Near and Dear

updated at end
Today I write about something near and dear to me - kids. Even more specifically, teenage kids. More specific? Kids who attend Premier/John Glenn Charter school at 75th Avenue & Indian School in Phoenix, Arizona.

These kids are getting completely fucked over by several entities. One is the Arizona State Board of Education. Another? The school's administrators.

I taught at this school for two years. I met my husband there. I met some fantastic kids. I worked for idiots.

My husband came home from work today to tell me about a situation at the school. There was a fight - between a group of "hispanic" girls and a group of "black" girls. I know some of the girls in both groups - and I like the girls that I know in both groups. They are basically very good kids who are trying to survive a really rough time in their lives.

These "groups" exchanged words today. There was a huge fight. The girls called each other every name in the book - some that make me blush (and those of you who read this blog know that is tough to do). One of the end results? After the fight, one of the girls, who is four months pregnant, ends up laying down on a table to calm herself down because her stomach is in pain. My husband kept guard in the room (after chasing around to break up the fight, going to the bus stop by the school to stop another fight, and then keeping the girl away from the principal who was SCREAMING at her). The girl is getting increasingly more uncomfortable and asks for her parents to be called. She then says that she feels the need to go to the hospital. At this point, she is writhing in pain.

My husband calls 911. He tells the 911 EMT's that there was a fight at the school and the girl is pregnant and having a hard time. He then alerts his administrators who are in their office EATING CHIPS AND DISCUSSING WHO IS AT FAULT, not helping out in the main body of the school. He asks that the girl's parents be called.

The EMT's arrive. They assess that the girl is bleeding. My husband is out of the room now and asking the other teachers to not let their students out of the classroom. The VP of Discipline tells my husband that his idea is a good one - that the other kids shouldn't be gaping at what is happening to the girl who may lose her baby.

For the rest of the day, the racial slurs are in full effect. The black students, white students, and the hispanic students, are all taking sides. My husband hears the ugliest of terms - "nigger" and "spic" - in between words that indicate that there will be guns and knives and big fights tomorrow.

The administrators finally make an appearance when the authorities show up. The EMT's had reported the fight to the police. The police are taking a report. The administrators are pissed off at my husband because they would have NEVER filed any report whatsoever. The same as when they didn't file a report last year when a kid brought a gun to school. The same as when they didn't file a report when they caught a girl dealing cocaine in the bathroom.

There are many other ins and outs to this story that I'm going to leave out because I'm flaming mad and trying to figure out what to do about this for the sake of these kids. I reported things to the state after I left the school last year. This year, the school is under watch by the state for other reasons - mainly because the kids aren't meeting the minimum test scores.

John Glenn Academy/Premier High School just got at $10M bond for furtherance of education facilities. These idiots who DO NOT EVEN HAVE POLICIES & PROCEDURES IN PLACE FOR TEACHERS AND STAFF for emergency events (actually, there are NO policies and procedures in place whatsoever), just received $10 MILLION DOLLARS. Read that again people - $10 MILLION DOLLARS.

There is no leadership in place in this institution. There are no guidelines. There is no attempt at diversity education whatsoever. In the 2004-2005 school year, I taught from August until April and NOT ONE Administrator ever stepped into my classroom to see what I was teaching the kids. NOT ONE. There is no discipline policy that is enforced. There is no sense of community with the kids. There is no leadership involvement with the kids. The teachers are blamed for everything that is wrong - even though they are the ones who discipline, direct and console those kids on a daily basis. There is no one at the top taking any responsibility for what is happening. And while all the racial groups screw up royally, most of the time only the hispanic or white kids get suspended.

I could begin to rant even more. I could go into countless examples of what happened while I was teaching there. Let me focus on today.

My husband went to the girls' volleyball game this evening after school. Some of the girls were involved in the riot at school today. The school's administrators dropped the girls off at the game. My husband and the coach ended up bringing the girls home because the administrators never came back.

The clincher? My husband called the Vice Principal this evening to ask if there was going to be extra security on campus tomorrow. This VP is a good man - nice guy, I have respect for him. However, he told my husband that tomorrow the administration was going to have a talk with him about his actions. I stood there as my husband was on the phone. The VP asked my husband why the police showed up. My husband reiterated that he told the EMT's that the pregnant student was hurt and they asked how she got hurt. He told the EMT's that there was a fight but he didn't know the details. The EMT's made the call to the police, not my husband.

And now they are going to take disciplinary action agains my husband? I DON'T THINK SO.

My husband and I were both in tears tonight thinking of the student who was suffering and bleeding on that classroom table. He did what was in the best interest of the child. Anyone who wouldn't do as such is inhumane and should be removed from contact with children IMMEDIATELY.

Suggestions on course of action (for the kids, not my husband - we are more worried about the kids than the state of hubby's job) are completely welcome. I've already started my letter to the Charter School Board, my congressmen and Tom Horne at the AZ Department of Education.

The pregnant young student is ok - well, somewhat ok. She did not lose the baby and is at home for a few days to recover from her stress. The administration has suspended her for 10 days.

My husband was observed today and told that his lesson was worthless. It covered AZ state standards and used teaching strategies from the book that the administration has been using to "improve" teaching methodology. All of his reviews - from the State of Arizona representative who gives reviews monthly - have been exceptional to date. All of a sudden, his review is horrible.

Draw your own conclusions.

Most importantly - the students are okay for now. And information is being sent to the appropriate authorities.