When a Portsmouth student was charged last week with attempted murder and gang participation after allegedly holding a student in a chokehold until the victim was unconscious, school officials told parents nothing, even though the attack took place in a Wilson High School bathroom.
On the same day, two Norfolk high school games were rescheduled because of fears of gang-related violence, but administrators failed to give details about the reasons until days later.
Locally, school officials say they decide on a case-by-case basis when to notify families of safety or security issues. They must weigh student privacy laws and ongoing criminal investigations against a need to warn families about potential danger and a parent’s right to know, national experts and local school officials say. Too much information may be unnecessary and overwhelming, while misinformation or silence could lead to panic.
“School administrators have to struggle with that fine balance of not over-communicating every disciplinary issue they deal with, while at the same time not bypassing something that really could rise to a significant level,” said Kenneth Trump, president of National School Safety and Security Services, a Cleveland-based consulting firm.
Tragedies such as the Columbine and Virginia Tech shootings, along with up-to-the-minute personal and public communication systems, largely have opened up a culture that traditionally has been tight-lipped, Trump said.
In South Hampton Roads, school officials said incidents with the potential to impact a large number of students usually merit some kind of communication with parents.
For example, Portsmouth officials sent home a letter after a student brought a knife to I.C. Norcom High School last year and administrators locked down the campus.
Parents will not be notified of last week’s attack at Portsmouth’s Wilson High School, however. School officials don’t usually alert families about assaults, which is how the incident was classified, said Sharon Harris, a school division spokeswoman. The incident involved a small number of students and no weapon, she said. The Virginian-Pilot learned about the incident from Portsmouth police this week.
The Norfolk school division didn’t tell parents reasons for moving the date and venue of the Granby High School football game at the request of investigating law enforcement officers, said Michael Spencer, the chief operations officer for the Norfolk school division. The game was rescheduled after someone shot into a student’s home the night before.
“The Granby situation was still a very active police investigation,” Spencer said. “They expressly asked us not to go into the details of it.”
A Maury High School football game scheduled for the same day also was moved. Administrators were concerned about a fight at the school the day of the game and about a group of people who weren’t students who tried to enter the building, Spencer said this week. Other city officials have said police suspect gang activity.
Spencer didn’t give details about those incidents sooner because he wasn’t sure of the facts, he said: “That one unfolded so quickly, I was getting a series of phone calls that were, in some cases, contradictory.”
South Hampton Roads school divisions generally notify families if strangers are approaching students at bus stops, if a school has been on a lockdown, or when weapons appear on campus, officials said.
Parents at Virginia Beach’s Salem High School received a message alert last spring after a student fired a gun in the school parking lot.
In Suffolk, school officials sent home a letter after a fight that resulted in a “code red,” where students were required to stay in classrooms with doors and windows shut.
As quickly as the rumors can now spread with text messaging and other forms of technology, it’s important for school administrators to be in front of the news, said Trump, the consultant. “They really have to have a good feel of when an incident is creating a buzz” among students, parents or in the media, he said.
Chesapeake sent out letters last spring after hundreds of students stayed home from school due to threats of gun violence spread by a flurry of text messages.
Larry Coleman, the vice president of Western Branch High School’s PTA, said he wishes Chesapeake had notified parents sooner.
“The more of this kind of information that’s out there – that makes you aware but does so in a way that calms nerves instead of aggravating panic – the safer and the better off you are,” he said.
Most South Hampton Roads school divisions use an electronic system to send phone or e-mail messages to thousands of parents at once. The systems are most often used to alert families of weather-related events and sudden school schedule changes, according to a 2007 survey by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services.
Parents said access to some information about school incidents could help them discuss safety with their children.
Cheryl La Dieu, a mother of three Suffolk students, said she’d like to receive monthly updates on disciplinary trends and suggested that schools post such information on their Web sites.
Yuonne Manigo, a Virginia Beach mother and school resource officer, wants to be warned about neighborhood incidents that could influence student behavior at school.
One Wilson student said she doesn’t think parents should be contacted about “silly” fights, but she believes it’s unusual for crimes to be committed on campus.
“If they get arrested, yeah, people need to know about that,” Tanaya McLemore said, “because it’s pretty serious.”
Staff writers Matthew Bowers, Hattie Brown Garrow, Jen McCaffery, Lauren Roth and Alicia Wittmeyer contributed to this report.
Amy Jeter, (757) 446-2730, amy.jeter@pilotonline.com
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Privacy?
How is informing parents of an assault that took place at the school...violating any students' privacy?
once again knee jerk
First the drug war targeted our black kids because afew idiots decided crack was entrepreneurial. Hasrsh laws were passed giving huge jail time to small time street dealers and users of less than a gram of crack.Prisons are full of mostly users.
Seems the crack horror has peaked and we are entering a period of a 'war on gangs' where the attack dogs of the police system seek to imprison black kids for long periods again. There is now a gang epidemic.
What we are seeing is a system wide response to a small percentage of black males. The response is always harsh and punitive. Cities, like Norfolk, are looking for gang CZARS. Police ae being militarized with the best in high tech weapons to SWAT down black kids.
Recently, a young black male faces 20 years for writing, so called, gang grafitti on a wall. WHAT!!!! The system seeks to continue locking up our kids. With economic downturns prisons will always have room for black kids.
Its all about the money
If more parents KNEW what was going on in these public schools, then they would choose to do homeschooling, or get their kids in a private school. Yes it would cost them money, but a lot of parents would get 2nd jobs to afford it. They want a safe environment for thier kids. It's what I did. Private schools and homeschooling may not offer the same 'electives' and sports, but it reduces exposure to violence, drugs and gangs. Our city schools are too big. There are too many students for administrators to really keep control of. That is part of the issue. If parents knew these things, and withdrew their kids from these schools, then they loose a certain amount of Federal Money for EACH of the kids that are gone. It's all about the money. Not really about the kids.
School Safety
I think it is a good idea for the school systems to use their mass notification systems for something other then announcements of PTA meetings and the like. Unfortunately the schools will not post disciplinary actions on their websites because the parents might decide to pull their children out of the schools. There must be some sort of balance. Parents should have been notified when one student attacked another in the restroom and used a choke hold. Parents should be notified when there is an attack on a teacher or another student. How can I keep my student safe if the school doesn't warn me about such happenings? It is my responsibility to teach my child how to be safe but if I don't know what's going on I can give him full information. NOTIFY ME PLEASE! I remember when school was a safe place - no more and that is terribly wrong!
Failed system
Better yet, I have had two freinds that taught in the Norfolk Public School System less than two years seek employment elswhere because the system did not and would not enforce or listem to the abuse that teachers face on a daily basis.
norfolk schools
i worked at a public middle school in norfolk, and the things that went on there that were never disclosed would absolutely BLOW YOUR MIND. the teachers tried, but students were not held accountable for their actions by the administrators. i had to finally tell the 7th grade dean, after being threatened, sexually harassed, and physically assaulted by students (and if this is what they do to teachers...!) that if he did not take action, his school was going to be on the news.i shudder to think of the gifted magnet school students whose unsuspecting parents send them there, never realizing what goes on every day. parents were never informed of numerous issue there that would have been all over the news if it had happened in a middle-class suburban school.
Public School Responsibilty to Parents
First let me say that I am glad this issue is being addressed. There is a serious problem and disconnect between the schools and the parents. I recently had my child receive 2 different punishments that will affect him in some manner without me being called about either of them. After my husband and I spoke to our child and the school, we find out the punishments did not fit the offense. We consider ourselves stern, involved parents, but our power as parents is being taken away when your child receives serious punishment immediately for things that haven't been fairly looked into. Good kids make mistakes by sometimes being with the wrong people, or merely being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Our job as parents is to work TOGETHER with the schools to make sure our children are doing their best. The schools have a responsibilty to us, especially when you have parents that are clearly involved parents. When you allow kids to help make diciplinary decisions instead of the parents, you ask for more problems. I don't appreciate the schools making their judgement calls on serious matters without my knowledge and imput before a final decision is made about my child's welfare, in AN
School sdministrators are the problem
As a former public school teacher, I have seen first hand the arrogance of many (but not all) educators and administrators who feel they are smarter than everyone else. They are convinced THEY are better qualified than anyone else to handle these situations. Parents, police, and judges are viewed by many educators as (at best) well meaning, but ignorant and incompetent. Even when it not specifically said, school administrators believe only THEY know what is best for students. Their flawed social agenda is frightening and mind boggling. Academics aside, between laissez-faire parenting and arrogant educators, the students face an unreasonably difficult trek through public school. The easy academic system for most students is another story.
Public Schools
Any realtor will privately tell you that the main reason it is so hard to sell a house in Norfolk is because of the public schools. As hard as they try to hide or cover up what happens in the schools sooner or later some of the incidents get reported. You can bet that there is much more going on than what you read in the Pilot.
This makes my Blood Boil
This happened to my son years back in a Norfolk Middle School and nothing was brought up until another incident happened that my son was involved in due to an insenitive comment was made about the incident and he reacted inappropriately. OMG! That was the first time I heard about it and was told that it was also in the gym locker room where there is no teacher or cameras. And when he brought it up to a teacher he was shooed off to his next class, and wasn't asked if he was okay. NOTHING! It just makes me want to cry, I should have done more like taken the school and parents of the student to court. Nothing was done to this student until he did it to another student that made that victim pass out. I am not sure what else happen to the crimial other than being suspended from school for a few days. Oh my, I have to stop. One more thing children grow up to be insenitive and not respectful when the caring and love and respect is not shown to them.
The very child who commits the act...
has the parent(s) or guardian who'll be screaming defamation if their precious little child "who never acts like this at home" is accused of anything publicly. He/She would be being discriminated against. Hence, the "privacy issue".
The schools are keeping themselves from lawsuits at the expense of other parents knowing what is going on in their child's school.
It is a shame, but a lot of parents send their kids to school expecting the school to "handle" their child which they probably don't "handle" when he/she is at home. The buck just gets passed and the losers are the other children subjected to the violence and scared to go to the bathroom without a guard of "friends" in tow.
Parents not notified of trouble in school
I understand and appreciate the difficulties of administrators when it comes to avoiding a panic however there is no excuse for the parents of all the children involved in the bathroom strangling incident not being notified. The parents of each child involved should have been called immediately. I hope that the child that was strangled is okay. I also hope that the child that placed someone in a choke hold was suspended from school....doesn't that involve calling the parent?
Student privacy laws??? really???
See thats the problem with teenagers now. They have too much privacy. They bad tails don't need privacy. Parents have the right to know if someone was almost killed in that school. I mean I wouldn't want my child going there, I mean I know it can happen everywhere, but geeze!!!! Thats why students committ these crimes and do the things they do, they have way to much freedom. Adults need to start being Adults and let teens be teens and kids be kids not the other way around. Pretty soon all the children in the world will be exstinct because of this foolishness!!!!
GANGS
Just being in a gang with members under 18 years old is a felony I was told yesterday by the police who was helping me with a 11 year old that vandleizied my business and the 11 year old told the police he wanted to get detension for the charge because he needed the points for the gang called Crip Killer Bloods, 11 years old WHAT IS WRONG WITH OUR SOCIETY?
Violence in Schools
I know for a fact that many instances of kids brining weapons, or are caught in gang realted activity go unreported to the parents. At one time I worked for the schools systems and I saw first hand the reports that were written by schools administrators. Most people would be surprised that it isn't just Norfolk and Portsmouth either. Those two are just assumed to have the problems, but the other districts have their problems as well. Maybe an investigation should be done to really show where parents are sending their kids. Give the school officials some power to punish and to hell with the political correctness of today's society.
A child has zero rights in this world other than the right to have a safe home and food in their belly. They do not get "rights" until they are 18. There should not be any student privacy rights. If they need to be searched, then TWO officials of the same sex as the accused will search them. A locker is a PRIVILEDGE, not a right. The school has the RIGHT to search said locker at any given time. Once you are on school property you are subject to search at any given time for any given reason.
Heads in the sand....
I guess if you say there isn't a problem, then I guess there really isn't a problem. Or is it just easier that way. These people need to understand we have a right to know & if you don't get the info to make an informed decision, then you can't. I believe they really just don't want you to know just how poorly they're managing the problem kids & gangs in their schools. Again, I guess if you keep looking the other way, then maybe, just maybe, they'll just go away, problem solved, right. NOT!!!!
Misbehavior vs crime...
I know that there are often fights in middle school that are so severe that an ambulance is called. At one school in particular, the common practice is to send an AP out front to wave the ambulance around back so as not to draw attention. I hear from an employee that this happens almost weekly. If the school notified parents everytime this happened, how many parents would be willing to send their kids to school there?
If the determining factor in notifying parents is whether an actual crime is committed, would assault count? As sad as it is, notifying parents of every little offense in schools would cause wide spread panic. I'd love to believe that parent outrage would do something to make the situation better, but I don't see how it would. The current system is set up to protect the rights of the few students making life hard on the rest of the students that follow the rules. Administrators and often downtown's hands are tied due to legal issues. Not fair, but true...
Yes, Student Privacy Laws...........
Washington State had a case where an 'adult male' stalked a 12 yr old female student , gathered information to the point where he went to her school and had so much info that the school released the 12 yr old girl TO this individual.
Even the Girl thought he HAD to be a 'Family Friend' because he knew soooo much about her and her family.
Yes, it ended in the most horrible way..............
THAT is why Students have 'privacy laws'............
PARENTS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CRIMINAL ACTIVITY
"Student privacy laws??" Have these school administrators lost their minds? First of all, when charges are filed, it's a public record except for the student's name if he is a juvenile. Second, when one student almost kills another in a rest room, that is as public as it gets. Third, there is a difference between mere misbehavior and criminal activity. Gang violence is crime, and parents need to be notified. While we don't need to cause a panic over every little thing, attempted murder is a bit different from throwing spitballs. Keeping such an incident from parents is not only irresponsible, it's dangerous.
Police at school
We were driving by a local high school yesterday, and my daughter, who is 12, asked me why there are always police cars at the school - always. More than one Norfolk Police car is always at the school. I told her that the schools cannot provide a safe environment for learning because of the constant fights, threats, and gang activity. If the schools kept parents better informed, as they should, perhaps it would reduce the problems at school. At least the parents would have the knowledge they need.