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Teachers, Students Detail Troubles At Oakland Middle School

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Ripclawe

Banned
Video of the fight at the link.

Once told if a school has academy at the end of it and you aren't paying tuition, its a shitty school.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/20...ous-visits-to-troubled-oakland-middle-school/
Educators at the Alliance Academy in Oakland said a recent fight between a substitute teacher and a student is just the tip of the iceberg.

Since the beginning of the school year, the Oakland Unified School District has expelled five students from Alliance Academy and police have responded to the campus at least 13 times. The district admitted Thursday that is a high number for the small campus, which has around 360 children ages 10-13.

“We’ve had drugs, alcohol, we have students who are cutting consistently,” said Faris Jabbar, an 8th grade teacher. “Fights, threats, violence.”


Recently, a student of the school was arrested in connection with the April 2nd killing of off-duty paramedic Quinn Boyer.

Teachers at Alliance who spoke to KPIX 5 blamed a lack of support from the principal and a failure to build a culture of respect on campus.

“It creates a culture of instability,” said Alliance teacher Joanna Fernandez. “Our kids do crave structure. And they thrive when learning in a structured environment.”

The district said it’s tough to build any relationships with the students when the school has had three different principals in the past four years. There is also a high turnover of teachers at the school.

“We have provided extra administrators and retired administrators who are wise elders that can come back and give the benefit of their experience, and provide an extra set of eyes and ears,” said Oakland Unified School District spokesperson Troy Flint.

It’s a big challenge. During KPIX 5’s visit to the school on Thursday, administrators told us to run for safety, after nearby police activity put the school on a brief lockdown.


Students said it is tough to learn here. “I don’t feel that safe because, like almost constantly there are a lot of fights in school,” said Quezada Ibarra, a 6th grader.

Oakland Unified has doubled security at Alliance Academy from one security guard to two. The district is also giving more help to the principal to try to build stability among faculty and students.


More

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/20...-sent-to-troubled-oakland-school-after-fight/

The fight that was caught on video took place a few months ago. Meanwhile, the school is not denying a more recent event. A student told KPIX 5 that his classmates started what he called a “riot” in a classroom.

“They destroyed the whole classroom. They broke the desk. They threw the computers on the floor,” Barajas recalled. He said he hid under a desk, when other students tossed desks and other items across the room.
 

Madness

Member
America has a shockingly high disrespect towards authority, unless it's the military.

I mean wtf, these are middle schoolers.

Breaking computers, riots, some connected to the death of off duty paramedics.

Obviously the school is gonna have a high turnover of teachers if this is what it's like.
 

Feroce2

Neo Member
That will surely teach these violent kids that violence is not the answer.

While teaching them peacefully that violence is bad is a noble pursuit, don't you think it would have worked by now. I personally think they need to be strong armed into obeying, perhaps they'll get a new perspective on what's tolerated in the real world.
 

GavinGT

Banned
While teaching them peacefully that violence is bad is a noble pursuit, don't you think it would have worked by now. I personally think they need to be strong armed into obeying, perhaps they'll get a new perspective on what's tolerated in the real world.

These issues start at home.
 
One of the answers to this are turnaround schools. Unfortunately while they work, they are pretty pricey and take lots of funding to see significant results.

While teaching them peacefully that violence is bad is a noble pursuit, don't you think it would have worked by now. I personally think they need to be strong armed into obeying, perhaps they'll get a new perspective on what's tolerated in the real world.

Being that that has failed in pretty much everywhere it was tried, I probably wouldn't go toward the police state route.

These issues start at home.

Pretty much. Unfortunately we are too focused on locking up people in America's gulag and keeping low waged jobs low wage instead of actually doing things that actually work. Turnaround schools, job programs, higher pay for low wage jobs, better policing, better community organizing, changing of the justice, and you will start seeing much more significant change.
 
One of the answers to this are turnaround schools. Unfortunately while they work, they are pretty pricey and take lots of funding to see significant results.



Being that that has failed in pretty much everywhere it was tried, I probably wouldn't go toward the police state route.



Pretty much. Unfortunately we are too focused on locking up people in America's gulag and keeping low waged jobs low wage instead of actually doing things that actually work.



whats's a turnaround school?
 

Timedog

good credit (by proxy)
While teaching them peacefully that violence is bad is a noble pursuit, don't you think it would have worked by now. I personally think they need to be strong armed into obeying, perhaps they'll get a new perspective on what's tolerated in the real world.

I'm sure none of them get the shit beat out of them at home.
 
whats's a turnaround school?

Its basically a school that solely focuses on rehabilitating/keeping a close eye on kids within these types of communities. They often have better educated teachers, highly involved counselors and mentors, etc.

This American Life
did a show about one of the schools. It was notorious for its violent community but despite that numbers (dropout rates, grades) were progressing very well. Though someone pointed out because unlike all the other schools it was actually properly funded. I'd HIGHLY recommend listening to it solely because its very entertaining.
 

Measley

Junior Member
I've often said that a school's success comes down to discipline, communication, and role models. A lot of kids I run across in urban areas just have no desire for education. The have hoop dreams or want to be rappers, and a lot of them go to schools that sound like the one in the OP.

School discipline is key. If kids know that there's real consequences for their actions, that can help get them in line, and a teacher can at least try to get them interested in learning. Unfortunately, many school administrators treat the kids like friends instead of students, and blur the line between adults and children. This causes the kids to believe that they have authority over the teachers and even the administration.
 
V

Vilix

Unconfirmed Member
America has a shockingly high disrespect towards authority, unless it's the military.

We's loves our football and basketball playa wit da Rolex and bling bling. And da rappers dat don't take nao shit from anyones.
 
It is time to close that school down and make the students spread out. Yes you can "fix" this toxic environment but it will take years if not decades and that is too many kids.
 
America has a shockingly high disrespect towards authority, unless it's the military.

I mean wtf, these are middle schoolers.

Breaking computers, riots, some connected to the death of off duty paramedics.

Obviously the school is gonna have a high turnover of teachers if this is what it's like.
You are really trying to encapsulate America within an exceptionally bad school in an exceptionally bad area? Oh please.
 
We's loves our football and basketball playa wit da Rolex and bling bling. And da rappers dat don't take nao shit from anyones.

To be fair there is some truth to what he says. Though its starting to happen in the white schools. Black schools have been in ruins for years but at least there are some notable signs of improvement over the past twenty years, white schools on the other hand have seemed to lag behind their European counterparts more than usual. This may be antecedent but I went to a virtually all white school and some of the students were insanely disrespectful toward their teachers. It wasn't ground zero like the school in the OP, but there were certainly some eye raising stuff including from my sister who graduated there about ten years before me.
 
Its basically a school that solely focuses on rehabilitating/keeping a close eye on kids within these types of communities. They often have better educated teachers, highly involved counselors and mentors, etc.

This American Life
did a show about one of the schools. It was notorious for its violent community but despite that numbers (dropout rates, grades) were progressing very well. Though someone pointed out because unlike all the other schools it was actually properly funded. I'd HIGHLY recommend listening to it solely because its very entertaining.


AS a teacher a turnaround school is a very very very bad thing. Your school needs to become a murder hole before the "turn around" money comes.

The school in TAL was in Chicago. They had severe gang violence problems before they got that money. It never really works out well and eventually the school closes and reopens under another moniker. This basically expunges the entire staff. Same kids. The process starts a new accept the schools record was also expunged.

what used to be known as evander child's high school in the Bronx. It went turn around. Was shut down. Reopened 2 years later add four separate and renamed high schools to basically try top trick kids to put it down on their high school application. Still the kids who are zoned there go there. School goes into turnaround again. Pump money in. Schools close. Turnaround is great for private companies though add the schools are sanctioned top spend their money on certain services and bold from these providers.

I've said it once and I'll see our again. Our inner city schools need to stay requiring that some parents participate in their own after school program. Educating them on how tocreate a mentally and nutritionally conducive environment at home. Also assisting them in attaining reasonable financial goals for themselves and their children.

Sorry for all the spelling mistakes I'm on my mobile
 
Sorry for all the spelling mistakes I'm on my mobile
Yeah I can't really understand your post. I'd criticize more but I often do the same when I post while mobile.

Its hard for me to understand but essentially turnaround schools end up similar to charter schools and what not. A good idea that is often destroyed by private entities as they suck the cash flow from the program for profit?
 
V

Vilix

Unconfirmed Member
To be fair there is some truth to what he says. Though its starting to happen in the white schools. Black schools have been in ruins for years but at least there are some notable signs of improvement over the past twenty years, white schools on the other hand have seemed to lag behind their European counterparts more than usual. This may be antecedent but I went to a virtually all white school and some of the students were insanely disrespectful toward their teachers. It wasn't ground zero like the school in the OP, but there were certainly some eye raising stuff including from my sister who graduated there about ten years before me.

I graduated from public school back in 87. I can tell you it doesn't matter if your school is predominately black, white, or latino. The public school system in America has been broken for decades. This is nothing new.
 
AS a teacher a turnaround school is a very very very bad thing. Your school needs to become a murder hole before the "turn around" money comes.

The school in TAL was in Chicago. They had severe gang violence problems before they got that money. It never really works out well and eventually the school closes and reopens under another moniker. This basically expunges the entire staff. Same kids. The process starts a new accept the schools record was also expunged.

what used to be known as evander child's high school in the Bronx. It went turn around. Was shut down. Reopened 2 years later add four separate and renamed high schools to basically try top trick kids to put it down on their high school application. Still the kids who are zoned there go there. School goes into turnaround again. Pump money in. Schools close. Turnaround is great for private companies though add the schools are sanctioned top spend their money on certain services and bold from these providers.

I've said it once and I'll see our again. Our inner city schools need to stay requiring that some parents participate in their own after school program. Educating them on how tocreate a mentally and nutritionally conducive environment at home. Also assisting them in attaining reasonable financial goals for themselves and their children.

Sorry for all the spelling mistakes I'm on my mobile

I usually disagree with plans on improving education that involve "more parental involvement". A lot of people, especially in disadvantaged families, simply don't have the time, money or energy to do what schools that require high parental involvement ask for; after you consider the fact that these parents usually work minimum wage, high stress, long hour jobs. American children tend to have a lot more homework than their international counterparts but spend far, far less hours in school which I think is a bit ridiculous. Encouraging kids to take on more extracurriculars, opening up youth programs, and mandating minimum volunteer hours I think does a lot better to enrich education. Keep kids off the street.
 
Yeah I can't really understand your post. I'd criticize more but I often do the same when I post while mobile.

Its hard for me to understand but essentially turnaround schools end up similar to charter schools and what not. A good idea that is often destroyed by private entities as they suck the cash flow from the program for profit?

No. Charters are much better than turnaround. If you've hit turnaround you've basically already fallen off the cliff.

The biggest problem is the money gets farmed out to private companies to provide sub par resources and support.
 
No. Charters are much better than turnaround. If you've hit turnaround you've basically already fallen off the cliff.

The biggest problem is the money gets farmed out to private companies to provide sub par resources and support.

What's your opinion on charter schools? I notice some people see them as the savior of education while others say it will just make the problems bigger in the long term.

What do you believe should be done in these schools or even education in general?
 
I usually disagree with plans on improving education that involve "more parental involvement". A lot of people, especially in disadvantaged families, simply don't have the time, money or energy to do what schools that require high parental involvement ask for; after you consider the fact that these parents usually work minimum wage, high stress, long hour jobs. American children tend to have a lot more homework than their international counterparts but spend far, far less hours in school which I think is a bit ridiculous. Encouraging kids to take on more extracurriculars, opening up youth programs, and mandating minimum volunteer hours I think does a lot better to enrich education. Keep kids off the street.

Well you can have add many activities as you like at the end of the day they need to go home.

Unfortunately what they go home to is most of the time not ideal. Parents do not understand how to properly support their urban teenager to help them break out of the cycle. Getting parents more active can really help a child.

I'm not looking to provide a liberal arts education but more of a mental health, financial, and nutritional curriculum.
 
What's your opinion on charter schools? I notice some people see them as the savior of education while others say it will just make the problems bigger in the long term.

What do you believe should be done in these schools or even education in general?

I personally believe that any school that provides a safe learning environment and allows children to meet grade appropriate standards while providing enriching activities is a great school.

I could care less if it's a charter, private or public. ALL schools have their problems

I will say this: most excellent charters require an extreme amount of parent involvement and advocacy to get your kid a seat. Make the connection.
 
Well you can have add many activities as you like at the end of the day they need to go home.

Unfortunately what they go home to is most of the time not ideal. Parents do not understand how to properly support their urban teenager to help them break out of the cycle. Getting parents more active can really help a child.

I'm not looking to provide a liberal arts education but more of a mental health, financial, and nutritional curriculum.

What about the kids who just can't rely on the parent (s) to help them? Some kids just go "home" to literally absolutely nothing.
 

SapientWolf

Trucker Sexologist
I usually disagree with plans on improving education that involve "more parental involvement". A lot of people, especially in disadvantaged families, simply don't have the time, money or energy to do what schools that require high parental involvement ask for; after you consider the fact that these parents usually work minimum wage, high stress, long hour jobs. American children tend to have a lot more homework than their international counterparts but spend far, far less hours in school which I think is a bit ridiculous. Encouraging kids to take on more extracurriculars, opening up youth programs, and mandating minimum volunteer hours I think does a lot better to enrich education. Keep kids off the street.
If the kids don't have a caregiver or role model that is concerned about how they do in school then the kids won't be concerned either. That nihilistic, apathetic attitude will poison any attempt to reach out and help them rise above their circumstances through programs or tutoring.

What's worse is that the kids that don't want to learn obstruct the kids that do by creating a hostile environment. The solution really has to start in the community itself.
 
Also problems require solutions. Solutions,in most cases, require money.

People often compare our children's intelligence here in America to that of other countries yet no one can even explain how that comparison is being made considering We have such different standard and markers for achievement.

Private industry has everything to gain from our children doing poorly. The poorer our results are the more test prep garbage they get to sell to the school....and guess who makes the test? The same company that sells the prep curricula. It's like Tamiflu releasing the flu in a community. The government then gives your community money to buy the cure.

For example on this year's grade 8 ela exam there were two passages that came from Pearson publishing's basal reader. Not every school buys that program, it's expensive. Those that did though we're lucky to have already exposed their children to two of the comprehension passages and prior knowledge those districts that did not buy basal were lacking.

Quite a bit of the money a school gets its already allotted. For instance 5 years ago our school had $15,000 left in our furniture allotment. If we didn't spend it by June We lost it. We were in desperate need of books. We begged to use the money on books. State said no way. We bought $15,000 worth of bean bag chairs that sit to this day in a basement. Pathetic. People need to take the focus off the teacher and start following the money.
 

Measley

Junior Member
If the kids don't have a caregiver or role model that is concerned about how they do in school then the kids won't be concerned either. That nihilistic, apathetic attitude will poison any attempt to reach out and help them rise above their circumstances through programs or tutoring.

What's worse is that the kids that don't want to learn obstruct the kids that do by creating a hostile environment. The solution really has to start in the community itself.

Pretty much. Nothing's worse than having a kid, or a group of kids who want to purposely disrupt the learning process by acting stupid.

Sadly all you can do is send them out of class and subsequently the school. You know that they're either heading to jail or the cemetery, but there isn't anything you can do. The parents are usually a lost cause because they don't know what to do with their own children.
 
V

Vilix

Unconfirmed Member
Also problems require solutions. Solutions,in most cases, require money.

People often compare our children's intelligence here in America to that of other countries yet no one can even explain how that comparison is being made considering We have such different standard and markers for achievement.

Private industry has everything to gain from our children doing poorly. The poorer our results are the more test prep garbage they get to sell to the school....and guess who makes the test? The same company that sells the prep curricula. It's like Tamiflu releasing the flu in a community. The government then gives your community money to buy the cure.

For example on this year's grade 8 ela exam there were two passages that came from Pearson publishing's basal reader. Not every school buys that program, it's expensive. Those that did though we're lucky to have already exposed their children to two of the comprehension passages and prior knowledge those districts that did not buy basal were lacking.

Quite a bit of the money a school gets its already allotted. For instance 5 years ago our school had $15,000 left in our furniture allotment. If we didn't spend it by June We lost it. We were in desperate need of books. We begged to use the money on books. State said no way. We bought $15,000 worth of bean bag chairs that sit to this day in a basement. Pathetic. People need to take the focus off the teacher and start following the money.


Agreed America spends far more on education than any other developed first world country. But we have the lowest literacy in reading, math, and science.

http://rossieronline.usc.edu/u-s-education-versus-the-world-infographic/
 

Ether_Snake

安安安安安安安安安安安安安安安
Also problems require solutions. Solutions,in most cases, require money.

Nope.

Implement a an urban farming program. It's profitable. Go from 40% attendance to 90%. Healthier kids. Smarter kids. Job creation. Cheaper food. Fewer in jail. Nicer neighborhoods. Hugely profitable for tax payers.

Throw away all the worst ones who have instigated the violence, barring them from coming back to the school for a year (give them to an institution that teaches to violent kids).

The solution is simpler than many want to accept, because a lot of people don't want to fix the problem, they just want to talk about it and use it as an excuse to push forward an agenda. When you look at real alternatives, you end up on a completely different path than the ones usually proposed, and that scares a lot of people with ideological or political agendas.
 
Well you can have add many activities as you like at the end of the day they need to go home.

Unfortunately what they go home to is most of the time not ideal. Parents do not understand how to properly support their urban teenager to help them break out of the cycle. Getting parents more active can really help a child.

I'm not looking to provide a liberal arts education but more of a mental health, financial, and nutritional curriculum.

If they are spending less time at home, then home life will have less of an impact on them. Think about kids who join sports clubs or after school programmes where they feel like they have a second home, it helps LOADS in helping you forget about home problems. Also it doesn't help when the parent themselves isn't very educated; they tend to find it difficult to see the importance of education, and for this reason alone a lot of at-home initiatives tend to fall flat on their face.



If the kids don't have a caregiver or role model that is concerned about how they do in school then the kids won't be concerned either. That nihilistic, apathetic attitude will poison any attempt to reach out and help them rise above their circumstances through programs or tutoring.

What's worse is that the kids that don't want to learn obstruct the kids that do by creating a hostile environment. The solution really has to start in the community itself.

Where did I say that parents need to stop caring about their kid's education? All I said was when the education system starts placing more importance on education at home it becomes a huge disadvantage for families that are already disadvantaged. Guess who has more time and money to get involved in their kids education? Two parent households with a lot of free time and a lot of money. Guess who has the least? Single parent households with tight budgets and long working hours. The latter is far more common in these types of schools. Why would you treat these problems in such an ineffective way?

This "pull yourself by the bootstraps" method is not conductive at all. Where is the HELP the state is providing to these schools and neighbourhoods? It seems the first conclusion people come to is "let's hand them some bootstraps" or "deal with it". Shameful if you ask me.
 
Nope.

Implement a gardening program. It's profitable. Go from 40% attendance to 90%. Healthier kids. Smarter kids. Job creation. Cheaper food. Fewer in jail. Nicer neighborhoods. Hugely profitable for tax payers.

Throw away all the worst ones who have instigated the violence, barring them from coming back to the school for a year (give them to an institution that teaches to violent kids).

This looks great but you're telling me it requires not a cent be spent up front?

The point that I'm trying to make is not that we need more money but that the money we currently receive is being misappropriated so that things like you linked are not possible.

Just give the problem children to a facility that's better equipped to handle that many children? Will require no extra funding?
 

SapientWolf

Trucker Sexologist
If they are spending less time at home, then home life will have less of an impact on them. Think about kids who join sports clubs or after school programmes where they feel like they have a second home, it helps LOADS in helping you forget about home problems. Also it doesn't help when the parent themselves isn't very educated; they tend to find it difficult to see the importance of education, and for this reason alone a lot of at-home initiatives tend to fall flat on their face.





Where did I say that parents need to stop caring about their kid's education? All I said was when the education system starts placing more importance on education at home it becomes a huge disadvantage for families that are already disadvantaged. Guess who has more time and money to get involved in their kids education? Two parent households with a lot of free time and a lot of money. Guess who has the least? Single parent households with tight budgets and long working hours. The latter is far more common in these types of schools. Why would you treat these problems in such an ineffective way?

This "pull yourself by the bootstraps" method is not conductive at all. Where is the HELP the state is providing to these schools and neighbourhoods? It seems the first conclusion people come to is "let's hand them some bootstraps" or "deal with it". Shameful if you ask me.
It's not a bootstraps type of argument. You can only help someone that wants to be helped.
 

Chairhome

Member
I grew up in the Bay Area (Vallejo) and it was quite the culture shock when I graduated from a Naval Base Elementary school to go to the City Junior High (7-9th grade). It wasn't crazy like what's in the OP, but I remember a dude in my class with a flask drinking during class, and I remember people smoking weed in the bathroom all the time.

I really don't know what can be done to turn those schools around, except maybe:
220px-Only_the_Strong.jpg
 
Oakland, Richmond, Vallejo. Stay the fuck out...

Sucks for the handful who actually want to try and learn and break out. Majority just want to "keep it hood."

Everytime I drive through there it only motivates me to work harder.
 
The best thing out of Oakland is Kreayshawn

She got that swag and it's pumpin out her ovaries!

We all the way up in this Too Short's favorite word...I kid about Kreayshawn
 

SapientWolf

Trucker Sexologist
If such a large segment of the population does "not want to be helped" then it is an institutional problem.
It's an institutional problem that's going to be near impossible to solve at the institutional level, because the kids with the problem don't like, trust or care about the institution.
 
It's an institutional problem that's going to be near impossible to solve at the institutional level, because the kids with the problem don't like, trust or care about the institution.

You mean to say that people detesting the institution is not in any way the institution's fault? That seems like a bit of a stretch.
 
You mean to say that people detesting the institution is not in any way the institution's fault? That seems like a bit of a stretch.

I don't think that's his point. I think he was trying to say that these children most likely have so many other "adult level" concerns and issues that school and after school activities can't be a priority for you.
 
I don't think that's his point. I think he was trying to say that these children most likely have so many other "adult level" concerns and issues that school and after school activities can't be a priority for you.

I could only imagine that in the 1930s instead of the Western world putting in progressive reforms they said "Welp there's no point. Look at all of those poor European immigrants spending their wages and family money on beer! Look at how violent they are!"

The purpose of the government is to enforce and push for things in society that society can't do on its own. Now if we put in drastic reforms would all or even most of these problem kids turnaround in a decade? Probably not, but there will be some and it will be a start. The ball has to get rolling somewhere. It took decades to get the European immigrants in order.
 

Ether_Snake

安安安安安安安安安安安安安安安
This looks great but you're telling me it requires not a cent be spent up front?

The point that I'm trying to make is not that we need more money but that the money we currently receive is being misappropriated so that things like you linked are not possible.

Just give the problem children to a facility that's better equipped to handle that many children? Will require no extra funding?

The urban farming makes money, creates jobs, raises school attendance levels, improves health, reduces crime, drug use, improves communities to and through. So it is extremely profitable to society. So no, it doesn't cost anything, it reduces expenditures at so many other levels that it can be considered reduced spending on day one, not an increase.

There's only a miniscule minority that lead others into violent acts, and those can be identified by the school and sent to a specialized school where they would be under the same program but in small classes, which would quickly change their attitudes, improve their outlook. So again, no expenditures.

It's all ideology and politics that are maintaining the problem in place. Private healthcare corporate interests makes society sick, private schooling corporate interests makes society dumb.
 

Savitar

Member
Lots of youth don't fear punishment these days. And why should they? Everyone else gets blamed and seldom them, even the parents usually don't get any blame. It's the teachers. It's the video games. It's the music. It's the violent stuff on TV, everything else gets blamed and no one really takes any responsibility. Every little parents kid is a perfect little angel no matter what they do it seems.
 
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