Melee at Arabia Mountain High: ‘Turn Up Thursday’ and Twitter turn DeKalb school into a mess

Digger

December 17th, 2011
10:03 pm

Happens at all schools? Please.

RamblinWreck

December 17th, 2011
10:19 pm

“In keeping with wanting to go paperless, the school provided the wireless security code to the students. This is what provided the opportunity for the Twitter messages that when out during the school day.”

This person is completely clueless, people can still send messages to Twitter using their phones (SMS) even without access to the school’s wireless internet.

irisheyes

December 17th, 2011
10:37 pm

And yet, it’s the teachers’ fault when these hoodlums don’t want to learn.

Mahopinion

December 17th, 2011
10:57 pm

Ah yes, blame technology for students misbehaving.

UGA Student

December 17th, 2011
11:19 pm

As a graduate of the DeKalb County School System, I can attest to the system’s shoddy quality. They use facility upgrades as a band-aid for this type of behavior, as opposed to rewarding schools that produce productive members of society. I guess it makes sense that my alma mater finally got technology upgrades when all of the good students and teachers left. (Dunwoody, for those keeping score at home)

Chris

December 18th, 2011
12:31 am

Turn off the wireless and they will send texts.
Turn off the mobile service and they will pass notes.
Take away their paper and pens and they will coordinate by word of mouth.

Instead of suppressing access to technology, look at their motivations. Address those, and this incident won’t recur. If you choose to ignore those motivations and flail pointlessly against their tools of communication, do not be surprised when they strike back ten times harder.

Dekalb taxpayer

December 18th, 2011
1:21 am

The most disturbing thing about this news is that this is a school which was supposed to have the cream of the crop. Students had to apply and meet certain criteria to get in, if I recall correctly. Some of the twitters imply that some students (and it may be a small minority—I’d be interested in knowing what percentage of students were actually involved in the misbehavior and vandalism)were bothered by the school’s reputation as a place of learning and wanted to show that they were as thuggish as other DCSS high schools. If any of the students who participated in Thursday’s actions are occupying slots which could have gone to other students, I hope they will be sent back to their home schools (or an alternative school) and that slot given to more worthy students.

Many of the twitters also refer to the inadequacy of the administration of the school. The reaction to this event will certainly be a test of that administration. And the handling of the entire situation will be a test for Dr. Atkinson. I hope she is up to it.

Fred

December 18th, 2011
1:57 am

Food fights don’t strike me as terrible, the fire was deplorable, but how did the pipe get broken? Schools are built with Sch40 black steel and that isn’t like what you have in your house. Superman could laser cut it with his eyes, but you can’t just snap it with your hands. I’m a pretty damn strong man and I cant bend even 1/2 inch sch40 pipe with my hands much less break it.

Beverly Fraud

December 18th, 2011
2:42 am

What have we learned? That those who lament the lack of discipline in the schools are completely MISGUIDED.

There’s one, and ONLY one solution:

MORE TEACHER TRAINING!

Dr. John Trotter

December 18th, 2011
3:07 am

As we say at MACE, order is the first law of the Universe. The schools are out of order in DeKalb and in other Georgia school systems. Until order and discipline is restored, NOTHING that the educrats try will improve education in our public schools. NOTHING.

As you are fully aware, our mantra at MACE is this: You can’t have good learning conditions until you first have good teaching conditions. The teaching conditions are unconscionable. We have flat-earthers trying to make sense of what is going on in the schools. It’s like trying to make water with just two elements of hydrogen. No one wants to admit that the missing element is the oxygen. Likewise, none of the self-motivated educrats and the money-hungry superintendents wants to admit that the missing element in our schools is discipline.

Good night.

Truth in Moderation

December 18th, 2011
3:53 am

How did they happen to have 12 police cars available at the same time? How many other crimes took place while they were away? Rowdy kids should do KP (just like the military) and pay for damages.

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Fedupinfulton

December 18th, 2011
5:58 am

@Dr. John Trotter
Amen!!!! I work in a Fulton County High School. I have been with Fulton for 17 years. Trust me it is ALL DISCIPLINE. Our hands are tied when it comes to students misbehaving. The behavior just keep on escalating to the next level with students because nothing is being done for the first or second infractions.

Bob Leblah

December 18th, 2011
6:40 am

Yes. This is a literal “black” eye.

God Bless the Teacher!

December 18th, 2011
7:25 am

Why did the students specify Monica Black? Did something happen to her during the melee? Has she tried to perform her job properly, albeit to the students’ disliking? I do hope the surveillance cameras show those who started the food fight and that they will be sent to an alternative school (at least) or expelled from all Georgia schools (ideally). I’m not a member of MACE, but its mantra is spot on! After situations like this, instigators should be expelled. I know the FCC protects the use of telecommunications, but in cases like this the system should have every right to view records of any communication within the time frame leading up to the melee. Identified students who participated in the tweets should be sent flying!

Tawny Jones

December 18th, 2011
7:51 am

Public schools are snake pits. Tell us something we don’t know.

Joe Frank

December 18th, 2011
7:54 am

I agree with Dr. Trotter, disipline is the missing element at MANY schools. In an effort to “fluff” grad numbers we allow troulble making young men and women to stay in school amonst our children. They water down and impair an education to those who truly WANT one! It should be simple, it you are going to cause trouble, you can do it somewhere else, not in a public school. This will get there “true” education started. An introduction to our penal system!

Joe Frank

December 18th, 2011
7:56 am

Please excuse the spelling errors! I am suffering from the flu and did not review!

dcb

December 18th, 2011
8:01 am

I’m confused by Dr. Trotter’s assertion about improved teaching conditions being the issue. I certainly agree with him and Fedupinfulton about the discipline issue – and the need for more enforcement. What I think they need to do is offer suggestions for solutions, not simply state a problem. If this is a matter of administration not taking action in support of teachers – suggest what action is needed. And then let the administration state why they don’t or can’t follow that advice if in fact, that is the case. I have a feeling that our litigious society may be part of the problem. And speaking of that, funny how seldom we see suggestions regarding parent responsibility here.

carlosgvv

December 18th, 2011
8:03 am

Maureen, you say this happens at all sorts of schools. This is disingenuous since you do not say which sorts of schools it is most likely to occur in.

Ron

December 18th, 2011
8:08 am

Technology may not be the root cause (e.g., What is motivating some students to behave this way?), but it certainly can facilitate chaos with the masses. We as a society should be asking whether all these new gadgets really help or hinder education.

Ron

December 18th, 2011
8:12 am

@Mahopinion — Technology is only to blame in its ability to facilitate chaos. We as a society need to reevaluate the need for all the gadgets coming through the schools. Students’ motives are the other issue, as mentioned above.

jdawg

December 18th, 2011
8:27 am

Everyone knows full well what the problem is. Don’t hold your breath waiting for parental envolvement. National statistics show that 70% of the 99% of the students at that school come from a one parent home. I love the way we scratch our heads and contort into every conceivable position in order to avoid the real truth. It’s a shame that we can’t talk openly as Americans about how to solve these types of cultural issues.

dekalb teacher

December 18th, 2011
8:28 am

@dcb Please read some of the other postings in previous weeks. Many people, including Dr. Trotter, have been putting the blame on parents as wqell. It is the lack of discpline at home that creates the disruptive students at school. Many parents are afraid of their own children, the child will threaten to call DFCS. Society has become too PC to realize that we have now created little monsters that someday will be running our society.

Zane Smith's Teeth

December 18th, 2011
8:29 am

This does not happen at all or even most public high schools. This type of behavior is actually pretty shocking. It’s a direct result of the student body composistion and poor administrative planning/reaction. Unfortunately, this combustible mix happens a lot in Dekalb/South Fulton (Westlake..) Let’s face it, there are plenty of all black schools where this does not happen. It’s not race, there is something else going on.

James

December 18th, 2011
8:31 am

In my opinion the root cause for something like this is the FACT that the troublemakers KNOW they can do what they want. There will be no repercussions, so let’s tear this place down!

kj

December 18th, 2011
8:31 am

nothing new. check out the movie over the edge.

Concerned

December 18th, 2011
8:43 am

I am a 54 year old adult. My elementary and high school education was in the Dekalb County School System. My father was a career teacher and principal in that system. He retired early from the system around 1980 when the system stripped him (along with the teachers) of the ability to appropriately discipline students. I agree with Dr. Trotter’s assessment. This has been going on for too long. We need to give the educators the ability to discipline students without the threat of firing or law suits.

jdawg

December 18th, 2011
8:47 am

Zane, Zane, Zane. What could possibly be the reason? Let’s spend millions of dollars, and come up with a theory straight from Mars so that we can figure out what that “something else” could be. It just can’t be that obvious. They just had a similar incident at North Forsyth High School earlier in the year. Oh, that’s right, that wasn’t North Forsyth, it was Westlake. What is the common thread? Let’s spend a few more million on finding what that common thread could be. Hilarious and sad all rolled into one.

Dekalb taxpayer

December 18th, 2011
8:57 am

The DeKalb Internet network is governed by a web blocker that supposedly blocks web sites that are not educationally related. Taxpayers pay a lot of money for this web blocker. Since it’s not very responsive to the learning process, teachers are often blocked from sites that are really educational. Twitter is one of the blocked sites. Neither employees nor students are supposed to be tweeting during the school day.

So the question arises about Internet security. If DeKalb’s highly paid we blocker is not working properly, then that is an Information Systems problem, and the personnel in charge of Internet security for DeKalb has some questions to answer. However, if the students were using their cell phones (those are going over AAT, Verizon, etc. connections), then the problem lies with the administration that did institute and enforce ban on cellphone use during the school day.

Banning technology in the school just puts them that much further behind their counterparts in Forsyth, Gwinnett, and Rockdale (avid instructional technology users with very high achievement).

Blaming it on technology would allow the Arabia Mountain and DeKalb administration to sidestep the responsibility to find out the root of the problem and fix it.

Dekalbite

December 18th, 2011
8:57 am

Is the school administration meeting with the teachers as well? The students are in the teachers’ classes 90% of the time. What do the teachers think with respect to:
Grading systems
Disciplinary support
Class sizes
Parental involvement
Timely and relevant assessment feedback
Remedial education
Gifted education
Counseling department
Security Department
After school programs
Clubs and other organizations

All of the above affect classroom management and school behavior. Until the administration involves the personnel who students spend most of their time with, positive changes cannot be made.

joe in tucker

December 18th, 2011
8:59 am

This has nothing to do with the schools, the teachers or the administrators and has everything to do with the kids, the parents and how they are being raised. A child that is allowed to act like a thug or raised in that environment will act like one outside the home and that includes school.

sherlock homes

December 18th, 2011
9:01 am

Surprise???? Typical happenings at a minority school. Where have you been?

Bill Gates

December 18th, 2011
9:05 am

All sorts of shools? HMM has it happened at Centeenial ? Northview? Brookwood? Parkview? Whitewater? Starrs Mill? Of course it hasn’t. The student population will tell you exactly where it is most likely to happen amd often does.

KIM

December 18th, 2011
9:14 am

Berverly Fraud: give me a break!

atlmom

December 18th, 2011
9:27 am

But what happens to the kids who were involved? Are they allowed back in the schools? There isn’t a place anymore where the kids who are disruptive are moved. In APS kids are allowed to control the classroom – to the detriment of the other children, and then no learning takes place. It’s a sad state of our schools, but I don’t think it’s unique to GA.

YourPoliticalAnimal

December 18th, 2011
9:30 am

I just started teaching in DeKalb County and I have never been so insulted in my life. I’ve been called a MF several times, I’ve had students openly talk about their body functions, students constantly roam hallways long after the so-called tardy bell has already rung . . . sad thing about it, there are many good kids where I work but that is constantly overshadowed by the constant thuggery. The inmates are running the asylum, no doubt about it . . . and I’m African American so hear me clearly . . . this problem stems from what is allowed both at home and in the schools, especially when top administrators from the county office tie the hands of school administrators and won’t allow them to adequately discipline trouble makers. When the late bell rings, if a student is not in class, he/she should be swept into a study hall and should earn a zero for any work missed in class. Cuss at a teacher? Zero and out of school suspension. Using electronic device without permission? Zero for all class work that day . . . I guarantee you that this will send a message to both parents and students that such foolishness will not be tolerated . . . but adults at the administrative and teaching levels have to have the gonads to enforce such policies . . . like all children, students know what they can and cannot get away with . . . I just can’t understand why adults act like students have the right to hinder both their and others’ education . . . oh well, back to my two week rehab until I head back to the battle zone . . . Feliz Navidad y Prospero Ano Nuevo . . .

Another Math Teacher

December 18th, 2011
9:36 am

dcb:

“What I think they need to do is offer suggestions for solutions, not simply state a problem. If this is a matter of administration not taking action in support of teachers – suggest what action is needed.”

Fire any administrator for not following official procedure for discipline notices. First time. No exceptions. (I would love for it to be a ‘walk of shame’ in front of the students.) Make all discipline notices electronic with instant copies being sent to a central repository that cannot be deleted by local administration, only added onto.

This would hold several parties responsible. A teacher who writes frivolous referrals would find themselves unable to obtain employment at many systems. A student with many genuine referrals would find they do not get a fresh start every year by hopping systems. Parents would find that their crazy arguments do not work when it can be seen that two other of their children have done the same things before the current one.

The most important factor would be that administrators could not throw away a referral or modify what the teachers has said in a referral. This would eliminate fights being changed into a ‘bump in the hallway.’ This would eliminate telling a teacher to F-Off being changed to ‘accidentally cursed when he got his hand pinched between desks.’ This would eliminate skipping class being thrown away. (Since you don’t want to have low attendance!)

Administrators abuse the choke point of information to hide what is really going on in their schools. They can modify what is seen by others. This leads to institutional abuse at some schools with the public having no real way to know what is really going on.

DanB

December 18th, 2011
10:09 am

Arabia is run by a principal who has never been in the classroom as a teacher and who was largely absent from her last job. She is, however, well connected in the central office. Many of the ap’s at Arabia are sub-par. The woman who set up Arabia for Crawford Lewis was personally brought by him into DCSS after she had run into serious problems in Gwinnett. Crawford and his chosen principal, the first lady, set up Arabia in such a way that a strong New Birth influence was guaranteed.

Why do people still go out of their way to send their children all the way from south DeKalb up to Chamblee, Dunwoody, and Lakeside? Because the corruption is so deep and the effects on the opportunities for their children are so profound.

Atkinson, if she is serious, will have all principals and ap’s submit letters of resignations. She will then carefully check their credentials while running real nationwide searches for good administrators. Once this step has been taken, she can turn her attention to improving the teacher corps.

Personally, I bet she is run out of town on a rail before any of this happens.

Arabia itself is a microcosm of the problems in south DeKalb. Unless the people living there come together and demand change, things are only going to get worse.

Dr. John Trotter

December 18th, 2011
10:38 am

@ KIM: I think that Beverly Fraud was being sarcastic. All the blame is put on the teachers. I think that is the point that Beverly Fraud was trying to make. I am sure that Bev will weigh in on this later.

As a school principal, order has to be your number one focus. Unless your first establish order and unless you maintain order, everything else fails. Aim at order and discipline, and academic achievement will follow. Aim at academic achievement without regard for discipline and order, and academic achievement will not occur (though systematic cheating might!). It is so simple, but the in-school administrators are afraid. It is so sad these days. The superintendents don’t want principals who focus on discipline. I told you guys that it is all about the money.

retro

December 18th, 2011
10:40 am

Maureen, there was a document going around my school with a title something like Reforms in Teaching and their Framework. You should look at it. People do not appreciate how events such as those at Arabia have an impact on politics at all levels. The system is falling apart, and its the poor and people of color who stand the most to lose.

Chris Murphy

December 18th, 2011
10:58 am

I always laugh in the face of “educators” that claim that lawsuits, and the threat thereof are the cause of inept discipline policy and enforcement: Hire better lawyers, then, I say.

Fire the Entire Central Office

December 18th, 2011
10:59 am

This is the big first test for the Atkinson administration, and they punted. It’s an either/or. Either the administration knew everything about it, and chose not to make a public statement,
OR
Walter Woods and the rest of his staff are already celebrating the holiday break.

Very surprised and disappointed that Dr. Atkinson did not make a public statement that behavior like this is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. And that parents need to be part of the solution.

Yes, there are issues at every high school in the country, but in DeKalb, Arabia is the newest high school and much, much effort was put into the LEED certification, etc. to make this the shining light of DCSS high schools.

Again, can’t believe Dr. Atkinson isn’t all over this and setting the tone as superintendent. She let Walter Woods be the point person with the media about the band suspensions. She is the public face of DCSS, not Walter Woods or Jeff Dickerson. Where are you, Dr. A?

P.S. The profanity used in the students’ tweets was disgusting and shameful. They have shamed themselves and their families. Disgraceful.

Fire the Entire Central Office

December 18th, 2011
11:00 am

Read their tweets at:

http://dekalbschoolwatch.blogspot.com/2011/12/were-trying-to-piece-together-incident.html?showComment=1324223675663

Why

December 18th, 2011
11:06 am

DCSS has double the school police dept. size of Gwinnett, event hough Gwinnett is a bigger system. The DCSS school police dept. has two chiefs with take home cars (?), nine detectives with take home cars, four admin assistants, and almost 200 SRO’s (School Resource Officers), many with take home cars.

This dept. simply does not get the job done. Many SRO’s are related to Board of Ed members and Central Office administrators. Millions are spent on this department, with no return on investment, no oversight, no lcue!

http://dekalbschoolwatch.blogspot.com/2011/10/dcss-school-police-on-job.html

mountain man

December 18th, 2011
11:08 am

Beverly Fraud – “What have we learned? That those who lament the lack of discipline in the schools are completely MISGUIDED.
There’s one, and ONLY one solution:
MORE TEACHER TRAINING!”

I love it! I am LMAO! Maybe if those teachers had been though “residencies” they could have effectively dealt with this rabble.

Why

December 18th, 2011
11:13 am

The lack of discipline at DCSS comes directly from the Central Office and weak principals. Teachers are not allowed to give zero’s as a grade even when a student refuses to do the work. Students can curse at a teacher without consequence. Most of DCSS principals refuse to bring a parent in and directly address their child’s behavior.

The Board of Education allwos and enables the lack of discipline. They are too busy with non-classroom issues such as placing cell phone towers on school campuses with little public notice. Tom Bowen, head of the BOE, may be the weakest and most passive “leader” I’ve ever seen. Discipline? He can’t even lead his own board.

mountain man

December 18th, 2011
11:35 am

Why – I think you hit the nail on the head.

Good Mother

December 18th, 2011
11:52 am

jdawg — why do you point to one parent homes as the cause?

I came from a treacherous TWO parent home. It isn’t the NUMBER of parents in the home it is the QUALITY of the parent or guardian in the home.

Your comment is a thinly-veiled knock on single mothers who are single mothers most often because of a dead beat father…

Do don’t knock the people who actually stick around to raise a child. Your biggotry is showing, jdawg.

Digger

December 18th, 2011
11:52 am

One of these days, and soon, the lid is gonna really blow on one of these mostly African-American schools. A perfect storm of undisciplined, angry, violent prone, low IQ students combined with today’s no consequences, excuse-filled environment is forming and heading this way. Hurricane Truth.

Miss Priss!

December 18th, 2011
12:01 pm

Shades of Freaknik. Enjoy yourselves, dumb ass kids … to death.

Zane Smith's Teeth

December 18th, 2011
12:14 pm

Jdawg,

I guess I should have been more clear. The “something else” that is going on is this: You have an administration that is unqualified/unprepared to run a school along with a student body that is perhaps the worst mix of factors. Kids with a middle class background from an economic standpoint, but little to no vaules or parental support/direction at home. No leadership at home combined with no leadership at school is never going to turn out well. Mix that up with the fact that “thuggery” is prized in South Dekalb (for black, hispanic, and white students) and what do you expect? Read the student tweets. Most of them mention how “Arabia MTN. ain’t lame no more” You had a school that was “perceived” to be academic and high achieving (lame) in a community where that was looked at as a bad thing by the majority of youth and treated with indifference by the majority of adults.

Digger

December 18th, 2011
12:39 pm

Apples, oranges.

yes i am worried

December 18th, 2011
2:23 pm

Good Mother, The research is pretty clear about the academic challenges facing children who are from single family homes. Sure there are exceptions, there are always exceptions. Here are just a few of those studies…

http://familylaw.typepad.com/stats/effects_on_children_education/
http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/dem/summary/v041/41.4ginther.html
http://www.mendeley.com/research/family-policies-childrens-school-achievement-single-versus-twoparent-families/

yes i am worried

December 18th, 2011
2:25 pm

I would add this to Zack Smith’s post. AMHS is a school of choice, but I suspect that this isn’t necessarily a school that many of the students have chosen to attend. Rather their parents made the decision for them. In many ways, the rules are stricter than most private schools and more restrictive.

These students genuinely want out. DCSS should revert AMHS to the neighborhood school it was meant to be as outline in the vote for SPLOST III and move on.

Burroughston Broch

December 18th, 2011
2:29 pm

Maureen, did you check facts on Columbine?

It is 75% white at this time (see http://www.jeffcopublicschools.org/schools/demographics/high/columbine.pdf) and I’ll wager that it was similar in 1999. What is Arabia Mountain – 99+% black?

What happened at Columbine was an armed attack by two students, not a general school riot and total loss of discipline like Arabia Mountain seems. Not the same thing at all.

teacher reader

December 18th, 2011
2:39 pm

I hope that those involved in this destruction are made to clean the school for some time to come, made to pay for the clean up costs, and are thrown out of the school and put into an alternative school program. There is no discipline in schools in DCSS. The memo sent out on Friday to school staff of doing what the administration tells them to do, is the problem with the school system. The students know that they can’t earn a zero, get multiple times to make up work and teachers have an extremely time of giving a child anything lower than a D. Students can cuss teachers out, throw chairs hurt others, and they remain in the regular ed classrooms. Students see this and figure why not join in.

DeKalb schools need to be totally over hauled. They need to really begin anew, as there is so much nonsense and corruption in how people received the positions that they have. Good people don’t stay in the system long and those that have close to enough years to retire are holding their breath and trying to make it to the end. Teachers that speak up about the policies of DCSS, the lack of rigor in education, as well as academic decisions that are made and make no sense are labeled and targeted. I know, I was one of those that spoke out, and finally left, as I knew that I could no longer work in a system that I could not send my own children to, even though we are DeKalb residents.

The silence from administration on this incident is deafening. The tweets that the students tweeted are not shocking, but hopefully will open the DeKalb public’s eyes to what is honestly happening in the school system. From what I have heard, it was a good system at one time, but that time has long past and it continues to get worse and worse as kids learn that they really are in control of the school system, as teachers need to make their customers happy and provide good customer service.

Dekalbite@Teacher reader

December 18th, 2011
3:00 pm

When I started working for DeKalb in the 70s, it had the highest pay and achievement of any school
System in Georgia. It was the school system everyone wanted to work for. DeKalb still has areas where students can get a good education. Some of the highest scoring elementary schools are in DeKalb. But those schools are not for everyone, and the unevenness of the educational opportunities for students is probably unrivaled in the metro area with the possible exception of APS.

Dr. Atkinson needs to clean house from top to bottom and redirect the resources back into the classroom with direct instruction for students. The number of non-teaching personnel added and teaching positions cut (600) during the Lewis years and Tyson year is shocking. I support Dr. Atkinson’s efforts to replace the upper management of DeKalb. This will be very difficult since DeKalb is so into friends and family first, students last.

Jan

December 18th, 2011
3:45 pm

The biggest and baddest authority figure in the school, any school, SHOULD be (in order) the principal, closely followed by the assistant principals, and then the teachers. Just as obviously, the parents should be in control at home. Students and parents should NOT appear in the authority ranking at school. Children should not be the authority figure at home. Unfortunately, DCSS and many parents apparently don’t believe this. So the students are in charge in school and home. And chaos prevails.

Rational Thinker

December 18th, 2011
3:47 pm

It’s the ignorance that’s being passed down from generation to generation that’s not making things any better. Unfortunately, it is quite evident that several people who have commented on this horrific incident are bigots that have been waiting for this opportunity, instead of taking that time to teach their own children how to be better people and find solutions within our school systems.

@jdawg – Perhaps you would be better off learning the process of research. National statistics show that 42% of the students at AMHS, not 70%, come from a one parent home. That in itself neither constitutes lack of common sense nor morals. Stating incorrect and useless opinions, however, does. Your statement of shame in being unable to talk openly as Americans about how to solve cultural issues, unbelievably enough, signifies that you might actually be able to rationalize. It would be just dandy if you would/could elaborate on your plethora of suggestions.

@Digger – Once again, you are another poorly advised commenter. Upon researching the Intelligence Quotient of 2-3 year attending students of AMHS, you will find that the average IQ falls within the superior intelligence level. The lid should be blown on why young African Americans are catergorized as undisciplined, angry, violent prone, low IQ’ed students. Although, the incidents that occurred recently, shed a less than lustrous light on the school as a whole, we, as level headed adults, should realize that the majority of the students are there to learn and become your boss one day.

I am sure that you two, along with your extraordinarily intellectual cronies, will have much to continue to say about this and any other incident involving African Americans. Please do. We would all love to witness the effects of inbreeding.

~ A 117 IQ’ed, highly educated, avid school district volunteer, married, involved parent of 2, and parent of an Arabia Mountain High School junior.~

TeacherMom4

December 18th, 2011
4:01 pm

Unfortunately, schools are short on discipline, including self-discipline among students. Many students have not been taught how to control their own impulses but have spent their entire short lives being appeased because that is the easiest thing for adults to do. Until students have the self-discipline to do the right thing, pay attention in class, and learn their assignments whether they want to or not, we will continue to see the same things over and over again. Schools refuse to do their end of discipline, for whatever reason, and children have learned that whatever they do or don’t want to do is what goes. Many parents don’t want the schools to discipline their children, but they won’t do it either.

The bottom line is that most kids don’t have the rational capacity to make sound decisions about behavior. They are all about what feels good now. That’s why the adults in a society must teach them right from wrong, both through modeling appropriate behavior and dealing with inappropriate behavior. When either or both of these fail to happen, children go out of control. That’s what’s happening in schools, and society, today.

Beverly Fraud

December 18th, 2011
4:37 pm

“The biggest and baddest authority figure in the school…”

Did Jan say “authority figure”? How Draconian! How can a child feel safe expressing their inner child with an “authority figure”?

I’m asking Maureen, “in the best interests of children” to break her normal protocol and forward Jan’s post to Amnesty International.

Dr. John Trotter

December 18th, 2011
4:42 pm

All of the teachers know the problem. It is the discipline, stupid ["stupid" meant for the gutless and selfish educrats].

Earl of Ft. Liquordale

December 18th, 2011
4:51 pm

We might not have had money in Cabbagetown, but had we students at Roosevelt High School in Atlanta done what the pampered children of Arabian Mountain High did, half of us would have gotten suspended for a couple a weeks, the other half would have been expelled from school, and all of us would have had our as$ses kicked when we got home. You would have been able to hear the yelping, crying, and gnashing of my teeth on Carroll Street! I also would have been sent back up the hill to humbly apologize to Mr. Renfroe, our principal. That is the difference from yesteryear and today’s spoiled brats. Their parents defend their defiant and disruptive conduct! This foolishness would have never happened in Clayton County either under the leadership of superintendents Ed Edmonds and Ernest Stroud when the Mrs. and I taught there.

Earl of Ft. Liquordale

December 18th, 2011
4:59 pm

Don’t tell the Mrs., but I have a Ben Franklin on Tebow and the Broncos. Looks like Abe and Eli might be paying me before the night is over! Headin’ to Pompano’s Fish & Grill!

Cranky Yankee

December 18th, 2011
5:01 pm

I worked at a residential school in NY many years ago.
The earlier comments about discipline (or lack thereof) ring very true.
My school’s students were sentenced to the school, we had the “cream” of the thugs from across NY State (everything from theft to murder).
We never had any melees, the grounds were not fenced, there was a small security force.
It must be pointed out…the school was small and that certainly had an impact, Each teacher knew every student’s name.
In the mega-school size environment we find in the metro counties, that is a big problem, anonymity is an effective hiding place for those who would stir the pot.
The discipline was solid, no quarter was given to those who broke the rules, they were dealt with according to the discipline code. If they wanted to whine about it, they could do so to their counselor, to no avail.
There wasn’t much whining.
Of course, we did not have any parents in the picture (they had already written the kids off, those who were around) so there were no parental types threatening legal action because their little darling was punished for assaulting another student.
The school was calm & learning was accomplished. What the kids did with what we taught them, I do not know. I hope we helped some of them.
Bottom line…we had disciplinary control of true thugs because we had a solid plan that was followed from top to bottom.
Lose control to your detriment, that is what is happening in some of our schools.
I was told a crew of students I had caught smoking in a restroom would not be dealt with according to the discipline code in another school I worked in because it “wouldn’t look good to have so many students suspended all at once.” I don’t work there any more.

Earl of Ft. Liquordale

December 18th, 2011
5:06 pm

I remember back in 1968 when three or four very popular seniors at Forest Park High School started some wilding before spring break. They brought about 50 small balloons to school. At lunch time they went into the restroom in the shop hall and filled up these balloons with water. They came out of the restroom, and commenced to throw the water balloons at students in the lunchroom. Oh it caused stir O. K.! A lot of the kids thought that this was funny.

Each one of these seniors were expelled for the remainder of the quarter. They had to go to summer school and night school to earn enough credits to graduate. Of course they didn’t get to walk. They graduated late. That’s how you handle the wilding.

Lee

December 18th, 2011
5:53 pm

Wow Maureen, Columbine? Really?

Why is it that whenever someone mentions the obvious fact that most of the discipline problems and general lack housebreaking by a certain demographic group, the politically correct will respond with the Pavlonian “Columbine” retort.

Really? That’s all you have? An isolated incident that occurred over a decade ago by two deranged individuals. But yet, you want to equate that with the horrors that occur daily at the predominately urban schools on a widespread basis.

Give me a break.

Digger

December 18th, 2011
6:18 pm

Those kids on Twitter are of superior intelligence? We are in much bigger trouble than I thought.

yes i am worried

December 18th, 2011
6:42 pm

Rational Thinker

I hope your volunteerism involves waking up your fellow citizens of S. DeKalb and getting them to demand that school board members not meddle and give Dr. Atkinson a chance. Rumor is, that some of these fine board members are already trying to protect some of the mediocre central office staff.

For S. DeKalb schools to have a chance, really for all DeKalb schools to have a chance, Atkinson needs to succeed.

Demand that your board members behave.

Burroughston Broch

December 18th, 2011
7:24 pm

@ Maureen
Let me backstop Lee. You seem to be in your “let’s make excuses” mode on this problem, just as you were for MONTHS about Beverly Hall and her staff in the APS cheating debacle. You only changed your tune after the facts could no longer be ignored. I don’t know why.
What I do know is that, unless the AJC missed it or covered it up, no one was killed at Arabia Mountain, unlike the other school instances you keep mentioning. Some kids went berserk, got into fights, trashed part of the school, and the staff lost control, so the police were called in.
Why do you keep bringing up tragedies in which people were killed? They don’t seem to be relevant to this incident at all. If you think that they are, then explain.
I’m not trying to minimize what went on at Arabia Mountain, but let’s not blow it up into something that it was not.
For the record, I live in DeKalb and remember when the DCSS was one of the best, if not the best, systems in the state. It has gone to hell in a handbasket since then and, unless the new superintendent makes big changes, is following APS’ and Clayton County’s lead toward educational purgatory.

Digger

December 18th, 2011
7:42 pm

The guy at the University of Texas had a brain tumor and was certainly psycho. The comparison to this is truly beyond me.

Teacher2

December 18th, 2011
7:48 pm

I find it hilarious when similar or worst behavior is demonstrated by White kids the response is apples to oranges or isolated incidents. Ethnicity and murder is now irrelevant, eh?

@Maureen, I ask again why do you provide Lee and Digger a platform to spew their hate on this blog?

Cere

December 18th, 2011
8:07 pm

It’s really pointless to discuss this further, as we don’t know what really happened. We reacted to reports we were getting from students and parents that there was a food fight, a fire, a flood in the bathroom, a possibly injured AP, and other mayhem. We downloaded photos of over a dozen DeKalb patrol cars that responded. It caused many parents great concern. However, it’s plainly obvious now that it’s over that we will NEVER know what went on. The communications have been shut down and the PR push is to downplay the whole thing into a bunch of overreaction to a food fight. End of story – we can’t know any more.

Cere

December 18th, 2011
8:13 pm

Forgot to mention that students were reporting that a student was tasered by a police officer. But we will never know. DCSS does everything in their power to sweep the bad news under the rug. There’s nothing behind the curtain – move along now… Until the ‘next’ event.

I do think students were trying to make some kind of statement. However, they were met with serious law enforcement response. One has to wonder if 12+ cop cars would show up at a Lakeside or a Dunwoody “food fight”.

If a student has something to report or some kind of explanation as to why this all went down, feel free to tell your story to the community at DeKalb School Watch or write to Maureen at the AJC. That’s the only way we’ll ever know.

Former APS student

December 18th, 2011
9:15 pm

Yeah I remember those days. Back in the days Benjamin E. Mays high which WAS a high performing APS school was considered lame. But we never did the things that Arabia Mountains student are being acused of doing to prove a point. SMH, We just look at it as others being jealous and mad because they couldnt attend one of the best schools in country at that time.

Arabia Mountains students needs to understand that lame means high achieving and lame is good. Lame is gonna help them become someone one day.

Dr NO / Mr Sunshine

December 19th, 2011
6:37 am

“It has tarnished the school’s name and reputation and fed the critics who believe DeKalb is a system on the decline.”

This event didnt feed the critics. It only confirmed what the critics already know.

Sam

December 19th, 2011
7:04 am

I think the problem is that people have no boundaries these days. People have lost the idea that their lives should have a purpose.

Jan

December 19th, 2011
7:46 am

@ Beverly Fraud… Yes, I said authority figure. And that is exactly what I meant. But of course, I ‘m sure that you are just being sarcastic and aren’t really that… well… let’s say out of touch…

Cere

December 19th, 2011
9:22 am

I should clarify – I meant that the system administrators want it swept under the rug – not the parents. It was a parent who first contacted the blog, very upset to hear that over a dozen DeKalb police cars had responded to incidents at Arabia. I didn’t blame that parent for being worried. This incident shows a lack of control and IMO, students were making some kind of statement (if you read through the tweets, you get the idea that they aren’t particularly pleased with school leaders). They certainly didn’t feel that they were being ‘heard’ – but we can’t quite pinpoint exactly what their issue was.

Earl of Ft. Liquordale

December 19th, 2011
9:22 am

@ Maureen: Are you beginning to see what Dr. Trotter and Beverly Fraud have been talking about…the total out-of-control behavior of many of the students in many of our urban schools? It just takes a few defiant and disruptive students to destroy the learning atmosphere for those student whw want to learn.

The Mrs. and I were talking over coffee this morning about the deplorable situations like Arabia Mountain. We concluded that neither one of us would have gone into teaching if this is what we would have had to face each day.

I better get on down to the shuffleboard tournament. I owe Abe & Eli money on that Broncos-Pats game from yesterday.

Beverly Fraud

December 19th, 2011
9:34 am

“You seem to be in your “let’s make excuses” mode on this problem, just as you were for MONTHS about Beverly Hall and her staff in the APS cheating debacle.”

THANK YOU to B Broach. You see Maureen. It wasn’t JUST me who took note of it.

But the REAL problem with your stand is, in the same way you want teachers to be “accountable” you have never come on here and taken some accountability for your support of Hall, even AFTER it was PAINFULLY obvious, something was rotten in Denmark.

At least Jay Bookman had the INTEGRITY to show buyer’s remorse when it came to Hall, did he not Maureen?

Beverly Fraud

December 19th, 2011
9:38 am

Let me put forth a question, and let others decide if it’s right or wrong. Perhaps SOME of the angst about what happen at Arabia is that it is a SYMPTOM of a larger problems within that school, whereas Columbine might be more accurately seen as an aberration within the culture of that school.

Is that a legitimate statement? After all, you didn’t see a boatload of Tweets in SUPPORT of the Columbine actions did you? (Yes, there was no Twitter, but you get the point)

mem

December 19th, 2011
9:58 am

Food fights happen a lot in school lunchrooms, especially on the last day of school, the difference is that this got totally out of control and was likely a coordinated effort. There are many parents in Dekalb County who sent their kids to Arabia Mountain because of their good reputation and to get away from problems in other schools. This is truly a shame.

The Lithonia police department is very responsive and in this instance, but who knew exactly what was happening inside the school. Would people be this critical of the number of police cars had students’ lives been in mortal danger?

The hits against Dekalb County Schools keep coming and if those in charge aren’t paying attention, and those who keep voting them in don’t see that there is a problem, the school system will just keep being degraded. It’s a shame that one set of schools keep tarnishing the reputation of those schools were learning is taking place and respect is in place. People love to be proved right, and Deklab County keeps playing to the stereotype…not fair to the students who are doing the right things.

Dekalbite@Beverly Fraud

December 19th, 2011
10:00 am

“Columbine might be more accurately seen as an aberration within the culture of that school.”

That’s not accurate. The culture of Columbine was one of exclusion rather than inclusion as students sharply divided themselves socially, unchecked bullying was not addressed, and indifferent parents were all too common .

Maureen is right. Disturbances can occur in any school regardless of race or social and economic class. That doesn’t make the situation any better. It just means it is more comolex as are more variables to consider.

Once Again

December 19th, 2011
10:46 am

Another riot at one of the county prisons. Why is anyone shocked? The schools are little more than prisons for children. When any human is subjected to these dehumanizing conditions of boredom and compliance, they will eventually rebel. For some its clothing, for others disobeying the parents that imprisoned them there, for others it is bullying and violence and occasionally you will see the riot.

Homeschool, private school, whatever it takes to keep your children safe and in a sound educational circumstance. Why do you voluntarily send your children to these institutions??

Cere

December 19th, 2011
10:51 am

I in no way support the actions of the Arabia students, but I will say that our system leadership may need to look inward to discover what exactly could be wrong within that school to have incited such a ’statement’. It’s interesting that this occurred during exam week.

Atlanta Media Guy

December 19th, 2011
10:52 am

J Bookman, I hope you’re not the writer, J. Bookman, the “it’s George Bushes (’publicans) fault” is not going to work here. DeKalb County and DCSS have been under the control of Dems for the past 15 years. Their poor management through the years have placed DeKalb County at a crossroads. Why do you think so many folks want to incorporate themselves into cities? There are many throughout DeKalb who have had enough of the waste and mismanagement by our local government officials.

Eventually we will all know what happened. DCSS will do their best to keep it quiet. It will be the students and parents who are outraged that will make the difference. If students and parents, at Arabia, want to see change, send Maureen and/or Cere your stories, pictures, administration email blasts and subsequent meeting dates and times so the public can get an HONEST reporting of what happened. The community must respond or this will happen again and someone might actually get hurt.

HS Math Teacher

December 19th, 2011
10:55 am

Reminds me of the 1979 movie, Rock ‘N’ Roll High School! Ha!

Sandy Springs Parent

December 19th, 2011
11:01 am

One only needs to follow the movement of the Principals around. For example, why the West Lake Principal suddenly left Cobb county after having been the former Cobb Supt. Super Star. Sometimes it is clear politcal pets will not make it in the next administration. Someone really needs to look at all of these Principals and AP. See how many lack Classroom time. How many have no respect by the students or parents.

I remember we feared the principal of my High School. I accidentially accepted a date from his son, who went to school in another district. I could never live that down. They even put that in my year book.

Cere

December 19th, 2011
11:24 am

We feared our principal too – he had been our junior high principal and we all feel into tantrums when we learned he was going with us to high school! However – we knew that at his core he actually liked us and only wanted what was best for us. We ‘feared’ him sort of like one might fear God. The guy we all loved and who we KNEW loved us was the head counselor. To this day he almost always attends class reunions and everyone is happy to see him.

Cere

December 19th, 2011
12:11 pm

Posting with someone’s name is almost always done ‘tongue in cheek’. You can tell by the content of the posting. It was meant to mock what the poster views as Bookman’s liberal stance in his regular columns. It was a personal jab at Bookman, and had nothing to do with this topic. These are the kinds of comments that should just be deleted, IMHO.

Frankie

December 19th, 2011
12:12 pm

It is not surprising that single parents and black students get attacked in these blogs..
What i do not see are the many issues that face the white community? wonder why..just like everything else lets sweep it under the rug…
I have seen just as many two parent house holds with children that are just as likely to be a career criminal, etc.
Plain and simple THIS is a parenting issue as well as a school system issue. it has nothing to do with what race they are..I have seen just as many 75-90% whiite schools do far worse than this…
Attack the issue, PArenting, lack of control by the school administration, the crappy system the teachers have to follow. Everyone has a stake in this issue…

When?

December 19th, 2011
12:19 pm

Still waiting for the AJC to report on this near riot as a news story. Thanks to Maureen for posting it on the blog, but when ten + police cars are called out to a school, with a fire, tasers, etc., it’s a clear news story.

Why hasn’t Dr. Atkinson addressed it yet publically? Why hid this?

Cere

December 19th, 2011
12:21 pm

Oh! In the words of Emily Litella – ‘Nevermind’!

AMHS Parent

December 19th, 2011
12:34 pm

This WAS an isolated incident. This was perpetrated by only a few of the students who attend. My daughter attends and I was completely apprised of what happened by the school principal. AMHS has been an outstanding school since it’s creation and still is. A few, misguided NCLB students, caused this calamity. Am I as a parent upset and embarrassed that this happened, yes. But, please do not blame all of the kids or the culture at the school for this issue. Only a few people instigated and caused this. I, quite frankly, am impressed at the show of force by the police. AMHS has been a beacon amidst all of the chaos happening at all of our schools, black, white, whatever. There is no difference there because these things do and can happen anywhere. But, please let us not blame the system. This was not a system issue. These were kids who perpetrated a disruption upon the many other students who do, in fact, want to learn. This incident will not cause learning to cease at AMHS. I am very proud of this school and still can see the great opportunities ahead of it and its wonderful students.

When?

December 19th, 2011
12:38 pm

AMHS Parent: What is your take on the profanity-laced tweets from many AMHS students?

Also, this was a pre-planned incident, not an isolated incident.

Former SPARK parent

December 19th, 2011
1:01 pm

The scariest part of the whole thing was that tweet from the girl who claimed to be a 3.8 student. If she’s honor-student material, then I’m a double bacon cheeseburger of pure genius. (Points for whoever gets the reference).

AMHS Parent

December 19th, 2011
1:14 pm

@When – I don’t do Tweeter, so I cannot address the issue of the “profanity laced tweet.” However, it is very discomforting to me when I hear today’s kids singing/rapping wome of the lyrics they do in today’s music (if you can call it such.) If it is, as I suspect, the same language, personally I find it very distasteful. But, remembering when I was a kid and we were away from the adults, we would sometimes use racey language, as well. Though, I know today’s kids will do it in the presence of adults due to a lack of discipline and respect – home issue, not school issue. The incident, I do not KNOW was pre-planned, was not a typical AMHS incident. This is, normally, a very well-disciplined school with only your typical incidents of youngsters acting as youngsters. This incident, I do not categorize as such. Further, I have been assured that this matter will be handled with due process and the perpetrators will be accordingly punished. I think that is truly the fair thing to do – not make it seem as if every student at the school is a thug. This is not a homogenous community school. It is a magnet school that has criteria for entering. This year, it has been deemed a reciever school based on the useless NCLB criteria that has befallen schools across the country. There is an element of students who do not WANT to be at the school because of the rigor. I assure you there will be several students dismissed for lack of performance and certainly the ones who created last week’s melee.

Dunwoody Mom

December 19th, 2011
1:30 pm

I have deliberately stayed out of this conversation as I knew it would turn vile – and it has. I don’t buy into the conspiracy theory that DCSS is covering anything up at this point. The incident happened on Thursday. Thursday was exam day. Friday was exam day. Would you have the students removed from their exams in order to be part of an investigation? That would be counter-productive academically. In the end, hopefully, the Arabia Mountain parents will get answers and solutions to whatever happened. At the end of the day it is only the Arabia Mountain parents and students who are owed an explanation. I fail to see why some of you think think this should be splashed all over the media before it is known what truly happened. Just my two cents.

AMHS Parent

December 19th, 2011
1:40 pm

@ Dunwoody Mom – I agree wholeheartedly!

teacher reader

December 19th, 2011
1:47 pm

Dunwoody Mom, Unless the students involved are paying for the repairs and cleanup, than tax payers have a right to know how their tax dollars are being misspent. Yes, this incident happened at Arabia Mountain, but unlike a food fight, there was much destruction and clean up that will cost tax payers money and we have a right to know how much and why those involved aren’t on the hook for those costs.

Former SPARK parent

December 19th, 2011
1:49 pm

@ Dunwoody Mom: no, you’re wrong. This is important because it goes directly to the most important issue of our time in public education, and that is the inability or unwillingness of public school systems to strictly enforce a uniform code of discipline in schools.

You watch. There will be no expulsions for this school riot.

The unwillingness of DKSS to severely punish and/or expel the students responsible for this kind of disruption (and the hundreds of smaller but still disruptive incidents at DKSS and systems like it (including APS) every year prove two important points to parent-stakeholders:

1: You can’t fix bad families and bad parents and households where misogyny, the glorification of violence, the pursuit of wealth without work and the idea that single-mom households are okay are accepted norms.

2. Kids who don’t want to adhere to a strict code of conduct and a high standard of performance should not be allowed to share public schools with kids who do.

The reporting of incidents like this one help us all realize that it truly is time to start segregating students on the basis of behavior. Not race, not income, but behavior–and that means we need to hear about every one of these Junior Thug Flash Mobs when they happen.

Dunwoody Mom

December 19th, 2011
1:54 pm

@teacher ready, no one knows what the consequences will be (or not be) for those involved. Some of you are making assumptions that we do not know are valid at this point. Unless you were at Arabia Mountain when all of this went down, you are only guessing and assumming and sadly, impuning the reputation of students who were not involved in this.

Dunwoody Mom

December 19th, 2011
1:55 pm

@Former SPARK parent, you may disagree with me, but you cannot tell me I am wrong.

Former SPARK parent

December 19th, 2011
1:56 pm

Dunwoody Mom also wrote:

“In the end, hopefully, the Arabia Mountain parents will get answers and solutions to whatever happened.”

That’s too much hope…and not enough change. Let’s put an end to hope-based education and demand rigor, structure, and most of all, discipline.

Former SPARK parent

December 19th, 2011
1:57 pm

@ Dunwoody: I didn’t just tell you you were wrong, I told you WHY you were wrong. And now I’m going to tell you that your attempt to minimize the seriousness of this incident isn’t doing anyone any good, especially the children involved.

Dunwoody Mom

December 19th, 2011
1:58 pm

@Former SPARK Parent – what do you think I meant by “solutions” or do you just want to argue without even comprending what I am trying to relay?

Dunwoody Mom

December 19th, 2011
1:59 pm

I am not minimizing anything. I just prefer to wait for facts and not jump to conclusions. But, then again, you have already made up your mind, so further conversation is useless.

Former SPARK parent

December 19th, 2011
2:03 pm

@Dunwoody: your “would you have the students removed from an exam to be part of an investigation?” should have read “would you have students identified by tape and witnesses removed from their exams to be questioned about possible felony vandalism charges?”

And the answer is yes. Jail first, exams later.

There. Fixed it for you.

AMHS Student.

December 19th, 2011
2:04 pm

About what happened to Monica, yes I call her that. She was hit in the face by a flying tray in the first food fight.

AMHS Student.

December 19th, 2011
2:07 pm

@teacher reader there wasn’t “much damage done” if anything the most a student could have done is chip a plastic tray. On the issue of the broken pipe, that is because construction on the school was not done properly so you may take that up with the school board and not blame the students for everything.

teacher reader

December 19th, 2011
2:11 pm

@ AMHS Student, than you haven’t seen the pictures of the flooded bathrooms, fire in a garbage can, and broken pipe. So yes there was more damage done than the food fight and tax payers have a right to know how this is going to be fixed and who is going to pay for it.

Atlanta Media Guy

December 19th, 2011
2:17 pm

Dunwoody Mom, I agree with you too. However, like Cere, I just want to know what happened. A short terse note to all High Schools would have sufficed. Getting out in front of it would have been more effective. But to stay quiet for a couple of days, only brings out the conspiracy theories that someone is trying to cover something up. Usually, it’s not the actual event that took place that is so bad, but the cover up is the thing that hurts everyone much worse. A short message to the masses would have been great and I think well received!

To the posters who have heard from the administration, thanks for the information! It sounds like they are dealing with it and I’m sure it’s more difficult seeing how only 12 month employees are working a few days this week and next. The security tapes should give everyone the needed to evidence to find the REAL perps in the “food fight” or “melee” that took place last Thursday.

Thanks Maureen for checking into it, I knew the AJC was most likely getting stone walled for a comment by the Palace, which always makes journalists a bit more inquisitive as to what really happened before, during and after the incident took place.

AMHS Student.

December 19th, 2011
2:20 pm

@teacher reader: first things first, the garbage can was not on fire, how would that even happen? What really happened was a student went into the bathroom and lit a lighter under the smoke detector, which set off the fire alarms. A student is responsible for the fire alarm and sprinkler system going off but not the broken pipe, which is surrounded by 6 inch thick bricks on all sides, considering that we weren’t allowed to bring bags to school I don’t see how that makes a student responsible. I know what happened, I was there.

no fair

December 19th, 2011
2:44 pm

Most of the student who go to Arabia still are creme of the crop. It was a small portion of kids who tarnished the reputation for the whole school. Also, students can log on to social networking sites without the schools wifi, so the stories would have spread through twitter whether they liked it or not. However, it is partly the administrations fault that everything escalated to what it did. They were not prepeared AT ALL for any kind of emergency like this, and now the students are goin to have harsh punishments for their short comings. Although, the behaviour of the students was not acceptable, their students in high school, and when given the chance, they’ll do what looks fun at the time….

A Student

December 19th, 2011
2:55 pm

Why isn’t anyone asking the students themselves, why they behaved in this manner? Of course, some students did perform these unethical actions, but most of the students have reasons to why this happened.

To be honest, discipline IS one of the issues. Some students are just plain immature and aren’t well mannered. However, we have to think about it on the other side:

1. kids will be kids, right? I’m not saying to expect bad behavior, but teens will do some of these things at it CAN happen, no matter where you are, which is why we should stop being ignorant and saying that Dekalb County alone is in decline. To be quite honest, the education system overall is in decline.

2. I’m not justifying what had happened, but sometimes we aren’t treated the way some of the staff treats us. So many referrals to “Monica Black” is because she isn’t the most kind admiinistator any student could ask for. I don’t mind a strict school. What I do mind is when I am being treated in a way that prevents me from being optimistic about my school and studies while I’m on my way to a great college.
I am very respectful towards EVERYONE. I think that some people at our school should do the same, no matter what age, unless rules are being broken.
The first year I came to Arabia, we were told that this school is to prepare us to college. How could someone feel like a college prep student when the school doesn’t treat us like it? For example, I (and many others) are harassed each day (at least for the people who follow the rules adequately in timely manner) in the morning. From a cold day outside, into the crisp but still cool environment of Arabia Mountain, we don’t like to be harassed about taking off coats and hats only 1 minute after we’ve arrived. It’s inconsiderate and a bit rude, considering that mostly everyone discards their material that doesn’t comply with the school code. I think the harrassment should go towards the students who actually are the disrespectful, not the ones who are well-mannered, which is how we are treated each day. We are disrespected even if we are innocent. I’m not trying to exxagerate. I’m just very botthered about this situation as a whole.

3. The ignorance in some of these replies is OUTRAGEOUS. African American Schools?
Dekalb County Declining? This stuff happens nearly everywhere, no matter the race, the area, kids are going to be immature. Kids are going to be rebellious. It’s not everyone, as a matter of fact, either.

I’ll stop rambling. I just want to say that it’s just not the kids in this situation. It never was, in my opinion. Some of administration had fault in this, too. I’m not justifying what had happened, I just think that ignorance and disrespect towards anyone is not the answer.

A Student

December 19th, 2011
3:05 pm

Some people aren’t even clear of what had been done by students.

1. Someone lighted a trashcan on fire
2. Soemone flooded the bathroom (toilet)
3. Food fights
4. Someone caused the sprinklers to go off in the bathroom (with a lighter), which is probably the cause of the fire alarms to go off, either that or someone pulled the fire alarm themselves.
5. no one broke a pipe… -.- that is beyond false.

AMHS Parent

December 19th, 2011
3:06 pm

@ A Student: I thank you for responding. I am very proud of you and the other students at the school. As an involved parent, I am always pleased to see the students perform the way they do. Yes, it does bother me when the few do not care disrupt those of you who do. My daughter is a junior at AMHS and she would never be expected to disrupt the opportunities for anyone else to learn, because WE (my wife and I) would never want her education to be disrupted. To get respect, you must give respect. I will address the discipline issues you speak of with the principal. I do challenge and encourage you to continue to be optimistic about your future educational opportunities. No matter what the naysayers believe, AMHS is a shining example of wonderful students who are trying to excel. The few bad ones wil be swiftly dealt with.

A Student

December 19th, 2011
3:09 pm

@ AMHS Parent: I’m so glad. PLEASE DO. The administrators don’t listen to us. :p

Horrible

December 19th, 2011
3:18 pm

“AMHS is a shining example of wonderful students who are trying to excel.”???

Really? Excel at what – provoking an armed response? It’s mind-boggling that you could be anything other than embarassed by this incident.

“What I do mind is when I am being treated in a way that prevents me from being optimistic about my school and studies while I’m on my way to a great college.”

You believe can you fly? You believe you can touch the sky? And some great big ol’ rule-enforcing meanies are picking on you? What is up with THAT?

A Student

December 19th, 2011
3:45 pm

@Horrible: LOL You make a point. But you’re not in my shoes; you’re definitely over-exxagerating my position. I do believe I’ve said that “I don’t mind a strict school.” I also do remember saying that I, speaking for myself, have been harassed and disrespected for unvalid reasons at all.

Picking on me? I’m not being bullied. I just think that we should all be treated with some type of respect (for the ones who aren’t disrespectful). I follow the rules, so the only valid part of your argument is the “meanie” part. lmao.

:]

Horrible

December 19th, 2011
3:57 pm

@A Student
On serious and more productive note, you write that
“I [am] harassed each day …. in the morning. From a cold day outside, into the crisp but still cool environment of Arabia Mountain, we don’t like to be harassed about taking off coats and hats only 1 minute after we’ve arrived”

If administrators are bugging you about the same rule infraction EACH DAY, you should do what they tell you to beforehand. Then they will stop. Me, I can take my coat off in about 4 seconds.

Sounds to me like they are consistently enforcing a rule that you are familiar with but trying to slide on a little. Good for them. You have a ways to go before you will get to choose your own rules to follow.

A Student

December 19th, 2011
4:02 pm

@Horrible: I stated that I follow the rules. That was an example of them being a “meanie”. Remember? :]

I do what the authority tells me to do; it’s their job. It makes it easier for both of us if we all follow the rules. I’m saying that they SHOULD enforce a rule when it is being broken, not when it is being followed.

A Student

December 19th, 2011
4:03 pm

@no fair: I totally agree.

A Student

December 19th, 2011
4:06 pm

@Horrible: and also, that’s you if you can take a coat off in less than 4 minutes. Some people are sick during the holidays especially; some people have low iron; some people are sensitive to cold weather. Why not be considerate and at least start harassing people 5 minutes till class starts? That’s all. >.>

A Student

December 19th, 2011
4:06 pm

4 SECONDS SORRY.

Dekalbite@ A Student

December 19th, 2011
4:19 pm

I understand what you are saying. Expecting the best rather than the worst are two sides of the same coin when it comes to discipline. You can show respect for students even as you enforce discipline. In the real world, no one likes a boss that chews them out “on general principle” either. We put up with it because we need a pay check, but our productivity often suffers, and that interferes with the overall objectives of the organization. Not excusing the AMHS behavior on the part of some students in this incident, but your point is well stated.

A Student

December 19th, 2011
4:24 pm

@dekalbite
Thanks. That’s exactly my point; I never wanted to justify what happened.

no mas

December 19th, 2011
4:52 pm

@A Student
Since I am not there, I will go by what you report. Telling you to remove coats and hats immediately is either treating you like elementary students (who have to be reminded to stay on task) or like potential rioters, who must be kept in line.

If there are students at your school (or nay school) who have taken advantage of being allowed to regulate their own behavior (like taking off coats and hats on their own after they have said hello to their friends), or who have used taking of those things as an excuse to be late to class, then those are the students who need to be reminded, not everybody.

no mas

December 19th, 2011
4:56 pm

@A Student

Also, if the administrators at your school are tending to treat you all like potential troublemakers, this could cause a lot of tension. What kinds of things are going on there that set the students off, do you think?

A Student

December 19th, 2011
4:57 pm

@no mas; of course. I agree.
I’ve also thought about it before even writing what I’ve said. Some students don’t follow the rules so I understand why the administration is so hard; the school needs to be ‘perfect’. I get it. Just not fair for the others who do.

When?

December 19th, 2011
7:23 pm

Read the tweets from AMHS students. It was pre-planned. Sorry AMHS Parent, the students involved in this shamed their school, their families, and themselves.

Their filthy language celebrating the incident are vile, disgusting and ignorant:

http://whotalking.com/%23TurnupThursday

Some examples:

00Lawliet : RT @SuperstarD12: We had 12 police cars @ Arabia 2day sh%^ got real 2day #TurnupThursday

ThatDarkkidddd : #TurnupThursday at arabia was stupppiid f$%kk fye hell of fun we gone have hell next semester though

cydneybiancaaxo : RT @StoleTheLiquor: Her Name Is Monica Black .. And She DIDN’T Survive

the_MAIN_chick : RT @_VainOverdose: Thank you Arabia Mountain Students. Thank you all for #TurnUpThursday a SUCCESS.!!!

Regina_George_ : “@STFU_imTweetin: So how many strapped up cops we got here ? Lol y’all too much!

cockychic_gBesq : da livest day we eva had #turnupthursday

Jessy_Wessie : RT @TrulyABeast: We single handedly started #TurnUpThursday

imMEECHY_hoeee : RT @SkrillaDoright: Dont wanna hire me well we slippin and fallin in this b#$ch for a lawsuit

ImDaKingg : Well everybody at Arabia survived #TurnupTHURSDAY at Arabia cux noone died..

OhhSoKhenyy : RT @_IMf#$knGAWJUSS: Lmao i love arabia mountainers one minute yall classy and care abt education next thing ya know its #turnupthursday and yall all hoodrats .

SHAMEFUL!!!

Hah

December 19th, 2011
7:25 pm

Read the tweets from AMHS students:

http://whotalking.com/%23TurnupThursday

Shameful and disgusting.

Waiting for Superman

December 19th, 2011
9:18 pm

The “few students” that disrupted the academic day severely impacted the education of the other students. Since the school was put on “lockdown,” the students did not take all their finals that day. They had to take FOUR finals on Friday. Kids can be kids, but not at the expense of the other students’ right to an education. These incidents caused too much chaos and AS FAR AS WE KNOW NO ONE WAS HURT. Arabia was lucky. I heard that students were running and screaming through the parking lot after dismissal. Let us be thankful no one fell down and was trampled. By the way, whoever threw the tray that hit Dr. Black should be made to begin the second semester at his or her home school.

Concerned

December 19th, 2011
10:07 pm

In DeKalb County we LACK the following:

1 – A responsible BOE.
2 – A superintendent seasoned in her position and well in control.
3 – An administration that has proven itself to be truly concerned with student performance, advancement, and perceptive enough to guide derailed students back on track.
4 – An educational system capable of address disciplinary issues in a way that students and their parents understand the consequences of their actions with no questionable doubt.

I appreciate Mr. Brown coming forward to express his thoughts; however, his apparent downplay of the Thursday events at Arabia Mountain really concern me. On many levels, this was a serious disruption of an educational facility that is inexcusable, and the downplay shows a willingness in our society to accept what was once considered unacceptable.

Animal House was a very entertaining movie based in a college setting. However, it was not something I would ever expect to see actually occur, much less in a high school in DeKalb County. To intimate that this kind of activity is acceptable shows a serious lack of parental concern. Mr. Brown once ran for a BOE position? Note to self, Mr. Brown is an idiot and should be discounted should he run for BOE in the future.

We have a ThugCulture in this country. Read the newspaper and watch any one of the local TV stations in this city and you will see the results of rebellious, unconcerned, and uneducated people in our midst. This anti-social behavior starts somewhere. Typically, home first, then graduating to public schools, and ultimately festering itself in public.

Citizens will try their best to address this problem. The ThugCulture (parents and their spawn) will laugh and go on their way. I will help those that I can, but to those that scoff me and then as Thugs try to harm me or my family I am ready for you. I am licensed, carry, educated, cocked, and loaded. When you cross the line to the ThugCulture, do not tread on me as I do not want to play and I am ready for you if you force yourself on me.

http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/dekalb-church-aims-to-1261439.html
http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/drum-majors-parents-want-1264809.html
http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/three-retirement-homes-hit-1264978.html
http://www.ajc.com/news/cobb/arrest-made-in-sunday-1264742.html
http://www.accessatlanta.com/atlanta-music/police-50-000-in-1263556.html
http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/reason-for-rapper-slim-1262414.html
http://www.ajc.com/news/gwinnett/49-arrested-in-gwinnett-1265100.html

Concerned

December 19th, 2011
10:16 pm

Hah:

Thank you for posting the Tweets.

Former SPARK parent

December 19th, 2011
10:17 pm

@2:44 pm, No Fair said:

“Most of the student who go to Arabia still are creme of the crop.”

Do I really even have to say anything?

DKSS, take a bow!

Concerned

December 19th, 2011
10:18 pm

In DeKalb County we LACK the following:

1 – A responsible BOE.
2 – A superintendent seasoned in her position and well in control.
3 – An administration that has proven itself to be truly concerned with student performance, advancement, and perceptive enough to guide derailed students back on track.
4 – An educational system capable of address disciplinary issues in a way that students and their parents understand the consequences of their actions with no questionable doubt.

I appreciate Mr. Brown coming forward to express his thoughts; however, his apparent downplay of the Thursday events at Arabia Mountain really concern me. On many levels, this was a serious disruption of an educational facility that is inexcusable, and the downplay shows a willingness in our society to accept what was once considered unacceptable.

Animal House was a very entertaining movie based in a college setting. However, it was not something I would ever expect to see actually occur, much less in a high school in DeKalb County. To intimate that this kind of activity is acceptable shows a serious lack of parental concern. Mr. Brown once ran for a BOE position? Note to self, Mr. Brown is an idiot and should be discounted should he run for BOE in the future.

We have a ThugCulture in this country. Read the newspaper and watch any one of the local TV stations in this city and you will see the results of rebellious, unconcerned, and uneducated people in our midst. This anti-social behavior starts somewhere. Typically, home first, then graduating to public schools, and ultimately festering itself in public.

Citizens will try their best to address this problem. The ThugCulture (parents and their spawn) will laugh and go on their way. I will help those that I can, but to those that scoff me and then as Thugs try to harm me or my family I am ready for you. I am licensed, carry, educated, cocked, and loaded. When you cross the line to the ThugCulture, do not tread on me as I do not want to play and I am ready for you if you force yourself on me.

Just look at the recent crime articles in the AJC to see the ThugCulture activity.

Concerned

December 19th, 2011
10:20 pm

In DeKalb County we LACK the following:

1 – A responsible BOE.
2 – A superintendent seasoned in her position and well in control.
3 – An administration that has proven itself to be truly concerned with student performance, advancement, and perceptive enough to guide derailed students back on track.
4 – An educational system capable of address disciplinary issues in a way that students and their parents understand the consequences of their actions with no questionable doubt.

I appreciate Mr. Brown coming forward to express his thoughts; however, his apparent downplay of the Thursday events at Arabia Mountain really concern me. On many levels, this was a serious disruption of an educational facility that is inexcusable, and the downplay shows a willingness in our society to accept what was once considered unacceptable.

Animal House was a very entertaining movie based in a college setting. However, it was not something I would ever expect to see actually occur, much less in a high school in DeKalb County. To intimate that this kind of activity is acceptable shows a serious lack of parental concern. Mr. Brown once ran for a BOE position? Note to self, Mr. Brown is an idiot and should be discounted should he run for BOE in the future.

We have a Thug Culture in this country. Read the newspaper and watch any one of the local TV stations in this city and you will see the results of rebellious, unconcerned, and uneducated people in our midst. This anti-social behavior starts somewhere. Typically, home first, then graduating to public schools, and ultimately festering itself in public.

Citizens will try their best to address this problem. The Thug Culture (parents and their spawn) will laugh and go on their way. I will help those that I can, but to those that scoff me and then as Thugs try to harm me or my family I am ready for you. I am licensed, carry, educated, cocked, and loaded. When you cross the line to the Thug Culture, do not tread on me as I do not want to play and I am ready for you if you force yourself on me.

Just look at the recent crime articles in the AJC to see the Thug Culture activity.

Concerned

December 19th, 2011
10:22 pm

In DeKalb County we LACK the following:

1 – A responsible BOE.
2 – A superintendent seasoned in her position and well in control.
3 – An administration that has proven itself to be truly concerned with student performance, advancement, and perceptive enough to guide derailed students back on track.
4 – An educational system capable of address disciplinary issues in a way that students and their parents understand the consequences of their actions with no questionable doubt.

I appreciate Mr. Brown coming forward to express his thoughts; however, his apparent downplay of the Thursday events at Arabia Mountain really concern me. On many levels, this was a serious disruption of an educational facility that is inexcusable, and the downplay shows a willingness in our society to accept what was once considered unacceptable.

Animal House was a very entertaining movie based in a college setting. However, it was not something I would ever expect to see actually occur, much less in a high school in DeKalb County. To intimate that this kind of activity is acceptable shows a serious lack of parental concern. Mr. Brown once ran for a BOE position? Note to self, Mr. Brown is an idiot and should be discounted should he run for BOE in the future.

We have a Thug Culture in this country. Read the newspaper and watch any one of the local TV stations in this city and you will see the results of rebellious, unconcerned, and uneducated people in our midst. This anti-social behavior starts somewhere. Typically, home first, then graduating to public schools, and ultimately festering itself in public.

Citizens will try their best to address this problem. The Thug Culture (parents and their spawn) will laugh and go on their way. I will help those that I can, but to those that scoff me and then as Thugs try to harm me or my family I am ready for you. I am licensed, carry, educated, C&L. When you cross the line to the Thug Culture, do not tread on me as I do not want to play and I am ready for you if you force yourself on me.

Just look at the recent crime articles in the AJC to see the Thug Culture activity.

Concerned

December 19th, 2011
10:23 pm

Recent Thug Culture Crime:

http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/dekalb-church-aims-to-1261439.html
http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/drum-majors-parents-want-1264809.html
http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/three-retirement-homes-hit-1264978.html
http://www.ajc.com/news/cobb/arrest-made-in-sunday-1264742.html
http://www.accessatlanta.com/atlanta-music/police-50-000-in-1263556.html
http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/reason-for-rapper-slim-1262414.html
http://www.ajc.com/news/gwinnett/49-arrested-in-gwinnett-1265100.html

A Student

December 19th, 2011
11:27 pm

@ Concerned: wonderful. o_o

Digger

December 20th, 2011
12:48 am

Beautifully written former Spark Parent. The problem is, the dirty little secret if you will, is the second students are segregated by behavior, you realize they are also segregated by race. Any principal at any school knows this in their heart of hearts. And in these PC times, in order to keep their jobs, teachers and principals run like the wind away from doing what is necessary to maintain a productive atmosphere for everyone.

Anonymous

December 20th, 2011
1:59 am

one kids are kids teens are teens they/we do stupid stuff life is life many of y’all have done some pretty dumb/ignorant stuff in your life time luckily everyone left alive and was a experience like no other this is no surprise stop getting your expectation towards a school that is so high in expectation because deep down through that uniform there’s a child who’s going through life just like everyone on this earth

Horrible

December 20th, 2011
8:59 am

Translation of Anonymous:
“Hey, you know, we’re like, stupid and irresponsible – what do you expect? Nobody died. Lighten up; everybody does it.”

HS Math Teacher

December 20th, 2011
9:27 am

Back in the day (early 70’s), at least once a month, a group of guys would turn the school on its’ ear. An m-80 going off in one of those old metal trash cans, firecrackers going off in a locker (family jumbo pack), apples thrown over the building (from smoking tree – teens who had a permit to smoke) into a courtyard packed full of 9th & 10th graders, bottle rockets lit in the hall, ETC. Nothing was ever done about it. The principal was a softy, much like the one on Porky’s. “Boys will be boys” was his mantra. The perpetrators were a bunch of FFA guys (all white). I guess you could call them a gang, but they were just pranksters.

I thought it was funny at the time. Columbine, and all the other incidents of guns in school in the last decade, have changed all that.

A Student

December 20th, 2011
11:12 am

@ Digger: I disagree…. mostly everyone is black, speaking truthfully. Race doesn’t even matter in this case and it shouldn’t.

@ Anonymous: i agree. We are all young, even though this shouldn’t be expected, this is something that COULD happen. Some people are exxagerating it a bit. It wasn’t all that serious, to me.

@Horrible: What she/he is saying is, is that we’re all young; we make mistakes; we play around; of course, some people didn’t know where to stop, but things like this CAN happen.

And no one had a gun except the police, guys. :p

Another AMHS Student

December 20th, 2011
11:32 am

As an Arabia Mountain student I would like to address many of the claims in these comments.

1) Don’t blame the teachers, don’t blame the parents, and definitely don’t blame the administrators. I’m not even going to make excuses for what happened on that Thursday it was all our fault, but for you to try and place blame on the teachers or administrators for not trying to take control of the situation is wrong. I saw many teachers and all our administration literally running through the hallways trying to contain the problem and because I was there, unlike many of you, I can attest to their efforts.

2) This was not a pre-planned event. To all the people out there that seem to believe they have all the facts, this was an unfortunate incident where ignorance led to foolishness. One thing led to another and it is as simple as that.

3) To those who are bashing my fellow peers for their profane language I would like for you to take a couple minutes and eavesdrop on your child’s daily conversations; I believe you will find something very interesting.

4) To many of you who now believe that Arabia is a bad school because of one incident, I would like to state that the people do not make a school nor does a school make the people. You should also take a look at many of the “so called” great schools’ history and I am sure you will find a blemish.

5) Finally, since you seem to have so much knowledge about what needs to be done I hope your doing so much to help our situation. I can’t recall a time when posting on a blog did much to help the student. if you really want to make an impact how about you come and talk to the students and actually interact with us. F.Y.I. Meetings don’t have a very big impact on the children themselves.

A Student

December 20th, 2011
11:51 am

@ Another Arabia Mountain Student; regarding to number 5, there’s much to help or get done.. i think we should just leave it. it’s not that serious to me. it was a one time thing, in my eyes. people just decided to act out and be foolish.

Horrible

December 20th, 2011
11:51 am

@A Student
1) “things like this CAN happen” : your new nickname is “Captain Obvious”

2) What he/she is saying is ‘So what? Get over it’. This might not be acceptable to all concerned.

A Student

December 20th, 2011
11:57 am

@Horrible; well stop acting like this is such a big catastrophe and rare, if it’s so obvious. thanks for the nickname…

& Of course it isn’t going to be acceptable… -.- …. this most likely won’t happen again; it hasn’t turned into a daily thing.

Another AMHS Student

December 20th, 2011
12:19 pm

@Horrible: Do you have a problem with us? Did we do something wrong to you? If so I’m sorry but that doesn’t give you the right to bash other people on this blog (A Student) who just want to state their opinion just like you. If you really want something to talk about though i can give you some topics. Like how much scholarship money we got last year through a senior class with a population of about 100 students, and this is purely academic (not athletic or extracurricular). Or how we have made AYP since our first year. Or even how our Juniors have never placed below the 97% passing rate for the Georgia High School Graduation Test.

@Another AMHS Student

December 20th, 2011
1:11 pm

Yes, you did do something to us. The fire, the broken pipe, the damage, etc. costs the taxpayers of DeKalb County. As does having ten plus police officers & cars called out to the school, police officers who should be patrolling the county, but instead were called to a school where the students cannot control themselves.

I feel for the students who care about academics and had the final exams interrupted. And the language used in those tweets is disgusting and ignorant. Like it or not, the perception of the school has taken a deserved nosedive.

A Student

December 20th, 2011
1:17 pm

I think it’s a bit worser at other schools, to be honest. Like I said, it’s not something we’re doing daily. We didn’t break a school pipe.. I don’t know where that rumor came from.
Something like this wouldn’t add like a million dollars to the taxes that taxpayers pay.. >.>

I actually like what someone said earlier. “The school doesn’t make the people… the people don’t make the school”. Why should what a few kids done speak for the whole population… can we bring reason and ethics into this? :p

It’s not like we’re trained dogs. We’re human. We’re young. Stop treating us like robots gone crazy. lol

Horrible

December 20th, 2011
1:46 pm

“worser”? Don’t you mean “more badder”?

HS Math Teacher

December 20th, 2011
2:10 pm

How ’bout “pre-planning” an event. That’s about as silly as “post-concluding”.

Horrible

December 20th, 2011
2:30 pm

I agree – ‘pre-planning’ seems excessively redundant.

Another AMHS Student

December 20th, 2011
3:25 pm

As I have stated before, this was not a pre-planned event, one person threw food at someone else and the story goes on. Also to the person attacking me lets set one thing straight. I did not do anything, the majority of the children did not do anything. It was about 30 people out of a whole school population that actually partake in these “events”. In addition, we control ourselves very well, you should come observe us one day. The way you all are treating us is no worse than the way society treats African-Americans as a whole; because a few of our own people do not act with sense our race is described as ignorant. Change your mindset.

HS Math Teacher

December 20th, 2011
3:49 pm

Black students do not control a monopoly on crazy behavior. I know this as a student & a teacher, and I’ve known this for a long time. Race should not be a factor in this case. I don’t give a damned if everyone of the instigators in this instance are black. I’ve had as many pain-in-the-ass kids to teach who are white, as I’ve had black. Truth be told, most black students love/like me for some reason. Maybe it’s because I love soul food & music. Kidding aside. . . I hope this issue dies down fast. I’ll bet this won’t happen again at this school for a long time, if not ever.

A Sad Student

December 20th, 2011
3:54 pm

@Fred your right… wasn’t a broken pipe… fire set off the sprinklers in the bathroom

A Student

December 20th, 2011
4:10 pm

@ HS Math Teacher: I know, right? It’s most likely not to happen again while everyone is going ballistic.

Another AMHS Student

December 20th, 2011
4:18 pm

Correction: I did not say that race was the issue, if you took the time to read and consider what I said you would see that I was simply comparing the slander of the black community as a whole as to what is happening to our school. Also, even though I did not partake I still apologized on behalf of my whole school, what more is there to ask for. We can’t change what we did, but change won’t come until we move on from this situation. It is so easy to point out the flaws in a school or a person, but i do not recall there being any articles on the positive impacts our school, as well as our students have made. So to the community, we’re sorry. To the educators, we are sorry. Finally, to our administrators, we are sorry. Let’s all act like adults and move on.

long time educator

December 20th, 2011
6:50 pm

@ Another AMHS student,
Have the good non-involved students helped teachers and administrators identify the 30 students who rioted so they could be expelled? The best way to save the reputation of your school is to expell those who vandalized the school. That would send a clear message to everyone, inside the school and outside in the community.

Sensible

December 21st, 2011
11:42 am

The sad part about Arabian Mountain is that it is the high school on the School Choice List for DeKalb county as identified by NCLB. It use to be the north Dekalb schools like Dunwoody, Chamblee, and Tucker. However these schools said, “No More to this mess”. So they are no longer swamped with students who conduct themselves like his under the belief that this is how students behave. Parents with these rowdy children lie and say their want the best for their children, who don’t even know how to go to the restroom without trying to flood the restroom. These parents and their children are all total jokes!! Public education is the venue which continues to be held responsible for these problems. Public education is a building, the problem is what comes into the building based upon the laws of the land.

Public education should not conutiue to be an expectation, but more of a qualification requirement. You must be qualified to attend public education. Or has Newt says, “Give them a broom”.

Receiving School Counselor

December 22nd, 2011
5:56 am

When can we begin to discuss more discipline needed at schools and the parent responsibility to address student behavior? Schools can only teach so much behavior in their environment but we need parents to step up and help enforce the proper behaviors. Hopefully the parent meetings will support the need for more discipline in and out of their school. Schools are only as good as their community support. Are we not trying to create responsible young adults within our communities?

Ole Guy

December 22nd, 2011
11:33 pm

STUDENT MELEE!!?? Paddle every one of their stinkin’ sixes till they glow like coals on the barbee. Then send em back into the classrooms.

Answer to Ole Guy

December 24th, 2011
11:00 am

And be prepared for a $1+ million lawsuit from each of their parents, since corporal punishment in public schools is prohibited by state law. Such a lawsuit recently was filed by the parents of a spec. ed. student who was a disciplinary problem in class and “paddled.”

Ole Guy

December 24th, 2011
2:31 pm

Point well-taken. THIS is why the problems and issues within the education camp CANNOT be addressed and (potentially) solved in a piecemeal manner…it all boils down to (as we call it in the military) command and control. Without C&C, everything else is just BS, a complete and utter waste of time and money, and destined to miserable failure (in military operations, one may equate miserable failure to the worse ultimate outcome imaginable). This is EXACTLY where education is headed, along with a few generations which are supposed to, in a few short years, be prepared to “take the baton”.

When one becomes overpowered and inundated with current-day issues and fears (I might get my feet wet/”million dollar lawsuits”, etc), one will likely find oneself in the “deep end” of lifes’ pool with no means of support, unable to swim, much less tread water, and simply “drown”. If generation upon generation had their collective butts paddled as a means of enforcing behavior with no “long-lasting damage to their psyche”…and no law suits…WHATNHELL HAPPENED? You parents would do well to DO WHATEVER PARENTS DO THESE DAYS to square away your damn kids…before they turn out to be just as _ U _ K _ D _ P as you.

Melee at Arabia Mountain High: ‘Turn Up Thursday’ and Twitter turn DeKalb school into a mess

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Melee at Arabia Mountain High: ‘Turn Up Thursday’ and Twitter turn DeKalb school into a mess

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