As a retired educator with 42 years of service with teachers and students, I am not surprised by the reports of issues with students’ behavior in our local schools. The same pressures, anxiety, and fear we are all facing in these troubled times are part of students’ and teachers’ lives as well. Add to that the stress of being subjected to virtual learning for an extended period and then abruptly sent back into an altered in-school environment. Students have lost out on many of the events that make the school experience memorable, like rallies and proms. The social atmosphere has changed dramatically adding again to the stress.
When I trained teachers in the latter part of my career, I would tell them how important it was to have “ready learners.” My bulletin board always had the message, “Kids don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.” These students who are acting out are doing it for a reason. They are hurting. Don’t misunderstand me, I am not excusing violent or disruptive behavior, I am saying there are underlying reasons for it. Students need to accept responsibility for their behavior, but adults need to understand and help them address the underlying issues.
So, how do school and district administrators address these behaviors? Well, first and foremost, the school and classrooms must be safe. A carefully chosen student resource officer (SRO), can help with that. This individual should not only have the skills taught in police training, but should be trained in de-escalation techniques and have a true understanding of the social and emotional make up of teenagers. And since we are describing the perfect candidate, let’s include the ability to talk with and relate to these young adults. I believe it is also critical that there be student and teacher representation on a selection committee for this position. This should not simply be an appointment by the chief of police, who I respect.
There have also been discussions about whether this SRO should be armed. I agree with students who spoke up at a School Committee meeting prior to the holidays when they said this could be traumatizing to some of their peers. I think administrators in discussion with the Police Department should look at various options that have been used in other Massachusetts schools regarding tools the SRO can use to ensure a safe environment.
The other component of this situation are the adults: teachers, administrators, para-professionals, etc. They are also very stressed by all that is transpiring. They need support and training. They need to know how to take care of their emotional health, how to de-escalate situations, and how to act and not react to students’ behavior. I am not asking them to do MORE, I am advocating for them to get the tools they need to work safely and effectively.
Now, back to developing an environment of “ready learners.” Students also need access to social-emotional support. If a student is worried about something in their home environment or have just had an argument with a peer or boyfriend/girlfriend, he or she will not be ready to respond to the math lesson. School counselors need to help identify students who might benefit from group sessions or one-on-one intervention. Students need to know they can self-refer to a safe, non-punitive location to de-escalate and work through their problems. We are blessed to have some quality local agencies that might be able to provide these services. We need to be creative in finding solutions, and students can play a large part in helping in this process.
So, how do we pay for all this? In the short-term I think we have to say, “how important is providing a safe, sane, and effective learning environment in our schools?” I may have a prejudice, but I can’t think of anything more important in my community than that. So, I would urge city officials to find the money necessary to start this process by funding the SRO position and ensuring a highly qualified candidate is hired. For other components of a multi-faceted plan, I would suggest seeking grant funding and support from local agencies. I contacted Senator Markey’s office last week regarding funding sources and received a return call and spreadsheet with possible grants, which I am passing along to local district administration. There may also be some retired persons in the community who have expertise they could share in the short-term, such as retired therapists.
I urge all involved in solving this problem to seek solutions that get at the root of the problems and not simply react to the symptoms. The students are watching to see how we solve this, let’s show them we understand.
Shirley Gilfether lives in Greenfield.