leadership in high schools

Baggs is a young man who is full of vim and vinegar.  He fights daily for his place in general education despite all personal indicators that with his IEP he should be in a more restrictive placement.  On Thursday, March 6, 2008 I met Baggs in the Counselors Office.   Baggs had threatened to kill another student the day day before.  I asked him why he was so mad with the other student.  Baggs replied “he’s called me a pussy, a wimp, that I hang out with drug dealers”.  I explained the difference between fact and innuendo.  We went over the A.I.S. plan - Avoid, Ignore and Stay Away.  The counselor in Alt. Ed. Mr. Swanson sings this mantra daily, to students.   Baggs was adamant ….. he would not re-direct despite all my attempts to get him to resolve his issues with the other student.  He was in no condition to be returned to classes/program.  I informed him that he would need to have a time out with the ISS teacher.  He really balked at this one.  He threatened to call his parent.  I told him he could not;  that his responsibility was to be in school.  He whipped out his cell phone in open defiance of me.  I confiscated it.  He informed me that he was going to walk off-campus.  I informed him that I would have him returned to campus and school. 

I always enjoy working with our counselor Mr. Swanson - he knows the exact time in which to interject, the impasse moment.  He asked for a few moments with Baggs alone.  I agreed.  Later Mr. Swanson informed me that Baggs was in no condition to remain in school, his threats of violence against the other student kept escalating.  I decided to call his parent and ask for his removal from school.  The parent, mother came and fetched Baggs and I suspended him for 5 days.  His refusal to redirect, calm down, continuing escalation, threats of real violence both in and outside school, threats to walk off school property endangering possibly himself and others all factored into my decision. 

I do not believe that students come to school to be faced with legal charges because of their immature behaviors.  Parents are called so that they can be involved in the teaching process.   Sometimes time away from peers and classroom pressures serves as self-reflection:  students return to school because they want to, realizing that the rules of school apply to ensure law and order.  Graduation from school becomes the focus rather that the need to turn school into an unruly street zone, with no rules and where only the strong and irrational prevail. 

PS:  I took a call from Baggs yesterday.  He confirmed that he was returning to school this Thursday and he apologized that his behavior had forced me to put on my big Principal hat.  I reassured him that I was not angry at him.  I explained that I was looking forward to his conflict resolution with the other student.  I told him that I would blog about him and knew that he would be graduating from the program of his choice, Alt. ed. but only if he took control of his actions and re-actions;  only if he controlled his destiny by doing the right thing, otherwise I would have to take control of his educational program choice, Special Ed., more restrictive, because his behavior pointed to the need for these external control mechanisms - a 1:6:1 placement rather that integration into the gen. ed. population.  Tomorrow Baggs and I have a formal meeting at 9:30 am.  He will sign a re-entry contract and together we shall plan for his success and graduation.