this applies to everything in life.
Sexual attack at Rogers Park Elementary
Have we ever talked about that attack?
Let’s begin.
***
One day parents were panicked,
the newspaper loaded with the news
Oh, we didn’t want to hear it.
This District is all about the right to choose.
*
A child had been sexually attacked by another,
in the bathroom,
in a grade school.
Oh dear!
*
Where did it happen, were our schools really safe?
Oh, it happened somewhere else?
so comforting the threat wasn’t near.
*
Cover up where it happened,
Ms Comeau needed to keep a clean space.
Keep it a secret, don’t tell anyone,
on the orders of the District’s attorney
while speaking directly to our face.
*
A meeting soon was happening on the orders of the Board,
between us and Ms Comeau
where the atmosphere was charged and holding in overload.
“We shouldn’t have to move from Bayshore to get our kids to a school which is safe.”
All the while Ms Comeau sat there knowing the sexual attack had just happened
in our newly chosen place.
*
The teacher who didn’t know where those children were to be
was not removed, and was never named
But, the principal’s head did roll.
the incompetence covered up, so that parents wouldn’t ever really know.
*
A name which might be recognized and upset the public sport.
accountability, the order is extremely tall,
but we know here in Anchorage
a five-year old
is not as important as winning a season of … football.
Rogers Park Elementary
1400 E Northern Lights Blvd.
Anchorage, Ak
99508
Dear Ms Guess,
I dislike making so many mistakes,
I guess I could blame some else.
I read and don’t see them
with an empty mouth open?
Well, I no longer pass the perfection test.
*
I use to do better,
before all the stress,
My mind was sharp as a tack.
But now there are blips,
spelling errors and slips,
Like a worn out dress hung back on the rack.
Stupid is the only word I know
which describes itself so well.
Pick any number of words,
dumb, numb, dumber
but they leave you with much to tell.
You could say fancy words like
obtuse, deficient, dense, or puerile
but pronunciation might be a bit rough.
It’s much easier to remember,
If you are going to be stupid,
You better be tough!
Time to go…
my voice clearly said to me.
I looked around and
did not accept
what was revealed for me to see.
I said that I don’t like this
My response to you was NO.
Information was withheld,
like if I knew in time
out the door we would go.
I thought I explained that I
would take her in a heartbeat.
She’s much too precious to me
to ever Leave with those I know
and have demonstrated they mistreat.
But words weren’t spoken and letters weren’t read.
Which wasn’t someone’s right to do.
We should all get to choose what works for us
And divergent paths to follow will probably ensue.
My view is odd, I know it’s said,
but others might say it, having tried to openly speak.
no one listening or at least don’t show it,
What does it take or
Were you?
What was the point, really?
There was never a way to make it right.
The meeting was taped, the tape transcribed.
And when I said, “We shouldn’t have to move to get our kids to a safe school.”
Carol Comeau knew that we had put our children into the very school where a sexual attack had happened only a few days before. And she knew that parents in Rogers Park Elementary were never going to be openly told that it was at that school. And that the negligent teacher would not be removed from a classroom.
And our children are not safe in any school, due to the cover-ups of abuse by Anchorage School District employees.
December 15, 2003 and it’s already the second complaint about Ben Hardwick
and here is what I attached to the form. And the response from ASD was pure BS.
And when questioned about the teacher who would dump the student’s desks on the floor, Carol Comeau stated it was just a misunderstanding–that the teacher sat on a corner of the desk and it tipped over. Jack said, “So, she says I’m lying.” Yup, that what the woman basically said. And my child has always known that Carol Comeau will hide the behavior of adults rather than protect children.
So, sue me.
The Municipal Ombudsman’s office did not respond to concerns of child safety at Bayshore Elementary
and I just could not understand why people all got the same letter…and…not…one…person…responded…
So, here’s the rest of it—months before it got sent to the School Board.
Now, did they get it? Well, yes. After another parent spoke about the same concerns and could not get a response from the Ombudsman’s office, Mike made sure it went again.
But we still never got a response.
You just gotta love certified mail…
To which, not a single one of them responded. Not. A. Single. One.
I said this before…
and no one wanted to listen.
It made me MAD. Yup, mad.
I mean, no one would listen…
and I wrote it down, said it again
and sent it in letters to the head honchos…and no one would listen.
Schedules for Level III IEP disappear? No problem. Just make up anything for the State audit showing the kids were with a certified sped teacher. Don’t know the teacher, don’t know the kids? Don’t know if they ever had that schedule? No problem–just have certified people filling in the blanks when any temp could it. Like people didn’t know the State was going to ask for schedules? Better they disappear.
A building full of children with emotional and conduct problems and it was dangerous under the leadership of Colleen Castaneda and the AEA knew. Marion, our building rep tried to get them involved and they ignored her.
So, I refused duty due to dangerous conditions. And not a single person from AEA investigated my refusal. Not a single ASD Administrator investigated the conditions in that school and the Whaley staff were hurt. Domino effect. Bang, bang, bang. What a long, hard year.
So, I don’t want to come to work two weeks before all of the other district teachers. Then you’ll be fired, she says. Applying for Dept. Chair positions–no, ASD brought someone out of retirement to fill that spot.
Work harder. Out of 18 teachers (some only subs) only 4 are certified in sped. I am to supervise over 100 programs, while only being a .5 staff position. And I refuse to put false information on the forms stating that these kids are getting daily direct instruction by a certified sped teacher. They did not. Colleen Castaneda state that every minute at Whaley is instruction, so if they only see a sped teacher doing lunch duty–the kids are getting direct instruction. No, I say. That is not instruction, that’s a sped teacher standing watch, without knowing the child’s name or IEP goals. That makes the kids Level II not Level III. And the administrative rep in those meetings refuses to even sign the IEP. Vicki Race won’t sign those IEPs, so I write on the IEPs that she was present and refused to sign.
Wait, people.
This is costing ASD big bucks if they can’t get Level III money. Discipline time. Now, since when does a principal call the AEA rep to come to a meeting? And the AEA rep shows up? Of course, I was not notified of the meeting. So, I told Debbie O. I’d meet with Jerry and Cindy, but not with Colleen Castaneda, since she didn’t follow the rules. And she is made to leave. And in this meeting it is pointed out how one teacher sleeps in class, another teacher states that she’s regular ed teacher and shouldn’t have to do the special ed stuff, another teacher hits the panic button and is painting her toenails when we go in. Please, people. I believe an appropriate education is not being provided due to teacher incompetence.
And Jerry states, “Gloria is usually right, she just goes about it the wrong way.” I’ll accept that as a decent assessment, but lying–is there a right way to go about that?
Cindy Anderson must have come up with a plan. If I am not allowed to be at the IEP meetings, I can’t sign the IEP–therefor I can’t supervise and put Level II on the paperwork. Department Chairs are told not to discuss any students with me. I am to churn out IEPs, while other’s attend the meetings and sign.
And someone else put Level III, even though those children did not receive daily direct instruction from certified special education teachers. And staff got hurt and no one investigated.
And that was that.
It’s coming soon…
that time again
to pat each other on the back.
Teacher Appreciation week says
we should thank even those missing
the “teaching, caring” knack.
I never got a thank you card, remembering when
a parent said, “My kid enjoys your class.”
I still treasure that time
No one else ever knew,
but It made my heart light shine.
I never got a special award
For making my boss look good.
I only took a lonely student
Trick or Treating all around the neighborhood.
I never got a merit raise,
My students didn’t test too well.
But I did make sure they had my phone number
And knew they could call me, if they ever fell.
Some students never knew my name
and really, I didn’t always know theirs,
but my efforts live in pictures
of their graduations and prizes at science fairs.
We didn’t have much school spirit
in hospitals and the prison.
but, I hope in adulthood, they’ve found a life
which has a meaningful rhythm.
I believe all children do deserve
the very best of us.
Not being told to please these teachers,
while others standing watch
With children only learning distrust
Now, I am supposed to say some thank you,
cook a lunch and buy some gifts.
I don’t believe that matters much. It never did to me.
Demanding accountability for all those adults
Is the best thank you for “good” teachers
this Mom can really see.
The measure of a man’s real character is what he would do if he knew he never would be found out.
~Thomas Babington Macaulay
The accoutrements
displayed.
Representing pain.
Growth in an underbrush
of
aluminum and plastic with
tight-fitting healing.
Knowing that if I had just held on,
the Statistics of loss
would not be so
incredibly
Staggering.
Hey my golden girl…
I put some gold up for you,
hoping life would be gold all around.
But,
I can’t get you good teachers.
They just can’t seem to be found.
I didn’t want you in those rooms,
when they show such lack of respect.
Is it too much to ask for,
that you are worth more than those “things”
just right below your neck?
PE posters in your school state, “I’ll shave your legs, then I’ll shave your butt.”
Tell me these people
think you are worthy of only one thing
and it’s an age-old, age-old rut.
You are worth more–let’s learn it well this year.
Because if you cannot–
Life
will be very hard, I fear.
The Law of Unintended Consequences
I did not know he was hitting the students.
the Anchorage School District did not want us to know.
A brave mother stood up beside me, opened my ears
And told me it was so.
He hit them on the head
then he grabbed them by the neck
And when that didn’t create enough fear
He’d give them a hard squeeze and a shake.
The Superintendent told me,
“You are not a mother, you are a teacher.”
and no matter how I tried or what I said,
there was just no way to begin to reach her.
The law of the Great Land said that I could
It said I had the right to take action to stand where I stood.
It said, I could do all and the same,
only, I didn’t know
the Law of Unintended Consequences was the name of Her game.
There once was a classroom…
where a little girl did not want to go.
And day in and day out, she cried.
So, the teacher, Harvy Christie, ignored the mom.
The principal, Ben Hardwick, said, “you’ll just have to come observe.”
Another teacher, Ms Jolin, said, “I’ll listen to a parent if it’s a valid concern.”
And the Superintendent, Carol Comeau, said, “Yes, I got your letter about the children being hit by the teacher, and I chose to ignore it.”
And Powerlessness became Real.
The mom wanted to hit the teacher but she would be arrested with a Felony.
The teacher knew he could hit the children.
And good people stood by and said, “It’s easier not to believe this. If I believe this I will have to do something. What would we do?”
No one takes responsibility. No one makes it right.
Until,
the mom said, “I’ll just go to 9 PTA meetings.”
Just nine.
and she learns that there are people all over the World who say,
“We know what to do !”
“Let us teach you.”
And they did.
But the Superintendent got very scared, because…
What if…
Parents learn they have rights ??
Grandparents learn they can be valued ??
Aunts and Uncles learn that schools are for everyone ??
and
The Community learns there is
discrimination,
fraud,
corruption,
larceny,
conflicts of interest,
collusion, and graft ??
I ask you,
What would someone do…
To make sure the
Powerless
do not become
Real
????
