Repost: Meeting with all black males during school hours

P.I.E.C.E. (pEOPLE Interested In Enhancing Our Children’s Education)

Curmilus Dancy II, President

P.O. Box 1391 Pinetops, NC 27864

252.827.5484 (H & O) 252.314.5484 (M)) 252.827.3003 (Fax)

E-mailto: piece@tarboronc.com

“HEAR, YE CHILDREN, THE INSTRUCTION OF A FATHER,

AND ATTEND TO KNOW UNDERSTANDING.” (PROVERBS 4:1)

March 13, 2003

Mr. Donald C. Rhodes, Principal

South Edgecombe M.S.

Pinetops, N.C. 27864

Re: Meeting with all black males during school hours

I attended bible study at the local church Pines Chapel on tonight. A parent of a black male asked me what was the meeting about that you had with all the black males. I said I didn’t know and I was just at the school on yesterday for the school improvement team meeting and I didn’t know it was just for little black males. You said it was suppose to be the first Adopt A Student meeting. I didn’t consider this to be a racial thing. Rev. Richard Joyner just happened to be there also. I asked him how did the meeting go and he said he didn’t attend. He told me that he was waiting for you to confirm the date.

When I got home I received several phone calls about your meeting. The parents were upset that they didn’t know anything about the meeting.

I have some serious concerns with the black males being openly and boldly singled out. It is a shame and a disgrace that you would get on the intercom and call all black males to the auditorium during school hours. Are you saying that all black males are failing or have a behavior problem? What kind of message is this sending to the black males, to the white males, to the black females and to the white females? I know the teachers probably don’t have a problem with it. Some parents said they remember you saying at the PTSA meeting that if the black males test scores don’t come up, then the school will not hit the mark in order to get a check at the end of the school year.

I have been listening to you talk about getting some black role models to come to the school and you named a couple. If you noticed I didn’t have much to say. I guess you must heard about my comments at the closing the achievement gap meeting because I said I was tired of others picking out who they think are black role models. I suggested that there be a survey done among the children and let them tell who their role models are.

Ø I would like to know what was presented at the all black male meeting today.

Ø I want to know what you had to say to them. I want to know what did Mr. Randolph say to these males.

Ø Why didn’t you call a meeting with the parents to make them aware of this meeting?

Ø Don’t you think it is about time to call a meeting with the parents to let them know what your game plan is?

Ø Do you think that just because I signed off on the school improvement team plan that I am in an agreement with everything that you are doing?

I am requesting to be informed in writing about any and all meetings that are not considered confidential such as the meeting on today with the black males.

I am a little upset that you didn’t make it clear that the meeting on today was going to be of this nature.

I am requesting that you respond in a timely matter.

Thanks,

Curmilus

piece/cdII
 

See related:

Meeting with all black males

Mrs. Bullard

Mrs. Bullard 6th Grade Teacher and Mr. Grady Principal South Edgecombe Middle School Need To Resign Immediately?

On April 15 2010 my son came home with the following for us to sign.

To Whom It May Concern:

I understand that my conduct directly affects the conduct of South Edgecombe Middle School. I know there are expectations posted in all areas of this school to remind me of the type of conduct I am expected to exhibit in that area. I realize that we are required to meet these expectations and are not to meet them and are only rewarded for exceeding them, however, I should expect consequences if I choose not to meet them. I therefore pledge to follow all the rules and expectations of South Edgecombe Middle School.

Sincerely,

Signature parent and child

Note: This was done in the classroom.

My response:

To Mrs. Bullard and Mr. William Grady Principal. What is this? I thought I made it clear the last time you sent something home like this. This is not telling me what supposedly happened. I will not sign anything without hearing your side of the story first. I can be reached at work or you can leave a message on my cell.

I didn’t hear from anyone so I called Mr. Grady and asked him did he receive my email about this issue? He said yes. The email began, “Dear Mrs. Bullard: Here we again. Another letter similar to the one I responded to on November 30, 2009. I said I am requesting that you and/or whomever meet the criteria of whom it may concern, to give me the reason in full detail why my son was told to write this letter.”

Mr. Grady began to tell me that all of the 6th grade was acting up in the lunchroom and they all were given silent lunch and had to write the above. Mr. Grady said my son was out of his seat and disruptive. I said I need to know what he supposedly have done so that I can discipline him if he actually did something. I said children and many adults may not tell the truth about things if they are going to be punished so therefore I need to know both sides of the story. I said who is to whom it may concern?

Mr. Grady said that next year they will have to write a business letter. I don’t believe every child was acting up in the lunchroom. I said that being the case I need to know about the business letter for next year. I had a flashback to when a former principal at this same school had the audacity to get on the intercom and call all black males to the auditorium during the school day because he said they were at risk. Luckily I didn’t have a child at the school at that time however I didn’t challenge him and he transferred to the board of education central office to work at the end of that school year. I also had a flashback when I questioned a math teacher at South Edgecombe after this incident about a question and Mitch Stensland principal who replaced Don Rhodes had me band from the school. He didn’t was removed from the school within a couple of months also. And then we got principal number 3 within a years time. South administrative issues still continue.

I found it funny as heck that after I questioned what supposedly had happened to warrant this letter, it appears that Mr. Grady was trying to justify it with the business letter mess. For me this is unprofessional because it appears he is covering up for Mrs. Bullard. Here we are at the end of the school year and he is telling me about a business plan for next year that came out of children acting up in the lunchroom. This is too unprofessional.

I told Mr. Grady I didn’t sign it and he said my note on it was enough because it acknowledged that I read it. I said and that’s it because I don’t sign mess not knowing what I am signing.

When I arrived at home later on Friday evening April 16 my son gave me a written response from Mrs. Bullard that reads as follows:

The letter your son wrote in class yesterday was for two purposes. One to teach him how to write a business letter and two to remind him of his behavior in school. He has on numerous occasions misbehaved in class, in the hall and in the cafeteria. He has been warned. The behavior of the whole 6th grade in the lunchroom was out of control on Wednesday and we the teachers along with the cafeteria staff could not get them to calm down, so we gave them a silent lunch for the next day and a letter to write to remind the students of their expected behavior. Your son was part of the misbehaving students. This is why he had to write the letter, one as a teaching experience for how to write a letter and two to remind him about his behavior. We, the teachers of the sixth grade had the students take the letter home and have their parents sign, so they could talk with their child about expected behavior. I am sure you would want to know so that you could speak with your son and stress the importance of good conduct. Thank you for your response.

Mrs. Bullard

My response to Mrs. Bullard, the teachers of the sixth grade and Mr. Grady.

For me this unprofessional and unacceptable. What in the heck does misbehaving in the lunchroom have to do with a business letter? A letter of discipline sounds better and more professional.

I am requesting a number of the times my son was misbehaving in class, in the hall, and in the cafeteria. You make it appear that my son has a behavior problem that I am unaware of. During the open house before school actually started my wife and I told you that at any time you should have a problem with our son to contact us. My wife follow up with our son’s progress regularly so why didn’t you contact us? This is unacceptable when it comes to our child because we are actively engaged with his whole schooling.

How can I talk to my child when it was not defined in the letter that I was suppose to sign what supposedly had taken place? My son told me what supposedly to had happened but it was not mentioned in the letter. I thought I made it clear to you on November 30, 2009 that I will not sign anything that is not clear to me.

Because of your continued ignorance in my opinion and from my research about you, I strongly feel it is time that you resign from South Edgecombe Middle School because obviously you are not willing to act in a professional matter. I have tried to give you the benefit of the doubt however I feel that the children coming behind my son will continue to be misguided by your unprofessionalism especially when you disrespect the parents so therefore I am concerned about the effect you will have on these children. The sad part is Mr. Grady is upholding you in your mess but each time he has acknowledged my concerns but he continues to go along with your mess. He too needs to go also.

This is an official request asking that Mrs. Bullard and Mr. Grady resign effective immediately.

See related.

Monday November 30, 2009

Dear Mrs. Bullard:

Today my son brought home a letter that stated Dear Mother and Father and I have issues with it. I do not appreciate you having my child to write a letter stating such. I know things have changed and times have changed since I have been in school however I remember when teachers had us to write off that we would not do things but a Dear Mother and Father letter is a bit much for me and do not seem legal. It appears that you are asking a child to admit to something without the parents being able to question such since my child was made to write this letter. In my opinion this is not legal because it could be said that how can I question something that my child has in writing that he says he did when actually it could have been a mistaken identity this time or any time.

I have a problem with the content of the letter, "I was playing and running when a fire drill happened" along with the other content in the letter. My son said he was not running and that it was another child and that child said it was not my son. I am not taking my son’s word nor the other child whom I do not know however I am just questioning the situation and then I can weigh what my son stated happened versus what he has in writing in the letter. I will share more in depth what my son told me after I receive a response from you. So to that degree I requesting more clarification.

So was he jumping, pushing or running in the classroom or in the hallway?

How close were you to him when whatever suppose to have occured?

Do you think this is the best way to handle issues of this nature by making a child write that he/she did something and it appears it leaves no room for his/her parents to question?

I hope that my child is not being targetted simply because of my past dealings with this school. I also hope that my child is not being targetted simply because of conversations you have had with my wife be it verbal or in writing. The most recent communication in writing to you dated November 10, 2009 to all teachers my wife asked that you please report any situation that may arise in class, in son’s agenda. She also talked about the level of communication being low for the first nine weeks of school.

My son said you were not going to be in school on tomorrow but to return the letter to the assistant. I also have a problem with that. Now if it was in the agenda, I would not because because my wife made the request.

Please respond asap because I respect you as a teacher and as an adult however I also have the parental right to question things that pertain to said child, a sixth grader.

Thanking you in advance.

Curmilus Dancy II

See related:

Meeting with all black males during school hours

Mrs. Bullard