parents meet to discuss problems at Gilbert responded to the in the allegation of case of the lunch line incident and said he only held on to the boy's Ted Salazar, a parent, said s I that one of this daughters attending the school told him that a teacher repeatedly threatened "to use his new shoes" to discipline the girl even though she wasn't guilty of anything. He said all the parents want is to change the disciplinary actions at the school. Salazar said that there is too much pressure on the principal. He shouldn't be the disciplinarian of our children, he said. Mr. Edison School. over-reactin- g Edison School conflict between school and families by Kirk Terry waited for hours after school has closed and the parents and The principal of Edison students don't keep the E. appointments. One teacher said she would welcome Edison School parents in her class and has offered parents the opportunity, but they don't come. Some ten parents of Edison Elementary School students met in another parent's home on March 27 and retold the incidents Elementary School, Ray Gilbert and teachers at the school said that the recent problems of harsh principal and teacher disciplinary actions alleged by some parents of students at the school are "exaggerated and stem pa f rent rom the lack of - teacher-studen- t communication. "We are not receiving the of children being harshly and disciplined by the principal and participation needed' said Janet Kirton, a teacher at Edison. These parents don't discipline their children at home, and when we teachers or the principal must discipline the student and not certain teachers who have parental support harshly, the children g, are she said. Gilbert said the Principal problem isn't discipline - that comes naturally if the students enjoy school and are happy. He said that the parents don't want to get involved in what their children are doing. We set up conferences, he said, and the parents never show up. Many times teachers have allegedly hit children under their arms, dragged children down the halls by their necks or ears and that the restrooms are often locked during school hours. The school principal is charged by the "He has been children under grabbing them group who said, seen hitting the their arms and about the neck and dragging them into his office." The group says that a former volunteer teacher is prepared to offer a sworn statement charging the principal with hitting the children. Mrs. Ada Beckham said her S' .S 5s ' , . , "SfivV ,v - A arm. Some children are constantly mischevious,he said, and in this case he never hit the child. When he saw the boy grimacing at the passing teacher, he said he went to the boy and asked him why he did it. Gilbert I child at Edison. of working with the problem fY.Ss - '''t "gaum said the youngster denied the act and was taken to J his office. "I've been firm," he said, "but Ada Beckham, parent of don't hit children." Another parent said that a teacher called her son a "nigger" and the boy was dragged down the hall to the principal's office Ted Salazar says "prinfor discipline. She said that her be shouldn't cipal son came home from school that disciplinarian for our day with scars behind his ear. She children preferred to remain anonymous. The parent went on to cite an Gilbert said he has been incident where her son's ruffled asked by parents to discipline shirt collar was torn by a teacher. their children, because "they can't control them at home." He Later, she said, the principal said problem children usually apologized for the teacher's actions. come from homes where the Regarding the locking of parent doesn't want the restrooms, Librarian Carol responsibility of disciplining their Buchmiller said she has never seen own children. One demand of the group of more children who play in restrooms in all of the other parents is to place a social worker schools in which she has taught. back into the school. The principal and teachers completely Principal Gilbert said that the teachers and himself were agree with this request as a way of concerned about this problem, but dealing with some of the that the restrooms are only problems in the school. Gilbert said that the school locked at night and when the custodian is cleaning them. needs a person with the sole task child. Asocial worker would have this responsibility. The parent group also wants to be included in the selection of a school principal and teachers in the future; in all 12 "objectives" and 8 "demands" have been drawn up by the parents. Arnold Stembridge, spokesman for the group, said that they don't hold personal grudges against the principal and teachers, but that the alleged practices are totally irresponsible. Arnold .spokesman Stembridge, for group. LC parent lyl ilw IM m ' . ' & r--i m . III! i! yf |
