Students are misbehaving more frequently, pushing teachers out of classrooms.
By Dallas Morning News Editorial
A Frisco teacher resigned late last year, saying that her school’s administration failed to safeguard her from student threats.
It’s a horrible story, but it’s one of many about an increasing number of instructors who have had enough of youngsters whose poor behaviour seems to have no consequences. Schools must address this issue immediately to avoid it devolving into the next cultural war argument.
Kacie Smith has been a teacher for 20 years, the last 11 in Frisco ISD. She was made aware of the presence of “an entire Instagram account dedicated to hatred towards me” last semester, she informed us. The account has since been deactivated on Instagram, but screenshots Smith supplied us indicated his rage and included references to rocket-propelled grenades and doing “things that will violate the Geneva convention.”
“I didn’t feel safe,” Smith told us in an email. We can’t say we blame her.
Smith stated that she promptly reported the incident. According to a police record dated Nov. 7, 2022, Liberty High School principal Stacey Whaling notified the Frisco Police Department. That appears to be the end of it. The school resource officer at Liberty, according to the report, “reviewed the posts and found them to be mean in nature but did not contain any overt threats.”
The officer informed us that he wasn’t authorized to speak to the press and directed us to a police department spokeswoman. “It was determined there was no actual threat made towards anyone,” Sgt. Stephen Byrom stated in a statement.
Frisco ISD Communications Director Jamie Driskill stated that while the district takes every threat seriously, it also analyses mitigating circumstances such as whether the kid has the means and will to carry it out.
No one involved appears to believe the student had access to military weaponry. It’s safe to assume that these posts were merely sophomoric adolescent anguish. Even if we grant that there was no genuine threat, this is rude conduct that must be condoned, especially in light of recent news reports of schools failing to post warning signs, resulting in tragedy.
Smith requested that her school authenticate the student’s identification. She stated that she was rejected. She requested that the student, who had been identified by law authorities, be removed from her class. That request was likewise refused, she stated.
Smith never returned to her classroom after that. She stated that the youngster received two days of in-school suspension, but district officials refused to corroborate this, citing privacy laws.
The facts of this instance are disturbing, but unfortunately not unusual. Students are behaving inappropriately. According to a Department of Education research, “classroom disruptions from student conduct” increased by 56% last year, while “acts of disrespect towards teachers and staff” increased by 48%. More than 80% of public schools reported “slowed behavioral and socioeconomic development,” and almost 70% reported an increase in kids seeking mental health treatment since the pandemic began.
The COVID-19 shutdown isn’t the only threat to our generation. There is widespread dread and concern about school shootings. As reported in an op-ed by Allen High School junior Ishaan Gupta earlier this month, heated political concerns permeate even the lowest grades. And there are concerning tendencies for their future, such as rising college costs and the very real potential of being the first (or second) generation to earn less than their parents.
The children are in distress. They require assistance. They require clear limits and just penalties. They require the cooperation of parents, schools, and law enforcement. Many people require mental health care.
Where we’re most likely to go wrong is if these concerns become politicized in the same way that so many other topics have recently.
Restorative justice approaches have been encouraged by progressive educators, such as those at Savanna High School in Anaheim, Calif., where counsellors established a “relaxation room” for students to vent their concerns, according to an Associated Press article. Conservatives frequently favour a harsher approach. Neither option is satisfactory, and educators require administrative flexibility and assistance to collaborate with parents on appropriate disciplinary action.
Smith stated that additional factors influenced her decision to retire, including poor salary, disputes over culture war topics, and losing respect for her profession. She is not alone in her feelings. Last year, Texas lost roughly 43,000 teachers. According to a Charles Butt Foundation poll of Texas teachers released last autumn, 77% had seriously contemplated resigning, up 19 percentage points from the preceding two years.
Those are issues. However, no teacher should be expected to remain under the shadow of internet threats.
This is an issue that schools must address, and it will only happen if everyone works together for the sake of the future generation.