Why would a school board member or a member of PCAB make any reference to corporal punishment? How totally inappropriate!There is never an excuse to hit a child. What message is taught in the long haul? And then we wonder where all the violence comes from? It begins early and in the home. It has no place in a child's life but especially not in school. Perhaps the reference was a figure of speech, but I believe it is still offensive coming from the school board!

This tendency to the overwrought for a less than peecee comment that then allows (encourages?) ignoring the very real issue at the root...

Grow up Baltimore or you'll never solve any of the very real problems.

Rid the buildings of the criminals and sociopaths that everyone can so easily and clearly identify. Give the rest of the kids a fighting chance at an actual education!

If you can find some way to fund a constructive and helpful venue for these "children" then do so and if not they'll become the responsibility of DJS and the police a few months earlier than they would otherwise.

Let the chips fall where they may!

Comments post @ City school board continues debate on expulsion.

I read every commissioner public school board meeting agenda items and the complete transcribed board meeting on-line from Open Access Board Docs.

The Parent and Community Advisory Board (PCAB) has no relationship with the majority of school parents and stakeholder and is not functioning to serve the purpose it was created for to increase school system parents and stakeholders involvement.

The public school board commissioner fakes well the public relations (PR) appearance of being accomplished.

@ I&EP - "I read every commissioner public school board meeting agenda items and the complete transcribed board meeting on-line from Open Access Board Docs."

I guess we both have the same comfy chair. So it begs the question who does speak for BCPSS parents. Council of PTAs, gone, Baltimore Educational Network, gone, who is left?

@Elisabeth - if parents don't take control of their children, society will and society is a lot meaner and violent than any caring parent will ever be.

I looked at the bill that created PCAB and it states if function is to:
"Ensure parental involvement in the development and implementation of the education policies and procedures"

It does not say anything about increasing school system parents and stakeholder involvement.

Wrong Assumption @ Over the Top

I have palm hand held electronic internet on-line technology access. "No chair needed." You must be "OLD SCHOOL."

It's the 21st century get in on it. Any time any place technology access.

@ I & EP - my net netbook is bigger than your Palm.

Still I would like to know what "organization" you think speaks for parents in BCPSS?

@OTT -
Any organization that IE&P thinks "speaks for parents" doesn't speak for me. Teachers can't get a single representative voice judging by posts here from teachers disparaging the union. And teachers are a lot more homogeneous a group than parents - you've all gone to college, you've all got the same profession, you're all getting paychecks from the same place... BCPSS parents have only one uniting quality and that quite often doesn't lead to shared goals.

For example, a parent with a kid facing permanent expulsion and a parent with a kid with no behavioral issues in an unsafe school are going to have two different takes on expulsion issues.

Don't look for a united front from parents until there is a specific issue that they feel passionately about. Usually those are school wide issues rather than system wide.

As far as I'm concerned, I'll fight my own battles, including getting homework done and turned in daily. I don't have the time or energy for big organizations with even bigger egos. Don't get me wrong, I pay my PTA does (x3) and volunteer at schools and go to meetings and conferences. It's just the umbrella organizations that turn me off.

@a parent & @OtT

I love fishing in the Chesapeake open water and I mastered the art of baiting hooks. Keep biting on my hooks.

@ ap - amen.....

@ I&EP - what the?????

@OtT

Lyrics -"I Don't Care" Artist -Fall Out Boy rock.com

@a parent

Two (2) a parent quotes:

"Any organization that IE&P thinks "speaks for parents" doesn't speak for me."

IE&P commands influence over your thoughts and actions! Thanks

"Don't get me wrong,I pay my PTA does (x3)."

a parent your being taken advantage of paying(X3)local MD PTA and Natl memebership PTA "dues"(X3) dues for a family once paid is required enough for being dues financial in local MD PTA and the Natl PTA memebership for same household children attending multiple schools in the same school district. You would know that if you enjoyed MD PTA representation but the local school district has no more a district PTA council "Confused Don't Be."

The state board supported the local school board's expulsion decision, but only by a 4-3 vote. Two members were absent. In the opinion, the board said "we view a policy of long-term suspensions without access to some education services as a serious public education policy issue. Students who receive the such punishment may very well feel the effects of that punishment throughout their whole lives."

r4 card attempts to mollify thusly: "Students who receive the such punishment may very well feel the effects of that punishment throughout their whole lives."

Students you say.
The misapplication of this and similar words (such as "children") to describe the affected population is as much of an issue as using terms like "behavior".in the same context.

@r4 card

Is [r4card] symbolic for education matters Permanent Record Card?

Is the state board opinion posted on the MSDE web site and where?