Guns, knives and education: Violence erupts in D.C. Public Schools

When Michelle Rhee became the new chancellor of D.C. Public Schools (DCPS), many believed she would produce the much needed change required for D.C. students to become successful, well-educated youths instead of statistics— something that has happened too often within DCPS for the past 30 years.  DCPS enrollment has been plummeting for almost three decades now.  Between 2006 and 2007, total DCPS enrollment dropped from 55,000 to approximately 49,600 (-5,400 or by 270 classrooms, 20 children each).  Since 1990, DCPS enrollment has declined by 30,000.

In a 2004 study conducted by the DC-based Alliance for Excellent Education, it was reported that 15 percent of US high schools are responsible for an estimated 50 percent of high school dropouts.  These schools have been coined “dropout factories” and the District unfortunately plays a major role in manufacturing D.C. high school dropouts.  According to the Alliance’s study, only 58 percent of D.C. students graduated from high school with their class.  Washington Post Metro reporter Marc Fisher reveals that in 2007, approximately 55 percent of D.C.’s ninth graders measured as reading below the ninth-grade reading level, displaying a potential risk for becoming the next cycle of future high school dropouts.  Unfortunately, black and Hispanic students mostly are affected, which is mainly due to these students predominantly living in underserved communities.

In a July 2008 interview with Daria Hall, assistant director for K-12 Policy Development at The Education Trust, a non-profit organization that works to close the educational gap alongside city officials, teachers, and administration, some disturbing statistics were provided concerning D.C. students. Hall argues there are far too many students in DCPS who fall underneath the national percentages for both reading and mathematics.  When glancing at 4th grade, which is a crucial time in reading development for students-- particularly since they are grasping the rudiments-- only 35 percent or 1 in 3 D.C. students are reading at 4th-grade level. When regarding 8th grade mathematics, which is crucial because if students do not grasp basic mathematical skills by this time, they will be unable to grasp advanced-level mathematics in high school and beyond, only 24 percent or 1 and 4 can perform 8th grade mathematical functions.

The Nation’s Report Card, an assessment seniors are required to pass before graduation, reveals D.C. students are performing at much lower levels when compared to other students attending schools in low-income, underserved communities in such cities: New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Cleveland, as well as several other major urban cities known for inferior public school systems.

Yet, with Chancellor Rhee’s  “renew, revitalize, and reorganize” (RRR) plan created to address the deficient way in which DCPS have been operating, school board and government officials believed test scores would skyrocket, grades would improve, and violence would finally end for D.C. students.  Were they ever more wrong?

Under her RRR plan, Chancellor Rhee closed 23 of the 145 existing schools, leaving only 121 operating schools— approximately 5,789 students were affected by this massive closing.   Chancellor Rhee believed by closing these underperforming schools coupled with restructuring and reorganizing those still standing, D.C. students finally would be given the educational opportunity caring parents and community activists demanded.  However, what Chancellor Rhee did not anticipate when merging students from these various schools was an eruption of violence from rival neighborhood gangs-- even though parents forewarned Chancellor Rhee before making her ultimate decision.

Chancellor Rhee admitted she could not honor parent requests to not merge students together into schools that would consist of rival neighborhood gangs since such requests conflicted with the “majority” of parents who supported the RRR plan.  So, while she was “concerned” about potential violent outbreaks stemming from rival neighborhood gangs, she had to consider the safety and well-being of “all” students, not just this fraction. Yet, with DCPS making headlines as in the early and mid 90s due to extreme violence, people doubt whether Chancellor Rhee genuinely considered the safety and security of all children when merging these students from all different backgrounds.  Nevertheless, Chancellor Rhee is not the sole blame party, as D.C. has always approached education and violence issues in an incremental fashion— and unfortunately, these issues have been lingering within DCPS for at least 20 years.

D.C.’s history of piecemeal resolutions to school violence and education

On Thursday, November 20, 2008, the D.C. Council scrutinized Chancellor Rhee on safety and security issues. Yet, had the school board and government officials proactively resolved these issues 20 years ago instead of being reactive, as they often are, perhaps Chancellor Rhee would not be in hot water, and DCPS would be more conducive to both teaching and learning.   

Twenty years ago, DCPS faced the same violence when students were attacked and robbed in schools over their attire.  Back in the day, when Triple Fat Goose and Eddie Bauer coats were the North Face coats of today, and Nike Air Pumps were the Ato Matsumoto sneakers of today, many students were robbed, assaulted, and even killed over such material possessions. However, instead of parents, school and government officials being proactive, strengthening anti-youth violence, after-school or extracurricular programs, a reactive approach was applied: make everyone wear uniforms. If everyone looks the same, violence will cease and students will be more conducive to learning-- because of course, clothes are a distraction and the cause of violence.  Aside from my sarcasm, advocates won the school-uniform debate hands down and the result: many DCPS adopted the school-uniform policy, as well as many Maryland and Virginia public schools.  

Needless to say, this approach was unsuccessful. Twenty years later DCPS are faced with the same dilemma: How can schools be secure and safe from violence? Twenty years ago, had D.C. school and government officials employed a comprehensive anti-youth violence strategy rather than focusing strictly on security, perhaps the problem would be resolved.  Yet, District leaders thought by installing metal detectors, contracting private security firms, involving the Metropolitan Police Department, creating more rigid expulsion policies, and reinstating curfews after school, the problem would resolve itself.  Never thinking that perhaps there is an underlying problem as to why these students fight against one another and attack teachers, which should be addressed.

The idea of metal detectors and security guards does not evoke imagery of an educational institution, but more so a correctional facility. Checkpoints and metal detectors should not be components of a learning environment, but more so principals, teachers, and an administration who know how to discipline, maintain order, and participate and implement strategies and programs to better assist students.

Twenty years later and D.C. schools still the same?

So here we are, 20 years later and violence is still erupting in DCPS.  Students are assaulting both teachers and other students.  Youths from rival neighborhood gangs are at odds and violently expressing themselves. On November 19, 2008, the day before Chancellor Rhee was greeted by the Council, there was an explosion of events at the notorious Anacostia High School: five students injured-- three students suffered stab wounds and one student suffered an asthma attack during the violent outbreak, an arson, and a school lockdown where students were wheedled onto the outdoor football field.  However, the logic of this action should be questioned.  Is it really wise to place rivaling gangs within open range of one another, particularly when innocent bystanders could be injured in the process?

D.C. State Board of Education member William Lockridge, representative for wards 7 and 8, told the Post the Anacostia violent brawl stemmed from tensions triggered from rival neighborhoods who had attended Eastern High School, which is currently being reorganized under the No Child Left Behind Act, and M.M. Washington Career High School, which was closed because of low enrollment.  “I think it was a bad idea from the beginning, “ Lockridge told the Post.  “The community forewarned the administration that this was to happen, and it’s happened.  They’re not listening.”  

However, the turbulent events at Anacostia are only the icing on the cake— there have been a host of violent events throughout DCPS. During the week before violence erupted at Anacostia, a student at Ballou High School was both maced and stabbed.  Within the month of November, 19 Dunbar High School girls, some belonging to neighborhood gangs, were accused of fighting and were arrested.  At Hart Middle School, three teachers were assaulted, a 14-year old was charged with carrying a shotgun, and students consistently run amok in hallways discharging fire extinguishers.  These days, Hart Middle School has become known for something other than 17 percent of its student body being able to read at proficiency level.

Critics such as Lockridge claim Chancellor Rhee’s appointment of a new young principal at Hart for this school year did nothing to help an already-sinking ship.  According to Lockridge, the principal has been unable to connect with parents, students, teachers, and staff.  If a principal cannot establish order, gain respect, and maintain communication amongst students, parents, teachers, and staves, how can they be affective in running a school? The school has been plagued by teacher shortages, with as many as 112 vacancies at one point, Lockridge told the Post. As class sizes continue to outnumber teachers, and inexperienced substitutes struggle to keep order, disorder continues to grow at Hart.  However, this was something Chancellor Rhee promised would be rectified as she fired those teachers, assistant principals and principals who were “inexperienced, uncertified, and ill-equipped” to properly educate and manage D.C. students, classrooms, and schools.  However, during his visits to Hart, Lockridge told the Post the new teachers Chancellor Rhee instated seem more easily intimated by disorderly students whereas former teachers dismissed by Chancellor Rhee were better equipped to handle such students, but eventually had become exhausted.

However, Chancellor Rhee has argued the reorganization has nothing to do with the current violent outbreaks-- even though Assistant Police Chief Diane Groomes, the overseer of the Metropolitan Police Department’s School Security Bureau, said police had been bracing themselves for the major trouble that would stem from combining rival neighborhood gangs into one school. Groomes told the Post that such action would “aggravate” neighborhood gang rivals. On the other hand, Groomes admitted that some of this disruption does stem from the consolidation of Patricia R. Harris Education Center, another school in Southeast that was closed by Chancellor Rhee in June due to low enrollment.  According to Groomes, Harris was a “challenging” school and Hart has inherited some of Harris’ patterned violence.

The chancellor admits police and security is not the answer

According to the Post, Chancellor Rhee, in her meeting with the Council, admitted that overflowing school corridors with more Metropolitan Police and private security guards is not the resolution to end school violence.  Instead, energy should be exerted towards improving peer mediation and conflict management programs, such as the anti-violence group, Peaceoholics, argues Chancellor Rhee. However, in the meantime, metal detector sensors have been more finely tuned to better sense all forms of weapons previously missed by both detectors and law enforcement/security.

Also security officers employed by Hawk One will receive better training, as these security officers have mastered fraternizing with students, but fail to maintain order within schools, according to parents. Chancellor Rhee also has drafted a five-year action plan laying out discipline policies that must occur, which include expanding alternative schools for disruptive students and possibly ending out-of-school suspensions, which have only helped to deter student misconduct on a small scale.

However, one can say that moving all of the disruptive students to one school is yet another piecemeal approach, as this does nothing to “solve” the problem. Instead, it just serves as a blanket, moving the problems elsewhere in the community.  To place all the troubled children into one school “to kill off” one another is hardly a resolution.

Chancellor Rhee also has revealed a blueprint, which was originally created by former School Superintendent Clifford B. Janey, which outlines strategies for raising student achievement and the quality of classroom instruction.  But this is another column.  So keep your eyes pierced for Part Two.  

Until next time, parents please get some control over your children. The responsibility does not fall solely on the government. The foundation is first built within the home.

Part one of a two-part series

Sources:

http://www.empowernewsmag.com/listings.php?article=56
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/nov/24/curb-dc-school-violence/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/11/20/ST2008112003648.html?sid=ST2008112003648
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/08/AR2008110802488.html