“I don’t think this is acceptable”: Alachua County School Board discusses discipline data at workshop
BY JENNIFER CABRERA
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Alachua County School Board discussed the Attendance and Discipline Trend Report for the first semester at their February 7 workshop; the academic report for the first semester will be presented on February 28.
Equity Profile
Manda Bessner, Director of Evaluation, Accountability, and Analytics, first presented the “Equity Profile” for the first nine weeks, showing that white students make up 40.2% of the student body and 14.4% of disciplinary referrals; Hispanic students make up 13.7% of the student body and 7.9% of the referrals; African American/black students make up 33% of the student body and 71% of the referrals; Asian students are 5.5% of the student body and less than 1% of the referrals; multi-racial students are 7.4% of the student body and 6% of the referrals; and the remaining categories are 0.2% of the student body and close to 0% of the referrals.
The second nine weeks’ data were similar; Bessner said, “We are seeing still the same disparity between the different groups receiving referrals.”
Suspensions
Bessner presented a chart with the number of days suspended by race in each nine weeks and pointed out that the numbers for the second nine weeks do not include the numbers in the first nine weeks but are additional suspensions. Member Sarah Rockwell pointed out that the y-axes on the charts are different, which visually minimizes the increases in the second nine weeks: “It’s more helpful to make comparisons when both graphs have the same y-axis.”
Discipline events
Discipline events show a similar pattern and also increased in the second nine weeks. Bessner also showed charts with discipline events broken down by elementary, middle, and high school, and the discipline events stayed nearly the same in elementary school but nearly doubled in middle school and high school in the second nine weeks. (The full presentation can be found here.)
Bessner theorized, “I think that sometimes the numbers might go up in the second quarter when the holidays start to come around… and I think maybe that some patience levels may have been pushed to the limit. And so sometimes I think that results in more referrals and the kids sometimes get excited about getting to go on holiday break.”
Bessner said the top offenses by number of events are Unsafe Act, Defiance, Classroom Disruption, and Skipping/Leaving Campus; she said these offenses more than doubled from the first nine weeks to the second nine weeks.
Attendance
During a discussion about student attendance and the home-school liaisons who work with social workers and mental health counselors to increase attendance, Dr. “Dre” Graham, Director of Educational Equity and Outreach, described the parenting webinars and other services provided by the Parent Academy. Member Kay Abbitt asked how many people participate in the webinars and focus groups, and Graham did not answer directly; instead he said, “We have seen about a 20% increase from last year to this year in our parent participation.” Graham said they are working to reach parents who are not getting the phone calls, emails, and text messages: “When we start talking about the technology divide… we’re trying to navigate [that] as best we can… It’s not where we want it–in a perfect world, every single parent in our county would be participating.” He said the webinars are archived on the district’s website for parents with schedule conflicts.
Abbitt tried again, “Would you say 20, 40?” and Graham replied, “I think we’ve had upwards of 50 individuals participate before… but we average anywhere between 20 to that highest number of 50.”
Turning to Bessner, Abbitt said her expectation would be that discipline would improve in the second nine weeks because “the expectations for behavior should have been explained and enforced… And it’s obviously not.”
“PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) is not working. And so we need to regroup and come up with something different, because I don’t think this is acceptable.” – Member Kay Abbitt
Abbitt said, “A lot of these events are disruption in class, defiance. And I look at that and say, ‘Well, during that quarter, there was about 700 times a child’s education who’s behaving was interrupted because of behavior.’ And then my second thought is… PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) is not working. And so we need to regroup and come up with something different, because I don’t think this is acceptable.” She said the district should have a behavior policy that is “enforced in every school consistently… There should be expectations for behavior at school because kids are in school to learn, and they can’t learn when learning is being disrupted. It’s not safe.”
“And I will tell you, starting December 1, something happened. I’m not gonna say it was in the water in Alachua County, but something happened… We also had an increase in certain things happening in our community, in our neighborhoods, that bled over into our schools. And I don’t have that data to give you today, but [we could get it] through the State Attorney’s Office.” – Executive Director of ESE and Student Services Kathy Black
Executive Director of ESE and Student Services Kathy Black said the district is “continu[ing] to evaluate [PBIS], because I hear your concern, and we have the same.” She said she saw two reasons for the increase: the first one was that after the first nine weeks, her team met with every school to make sure every incident was being recorded; “the second is, we saw a great increase right around the holidays, right before winter break–our numbers were way down, right prior to winter break. And I will tell you, starting December 1, something happened. I’m not gonna say it was in the water in Alachua County, but something happened… We also had an increase in certain things happening in our community, in our neighborhoods, that bled over into our schools. And I don’t have that data to give you today, but [we could get it] through the State Attorney’s Office.”
“Some of our students.. [have] got to come out. That’s the reality we don’t want to talk about. But they’ve got to come out because what happens is that runs other kids off. Every child has the right to come to school and be safe and learn.” – Chair Diyonne McGraw
Chair Diyonne McGraw said, “Safety is first”; she added that although some people argue against pulling children out of a school, “some of our students.. [have] got to come out. That’s the reality we don’t want to talk about. But they’ve got to come out because what happens is that runs other kids off. Every child has the right to come to school and be safe and learn.” She said she believed it was a mistake to close Horizon and that “some of our babies have got to be worked with in a separate location” and then “earn their way” back to their zoned school. She acknowledged, however, that the district’s financial situation makes it difficult to do that.
Member Tina Certain said they should look at what the district is doing now and the outcomes of the various programs. “I think a district our size does not need a second alternative learning space… A. Quinn Jones costs a lot of money for the number of students that we have there,” she said. Certain favored continuing to work on consistency across the district and added, “I hear what my colleague is saying, and I respect her position in her profession… I do understand that learning is disrupted when there is not a calm environment, but I also don’t think–we cannot expect children to be like little saints… I’m not saying that there’s not chaos, because I am not living that reality every day.”
McGraw said there’s space at schools like Lake Forest Elementary and that they need to “think outside the box” and not necessarily open up another location. She said that if the numbers don’t improve by the end of the year, “there are other things that we’ve got to look at… I hear what my colleague is saying about money, but you’ve also got to make sure that the child’s needs are met.”
During the citizen input period, Taylor Gilfillan, former Director of Data Analytics at the district, said he was glad that the trend reports were continuing and that disaggregated data was being shared because “I always say that averages hide inequities–and also bright spots.” He had some suggestions for improving the data presentation: “Attendance was grouped by school, but not discipline. I saw that discipline was broken down by race, but not attendance… If you wanted to see how black and African American students are doing, I think you’d have to flip through about eight pages to try to answer that question.” He suggested having more clarity about the questions they’re trying to answer. He also suggested disaggregating students by groups such as English Language Learners and students with IEPs and showing percentages instead of numbers when comparing schools because larger schools will have higher numbers. His final recommendation was to be clear about the goals they are trying to achieve: “We have to know now what’s being measured and not try to figure it out after the point.”
The educational system functions based on a clear and precise principle: well-defined guidelines and their corresponding consequences. This policy is consistently implemented in all schools, leaving no room for confusion or uncertainty. The simplicity underlying this concept greatly contributes to the heightened safety and academic accomplishments witnessed in private schools. A controlled learning environment assumes a crucial role in this equation. It is of utmost importance to empower teachers to fully dedicate themselves to their primary mission. Rather than fixating on racial statistics, it is more productive to concentrate on addressing any disruptive behavior that undermines the learning atmosphere. Teachers should not be encumbered with the responsibility of maintaining discipline records as it impairs their ability to effectively manage their classrooms.
That’s a lot of pretty words Bob J, but until the teachers are allowed to discipline or expel unruly students from their classes (and be supported by the Administration) it won’t happen. These numbers are so far out of line the goody two shoes on the school board can not ignore the disparity, nor can they claim inequity. The “problem children” must be separated from the obedient and willing to learn majority, regardless of race or ethnicity.
As a retired local high school teacher, I dealt with the bureaucratic hurdles related to this issue for many decades. Throughout my career, there were numerous documents that a classroom teacher had to meticulously go through and submit to a Dean or Administrator before they could address any disciplinary matters.
Asking a student who is probably in jeopardy of failing to put away their cell phone in class could take away most of your instructional time with the others. Often, you would be told to “FO”. If they are black, forget it the “race card” is immediately played and you are the problem.
Hiring teachers to stay in a classroom and fight this race-driven mentality is impossible. Not only do you have some difficult students, but you also have clueless leadership that needs to spend a few days in the arena they are experts in.
When I was disciplined in 7th grade, the teacher just scribbled on a short form, and carbon copies were sent with me to the principal’s off — and another copy sent home.
YourYour right, the teacher was in charge of the situation. The problem started when, if you as a teacher, tried to control your classroom and maximize the learning environment, you were the problem. Many teachers just gave up, and if they were not going to be supported, why try? Many great teachers retired or just quit.
So true, administrators have lost the goal of education. Teaching the students, reading writing and math and if the other extras where eliminated there would be time for those to be done well. Disruptive students, and they are all well know in each school, should be placed in a different location and be taught so the behavior does not cause loss of teaching time.
Agreed. But this is where school choice can help. Disruptive students can lose their placement, putting the ultimate responsibility where it belongs. Legally, the rights of one student is overridden when costing the rights of the group to learn. Additionally, when any new subject matter is added to the the hours in a school day, less time is available for teaching basics (such as reading and writing)
Please stay informed
If the goal is to reach attainable educational benchmarks for each grade or subject a few simple adjustments must be made. If you duplicated the private school learning environment the results will start to resemble each other.
Disruptive students are not acceptable or tolerated.
Alternative opportunities for those not willing to adjust to educational settings. Vocational Career curriculum is one option.
Many successful adults in life have taken that path.
Here’s something – IT’S NOT ACCEPTABLE. There’s no need to think about it. Liberals are out of touch with reality, remain in a constant state of denial and will always fail to acknowledge the problems. They instead seek to blame someone else, but for some reason, although there are other minorities in the district, they find it difficult to accept the numbers presented.
There’s a problem, it’s a cultural and social problem and it can only be corrected in the home. Stop blaming others.
You are correct, and the education system is and has been taking over the responsibility of the parents in so many areas there is no time for what should be the primary job.
Well, obviously, the problem is that the white man in control is just out to get the black man. makes up all these outrageous claims, and blames it on the black man.; He needs to get woke.
Take responsibility for your own actions. Better yet, take responsibility for your inactions.
Tell some of the peeps lining the streets too.
Odd comment. Blacks control the school board
Unfortunately I’m not able to use a quote from MLK to describe his hopes for people. Let’s just say it’s not the color of people who control the school board but rather their character and political leanings that have been detrimental. Progressive liberals control the school board…and the city…and the county.
I’ve identified another part of the problem.
Maybe, Wendy, for a long time, but, the White mans is out of the picture now, this is a problem in what is being taught at home during child hood, love, understanding and discipline. Children need to learn right from wrong, or they won’t every understand, how Jesus wants us all to be.
We are born knowing right from wrong.
To all those folks that gave “Thumbs down” votes, this is just satire. Don’t any of you have a sense of humor?
The discipline referrals are very similar to the arrest demographics the chronicle posted the other day. This is on top of all the “equity” nonsense SBAC already has in place. Anyone sending their children to public schools in Alachua county is a fool at this point. They are daycare centers for juvenile criminals who terrorize their classmates during the day, and terrorize the citizens of Gainesville at night.
It isn’t just Gainesville, Florida. It’s a national problem.
Not really. We stand out as a beacon of ignorance and bad behavior. Out of the hundreds of Wawas, we have one of like 3 that close early instead of staying open all night. The other two are in Philly. Thinking we’re just like everybody else – Kodak Black haircuts on half the boys and all – is just ignorant. We’re a laughing stock compared to normal cities without loose mental patients for “leaders.”
Are these idiots getting their talking points from the Biden/Harris speech team. What these is a game to blame everything from the holidays to what’s in the water (really!) Not one of them want to admit to that great big gray elephant in the room. It’s not sitting in a corner or hidden by shades. Its sitting right in front of them on the table. When kids act out in a manner that disrupts the education of of students they no longer need to be in contact with other students that want to learn. Nothing will be accomplished in these public schools or cities until people acknowledge the elephant and deal with it without trying to leave peanuts elsewhere hoping it goes away.
So, all this money I pay for school taxes just goes to babysit animals in a zoo? Why aren’t they just expelled permanently? Send them to a work camp instead.
The phone cords don’t reach that far. 🤐
I don’t know if it’s possible, but I’d like to see the data on behavior incidents broken down by poverty rates. We have a very high poverty rate in this county and when you are growing up poor your holiday season may be a time of stress not a time of joy. December 1 kids were coming back from a week off at thanksgiving. If that thanksgiving week wasn’t that great at home, that child knows that the Christmas break of two weeks will be even worse. Other kids are talking about gifts they are asking for and trips they will take. Poor kids know there won’t be any big trips and prob no big gifts. That’s tough on kids and I could see that resulting in kids acting out. Our schools can’t fix the poverty problem in our county but other elected officials can and should be working on poverty solutions. We need more jobs and more opportunities for our poorest residents so that we have fewer kids growing up in poverty. We don’t need to ignore race but we need to address poverty. This map shows poverty rate of kids by zip code, as high as 36% in some areas of our county. http://www.flchamber.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/AlachuaUnder18povertyUsetillDec2020.pdf
always looking for ways to excuse bad manners, love and DISCIPLING BEGAN AND IS TAUGHT AT HOME.
Be a nice start if your elected leaders did more to reduce taxes and utility rates instead of raising them.
Growing an economy and bringing in jobs obviously isn’t a priority here. Stop voting for mental cases. Look at Newberry and what they do.
It is amazing what is going on to build jobs and opportunity in North Florida pretty much everywhere except Gainesville.
Good point. The eastern county had a chance with Plum Creek industrial development — opposed by the Dem elites— but it took Hawthorne leaders to wrest control of that. Hawthorne could be like Newberry someday. But not the eastside.
The ONLY thing Plum Creek wanted was getting the zoning they wanted so they could make a larger profit on the land they no longer wanted or needed. They were NOT going to be involved in ANY development in said land.
Your “poverty rate” percentage rates are increased more than just a little bit by the “progressive” policies of the local Democrat machine. We have a much higher cost of living in GNV than is necessary, due to giveaway programs, and electing incompetent people, and spending millions more a year than the city took in with taxes.
There are plenty of poor kids who behave and want to succeed. Often in the same families as the delinquent poor kids. So, it’s NOT about poverty, or race, etc. It’s about discipline and enforcement.
Being poor and having a tough home life is no reason to act how you want. Better jobs will help, sure, but how about not having kids when you can barely provide for yourself? I empathize with these kids who didn’t ask to be here and who are brought into this world by selfish, irresponsible, ignorant adults but they need to learn that bad actions have consequences. How else will they learn accountability and get better? They have poor examples set for them at home, this is the problem.
Self inflicted poverty. As long as taxpayers subsidize this criminal behavior it will persist.
It is not about race, it is about parent responsibility, home life and culture. I worked in a school that was 90% African American and I couldn’t teach due to the amount of disciplining I had to do everyday. Parents are not being held accountable, they want us to raise their kids without ANY support and involvement from them.
Thanks to the Government and Democrat’s
Anyone else think that just sitting around “discussing discipline” is “the” problem.
More needs to be done than what this district is doing because it’s obviously not working and it doesn’t matter what time of year it is. That’s just another excuse.
Our Black Brothers and Sisters want the same things that we want, (white’s & others), we just need to turn our thoughts back to Jesus Christ and Pray in earnest for each other, In GOD’s Eye we ar e all his CHILDREN AND, HE LOVES EACH AND EVERYY ONE OF US, AMEN.
This problem starts in the community and in the neighborhoods. At some point we have to steer our children in the direction of success and away from the lifestyle they consume through music and entertainment. It was just a couple of years ago when there was a push for uniforms, but that was blocked. Then, there was the push for clear backpacks. That too was blocked. Children being safe and dressing for success isn’t a partisan idea, it’s common sense. What they’re wearing and what they have in their backpacks are two less things to interfere with their school life. If we continue to believe our children deserve certain rights and freedoms we’ll only continue to get the results of those rights and freedoms.
Backpacks and uniforms will do nothing, as long as discipline is needed by so many from your community. Somewhere, the community leaders need to step up and take responsibility for their children’s actions. Whether it is social pressure on unintended parents who can’t support or train their kids, or becoming intolerant of black on black crime, it is on YOUR community to improve the success rate of generation after generation of criminals, who aren’t taught the requirements of behavior by all society, nor fail to learn enough to be successful in a lawful manner.
It starts in the families and churches. The ones that make political excuses vs. the ones that do not.
This is a parent issue nothing to do with race financial we need work shop for parents kids needs to talk more on what’s really going on in their homes because that can cause a child to have bad behavior think about and let me know
Just ridiculous! You want rates of punishment for bad behavior to match skin color? What are you going to do, suspend white and Asian students for spitting on the sidewalk?? (Assuming they’d do such a thing)🤔
This is a discipline problem that germinates from the home and culture.
It’s rich listening to the comments from two of the school board members as I taught their children and both were nightmares in the classroom.
That is a riot! Thanks for the laugh.
Politicians are artful at making excuses. So are their kids, big surprise.
Why is race included and a factor unless someone is playing the RACE CARD.
Use corporal punishment.
Suspend
Finally kick them out.
They can get a GED and go to college for free at FSP. Getting thrown out of school just speeds that up.
Mental health and gangs in Alachua County , are not a priority , so the shootings and rolling block parties will continue.
It seems like the school board could compare other counties in the state and mimic the most efficient and affective school(s) protocol.
Structures and guidelines that were placed when Black people were considered “less than” are still in place, people are still taught racism, most white people still don’t care about Black people until it’s a situation that directly affects them, Black people have just become numb because there has never been a real solution or even a better structure presented for them, Black people also have taken methods into their own hands which is dangerous because they don’t know the system at all. Teachers need more training because times have changed and they need to know how to handle today’s kids but they can’t even get decent pay; not to mention the Teacher shortage as w a whole. They need to go back to the beginning and start making changes instead of just placing blame and pointing fingers.
Why aren’t Black people here looking at the numbers and saying “WHAT IS WRONG WITH US?” Until that happens, nothing will change.
Then why do some kids in a family so much better than others in the same family?
Teachers need more training to handle today’s kids? Are you serious? Today’s kids are rude and lack class and respect. I feel horrible for Teachers who have to teach today’s kids. They talk back in some of the worst ways, disrespect these Teachers and some even get physical with them. And we expect Teachers to care about our children’s education when they have to deal with this! On top of crappie pay! This is causing the shortage in Teachers because it’s not worth it and who can blame them. Parents of these kids are to blame, and the kid as well. If they are of a certain age (middle and high school) they know better. They just don’t care. Go to school, behave and get an education. If that’s too much, get them out and keep them out! They should have to work hard and earn their way back to school.
They are correct, it is not acceptable. But it was the same way 40 years ago when I went to Westwood. They are really doing a crazy dance to try to get out of this natural situation.
Well….there you have it…..written in black and white. Now do you believe it?
To reach equity in the disciplining of students we do not need to decrease the amount of disciplinary actions for students of any student group, we need the bad behavior to stop so that it doesn’t disturb the education process and doesn’t influence others to join in the bad behavior. What will help the community more — focusing on helping the few who are disrupting the education of the many or focusing on the education of the many and removing the disrupters out of the system? By removing the disrupters out of the education system they will not be able to repeat disrupting, they won’t be able to bully those that are willing to learn and the equity statistics will reach the target. The equity target is the Asian students.
These behaviors are a reflection of what is not being done at home from a parental perspective and being reinforced in the communities these kids dwell in..this is a city issue especially for our lower socioeconomic kids and families. They are screaming for the appropriate resources to alleviate the systemic poverty, abuse and neglect that they find themselves in!!!
Again, why do some kids excel in the same family another kid declines in? Is it nature, nurture, favoritism in that family?
It takes a village idiot to think the jungle is responsible for raising kids. Despite all the evidence.
Churches that sold their souls to Caesar are to blame.
I am so grateful that Jennifer Cabrera at the Alachua Chronicle is covering important local news. She is the best source I have for news about our schools.
We already know what the statistics are….. Like father…. Like son
These sorry parents needs to teach there kids how to behave and make them go to school times have changed when I was in school there was paddling but since the white man stopped it look what’s happening
Community Education, whose goal is to look at alternative ways to”Bridge the Gap between schools and communities. With a focus or objective on teacher and parents being educated on the Purpose (why) .Education starts at home not at school. Retired Teachers Corp community Coordinator.
1) It is immoral and scientifically wrong to classify Homo sapiens by race. 2) Current research shows data is useless if demographic, research must be based on skin tone as a continuous variable. 3) The evidence shows that darker skinned males and females face different negative consequences for darker skin, so why is this data not separated?
Let’s give credit to a surprising source; Dionne McGraw. She correctly said closing Horizon was a mistake. If the worst disruptors could be removed from the schools, and transferred to a Horizon school, the discipline issues would decrease significantly. Horizon was not a pleasant place to attend school. It was also an actual undesirable consequence of bad behavior and thus a deterrent to such behavior. Some students could and did earn their way back to their former schools by good behavior. Tina Certain claimed that it cost too much financially. There is no way to measure the true costs of so many bad actors being allowed to so drastically damage the educational and social experience of other students. I never thought I would agree with Dianne McGraw but I said what I said.
Local parents’ group should sue the SBAC for Unequal student discipline, like they’re doing in Oregon … https://www.louderwithcrowder.com/portland-race-discipline
Last Thursday, February 8th, Westwood Middle School held a Valentine’s Day dance. A fight ensued over a girl and one of the “students” threatened to bring a pistol to school the next day to settle the issue! He even posted a picture of the pistol on one of the “family friendly” social websites! Kids were staying home Friday until the “School” decided they had resolved the issue and everything was safe! Really? What happened to the bozo threatening to shoot the place up? Seems like the whole thing was swept under the rug so another incident wasn’t added to the People of Color column.
If in fact this individual was “dealt with” as the school spokesperson claimed, they should be made an example of. Instead, they are probably being treated like Prom King so they won’t go off the deep end again! These young thug wannabe’s need to be in a place like Horizon, not with the general population of students that want to learn!