Weak Discipline and Principals
Controversy Over Reasons for Office Referrals in Kentucky
For what reasons should students be removed from the classroom and sent to the principal's office? Principals and teachers disagree. Louisville principal sets criteria.
Western High School
In Louisville, Kentucky there is a disagreement over what justifies calling security and sending students to the principal’s office. Principal Louis Hughley, Jr. says that teachers are sending students to him for frivolous reasons. Hughley says, "A lot of kids are missing too much class time, and when your test scores are at the bottom of the state, you can’t afford to have your kids miss instruction." [Antoinette Konz, courier-journal.com, November 16, 2007]
Poor Reasons for Office Referrals
Teachers are to maintain control of the classroom and teach. Both can be challenging goals. Discipline may be difficult in crowded classrooms and there are justified reasons to send students to the office or at least remove them from the classroom. However, each time a teacher calls for security or sends students to the office, he or she is indirectly saying that they have lost control and need assistance. Hughley announced a new discipline policy at Western High School in Louisville. Students are to no longer to be sent to the office for
- Dress-code infractions
- Not bringing needed materials
- Not following directions
- Not putting away cell phones
- Using profanity to other students
- Horsing around
- Plagiarism
- Forgery of parents’ signature
- Gambling
[Antoinette Konz, courier-journal.com, November 16, 2007]
Valid Reasons for Office Referrals
Hughley does expect students to be sent to him if they are guilty of
- Profanity toward a teacher
- Bomb threats
- Pulling fire alarms
- Drug-related infractions
- Arson
- Assaulting or fighting with other students
- Intimidation
- Harassment
- Theft
[Antoinette Konz, courier-journal.com, November 16, 2007]
Teachers Association
Brent McKim, president of the Jefferson County Teachers Association, said that Hughley’s policy undermines teachers in the classroom. McKim says, "If a teacher has a problem and they need to call security, the teacher should have the right to call. If they are calling for questionable reasons, it should be dealt with individually between the administrator and the teacher." [Antoinette Konz, courier-journal.com, November 16, 2007]
Other administrators in Louisville agree with Hughley. Too many minor infractions are taking up the principal’s day leaving little time for more serious issues. Principals are to
- Develop school improvement plans
- Answer parent phone calls
- Evaluate teachers in the classroom
- Monitor safety within the building
- Complete required state forms
- Analyze academic data
- Plan in-services
- Research new trends
Perhaps, the most urgent item on the day’s agenda is not a student forgetting to bring a pencil to class. Instead of sending a student to the office for 45 minutes for a dress code infraction, the student could be told to put a t-shirt on over the inappropriate garb. A student who has committed plagiarism does not justify calling security. Other consequences would be more appropriate.
Principal’s Responsibility
The principal does have the obligation to instruct teachers on how to improve classroom management if there is a difficulty. Merely stating that you don’t want to see students in the office may not be enough for teachers that are struggling with classroom discipline or have more difficult students.
Related articles: Cyber-bullying, Corporal Punishment Returning?
Read previous articles on Educational Issues.
Copyright article 2007 Barbara Pytel. All Rights Reserved.
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