747,499 @ 7:57 pm
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Before I get into the information I happened upon, let me
briefly explain how discipline allegedly is reported at the McGlynn Middle School and how
the reports are (not) dealt with.
Before Mr. Edwards was hired as the principal, Mr. Deveney was the principal and Mr. Scala was the assistant principal. Any infraction that went beyond that which teachers deal with on a consistent basis was written up on a school referral form and submitted to either Deveney or Scala. They would then deal with the students, make a notation on the referral as to what the consequences were (if any) and the copy was returned to the teacher.
Before Mr. Edwards was hired as the principal, Mr. Deveney was the principal and Mr. Scala was the assistant principal. Any infraction that went beyond that which teachers deal with on a consistent basis was written up on a school referral form and submitted to either Deveney or Scala. They would then deal with the students, make a notation on the referral as to what the consequences were (if any) and the copy was returned to the teacher.
While the same forms allegedly were used once Edwards was hired, allegedly he
never returned the forms nor notified the teachers as to what he had done
(which was usually nothing - allegedly!)
Scala continued the notating and returning of forms for a few years, purportedly, but he eventually ceased with the "follow through" as well.
Thus, there is no documentation as to discipline in the school. Edwards is forever telling the teachers that he is the principal and the discipline code created by the school committee is not absolute; he (Edwards) is the final arbiter of the rule of law in the school and he believes in counseling over consequences. Allegedly.
Scala continued the notating and returning of forms for a few years, purportedly, but he eventually ceased with the "follow through" as well.
Thus, there is no documentation as to discipline in the school. Edwards is forever telling the teachers that he is the principal and the discipline code created by the school committee is not absolute; he (Edwards) is the final arbiter of the rule of law in the school and he believes in counseling over consequences. Allegedly.
The faculty often questions the point in even publishing the
handbook of rules as they are NEVER followed.
(The rules are listed on the district website under "MPS
Policies.") If the principals are able to do what they will with all
matters, what is the point of the school committee? Why don't they have Mike Nestor and his siesta take control of the alleged do-nothing attitude...or Police Captain Alan Doherty. See a pattern here, Medford?
The state has more specific mandates for documentation of
discipline. All schools are required to report
all incidences that required disciplinary action within a school year:
Schools are provided with a form that must be filled out for
each instance by July 22nd following the end of a school year. http://www.doe.mass.edu/infoservices/data/samples/ssdr-incidentreport.pdf DESE also provides specific instructions for
filling out the forms and documenting the specific offenses. http://www.doe.mass.edu/infoservices/data/guides/ssdr.pdf
The McGlynn Middle School submitted for following data for
the school year 2014-2015:
This indicates that ten students were disciplined during the
school year. By searching the choices,
the offenses are further broken down into six (6) "non-drug, non-violent
or non-criminal-related offenses", two (2) "weapon on school
premises" and two (2)
"physical attack, assault (non-sexual):
There were two incidents last year that involved a student
bringing a marijuana pipe (her mother's) to school in 7th grade, and
another 7th grade student caught "vaping" in school. (Both of these students were caught again in
the 8th grade doing the same thing.) Oddly, the SSDR reports show
the following:
and:
When Edwards questioned last year about the vaping incident,
he told the teacher that because vaping was not specifically illegal, there was
nothing he could do.
It seems strange that the district allows for such a variety
of interpretation of offenses committed by the principal. Despite not being a witness to most of the
situations, he often twists the first hand witness statements into far less
serious behaviors and uses that to justify his non-action.
There was a student last year who many teachers felt was being bullied by some students. Edwards did not believe this, and told another teacher that the student was "asking for it" and that he "deserved what he got."
Allegedly, that the student could be aggravating and annoying at times, but that does not justify the treatment he received. Edwards - allegedly - went so far as to tell the teachers that he watched as girls had this boy on the ground and were kicking him which - allegedly- Edwards said was acceptable because "you should have heard what he said to the girls."
7:57 pm
There was a student last year who many teachers felt was being bullied by some students. Edwards did not believe this, and told another teacher that the student was "asking for it" and that he "deserved what he got."
Allegedly, that the student could be aggravating and annoying at times, but that does not justify the treatment he received. Edwards - allegedly - went so far as to tell the teachers that he watched as girls had this boy on the ground and were kicking him which - allegedly- Edwards said was acceptable because "you should have heard what he said to the girls."
7:57 pm
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