ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, March 30, 1997 TAG: 9703310114
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SERIES: Disorder in the Schools - A Special Report
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER THE ROANOKE TIMES
TALKING IN CLASS and throwing spitballs are no longer the big discipline problems in schools. Neither are horseplay and schoolyard fights a major worry for teachers and principals.
Now it's disruptive students, violence, drugs, knives and guns.
The lack of discipline was ranked by the public as the second-biggest problem in schools today in the latest Gallup poll for Phi Delta Kappa, a national education fraternity. Violence was ranked third.
Drug abuse was rated No.1, but if discipline and violence are grouped into one category, they ranked at the top.
"All teachers should have the right to teach in an environment that is free of disruption," said Richard Kelly, president of the Roanoke County Education Association.
While some educators say discipline problems are not as bad in Roanoke Valley schools as in some large urban areas, others think they're getting worse.
All of these incidents occurred within the past two years:
At Northside High School, eight teen-agers from other schools in the Roanoke Valley came looking for a student. They argued with one of the Northside principals and would not leave. Police were called and found a loaded handgun and marijuana in their car. The youths also were charged with trespassing, possession of a beeper on school grounds and other crimes.
Four students at Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke attacked a fellow student, biting, beating and kicking him. The victim was taken to the hospital for treatment.
A student at William Fleming High used a chair to club a police officer in the head during a disturbance in the school's cafeteria. The police officer was attacked after he broke up a fight between the youth and a fellow student.
In a separate incident, a William Fleming student shoved another student through a plate-glass window during a fight. Both students were cut, one severely, and both had to be treated for their injuries. One of the students assaulted a teacher.
At Salem High School, one student beat up another after a dispute; the victim needed medical attention.
At Cave Spring Junior High School, a student's science fair project was destroyed by several other students. The victim was taunted by others and began to fear for her safety at the Roanoke County school.
Only about one in three public school parents gives a grade of A or B to the way discipline is handled and the behavior of students, according to the Phi Delta Kappa poll.
Forty percent of parents give a D or F to the handling of discipline.
Teachers say discipline problems are the main reason teachers leave the profession, according to a recent survey.
The Roanoke Education Association has asked the School Board to appoint a task force to study discipline and the educational climate in city schools.
Some city teachers are upset by what they see as a lack of support by principals and school administrators on discipline.
"We need to study the issue and do something before the problem gets worse," said Esther Cirasunda, REA president.
"School discipline is too important an issue to be ignored or explained away."
A survey by the Superintendent's Teacher Advisory Council in Roanoke last year revealed that some teachers saw a need for tougher punishment for repeat discipline offenders.
School Board Chairwoman Marsha Ellison has told the REA to take its complaints about discipline to the superintendent's council and site-based councils at individual schools.
"I think they should first try to work through existing committees," Ellison said. "If that doesn't work, then we can deal with it in some other way."
Ellison said some teachers have told her they're concerned about discipline, but she added she's not sure that the problem is as bad as the REA contends.
The School Board wants student conduct rules to be enforced, she said. The board has also supported recommendations for expulsion of students.
"We can't let discipline slide, but it's not always as easy as it sounds," Ellison said.
Superintendent Wayne Harris said that despite the incidents of violence in recent years, the majority of Roanoke's students are behaving appropriately and schools are safe.
Roanoke County teachers have also complained to their School Board about disruptive students and the need for them to be held accountable.
Jerry Canada, a member of the county School Board, said the board plans to appoint a team soon to deal with the issue.
"It's something that is on the minds of a lot of teachers," Canada said. "We can't put up with continuous disruptions in class by the same child."
Salem Superintendent Wayne Tripp thinks many discipline problems are related to changes in society and families in recent years.
"A lot of it goes back to the family. If the father and mother are involved and discipline their children, the children generally don't create problems," Tripp said.
If parents aren't involved and don't exercise control over their children, he said, school officials face a tough job in trying to prevent youngsters from causing discipline problems.
"All too frequently, I get calls from parents who don't want their child disciplined for misbehaving," he said.
Politicians are getting involved in the discipline issue, too.
A bill backed by Lt. Gov. Don Beyer and approved this year by the General Assembly gives teachers the authority to remove disruptive students from classes.
Beyer said he proposed the bill to impose more discipline in classrooms and give teachers the tools to create a safer learning environment.
"Children should come to school to learn, and teachers should come to teach," Beyer said. "No one should be afraid to go into a classroom."
As a result of legislation passed several years ago in Virginia, parents are asked to sign a pledge to work with schools in disciplining their children.
But some parents refused to sign the pledge and went to court to contest the $50 fine for failure to sign it. The state backed off and eliminated the fine.
LENGTH: Long : 117 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: WAYNE DEEL THE ROANOKE TIMES. Students mill aroundby CNBbefore class at Patrick Henry High School, which like other Roanoke
Valley schools has seen violent incidents. color.