It's been a long while since I have made a post on here. I normally wouldn't be making one either, but a new policy took effect at Sullivan yesterday and it's one of the biggest things I've seen in my entire time at Sullivan (I've been attending there since September 2008). Anyway, this new policy is called the "Hallway Sweep", and basically, it's a policy that tackles tardies to class in a really hard way. For this policy, if you are a student, if you are not in your seat in class by the tardy bell, you will be "swept", or escorted, to the auditorium, where you will remain for the entire day, until about 3pm. You will most likely be escorted to the bathroom if you need to go, and you will receive a bag lunch. Other than that, you will not be allowed to leave the auditorium for anything. And you must remain quiet in the auditorium. You cannot talk. You also cannot be on your cell phone or listening to your I-Pod. You will not receive work from any of your classes unless you already have work. All you will do is sit there quietly.
As for the teachers, what they are required to do is lock their doors once the tardy bell rings, and the only students they can let in or out of their class is students with valid passes. Otherwise, you cannot be let into or out of a classroom. And for the staff, they are required to escort students to the auditorium if they are seen out in the hall after the bell. From what I have heard, there will be 15 to 20 staff members assigned to the auditorium to deal with the large crowd of students excepted.
This not only affects the "normal" students. It also affects the school's autism program. That would include me. Teachers and staff have been told that this policy is "NO excuses", "NO expectations". The administration really doesn't want a soul in the hallway. But, if I am not mistaken, including an autism program like the one we have at Sullivan in a policy like this is against the law, and in violation of these students' rights. I am not completely certain if it is or not, but it seems like it would be. Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer nor want to be.
The reactions to this policy have been mixed. Most teachers welcome it with open arms and were extremely happy to hear this happened. They are telling students things such as "deal with it", "get used to it" and "this is what happens when you're tardy to class". Though not all teachers support this. Those teachers think the tardy students will intentionally stand in the hallway to be swept. As for the students, most of the student body is up in arms about it. Those students planned several things for this sweep, such as intentionally being in the hallway to be swept in protest, or ditching through a side or back door during passing periods. I've even heard of students refusing to go to school next week and instead stand outside of the school and protest.
I have opinions on this, but will not bother to add them. I would rather not argue with administration over this, or any adult in the school claim I am slandering anyone. But I will say this. This policy is interesting to say the least, and if the student body continues to react to it the way they have been, I don't have a doubt this may make the TV/radio news channels next week.
Update, 3/16/11: I spoke with an administrator this afternoon, who says the policy is working the way the school intended on it to. Nearly all of the kids are arriving at their classes on time. Today, the administrator said there were only 9 students in the auditorium the entire day. This is compared to the 150 that were in there on Friday. Though, that was a planned protest on the students' part. So they say the policy is working. Teachers are also reporting successes. They say kids are actually interested in class, and are learning. Some students asked why this policy wasn't put into effect on the first day of school.
17 comments:
The students are fighting for their "rights" funny.
This shouldve been implemented at the beginning of the school year. But I think its a good policy.If you give people an inch they will take a mile. Those kids should know that they cant be tardy to class.
Timmy's main beef here is combining students with autism (or any other disability for that matter) together with the rest of the student body.
This policy is ripe for 'bullying' to take place.
For the record, I've contacted several elected officials about this in policy at Sullivan High School. Thank you to Senator Steans for getting back with me offering to look into the matter.
I've also emailed this link to over a dozen news outlets and websites. We'll see how this plays out.
Just so everyone knows, this policy is in effect for the rest of the year. And most likely will be in effect all next year.
I have mixed feelings about all of this. Personally, if we didn't have the laws we have, I thinking just kicking the students out of school who don't want to go to class on time would be better instead of taking it out on everyone.
Have you personally asked the administration if this policy will be enforced on autistic students? Have you explained that an exemption is needed? The way you describe this section is a bit vague.
I'm not too sure about the policy as a whole. I know if I was a student, and I knew I was going to be late to class, I'd just get outside and leave instead of waiting to be caught in the halls.
if your iep contains any wording about extra time to get to classes, or allows tardiness in the morning, as many iep's do, then you are not included.
an iep is protected by federal law. but they are only protected if parents and students are vigilant about making sure that they are followed. by their very nature, they do not fit into the institutional goals. but that is too bad. they sign them, they have to keep their promises.
look through your paperwork and urge your friends to do the same.
i have been there, done this stuff. you have to ride them or they just wont even think about it.
bsdba, yes, I did. I asked an administrator first thing Friday morning when I saw him and he said yes in so many words. As for explaining why an exemption is needed, I don't feel I have to explain. We're autistic, simple as that. It is required by law that we have a few extra minutes to and from class, and Sullivan is in violation of that right now. Just imagine if Downtown knew about this. But I'm not going to worry about it. I am confident it will be straighten out sooner or later.
been there, my IEP does. I read my IEP pretty often. And I'm sure all of my classmates have the same thing on their IEP. But you know, they don't understand this policy and most of them have no idea what an IEP is. I'm the only one in my program who has the capacity to understand things like this, or most other things happening at school. The rest of them don't. They still have mindsets of 7 and 8 year olds. And it's not their fault, as we all know. I feel sorry for them and it makes me mad that the school is doing this.
As for the school following the IEPs, they don't seem to be doing it for this policy. If they were, I think they would make us exempt from this. It seems to me the school is clearly defining what the IEPs say about extra time to class.
3/14/11
Trash Report
I havent written a trash report in awhile. But here goes, my block, Wayne from Farwell to Morse looks good. Lakewood okay, so, so
Pratts looking a bid bad, I will have to repickup the synagogue site it looks like, but its no where near how bad it was before.
I did the pickup walk down farwell to greenview to morse and back and yeah, greenview wasnt so great, but its better than it has been lately, I cleaned up the vestibule of 6922 N greenview the nice building they rehabbed that apparently no one living there has any pride in. Bizarre.
Um, why do you think I pick up the trash anyways so extensively and far? I want a buffer zone around my place so that hopefully there wont be as much gang presence or shootings in my vicinity, so yeah its partly selfish.
People if you just complain and bitch about crime and there is litter near where you live then just shut up and take it, because you are part of the problem. Gangbangers like trash and on occasion purposely open newspapers and let them fly and they love to see the drunks beer bottles and their own cigarrette packs and whatever acummulate.
A litter strewn area is their natural habitat. Dont like gangs? Well call in graffiti ofcourse to 311, call 911 with loitering and get up off your ass and bend down to pickup that nasty trash/litter, or just use nifty nabbers. If everyone pitches in you will be surprised at how this cuts down on crime and loitering. Is is the only answer NO!
But my god the apathy I see in people is shocking and sad. Everyone walking by trash like it just natural.
I also have been picking up Winthrop inbetween Lawrence and Leland on a weekly basis which is a drunkards paradise apparently from the sheer volume of liquor bottles which is astounding. And it looks like I have actually inspired some other citizens to pickup litter.
Is there litter in your area? Not in mine. Im pushing the litter and bangers over toward you (not really) but hey the bangers will try to find another niche if where I consistently pickup is no longer a trash haven they will move on. Then you all out there have to do your part and pickup around your area.
Look at the bangers faces when they see you pickup of trash. Is is a look of wow, geez thats great man. No they get seriously pissed. Why? Hmmm. I think you guys need to think about that long and hard.
I agree with the school sweep program tough kids need to know what it could be like in the prison system if they dont get a decent eduction. The auditorium is like a big holding cell at Cook County! I love it. Lets support the administration on trying something bold and see what happens.
As far as the autism thing goes I think its healthy for the kids to be treated like everyone else on occasion. Being autistic doesn't mean you shouldn't have some rules that society has. Perhaps a little discipline might actually help there development rather than giving them the "special treatment" that alienates them from the student body.
Glad your helping clean the streets...
How about a Crackhead and Crack Dealer Hallway Sweep on Morse, Wayne, and Farwell?
The Gangster Disciples and Almighty Brazers Nation are the guys on Morse and Wayne. They are mostly after the drug turf on Morse near the L and bus stop and on Farwell. I realize you all probably know this. If we can create a constant presence that this is not acceptable maybe we can curb this activity before the spring and summer weather comes. The word on the street is they hate the Mayne Stage presence since this has created more visibility to what they are doing. Perhaps we can keep the momentum going?
I think we should work towards a sweep on these guys thats as vigilant and bold as the Sullivan idea and I am game to have a weekly parade that goes through each block to expose and demonstrate that we are sick of these drug dealing loser gangs.
Maybe we can work on a unique community plan with Joe and Rahm to come up with something different to quell this activity.
What do you think?
3/14/11
Ofcourse a few mistakes during my soapbox harangue.
*is it the only answer?
**I forgot a sentence in second to the last paragraph, it should read. Dont like gangbangers in your area? then Then you all out there have to do your part......
Why was I particularly haranguey today? Well I found a butcher knife in the old peoples home lot by the glenwood fence by some beer bottles, I threw it out. But my god people, be vigilant. It was a sick looking butcher knife and it had electrical tape wrapped around the handle. Evil.
I threw it into the two flats trash can so that no nut on the street will either find their stashed knife or some drunkard or neredowell at night might happen to find it and decide to use it.
If the school wanted the bad kids to know what prison was like, how about sending them to boot camp for a week or two instead of making this policy and taking it out on everyone in the school? This policy is really going to mess things up for a lot of kids who aren't even involved in the nonsense and drama at school. It's not right.
As far as this whole autism thing, do you even know what autism is? I'm just curious. Most of these kids aren't kids you can just discipline. Half of the kids I come in contact each day, they can hardly anything for theirselves. They can't clean theirselves, they can't dress theirselves, among other things. Our program is starting to serve more and more kids with severe profound autism as the years go on, and doing this to them is wrong. They don't understand any of this. Hell, most of the higher functioning (meaning the ones who can actually talk and dress theirselves) don't even really understand this. There are only a few of them who can understand this even a bit, and I'm the only one in the program who can understand things like this like a semi-regular person. Also, there are different ways of disciplining a person with autism. Disciplining them like a regular person does NOT work. Believe me, I've seen it, and have tried it on a few of my classmates.
Some of our kids are subject to violent tantrums, or seizures, medical issues, etc. Locking them into the auditorium all day could be dangerous on the school's part, and as I have said, it is not right, and dare I say against the law.
All of this is a mess and it needs to be corrected before something serious happens.
Though, shapershifter, sweeping up the gangbangers and drug dealers isn't a bad idea at all. I think that would be great if we all did that.
"tough kids need to know what it could be like in the prison system if they dont get a decent eduction."
And the best way to implement that education is by forcing the students to miss classes for an entire day? I fail to see what treating kids like they are *already* criminals is supposed to accomplish. Obviously nobody cares about actually providing any real education if the teachers are applauding this ridiculous policy.
Last I heard being tardy to class is not actually something that will ruin anyone's life. Unless there's some sort of study on serial killers and their secondary school time management patterns? Assign extra homework and/or detention, make the kids come in early and sweep the floors if they're late... don't refuse to educate kids when that is the job you're supposed to be doing.
I think the schools main point is that its just not safe to have kids in the halls when class is in session. How that is accomplished is well hopefully amicable.
Some of these kids are trouble and would be kicked out of school some other way. If they dont want to be in school then they shouldnt go.
Wow - a lot of comments here:
School: that's a bold step and hopefully it will work to clear the hallways, I'm sure that's a never ending problem. It does sound there need to be exceptions made for some of the students, however.
Trash: I am always amazed at the way people just drop trash around here when there is a trash can within steps from where they stand. Or my favorite, they put their huge bags of trash from home into the street trash containers - just morons. I lived on the near north side near lake for 10 years and never saw the trash that's up here. I don't know if it's because it's a different economic level or the people that lived there and condo buildings, etc picked it up.
timmy, talk to the counselor that is in charge of your iep. or if you have a parent that is a good fighter, they should get involved. (doesn't make you a bad parent if you are not good at this stuff. some people just aren't)
the autistic kids are not the only ones who have that in their ieps. the "authorities" at the school think they can ignore ieps. it's their job to try to make sure all kids are equal, which pretty much flies in the face of reality, but that is what they think their job is. unless someone holds them to it, they just wont follow them. believe me i know whereof i speak.
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