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High School Tolerance Levels

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BuckWrestler141

BuckWrestler141

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The talk of the amount of seniors who do drugs in another thread lead me to this. I've been in 5 schools for teaching and student teaching in the past 3 years, the common theme I'm seeing that bothers me a lot is swearing. I should also note that 4 of the 5 schools would be considered top of the nation type schools.

It is not punished at all, I should note I'm in gym class though. Every student throws around profanities though, and the same goes for the staff. Talk of drinking is also pretty accepted throughout the schools. In my high school I'd receive a detention minimum for saying 'damn' while I'm in a junior high setting where kids yell F*ck for missing a basketball shot unpunished.

Is this just a local issue, or is it become I'm from a town of 7,000 people and things are just different in the city/burbs then small town values.

When answering about your high school tolerance give your graduation year too.

I graduated in 2002.
 
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Swearing was not accepted in my school, but I went to Catholic schools. Drug and alcohol use happened, but word of it was not discussed inside the school buildings. Kids who had large discipline records or the administration heard rumors they partied heavily on the weekends were not permitted to go on our senior class trip to New Orleans.

I graduated in '89.
 
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Great topic Wrestler!

First off, this issue of swearing going unpunished falls on the principal. He/she is the one responsible for writing the handbook and enforcing the rules. They have to foster the atmosphere of intolerance to swearing in school, it's not appropriate behavior in a professional setting and as a result most certainly shouldn't be acceptable in an educational setting.

The year between when my Bachelors and Masters degree, I substitute taught in Hilliard for a year just making sure the grade level I wanted to teach was the right one. I subbed from grades 1 to High School. Subbed in both Darby and Davidson HS's. I remember telling my gf at the time that what I couldn't believe about the HS's was the amount of swearing that went on in front of teachers that went unpunished. Students were allowed wearing hats and drinking and eating in class. I told her that it was like a mall with a few classes sprinkled in between the socializing.

I was totally disgusted by it and lost A LOT of respect for the district and especially those principals.

The main problem I saw was that most of the teachers acted as if they wanted to be the students friends and didn't want to be the "bitch" or "dick" that gave them a detention for swearing.

I remember at Davidson I had study hall duty as a sub and remember, I'm 22 years old and I'm in charge of about 100 kids who are about 4 years younger than me. Anyhow, a couple of the jocks are screwing off and I can hear them swearing loud enough to where nearly the entire room can hear them. I told them to go to the office and they told me that they are allowed to swear. I told them, "Too bad, get your butts to the office."

Funny thing is after they left, this quiet girl in the front row said thanks for sending them to the office because the teacher that is normally there doesn't punish that certain group of boys b/c he was a coach.

As much as you may not believe it, kids respect teachers who have rules much more than those that allow them to have free reign.

BTW, I graduated in 94 and it was notallowed at my HS.

At the MS I teach at now, it is DEFINITELY not allowed and is punished immediately. Even for saying "damn."
 
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I think it has just got to the point where it is too hard to punish. Basically what I'm saying is teachers have got less and less tough on it and over time it has just got to the point where nothing can really be done.

On average everyweek in my school, there is 60-65 kids given a Wed. School(After school detention). Most of this is not for cursing. Now think how many there would be if they gave every kid a detention for saying damn?

Now I'm not saying cursing in my school is allowed. That is far from it. If some kid goes on a cussing storm, they will get written up on it.
 
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I also may add the cell phone and hats issue. Just this year CPS made a big hoppla over this and said that they were making a dress code and electronic devices policy. Basically stating that you could not have any cell phones, cd players, etc...

The fact is that CPS has always had this in their "Code of Conduct" packet. Both on the dress code and electronic devices. This is nothing new.

The teachers are susposed to take the cell phones if they see them "exposed". Some, I should say, go a little too far and will see them in a student's pocket and say "give me that". Others will only take them if they see them out, and not go thru your pockets. Most if they see them will just say to the students, "Put that away" Or "I don't see that".

I don't have a problem with cell phones. I don't have one myself, but if I did I think I should be able to have it. I would turn it off and have it put away however.
 
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tedginn05 said:
I also may add the cell phone and hats issue. Just this year CPS made a big hoppla over this and said that they were making a dress code and electronic devices policy. Basically stating that you could not have any cell phones, cd players, etc...

The fact is that CPS has always had this in their "Code of Conduct" packet. Both on the dress code and electronic devices. This is nothing new.

The teachers are susposed to take the cell phones if they see them "exposed". Some, I should say, go a little too far and will see them in a student's pocket and say "give me that". Others will only take them if they see them out, and not go thru your pockets. Most if they see them will just say to the students, "Put that away" Or "I don't see that".

I don't have a problem with cell phones. I don't have one myself, but if I did I think I should be able to have it. I would turn it off and have it put away however.
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Teddy brings up a good point. With the # of kids with cell phones nowadays, you can't prohibit them. Our rule is you're allowed to have CD players, Ipods, cell phones but as soon as you step one foot inside the building, they are to be put away, if we see them, we take them and your parents have to come pick them up after school.

Cell phones are not allowed to be carried around during the day. They are to be put in the students locker and turned "OFF." If we see a student with one in their pocket etc... we confiscate it, write a detention, and send it to the office to be picked up by their parents at the end of the day.
 
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Thump said:
First off, this issue of swearing going unpunished falls on the principal. He/she is the one responsible for writing the handbook and enforcing the rules. They have to foster the atmosphere of intolerance to swearing in school, it's not appropriate behavior in a professional setting and as a result most certainly shouldn't be acceptable in an educational setting.

I remember telling my gf at the time that what I couldn't believe about the HS's was the amount of swearing that went on in front of teachers that went unpunished. Students were allowed wearing hats and drinking and eating in class. I told her that it was like a mall with a few classes sprinkled in between the socializing.

I was totally disgusted by it and lost A LOT of respect for the district and especially those principals.

The main problem I saw was that most of the teachers acted as if they wanted to be the students friends and didn't want to be the "bitch" or "dick" that gave them a detention for swearing.

I remember at Davidson I had study hall duty as a sub and remember, I'm 22 years old and I'm in charge of about 100 kids who are about 4 years younger than me. Anyhow, a couple of the jocks are screwing off and I can hear them swearing loud enough to where nearly the entire room can hear them. I told them to go to the office and they told me that they are allowed to swear. I told them, "Too bad, get your butts to the office."

Funny thing is after they left, this quiet girl in the front row said thanks for sending them to the office because the teacher that is normally there doesn't punish that certain group of boys b/c he was a coach.

As much as you may not believe it, kids respect teachers who have rules much more than those that allow them to have free reign.

BTW, I graduated in 94 and it was notallowed at my HS.

At the MS I teach at now, it is DEFINITELY not allowed and is punished immediately. Even for saying "damn."
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I agree with you on everything. The junior high setting was the only 'bad' school that I attended at so I was hoping it wasn't tolerated at Least at that level in most places.

The study hall thing is great, what did the school say in response to sending them to office for it? I wanted to write up this kid for screaming f*ck, but my coop told me not too, didn't even let me dock down his participation points. As a student teacher I'm not going to argue the point, but at the school I'm teaching it will not be the same way. 90% of the school staff seems to play the friend role with their students, insulting other teachers to the students for a short minute of fame.

The mall comparison is dead on, although the test scores and stuff I can't argue with at the school they are seeing results. I actually have no issue with healthy snacks/water-bottles in the classroom until the student turns it into a distraction. Hats allowed in a school is pretty ridiculous, I've yet to witness that one.

Edit: How could I forget about IPODS? Every damn student walks around wearing one in the school. Drives me insane.
 
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Thump said:
Teddy brings up a good point. With the # of kids with cell phones nowadays, you can't prohibit them. Our rule is you're allowed to have CD players, Ipods, cell phones but as soon as you step one foot inside the building, they are to be put away, if we see them, we take them and your parents have to come pick them up after school.

Cell phones are not allowed to be carried around during the day. They are to be put in the students locker and turned "OFF." If we see a student with one in their pocket etc... we confiscate it, write a detention, and send it to the office to be picked up by their parents at the end of the day.
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At this point, when they are took and sent to the office, you don't get them back to June.

I should also say that the cell phone policy is susposed to go for teachers also. Almost all of the teachers have theirs turned off and think they should follow the say rules. Even the principal keeps his in his pocket and off.

Of course there is this one teacher, who is an ass. He is the one I was talking about going thru people's pockets. What makes him such an ass, is that he thinks the rules don't go for him. He will walk the halls talking on it, saying he doesn't fall under that rule.
 
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BuckWrestler141 said:
I agree with you on everything. The junior high setting was the only 'bad' school that I attended at so I was hoping it wasn't tolerated at Least at that level in most places.

The study hall thing is great, what did the school say in response to sending them to office for it? I wanted to write up this kid for screaming f*ck, but my coop told me not too, didn't even let me dock down his participation points. As a student teacher I'm not going to argue the point, but at the school I'm teaching it will not be the same way. 90% of the school staff seems to play the friend role with their students, insulting other teachers to the students for a short minute of fame.

The mall comparison is dead on, although the test scores and stuff I can't argue with at the school they are seeing results. I actually have no issue with healthy snacks/water-bottles in the classroom until the student turns it into a distraction. Hats allowed in a school is pretty ridiculous, I've yet to witness that one.

Edit: How could I forget about IPODS? Every damn student walks around wearing one in the school. Drives me insane.
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Not sure what discipline the boys received but they never came back to study hall that day. :biggrin:

As far as the water bottles, here's the problem, students start putting vodka in those bottles amongst other things. That's why it's not allowed around here. I know you may think it sounds crazy but it's been done. That's why there's water fountains.

You know what I tell my students who complain I'm allowed to drink water and they're not, "Go to college for 6 years, pay $70,000, become a teacher, and then you can drink at school."

I'm the no-nonsense teacher at my grade level. If a student comes in the door a half second after the bell rings, they're tardy. Other teachers allow kids to come in late but not me.

Also, it's in our handbook that kids are to recieve an automatic detention for chewing gum, I'm one of the few teachers who actually follows through with the detention. Yeah they get pissed at me but so what, I'm there to teach and enforce the rules, not to be their buddy.

Good piece of advice I learned, be a real a-hole the first few weeks of school and your problems will be minimal. If you start out trying to be buddy-buddy, you'll never get discipline back if you try to do it mid year.
 
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tedginn05 said:
What makes him such an ass, is that he thinks the rules don't go for him.
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I totally agree, rules should be followed by all or there's no use in having rules. I don't chew gum and don't even have a cell phone so that's not an issue for me.

We are allowed to drink during the day since we do so much talking when we teach but I agree, students need led by example, not by words.
 
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as for cell phones, I wouldn't dream of leaving mine in a HS locker, if I were that age. If it is a problem to have it in their pocket and off, there should be a place at the front office to leave cell phones. Some kids do not have the option to leave them at home.

Also, you not having one at all probably changes your whole perspective on the necessity and need for a cell phone once school gets out.
 
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Thump said:
As far as the water bottles, here's the problem, students start putting vodka in those bottles amongst other things. I know you may think it sounds crazy but it's been done. That's why there's water fountains.


Good piece of advice I learned, be a real a-hole the first few weeks of school and your problems will be minimal. If you start out trying to be buddy-buddy, you'll never get discipline back if you try to do it mid year.
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Not crazy sounding at all, it was (is?) a big problem last year at the high school. The changed policy is that you have to be drinking from the schools drink machines. You can't enforce that, but it does prevent brining in the large bottles from home that make vodka mixes easier.

"Don't smile until Christmas"
 
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I have to ask you a question Thump, are kids allowed to carry their bookbags around with them during the day?

I know in my middle school they had to go in our lockers and we could only go to our lockers before school, before lunch, after lunch and after school.

I got to HS and was surprised that we could carry them around with us. My logic was weapons in the bag, especially at the HS level.

The only reason I believe why we are allowed to have them with us is because the bags won't fit in the lockers. The lockers are about 4 inches wide. With the exception of the seniors who get bigger/regular size lockers, downstairs, that the school just got this year.
 
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