#hobokenpublicschools
Just had two parents call me on three way this morning asking me for my help on the following matters:
1.) A child was placed on “homeschool” because of the district’s failure to provide her anti- anxiety medication during the day causing the child to have a breakdown.
The district demanded the child take anti-anxiety medication as a condition for the child to attend school. The Hoboken High School nurse is responsible for administering the medication during the school day. The child went to the nurse on numerous occasions to get her medication. It appears the district is requiring a disproportionate number of Black and Brown children to be on medication and the vast majority of students that attend Hoboken High School are Black and Brown children. As a result, the nurse has to administer an overwhelming number of medications to students during the day. This child grew frustrated when the nurse failed to provide the child with her anti-anxiety medication several days in a row. The child claims the nurse kept snapping at her and turning her away because of the overload of cases. Now off her anti- anxiety medication for several days, this issue the child has a breakdown and is suspended indefinitely and now placed on homeschool.
The mother claims no one comes regularly to teach her child and she fears her child is falling into depression and further behind in schoolwork.
2.) Another child was suspended and arrested for trying to leave the classroom and defending herself against a school administrator. There was a disruption in the classroom. According to this parent, an administrator was called to the classroom. The child tried to leave the classroom but the administrator blocked the doorway. When the child got too close the administrator grabbed and shoved the child and then called the police. The child tried to leave the classroom again and the administrator again put her hands on the child. The administrator punched the child her chest and the child struck the administrator back. The child was arrested and then suspended.
Now there are always three sides to a story. However, when these types of incidences are happening it’s time for a change in school and district leadership. Given my experience with the high school administrators and their continued underperformance, there is good reason to believe the parents.
The medication issue is simple. Does the district over medicated Black and Brown children? is there a disproportionate number of children being suspended and placed on homeschool as a result? Can the nurse keep up with administering medication throughout the day and if not what responsibility does the district have in setting these kids up for emotional distress and breakdowns as result of this systems failure?
The second issue, is more of a she said she said issue. However, the minute the administrator prevented the child from leaving the classroom and/or struck the child, is the minute the administrator escalated and already distressed situation. If that happened that should absolutely be considered in evaluating the child’s case and potentially borders on child endangerment. Either way the district needs to come up with better deescalation tactics that don’t exasperate mtters. Again this is a school leadership problem that continues to be plagues the high school culture. I guess it will take a Student to die on school grounds before the BOE takes meaningful action because plenty of kids are dying off of school grounds as result of this leadership problem.
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