Comments on: Mariner Middle School Mess

By: deboy15

deboy15 — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 18:24:37 +0000

Mariner Middle School is kinda getting out of control, but you have to put some blame on the administration! New assistant principal, and they do nothing. They just want to get rid of us. I know i am a student there! I just hate this school. And furthermore i recomend that all graduating 8th graders to GO TO SUSSEX TECH!

By: dmgoldsbo7

dmgoldsbo7 — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 16:24:23 +0000

I have been in Mariner Middle during the day when students are there. And I see some of the disrespect that goes on in the school. However, how can we blame the school totally. SCENERIO——- A child gets suspended or written up for fighting, bad language or disrespect. Parents are called in, the parents jump down the schools throat because their little baby could not have used that kind of language, or started the fight. Someone must have provoked them…it’s someone elses fault. Sorry to inform many parents but your child is going to get provoked for the rest of their life by some situation or another, and what you are teaching your child is it’s ok to hit, yell, curse and disrespect when you are provoked. What ever happened to walking away. The problems today stem from the home. How can the school enforce disipline and punishment when there is no follow through in the home. Kids hear their parents yelling at teachers and principles and this is where they get their disrespect. Kids hear parents say it wasn’t their childs fault. How many of you have been in the store and heard these kids language within hearing way of the parents…..and the parents say nothing. Kids today don’t think twice about using the “F” word in front of adults or having inappropriate conversations in public. It stems from the home. Our kids attitudes are not the schools problem it’s the parents problem, since the parents are the ones who have chosen to ignore it in the home. In todays society everyone has chosen to blame someone else for our actions instead of stepping up and taking responsibility for our own actions. COME ON PARENTS YOU HAD THE KIDS, STEP UP AND TAKE CONTROL AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEM, DON’T LEAVE IT FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO DO THEN TURN AROUND AND COMPLAIN ABOUT HOW YOUR KIDS ARE ACTING. Stop trying to make everything all better for your kids, kids are growing up with no sense of guilt for what they do because us as parents are sugar coating the situation to make our kids feel better about it. PATHETIC PARENTING!!

By: Dan Gaffney

Dan Gaffney — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 14:24:09 +0000

Just a note: the “public airing of minutes” was first done by the CHEA when posted publicly on the net.

“I do not believe they accurately reflect the sentiments of our staff as a whole. ”

Do they accurately reflect the sentiments of the teachers involved, or did the teachers make it up? How many teachers are reporting these problems? We know the identity of the teachers from the minutes, are you willing to go public with your identity and the dispute of these claims? Are you willing to provide WGMD with “positive” information about the education of the students at the school? I’d be happy to report the news. Thank you.

By: mmsstaff

mmsstaff — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 19:50:50 +0000

Lurker,

I’m sorry you interpreted my championing our good students as “clouding the issue.” Marinerteacher had already outlined the steps we are taking to improve behavior and I didn’t feel a second listing of the same items would be helpful. No school is perfect; I would be surprised if there were any schools who found themselves to be so. And as for the “damning information” - which came from the public airing of minutes at a meeting attended by only two of our teachers - I do not believe they accurately reflect the sentiments of our staff as a whole.

By: Lurker

Lurker — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 15:27:39 +0000

MMSStaff: Well, at least your post is spelled correctly! A teacher, and union member has made public some very damning information about behavior at MMS, (you admit valid concerns), and rather than address said concerns you attempt to cloud the issue by stating the obvious and irrelevant that â€œmost kids are good”. The important issue is, what concerns revealed by the teacher (not Dan) are true, and what is being done to correct these problems. Too bad you didnâ€™t hear the broadcast; you missed other teachers confirming the bit about substitutes refusing to teach.

By: Perry

Perry — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 13:46:06 +0000

Marinerteacher, glad to hear of the efforts at Mariner Middle to control and punish misbehaving/disruptive students.

One point of clarification: I distinguish between your “in school detention” and “in school suspension”. By the latter I mean it as a substitute for the traditional suspension from school which misbehaving students often actually desire. I am talking about in effect imprisoning them in a separate room in school during the school day, for a number of days, say a week, where they have no freedom, instead are required to sit in place in the suspension room supervised by a brawny, strict disciplinarian of the drill sergeant caliber. Do you have that at Mariner Middle?

PS: Your spelling is almost as bad as mine; you need to pay attention to the spell checker (words underlined in red): implemented; privileges;

By: mmsstaff

mmsstaff — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 12:12:54 +0000

I cannot reply directly to what was aired on Mr. Gaffney’s radio show regarding Mariner Middle School as I choose not to listen to his program, but I did read the website after hearing about what was broadcast. As a staff member at MMS I would agree that there are some valid concerns, however I would strongly argue against the assertion that the situation is out of control. Moreover, new initiatives are now in place to curb student misbehavior. I also feel compelled to point out that to focus on the small percentage of students who do misbehave overshadows the achievements and accomplishments of the 95 percent or so who come to school every day, are respectful, do their work and wish to learn.
I would also like to reiterate the sentiments of “marinerteacher” - at no time have I ever felt threatened or intimidated by a student - whether it’s in the hallways or in the classroom. I’m proud to teach at Mariner; although I began my teaching career at a different school, I hope to be here at MMS until I retire.

By: marinerteacher

marinerteacher — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 23:34:56 +0000

Perry,
We do have both “In School Detention” and “Peer Mediation” in place at MMS. Also, last month we implimented an after school detention program for students who are habitually late to class and poor behavior to subs. Furthermore, we are about to impliment a demerit system where students who are habitually getting sent to “time out” are denied social and athletic priviledges through the acculumaltion of demerits.

By: Perry

Perry — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 12:39:41 +0000

Costa Rica aside, I have two suggestions that the Cape Henlopen School District should consider.

The first is in-school suspension, where suspended students are required to report to a special room for that purpose for an all day detention there under the supervision of a strict disciplinarian para professional. I can assure you from personal experience as a teacher that misbehaving students hate this punishment because it temporarily restricts their freedoms, therefore an effective deterrent.

The second involves peer mediation, by volunteer students who are trained and guided by faculty and administration, available to defuse growing tensions by leading in mediation sessions. Like the first, I can assure you of the effectiveness of this approach.

By: Hube

Hube — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 00:36:58 +0000

“It could be time to cash in and move to Costa Rica.â€

I’ll certainly vouch for Costa Rica! One of the best education systems in all the Americas!! And one of the best climates of any country ever!

Cheers,
Hube (whose 2nd home is in Costa Rica)