The Virginian-Pilot
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NORFOLK
Interim Superintendent Michael Spencer said Wednesday that 10 employees will be trained in nonviolent intervention techniques to break up student fights and subsequently train others in the tactics.
Spencer's announcement at the School Board's regular meeting came about two months after security guards pepper-sprayed middle school and high school students in a trio of incidents.
Spencer said the training was not a response to those incidents, which created debate over why Norfolk was the only local division equipping its civilian security personnel with the spray.
Nonetheless, he said that the incidents "added a sense of urgency for me."
"It was the right time to get it in the conversation," he said of the intervention training.
The board is scheduled to discuss in January whether the division should continue to arm civilian security guards with the weapon.
In other action, the board agreed unanimously that each of Norfolk's high school attendance zones will include a kindergarten through eighth grade school.
The board also agreed that Campostella Elementary would be built as a K-8 when a replacement building is constructed in the next few years.
The city has one K-8, Ghent School, and Crossroads School will be K-8 when construction is completed before the start of the next school year.
Steven G. Vegh, (757) 446-2417 or steven.vegh@pilotonline.com
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A fight can not be broken up and still be P.C..
Now a days its a loose loose situation to make little Johnny and Bobby, or Mary and Jane stop fighting. The security personel will be second and third guessed in every case. Break up the fight but don't put a hand on "my" child, don't cuff, spray, hold in a choke hold, pull by the hair, smack, punch, flip, slam, sit on, stand on, tie up, etc. I say put a ring up around the little darlings and let then fight till they are tired, or one wins. Then when the "danger" to others is over charge them with every law broken, remove them from school, lock them up in Juvinile detention or jail, charge the parents if they can be found for any legal costs or damages done. Give schools back to the students and parents of students that want to learn.
Amazing
As quoted, Spencer said "the training was not a response to those incidents"
I submit that this statement is untruthful. Why does the Acting Superintendent feel a need to cover the truth with such a trivial falsehood?
Just another symptom of the institutional illness.
Untruthful? Really?
Amazing how you know Mr. Spencer's statement was untruthful. I bet you've never met the man nor do you attend or watch the board meetings. Security has been an issue for a long time at NPS & other districts. This new method of trying to talk down students that are fighting has been slowing working it's way into all areas. It sometimes works & sometimes doesn't. Like the ex-NFL player that tried talking down a fight & they left him unconscious. I'm sure NPS, just like a lot of other districts & children's programs, had already been looking at this option. There are no guarantees but it's worth a try. Just hate to see people come right out & accuse someone of being untruthful when they don't know the person or the situation.
Don't know him??
I both know him and have worked with him on problems in the schools...
Show me the e-mails requesting or setting the training prior to the incidents..
I submit that they don't exist..
As for the ex-NFL player, although his actions were noble, he most likely intervened in a Gang Beat-In.
And like you, I just hate to see people come right out & accuse someone of being untruthful when they don't know the person or the situation.
I have been there, done it, and got a T-Shirt....
They know the trouble
They know the trouble makers. Suspend them for long periods of time for fighting. Pretty simple.
The taxpayers are relieved
We thought for sure our hard earned money was being spent on employees that didn't have the power to break the bag pantsed thugs apart.
The employees should be trained to call their parents and suggest better parenting skills so that their children didn't act like jungle animals.
"The employees should be
"The employees should be trained to call their parents and suggest better parenting skills so that their children didn't act like jungle animals."
I'd say in light of the recent event where the mother of a child pulled the busdriver OFF THE BUS & proceeded to beat her, simply because the driver told the kid to sit down while the bus was in motion [allegedly of course], I don't see them calling any parent!! Just not worth it these days, when the parents are no better than the kids.
More Humane
So... the more humane thing to do would be to allow them to fight until one of them ends up going to the hospital? Alert the attorneys... lawsuits are coming...
If I was a teacher, there's
If I was a teacher, there's no way I'd jump in one of these fights & try to stop it. That's why they pay security. These kids are so bad nowadays, and some of the parents as well, they'd probably start fighting the teacher.
The pepper spray worked
The pepper spray worked well, the only other non-lethal methods are bean bags, billy clubs, and K-9's. Maybe a large can of Bear Spray would be more effective. I would like to sit in on the training and learn how to calm down people that are basically rioting without some sort of equalizer.