Will you lighten up and move on.
----- Original Message -----
From: "kathy lentine" <klentine (at) rochester DO.T rr.com>
To: "Penfield Varsity Soccer Info" <varsitysoccer@leafe.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2005 11:58 AM
Subject: Re: [VarsitySoccer] Re: Input to the School Board -- Alcohol
andAbusePolicy
> Mary-
> WELL SAID!!!! Now will someone please listen and take action at the school
> board and high school sports and administration level??? All points raised
> are valid, especially those where punishment was based on HEARSAY. As I
> said
> in a prior email- this would not stand up in a court of law, but due
> process
> takes 3 years to complete in the court system and PHS is aware of this.
> (as
> per a local lawyer (not a Penfield attny, BTW) who has reviewed similar
> cases.) The kids are gone and graduated by the time true justice is
> served-
> hopefully at a university where Penfield Administration's attempts to foil
> reputations and school records did not result in a substandard application
> presentation.
> Heads at PHS administration and sports administration need to roll, and I
> would recommend replacement/ firing of a couple of them. There are legal
> grounds for firing at least one member of the sports administration
> (harassment,intimidation, threats,to minors--then punishing on hearsay by
> minors, that is all ILLEGAL).
> Your point about the reputation of Penfield is also accurate. Penfield
> used
> to be perceived as a well- respected, upper level school district in
> Monroe
> County. WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST 4 or 5 YEARS TO CHANGE THAT IMAGE
> DRAMATICALLY FOR THE WORSE?? Hmm... who can make the connection....You are
> right, we are now looked down on as a troubled substandard distinct who
> have
> difficulty educating their kids, probably due to the unhappy atmosphere of
> the students, and the general climate of the district both in the academic
> arena (some half-baked math trial implemented by untrained and confused
> teachers, with our kids as guinea pigs, can't wait to see those SAT
> scores)
> as well as in the sports arena (school spirit, pride), the supposed HAPPY
> and FUN and HEALTHY part of being a student. All school spirit and
> therefore
> pride, has been squashed by the sports administration, and with that
> school
> pride and loyalty have disintegrated to anger, resentment and frustration.
> Kids that age are normally full of vim and vigor, why can't it be
> expressed
> on the sidelines of a game. Channel all that teenage energy and let them
> have some FUN after sitting and attempting to learn something in between
> bomb threats all day. Instead, these kids are made to sit like robots and
> behave like they are in the WWII German army. That is the time of the
> school
> day where kids are supposed to have fun and loosen up a little bit. Not
> allowed at PHS.
> Mary-Send that list of thoughts to the D&C. It summarizes how much of the
> Penfield population feels right now .Someone at PHS needs to be held
> accountable for this gross injustice to the students, and to us as
> taxpayers.-Kathy Lentine
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <Mary_Russell (at) bcsd DO.T org>
> To: "Penfield Varsity Soccer Info" <varsitysoccer@leafe.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2005 8:56 AM
> Subject: [VarsitySoccer] Re: Input to the School Board -- Alcohol and
> AbusePolicy
>
>
>> First and foremost: I support school actions to deal with drugs and
>> alcohol. It must be fair. It must be consistent. It must be accurate and
>> accountable. It must be implementable and enforceable. Here are the
>> issues
>> I see:
>>
>> Issue: Who signs a Alcohol & Drugs Contract
>> Response: I believe that all students involved in extracurricular
>> activities should sign a contract. This would include performing arts and
>> all clubs. It is a privilege to participate in any and all
>> extracurricular
>> activities, not just sports. It is unreasonable to assume that only
>> athletes drink or use drugs.
>>
>> Issue: Term of the Contract
>> Response: The term covered by the contract should reflect the time span
>> of
>> the extracurricular activity. Since the rationale for requiring
>> extra-ordinary behavior is that it is a privilege to be in the activity
> and
>> therefore the school district is reasonable in asking the student to
>> maintain a higher standard of actions, once the activity is over, that
>> higher standard should no longer be applied. They should then be subject
> to
>> the normal school policies regarding drug and alcohol use. To do
>> otherwise
>> means that parents who want to assure that their student won't run afoul
> of
>> this policy should not let them attend any party at any time during the
>> entire four years of their high school.
>>
>> Issue: Alcohol & Drug Policy for All Students
>> Response: There should be a well advertised, clearly enforced school-wide
>> policy about drugs and alcohol for all school day classes and activities.
>>
>> Issue: Investigation Techniques
>> Response: I believe that Penfield is the only school district that
>> depends
>> upon the testimony of minors (students) in Monroe County. Other school
>> districts have discovered that this technique is fraught with problems.
>> Students with grudges to bear, students who feel intimidated into naming
>> names- any names, students who didn't name their friends, students who
> feel
>> that they will be retaliated against and are frightened... these are some
>> of the problems with depending upon this process. It also instantly
> creates
>> a "them vs us" attitude. The failure of this technique is shown in a list
>> that included students who were not at the party at all and didn't
>> include
>> students who were. I was told that only names that were turned in by at
>> least four students were placed on the list- yet numerous parents were
> able
>> to demonstrate that their student did not attend at all. That means at
>> least four students lied or felt coerced into naming the names of each of
>> those students.
>>
>> There should be a reliance on adult, reliable information- teachers,
>> coaches, police officers, etc. I realize that this particular party
>> involved a failure of the police department in Brighton to respond with
>> appropriate documentation. That shouldn't mean that Penfield has to
> respond
>> with dragonian measures to compensate.
>>
>> Issue: Communications Home, Communications with Media
>> Response: As a parent when a serious issue such as this comes up, I want
>> to be informed immediately. I want to be present if my child is
>> questioned
>
©2005 Greg Supranowitz |
