Fights and disruption at Von Steuben School, people say

PEORIA -- The public comment section of the Peoria District 150 School Board meeting on Feb. 11 focused mainly on fighting and disruption at Von Steuben Middle School.

Many people spoke of the problems there. "Behaviors are out of control. Teachers have no power to curb the escalating behaviors," said a parent who is PTO president there and a part time aide. 

What kind of behaviors?  Children talk disrespectfully, swear, mock teachers, bully others, fight, attack teachers, and worse. the speakers said. They may get in trouble but then an adult complains to the administration which overturns the punishment.  The children know this, the speakers said.

They asked for more security at the school. 

Here is the the Journal Star story on the meeting. 

Here is a recording of their comments.

Dist.150 feb.11

Activist Sharon Crews studied students who were retained by their teachers but were passed on anyway.  She asked who has the power to overturn a teacher's decision. See her report here:

Comments by Sharon Crews:

"At the beginning of the year, I heard that some primary and middle school students who were retained by teacher decisions last year were passed on to the next grade because they attended the Summer Compass Learning program.  The FOIA response revealed that the rumor was false.

However, data seems to reveal that 33 of the 225 students who were retained by their teachers were passed on to a higher grade by someone other than their teachers.  I hope that you board members do know why and by whom these reversals of teacher decisions were made and that, in the interest of transparency, you would be willing to make the reasons public.

Seven of the 19 retained middle school students--who ultimately passed--did attend Compass Learning.  Conversely, eight middle school students were retained even though they did attend Compass Learning.  Clearly, then attendance at Compass Learning was not the criterion for reversing the retentions.  I would think that parents of the 192 students whose retentions were not reversed would like to know why their children missed out on the opportunity offered to 33 others.  And just what was that opportunity?

This data revealed some other information worth consideration.  For instance, the highest number of failures occurred in kindergarten and 1^st grade and in 7^th and 8^th grades. 

Using the teacher numbers, 67 failed kindergarten, 40 the 1^st grade, 41 the 7^th grade, and 26 the 8^th grade.  That means that roughly 78% of the failures were in the two lowest and the two highest grades.

As to the reversals of retentions, ten retained kindergarteners were passed on, three 1^st  graders, one 3^rd  grader, three 5^th  graders, nine 7^th  graders and seven 8^th graders.  Grades were changed at 13 primary or middle schools.  No grade changes were made at Glen Oak, Kellar, Northmoor, Thomas Jefferson, Whittier, Woodrow Wilson, Mark Bills, Rolling Acres, or Trewyn.  I do find myself wondering why teacher decisions were not questioned at those schools.  There were no failures at Jamieson, Lindbergh, Von Steuben, and Washington.

I did find the Quest numbers especially interesting.  Of the ten students retained by Quest teachers, four returned to District 150 schools and two are not enrolled at Quest or in 150.  Therefore, only four of the retained students remained at Quest.  I did find it most interesting that one of the retained Quest students was passed to a higher grade in a District 150 school.

I believe it is worth noting that 40 of the students who failed moved to a different District 150 school for the current year.  Seven moved from 8^th grade to a high school.  Because there seem to be no firm school boundaries in District 150, it is difficult to conclude whether these parents moved to new areas or whether District 150 moved students around for whatever reason.  Also, 31 of the students were not listed as being in any District 150 school.  

I believe this information should raise some eyebrows.  Clearly, I believe there is a need for board members to find out if these reversals of retentions represent a new trend in District 150.  Who and how many have the authority to override teacher decisions about grades and what criteria are used to make such decisions?  What can be said about a District whose administration seems to have such distrust of teacher decisions?   In light of the seemingly arbitrary reversals of teacher decisions, how can we expect students and parents to trust the fairness and honesty of District 150’s decisions that so directly affect students?

Another question I have relates to the number of failures.  192 or 225 seems to me to be a very small number.  Perhaps some studies should be done to compare the failure rates over the last twenty years.  Is, as I suspect, there a trend toward social promotion, disrespect of teachers’ judgments, and lowering of standards?

These are the kinds of questions that the District simply must answer.  We need to know from where we have come, where we are going, and why."

Sharon uncovered some disturbing facts that should generate discussion within District 150.  We'll see if that happens.

 -- Elaine Hopkins

Comments

[Vonster]

This is what happens when schools are full of kids from 3rd or 4th generation single-parent families. The good kids get screwed out of an education.

[150 Poster]

It is sad to say, but as far as the older kids go, some may just being allowed to pass so that they will move on to high school and they are out of the hands of the teachers in their middle schools. Some of these kids' behaviors are so bad during school that I couldn't blame administrators at all for passing them on to let the high schools have them. It amazes me what goes on in some hallways and classrooms in District 150 schools. If the schools were held to normal grading/school standards, these numbers would be worse.

[Pune'S Top Preschool]

I love reading your articles.. they are very interesting..
Regards,
Pune'S Top Preschool