Final Incident That Lead to Higher Level
of Action
To my horror, this happened to me on Friday. I was in the Cafeteria at Zebulon Middle
School in Zebulon North Carolina in an Official Capacity as a WATCH DOG [http://dadsofgreatstudents.com/index.php/default/],
and, I witnessed some very horrible things.
A group of about five boys, joined by a group of about 3 girls, were
acting out. The boys were directly in
front of me two tables away about. The
girls over to my left two tables away.
One youth was throwing things, and making inappropriate physical contact
with over five students (hitting, touching, and inviting to fight) engaging in
horse play. One student in response was
using cleaning products as a defense and spraying it on multiple students. One student (APE/MONKEY MAN, BECAUSE HE HAD
WHAT LOOKED LIKE AN APE OR A MONKEY ON A NECKLACE AROUND HIS NECK) made what
looked to be two drug transactions in front of me (by placing baggies in his
left hand and passing them off to the other males present).
A teacher, Mr. O, did on multiple occasions
approach the students and ask that they cease and desist. I did talk with Mr. O and made inquiry
as to if he knew all the names of the students involved; and, he said he knew
all the students, and, I stated I was going to write up all the activities I witnessed. The youth treated him very disrespectfully
with disdain. That included talking back
and yelling proclamations that they were doing nothing, and they refused to
follow his orders.
One reporter stated, “this is a good day”. One reporter stated “you should have been
here early when they had to chase one student out of the cafeteria”. Another reporter verified the “chasing
incident” and stated the very same person selling drugs was the one that was
chased and jumped a five foot fence, and once off grounds “they could not do
anything”.
Incident date was April 27th, 2018,
while on duty between 12:50 PM and 1:30 PM in Cafeteria
Within 20 minutes of the end of the lunchroom
period, I reported the matter during a meeting with Principal CJ and
Assistant Principal N L. The expectation was an immediate response to
include law enforcement notification.
Within 10 minutes of the meeting with them, they had an official written
reported that was submitted with the same content of what was verbally
expressed with them.
The reason for this being taken to a higher level
is because they did not even take immediate action. Mrs. C said, “it is Mr. O duty to
write it up ……….. and we will wait for his report”. Basically indicating a report from an eye
witness in an official capacity DOES NOT MEAN ANYTHING EVEN IF IT INCLUDES
BEING A WITNESS TO CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES ON SCHOOL GROUNDS. This evidences a nonchalant attitude towards
WCPSS policy on drugs and student discipline.
The school is routinely creating or allowing to be created a hostile
work environment and dangerous environment for the children entrusted in its
care.
After the meeting and report submission, I waited
in the hallway outside of the main office to see if the school would summon law
enforcement (I did not see a SRO on duty that day). No action was taken at all. Because no action was taken, I drove to ZPD
and filed a police report. Noting a very
bad fact that the same individual selling was seen during school time at 97 and
N.Gil Street a few blocks from the school.
Culmination of Identified Issues Over the
Past Two and a Half Years at ZMS
During the shift on that day, again, I witnessed
“too many students in the hallways” that did not have school passes visible
during classroom time. Security is an
issue because the school is too porous.
The culmination of all my shift has lead me to identify and verify the
following issues:
1. The
school needs to secure its doors.
Students/people are entering and leaving the school grounds through
multiple locations because the school doors and facilities are not secure. I cannot tell you how many times while making
my rounds that I had to close doors to the outside because they were left
“slightly open” for individual to include students to come and go as they please.
2. Hot
spots for fighting were identified: For
example, the area outside of the media center is the frequent “fight spot”,
and, during lunch hours, lack of supervision and allowing the kids to “run and
horseplay in the hallways” leads to fights and injuries. Seventh grade building was noted for the
amount of kids in the hallways during class time, way after the time classes
begin.
3. It
is scary, but, classes are so chaotic, at one time, during test proctoring, the
youth had problems taking their test because of the noise in the hallways and
from other classes. Also, while making
rounds, at times the noise level and activity level in certain classes was so
“off the wall” a reasonable person could come to the conclusion “no
instructional material was being presented” because, it was playtime. For example, on one occasion, a student was
outside of a classroom with a pass, I declined to ask the student to return to
class, he just standing outside of the door to his class, because, the noise
level and activity level heard just outside the door coming from within
classroom led me to believe he was “safer in the hallway”. Teachers routinely have their door glass
covered up, and, all you hear is chaos coming from inside classrooms when
making rounds. I have witnessed, it was
heartbreaking, one teacher being openly disrespected in the classroom. Students were talking back to her. They were out of their seats. They were throwing things around. She was helpless.
4. Repeatedly,
I insisted some teacher need support, because, I witnessed and received reports
of chaos in the classrooms, and, the administration has been unresponsive. The last incident is the perfect example of
the administration not supporting its teacher.
Mr. O was treated with the highest level of disrespect by students
I have seen. The students did not even
“bat an eye” knowing adults were directly observing that delinquent
behavior. They just “kept on doing it”
and, the administration, when presented with the issues, failed to take immediate
response, and immediate response was required.
I mean really, a reporter comes to you and tells you “I think I just
witness drug sales, in broad daylight, in an open and filled room, on campus,
in the cafeteria” and, “a teacher was disrespected” and nothing done. HuM. [Sociopathic behavior witnessed, a teaching
moment.]
5. False
Reporting: Under the auspices of Dr. Snith, these very same issues were raised.
Based on collateral contacts, interviews, and reports, things have
gotten worse. The reports from Dr. Smith were the cited conditions were not present on campus. Direct observations and collateral reports
prove otherwise. I made multiple reports
and visits to the school. I have seen
the conditions myself. The existence of
those conditions were denied by school administration. They exist and have worsen. Bottom line, you cannot get help for
conditions if you report they “do not exist” (and student cannot learn and will
fail the EOGS). For example:
a. The school needs heightened security measure;
doors with electronic exit alarms. You
cannot get this if you report no one can come on campus or leave without us
knowing. That is not the cases. Criminal trespassing is happening on the
regular along with truancy.
b. No
support staff is ever going to come [and I recommended such for certain
teachers to administration] if you say, “we do not have a problem”. Some of the teachers are “struggling” and
need help, and, I reported such to the administration, repeatedly.
c. Multiple
facilities issues were addressed through my reports and taking issues outside
of school administration. For example,
for over nine years they dealt with toxic odors and fumes in multiple buildings. Not just student were getting sick and
adversely affected, staff was too and many times they were reporting the issues
for “over nine years”. The school
grounds and facilities need maintenance.
One recent example is within the past three weeks, thereabouts, I went
to the school to bring my daughter allergy medication, while they, a report was
received by front desk staff, from a teacher in a classroom, citing being “over
run by ants”; and, custodial staff was alerted and responded by saying “I have
no spray …….. I have to go out and buy some”.
This is either negligence and/or insufficiency in budget. Either way it should not be happening because
“it is the season for bugs” and you should have already sprayed and been
prepared. No excuse.
d. HVAC’s
that do not work; poor quality of air; poor water quality; leaking roofs, etc. Adverse school and work environments here and
that was reported.
e. The
school is not partnering with Local PD to make sure its facilities are
safe. You cannot say “we cannot do
anything” because he ran off school “property”; no sir, you partner with the
local policy and you have the sheriff department, you “can do something”.
f.
I cannot tell you how many fights I stopped
while on campus and very rarely saw the SRO patrolling or doing rounds. Most time they are in the office doing some
sort of computer work. Partner and say
something and do something.
I took on an assist role. Meaning for the most part, I tried to work
with the administration to resolve issues.
But, when I am “blown off” and told “my reports mean nothing” in
essence, then, I will stop reporting and working with you, and just “submit”
things on a higher level. This is a
notice now of Intent to Bring these matter to the court.
Instruction time is not happening properly due to
poor school administration and responses.
One last example is for the past two and a half years, I have been
dealing with a disruptive student that harasses and bullies my daughter. And, the administration took no response to
end the issue. That shows a none
adherence and application of WCPSS BED and Discipline Policy and Policy against
bullying.
What I am asking is for you all to pull the reports
submitted. Pull all the emails sent to
the school and district offices, and, make an analysis and recommendation. I believe AP N. L needs to be fired
because he has been consistently making adverse comments and taking adverse
actions towards me, and that would be shown through communications and reports
“and failure to respond to reports”.
Also, you may want to consider a professional “training” opportunity on
policy for Mrs. J. I would suggest and
request “immediate” attention to this matter and “immediate partnership” with
local PD to secure the grounds. Mr.
L cannot be the SRO, and the last three visits to the school, I believe, I
have not even seen the SRO. That is not
a substitute and it cannot be a “one man show”.
This are at minimum two additional parts to this
letter that will be sent separately due the nature and confidentiality
issues. Please expect to be in receipt
of such shortly.
Part
2, Thursday, May 31, 2018
LEP/SLD/EBD
Aspects
It
was about two years ago, under the auspices of Dr. S, at Zebulon GT Magnet
Middle School (ZMS), in Zebulon, NC, wherein the issue at that school was
initially raised. What issue? The lack of engagement and outreach to
Hispanic Students, Community Leaders, and Parents. What does that mean? Openly being targeted during a PTA meeting by
Dr. S wherein her racial prejudices culminated in a comment that “We do not
need an Hispanic Parent Liaison.”; and, I was the only Hispanic Person in the
running identified for the position.
That was after attempts at engaging her in dialogue about having weekly
notices and emails translated into Spanish.
This was an open and deliberate attack, and I am not sure if President
Trump would have done these things that he would have “gotten away with it”
without a public display of reprimand and dismay.
It
was heartbreaking to watch a student, that just arrived in this county, the
second day in school, and seemingly never exposed to a computer, and, only able
to speak in Spanish, to be forced to take a computer test, entirely in English,
and that person did not even know how to use the computer. And, I cite also previous conditions cited in
all other communications with the school, district, board, and State of North
Carolina. 0
With
the appointment of a new principal to the position at ZMS, I immediately met
with her, and articulated the same concern about notices, the lack of
engagement of the Hispanic Community, and the disservice to the Hispanic
Community. The response was not an “in
your face” denial of the need, but rather, “Thank you for you comment …… I will
work on that”; and, but, the end result was nothing was done at the end of the
year (12 months later).
Aside
from government agents and actors on the North Carolina State level, this prejudicial/racial
attitude is also present on the local levels, in the schools. And, the issue was raised repeatedly over the
course of over 2 ½ years, and nothing was done, specifically at ZMS.
The
need echoed was for more Hispanic Workers in WCPSS. However, the policy implementation is
consistently and openly characterized by inaction; let prejudice and racism
towards Hispanics prevail. So, WCPSS
says we “lack Hispanic AP’s and teachers”, but, when a Hispanic qualified
individual applies for those types of positions, you quickly hire the Caucasian
or Black person, for, for example, an ESL position, although they do not speak
a lick of Spanish, and a more qualified Hispanic applied for the position. Hiring a teacher is different from Hiring
Support Staff to provide translational services and support for Hispanic
Students, Parents, and Community Members.
Hispanics
and Minority Students tend to need SLD, LEP, and EBD services; but, on the
State Level, Published Criteria for eligibility determinations in 2006, are not
abided by or incorporated in State Level NC DPI policy; and that translates to
on the local levels these students determined as ineligible, often at times due
to RTI, and services for them being denied; and, more importantly, the
prejudicial/racial attitudes are upheld on the local level by similarly minded individuals,
and/or by misrepresentations from Central Offices. The State says in 2020 they will begin using
published eligibility criteria of IDEA (since 2006) that has been in use in
other jurisdictions and states. That is
openly being racially and ethnically prejudice.
What
does that translate to? At ZMS, EBD
students that should not be in the classroom, are found in the classroom. That results in teachers instead of spending
80 to 95 percent of their time in Instruction, to spending 20 percent of their
time in instruction, with the rest of the time being trying to manage
classrooms “out of control”. That is a
breach of contract for teachers. That is
SLD students not receiving support services.
That is resulting in continued low EOG scores. That results in students and teachers being
put at risk and subject to bullying, harassment, and other unlawful acts,
etc. Repeated reports during meetings,
repeated WATCH DOG complaints, repeated Board and State Level Complaint
resulted in inaction 75% of the time. The
youth are not animal, they are people, and they need higher levels of support,
support the federal government pays for through block grants, but are only
provided in affluent neighborhoods.
It
is hard to be a part of the School Improvement Team (SIT) for about one year,
and, one or more teachers at the beginning highlighted the “out of control”
classrooms as a main problem; to, at the end of the year, “all of the teachers”
articulating out of control classrooms, inconsistent discipline and standards,
and violations of state regulations, and “unresponsiveness” on the part of the
school administration,etc. The end
result, three years of a school “out of control” where a child died. And, the Board, the State, the District, and
the administrators and teacher were all engaged in trying to correct the
problem, by me, and not much was done.
That
is the blatant receiving of federal funds to provide services and “educating
our children” and not doing that and not providing the SLD, EBD, and LEP
services, etc. ZMS is in such a state of
disrepair. Hum, obtaining property under
false pretenses, Fraud?
Another
similar example is Carver Elementary School (CES) in Wendell North Carolina,
again, three years worth of the offer to help facilitate communication and
engagement of Hispanic Parents and Students went unanswered. The difference is this school is well endowed
in terms of facility and school resources.
Again, for example, one student went over five years of the lack of SLD
services due to the “Policies” published on the state level that are inherently
designed to thwart the number of students being diagnosed and receiving necessary
SLD, LEP, and EBD services, etc., under IDEA And the ADA. The offer was made over three years ago to “help
Hispanics” and that offer, until the end of this year was rejected. Again, at the local levels, CES and ZMS can
continue and perpetuate the same racial and prejudicial attitudes articulated
on the State Levels. No notices in
Spanish, but a sign, if you need translation, call this number. Active efforts are different from deliberate
inaction. You did not hire a Hispanic AP
there either.
These
issues involve criminal negligence[1]
like that alleged in 10
DHR 4241, and/or at minimum the tort of negligence, with the board, state
director of public instruction, the state policy officer, school administers,
and district leaders that would be names as defendants. If your negligent acts, that continued
unresponsiveness, caused or allowed to be caused, bullying, harassment, the
deprivation of an ADA reasonable accommodation to a person with PTSD, assaults,
and batteries, and adverse work environments, then you “need to be held
accountable”, as one person said during one of the resulting meetings, that works
for WCPSS. Negligence that spans about
three years at ZMS, and about 5 years at CES.
It is horrific when you place new teachers in environments where they
are themselves harassed, assaulted, hit, etc.; and then are targeted by the
administration if they decide to report anything. And, as a reporter, when I have to recommend an
“ANNYMOUS BOX” for reporting due to targeting and retribution by WCPSS
administrators. One child about three
weeks ago, at ZMS ended up with a black eye, scratched up face, because of the “chaos”
in the classroom environment and youth feeling “confident” they will get away
with it. As cited in the SIT meeting, it
is unequal application of policy and discipline, and the youth, as well as the
students know it.
That
is aside from SRO inattentiveness.
Imagine how I felt when I read a parent letter and it described how a
SRO heard the parent report a “death threat” and the response “alleged” was “if
I investigate every death threat ……. I would never get my job done”. Really, “they are just kids”; I think not, they are kids killing kids and
each threat needs to be investigated not dismissed because it was an Hispanic
Parent. A report they daughter was just
about raped and is scared to go to the bathroom, a bathroom where other
students were caught in sexual acts, as in having sure enough sex; and the
administration is reported to have done nothing, and SRO dismissed it all. And, when I made rounds at ZMS, I stopped
more fight by just making rounds, moreso than then SRO. Something seriously is
wrong.
It
is heart breaking to see teachers teach in dilapidated buildings, doors open in
every building to allow trespassers openly. And, I did not know of the severity
of the problems, although teachers told me for more than two years, until I saw
and reported it for myself; and, yet and still district leaders felt confident
enough to be as unresponsive and inattentive as school administrators. They never revisited the facilities to my knowledge
to follow up once Dr. Smith was gone at ZMS.
From
my professional opinion, I believe it was and is an adverse work environment,
as even the teachers clearly articulated during the last SIT meeting, at ZMS. From my professional opinion, it is open
racism and prejudice, spanning more than five years due to outdated policies
and procedures and concurrently lack of professional support for the teachers,
students, parents, community members, and staff at ZMS and CES.
This
is a general plea to agency officials aside from the school system to do
something. Assaults and batteries, the
denial of services, at this level for me seems criminal, not just tort
actions. In the words of that employee, “they
have to be held accountable”.
I
sincerely hope that if principal C J “writes up teachers” for needing
“professional development” that it be overruled given unresponsiveness on so
many levels of those over teachers whom had the power and ability to change
conditions at ZMS. As for CES, State
Level personnel need to be held accountable for willfully not implements many
aspects of IDEA and the ADA and having children go for more than five years
without services.
This
is the part two, but videos may follow.
[1]
Criminal negligence (sometimes called culpable negligence)
means recklessness or carelessness that shows a thoughtless disregard of
consequences or a heedless indifference to the safety and rights of others.
State v. Jones, 353 N.C. 159 (2000); State v. Early, 232 N.C. 717,
720 (1950). The showing required to establish criminal negligence is less than
the level of recklessness required to show malice for purposes of second-degree
murder. State v. Mack, ___ N.C. App. ___, 697 S.E.2d 490, 494 (2010) (comparing
culpable negligence to malice and concluding that for purposes of second-degree
murder, the conduct must be done recklessly or wantonly as to manifest
depravity of mind and disregard of human life). It is, however, more than the
deviation from reasonable conduct required for civil tort liability. State v.
Everhart, 291 N.C. 700, 702 (1977); State v. McAdams, 51 N.C. App. 140 (1981).
https://nccriminallaw.sog.unc.edu/criminal-negligence/
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