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Schools level of responsibility?????

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arm4real

Guest
My 15 year old son attends Senior high school in Washington, DC on tuesday first period class he had his head down on his desk and another 15 year old student smacked the back of his head and ran out the class laughing, my son laid his head back down and the same kid came back and did it again but this time he sat at his deskmy son went over to him and told him he plays to much and that he was not in the mood and to leave him the f--k alone at this point the kid jumped up an pushed him, my son shoved him back and a fight developed. A teacher in an ajoining room hearing the commotion came over and broke up the fight all this time the teacher for that class was present and had done nothing to prevent or stop the conflict he was as much an observer of the fighting as the other students were his only comment was, and I bullsh-t you not was "Dem suckers were wrecking..." anyway my son and the other kid was placed in In-school suspension for the second period where each was required to write out there side of the story they met with an adult mediator and were mad to apologize to each other, shake hands and return to there regular schedule. This other child and my son have EVERY period together, however nothing further occurred no stares, threats or etc. At close of school this boy and 2 of his friends jumped my son his head was banged on a brick walk way, he suffered numerous lumps and bruises and facial abrasions, he was kicked and his nose bloodied. I called the police and filed a report, I went up to the school to find out why I had not been notified earlier that day when my son was initially involed in the physical altercation, at this point I was not aware that there was a teacher present in that first period class I somehow assumed that there was no teacher or monitor present for it to have gone that far later that night in speaking with my son I was informed of the teacher's presence and his comment.I
also took my son to the emergency room at childrens to make sure he was okay and that there were no concusions of internal
bleeding.
I am scheduled for a mediation with the 3 boys and their parents at the precinct tomorrow to see if I want to press assault charges or if I want to leave it for the school to handle it. My question legally is did the school take the correct steps in handling this situation? My son is an honor roll student nerver a disiplinary problem, nerver a conflict of this magnitude I understand that the boy he actually fought is basically a good kid also the other 2 boys are known agitators and constantly involved in some type of negative activities. I used my insurance to pay for the hospital visit should the parents share the cost and re-imburse me. I'm just grateful that they did not use knives or weapons when they attacked my kid and that it was no more serious than it was. however this is a kid that has been taught to avoid violence at all times there is not even hitting in our house, I don't beleive in hitting children as a form of parenting.
 


the teacher that was in the room should be disciplined. see what the school policy and precedure is what a teacher is a witness. what i hate about tenure is that bad teachers are hard to get rid of. if you get not satsification go to the school board. this crap about settling it by letting boys be boys and duking it out is for the birds.
 
F

FKNA

Guest
The actions that the school took were appropriate. The teacher that was in the class room should be disciplined. As far as the mediation with the other parents, use the ability to press charges as leverage. If I were you, I'd make all three sets of parents pick up the cost that you had to pay for the medical bills. If they don't agree, use the threat of pressing charges.

Now if they don't agree to pick up the cost, even though you had threatened to press charges, think it over carefully. If they are basically good kids and you feel the parents will give appropriate discipline, then think twice about pressing the charges.
 
A

arm4real

Guest
Today thursday 13, I met with the parents and kids at the precinct with 2 police officers as mediators after meeting the kids involved and speaking with the parents I feel it can be resolved by the parents being involved ,tomorrow friday I am meeting with the principal at that school regarding the teacher. At the mediation today I asked the other kid that my son initially had the fight with if he recalled the teacher being present and he
told me the same thing that my son had said about the teachers presence in the classroom and the teachers attitude during the fight.
Also my son had asked me not to have them prosecuted or put out of dc public school because they are young and he does not want them to get a record that will stop them from getting good jobs when they are older,( he did not realize that a juvenile
record would not follow them as an adult) I know he did not say this out of fear of any type of retailiation from these kids but I was struck by his sense of forgiveness and compassion and I conceded to his wishes. Hopefully its over.
 
H

Humble Warrior

Guest
You seem like a good parent.....good job!!!
Hug your son....he seems like a nice boy.
Take all the kids for a soda sometime.....if they can get past it(and they probably did already) so can we grown-ups.
The teacher should rot in hell as he is signing his disciplinary action forms,and being unilatterally dismissed.
 

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