"Hazelwood Replaces Price" Is This the Change Needed For HSD?

I am a woman with a passion for what's right.  A big-hearted girl who always feels bad for the losing football or baseball team, and I feel a little sorry for anybody who gets fired.

Just under Dr. Price are numerous assistant superintendents, who carried the baton right along with Dr. Price, so I feel a little bad he got blamed for losing the relay.

However, I reached out to Dr. Price, the school board, and all the assistant superintendents with concerns about my son's elementary school, Barrington Elementary. None of them returned calls to address concerns, made changes, or got involved to see if indeed things were as bad as I said. It was.

The U.S. Department of Civil Rights helped me get their attention. This was not a one-man team, but a group of people who together are failing our district. However, a fresh start is most likely needed, so hopefully something good will come out of the situation. I have been through five hard years of taking on this district, advocating for my children, and trying to make sure all children are treated fairly. It's not easy being that parent, but it was necessary.

(If you need advice because your child received an unfair detention in elementary school, visit my contact page at Jordan’s Advocate.com) My son no longer attends Barrington. He is in a better school. Thank you to all the staff there for treating him so much better. With the firing of the superintendent, it's time for a lot of discussion about how to make our schools a better place. To the Hazelwood Board, it’s going to take a lot more than replacing Price with Tobias.

First of all, American schools are different in so many ways than those of other countries.  We treat our teachers differently.  In China, for example, and based off a PBS documentary, China chooses its best students, asks them to become teachers, pays for them to earn their degrees and pays them more money to do their job.  A teacher in China is highly respected both by society and by students. The position viewed more prestigious than doctors and lawyers.  Teachers, you may not get paid what you should, but I wish our good teachers lived in a society that values and respects them more.  Our schools have some amazing teachers and I admire every one that treats a child with respect and those who give encouragement rather than ridiculous consequences. 

Next, parents need to step up to the plate. Live our lives by being a positive example. Let children learn respect, honor, and grace at home so it's carried to school. It's so incredibly sad, how some people treat their children, yet we treat those same children as disposable at school.  I wish we lived in a society where parents raised their children with values and respect.  This alone, would change our country.  Please parents, parent your children with respect, so the nation will stop blaming the children for the problems with our schools.

It’s actually not the children though. Just look at the suicide rate of our children. What is it they are trying to escape from?  I'm being bold here, could it be something very wrong with the institution we call public school?  Yes. Most will say these things happen due to bullying. Bullying IS bad, but bullying has been around since Little House on the Prairie days, yet children weren't hanging themselves in their bedroom closets, or bringing weapons to school to wipe out it's very existence.  Yes America, something is very wrong with our school system.

The system however, looks the same as it always has, but much has changed. To learn more, visit “The War on Kids.”

“The film takes a look at public school education in America and concludes that schools are not only failing to educate, but are increasingly authoritarian institutions more akin to prisons that are eroding the foundations of American democracy. Students are robbed of basic freedoms primarily due to irrational fears; they are searched, arbitrarily punished and force-fed dangerous pharmaceutical drugs. The educational mission of the public school system has been reduced from one of learning and preparation for adult citizenship to one of control and containment.” (Wikipedia)

Bad teachers and bad principals need to be held accountable. There is some bad stuff going on in this district and all schools. The principal doesn't want to offend the teacher when they do something wrong, they will end up without a teacher, the Administrator doesn't want to offend the principal when they do something wrong. They "trust" the principal is doing right. (Not always ladies and gentlemen).  When you contact the school board, well you know, nothing is done. Want to fix the deficit?  Get rid of the bad teachers. (Personal opinion… why not start with the two P.E. teachers, who have small elementary children sit out of P.E. because their shirt is un-tucked. Apparently they aren't really teaching P.E.)

Graduation rates will increase when kids are treated fairly without the overuse of detention and suspension (the U.S. gives more detentions and suspensions than any other country). Has it put US first in education? No. So apparently it doesn't work. This is not my opinion, but that of experts.

Increased suspensions.. equal increased drop out rates..which equal increased crime.  It doesn't and hasn't worked to keep giving children, even elementary children (Barrington Elementary, I cringe every time I see the sign on your front door, “Detention is in room…”) detentions and suspensions. If you want to fix our country, fix our schools.

Finally, replacing the superintendent may or may not have been necessary, but hopefully it's a sign that better things are going to happen.  I hope in the years to come HSD has a leader who wants what is RIGHT for the children in his care. Not thrilled about the interim, I brought plenty of research to his attention regarding Barrington’s poor policies and he supported the person putting it into practice. Put what’s right for children first, in every decision made, and everything the board wants to see change will, including higher tests score, better kids and higher graduation rates. The race can still be won, but change is needed in many places from the homes we raise our children in, the classroom, the principal offices, the Administrative offices and the School Board itself.