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Schools Superintendent Blasts Hunter Mill Supervisor
Hudgins' statement a "serious misunderstanding" of policies, says Dale.
Fairfax County School Superintendent Jack Dale says that Hunter Mill Supervisor Cathy Hudgins' resolution about the system's zero tolerance policy for disciplinary issues "demonstrated a serious misunderstanding of FCPS policies."
Dale is a referring to Hudgins' comments at a Fairfax County Board of Supervisors' meeting, when she introduced a resolution regarding the county's role in disciplinary matters. Hudgins' remarks brought up recent suicides by FCPS students, and whether the school did enough to understand and work with them rather than discipline them.
In a statement to Board of Supervisors on Friday, Dale said:
"First, the title of the resolution itself perpetuates the falsehood that FCPS has a zerotolerance policy. We have never claimed this nor do we believe in the notion of zero tolerance for our students. We operate on the principle that students are given ample opportunity to correct their behaviors before serious consequences are applied.
"Let me assure you and all the families who send their nearly 175,000 students to our schools every day—our first priority is safety and security for all our students. Consequences,including suspensions and expulsions, are critical in maintaining a safe and secure learning environment for every student.
"Second, for Supervisor Hudgins’ resolution to link two tragic student deaths to their disciplinary processes for the purpose of furthering a falsehood is unconscionable and a blow to those who have already suffered great pain and loss.
"I believe our efforts would be far more productive if we focused on the incidence of depression among our county youth and how our agencies can work together to tackle this problem. Our joint County‐School Youth Survey results from 2009 showed that 14 percent of students had considered attempting suicide and 3.6 percent reported that they actually had attempted suicide. Further, the survey revealed that students who reported abusing substances within the last 30 days were more likely to experience depression, consider suicide,and attempt suicide.
"While the survey showed that the incidence of depression is trending downward, I believe that these responses indicate a serious issue still exists in our community. FCPS and many county agencies already have established positive working relationships on behalf of our youth, as presented at the joint County‐School Smart Savings Committee meeting. In that presentation, we learned that social workers and psychologists from both the schools and county collaborate and talk frequently about support for all types of family situations and are now working on a Systems of Care model for families and children in distress.
" In addition, a Promise Neighborhood initiative is under way with Fairfax County Human County Human Services and FCPS as lead partners in addressing communities at risk. These are just a few examples of our many collaborations and I am confident that as we continue to work together, we can make significant progress toward eliminating teen depression and suicide.
"Third, I strongly recommend that all members of the Board of Supervisors learn more about FCPS’ practices and policies before making public statements that are misinformed and damangingto our students, families, and community.
"The School Board and I stand ready to provide the facts and data as you consider and debate issues of importance to our community."
Thanks. We'll email you the next time we update this story.
John Farrell
11:20 pm on Friday, February 11, 2011
Dale had to received approval from Kathy Smith and her allies on the School Board before issuing this screed.
So why didn't Chairperson Smith issue this statement?
Were she and her fellow School Board members hoping to maintain deniability?
Which School Board members are standing behind Dale's hissy fit?
Which will repudiate it?
JoAnne Norton
9:15 am on Saturday, February 12, 2011
I applaud Cathy. I read the story on Patch. This student took his own life. That is serious, Jack Dale. Fairfax County Public Schools is so rapt up in being, as one board member stated, a "world class school system", that it has forgotten that its disciplinary code is too strict. I for one would rather have the student still among us than our high schools listed in the top 100 in the nation. Jack Dale, look over the amount of counseling around for students. And do you still have SOS, Students on Suspension, as a place for these kids to go? No, but you have fancy IB and AP and FLES, and every other acronym!!
Kate Van Dyck
5:54 pm on Sunday, February 13, 2011
I totally agree with the first two comments- the School Board should voice a coherent response loud and clear to this tragic situation. For Dr. Dale to get into a negative exchange with a member of the Board of Supervisors doesn't help the situation. I challenge the School Board members, Dr. Dale and his higher echelon staff to view the documentary 'Race to Nowhere' with parents, students and teachers on the receiving end of Fairfax County School's own version in its quest to push unprepared students into college level AP courses and then ignore the consequences of failure, school stress and a huge disconnect with our schools county-wide. This learning disconnect results in an increase in disciplinary violations. Pair that with an unyielding disciplinary process, over-burdened school counselors and we can see the disasters increasing! It's all about teen stress, depression, lack of learning choices in the push for a false title of 'world class school system' at the expense of our children's needs at all levels of learning. Ask Dr Dale why 'world class school systems' offer between 3-5 learning levels while FCPS has scaled ours back to only two in core subject areas when there is an AP course offered? Where was the School Board as this travesty in education was quietly being phased in county-wide over the last 10 years? The Board of Supervisors can consider themselves warned as this will soon catch up with the business/real estate community as our school system worsens.
Ellen
5:05 pm on Friday, February 25, 2011
I could not agree any more with your analysis. Fairfax County has only 2 levels. Why is this? There are 2 levels in Fairfax County- AP/IB and other. After watching my unprepared son get pushed into IB, I opted not to send my daughters to FCPS.
Sgt. 1st Class Pete Mayes
7:58 am on Tuesday, February 15, 2011
I am currently overseas and I try to catch with the happenings of my adopted hometown as much as possible. I think the "Reston.Patch.com" is a great idea and thanks to those who created it!
Now onto the business at hand: as a Soldier in the U.S. Army, I'm curious to learn what do many of these parents think the punishment should be if a student violates a rule. The punishment should indeed fit the crime, but I do not think a student would be expelled for drawing on a school desk. Finding drugs on a student's person is definite grounds for suspension, and possibly expulsion (depending on the number of offenses). But to do nothing because Johnny's "a good kid" no longer cuts it. We're not doing them any favors by not attaching meaningful consequences to their actions.
Many of these same "good kids" end up enlisting in the military and become discipline problems here. I see it everyday, and we as leaders end up having to correct them. Discipline is supposed to start at home, and it seems as though many of our parents have forgotten that. (BTW, I am a parent myself).
Instead of lambasting Mr. Dale, why not examine what caused these students to do what they did in the first place? It's much harder to point the finger at one's self instead of at someone else.
Karen Goff
8:39 am on Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Well said. Sgt. Mayes. Thanks for reading from overseas and thank you for your service.
Michael Deale
10:10 pm on Monday, March 14, 2011
Mr Mayes,
I think it is very clear what the young man did in the first place.
He made a mistake. He admitted that mistake and by all accounts was prepared to accept a reasonable nuanced punishment to fit the level of seriousness associated with his mistake.
This should NEVER have been escalated by FCPS. The mistake should have been addressed with appropriate care and concern for the safety and well being of all the citizens and students in Fairfax county. Instead FCPS addressed it with a draconian policy completely inconsistent with the values of the community it is supposed to serve.
As a result you are seeing the citizens of Fairfax county lash out at its elected (and in Mr. Dales case highly paid, appointed) leaders. In fact, in my community, and with every young person I interact with, "Johnny is a good kid, so lets invest the time and energy into Johnny so he can grow into a fine citizen and person" is EXACTLY what I demand of FCPS.
Phyllis Payne
12:19 pm on Tuesday, February 15, 2011
http://www.fairfaxunderground.com/forum/file.php?2,file=29282,filename=ZeroToleranceBoardMatter.pdf
Has everyone read the Board Matter? I think once you do, you'll find it to be compassionate and appropriate. No one has said that anyone should ignore bad behavior or that there shouldn't be discipline. Cathy Hudgins and Penny Gross and the BOS were right to support this statement. FCPS should share the data that supports the "administrative placements" because we are spending money to use this form of punishment. Is it appropriate? Is it helping students?
Jennifer Bargerstock
9:48 pm on Friday, February 18, 2011
I have to agree with Phyllis. We need transparency and accuracy. Also, in a time of budget cuts and fees, what are the costs for administrative placements? Who is providing transportation?
My vote is for compassionate and appropriate. Why remove a student from the adults who know him/her and place them with strangers in a time of discipline and stress? Who could better monitor than the teachers and coaches who are already involved with these kids - leading to a possibility of a real teachable moment?