Students at Stoughton High School are planning a “walk out” today. I called the school because my daughter attends there and asked what the school plans on doing about it. The clerk said, “nothing”. I asked if they would be marked absent or tardy, again she answered “No”. After calling the Principle, Vice Principle, and the Superintendent, the answer changed to, “they will marked absent as any other day”. Thank god commonsense prevailed. HOWEVER the immediate response from the clerk is a very good indicator on just how far some people may go for their own personal agenda. Teachers have an incredible amount of influence over our children and should NEVER use it for their own self interest. I can only hope our Evansville teachers do not allow themselves to go down this path. If they do and are caught, I will campaign to have them excused without pay. It is completely UNACCEPTABLE. It is an egregious abuse of power and is not in line with the moral values I want my daughter or any of my younger children to be subject to.
I know these are difficult times for all teachers and state workers, but we must not allow our emotions to influence our decision when it comes to our children. A walk out without consciences is not in the student’s best interest, it is in the teacher best interest; please do not allow these two things to be mixed. If they want to walk out, let them, but the penalty should be the same as any other day, unexcused.
I do want to emphasize that I did speak with the principle of Stoughton High School and he did ensure me that the school will not be promoting this event, and his plan was sound on how the school was going to handle it. However I am still very concerned with the first response I received and ask that we monitor this very closely. Any teacher that is using his or her influence over the student body for their own political interests should have some sort of punitive action.
Yes but parents can still call in and excuse their child and there is nothing they can do about that.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, the law allows a certain amount of days a student can be called in (non medical related) before the parent gets fined for truancy. BUT a teacher or faculty member is stepping over their bounds by promoting such acts DURING school hours that is advantages to that teacher. This is teaching our kids that it is ok to use public money for your own special interests. TELL ME what is the difference between that and a legislator using his office phone/ fax/ paper for his re-election campaign, THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE. Right idea of free speech and right to assemble, WRONG way to express it.
ReplyDeleteI agree if the teachers were to be suggesting the kids do this in any way they should be reprimanded.
ReplyDeleteWhen students walked years ago here in Evansville over a teacher being fired, they were considered truant. However after citing these kids with truancy tickets the school found out their truancy policy did not comply with the law when these kids went to court and challenged these tickets.
Little bit of egg on the schools face.
I am curious you talk at though these teachers were behind this, do you really believe that?
I do think that some faculty did encourage it. When I spoke with the clerk she was very defensive when I asked if there were goign to be consequences. I don’t think they would be that dumb to outright say it, but you can encourage through other mean, such as letting them know that no punishment will come about if they walk out. Actually it's a little pathetic.
ReplyDeleteDid I miss something? A clerk answered the phone, not a teacher. School clerks don't even have to have a college degree. Isn't it a big jump to assume that just because she didn't seem to care about the walkout that the teachers are promoting it? Should teachers promote a student walk out? No way. However...
ReplyDeleteI do think that there is something to be said for students standing up for themselves. Most young kids today are so apathetic and care about nothing. If these students have something valid to fight for, then I am impressed if they are able to coordinate and organize a student walk out.