Concerned Campbell Parents Plan Meeting With Principal
Parents raised concerns about what they consider a lack of communication and disrespect from administrators to students, parents and teachers.
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A small but vocal group of Campbell High School parents and students met Friday to discuss enfrocement of the school’s tardy policy and other changes that have taken place since a new administration took the reigns in August. The meeting was organized by a parent and was not sponsored by the Cobb County School District. No teachers or administrators were present.
Of the group of seven parents and three students, most said they thought communication from administrators to students and parents was inadequate. One parent who didn’t identify herself for fear her son would be impacted because she spoke out, said last year she encouraged her son to take his problems or concerns to any administrator.
“I’m not saying that our ninth grade year was a perfect year, but any situation that we had I felt very safe and very comfortable,” she said. “And I knew that I could always say to my son, ‘If something happened you could go to anybody.’ I don’t feel comfortable with that this year.”
Campbell’s former principal, Dr. Grant Rivera, left the school at the end of the 2010-2011 school year to become principal of Westlake High School in Fulton County. Denise Magee, then the principal of Campbell Middle School, was reassigned and became principal of the high school on July 1, 2011.
Pam Kelly, has two children in Campbell’s International Baccalaureate program and is a member of the school council.
“I think one of my concerns is that there’s so little communication back to the parents,” she said. “Yes, we do get this letter reiterating the rules, but all through the year I feel like this administration has not communicated well. Or maybe I was spoiled by Dr. Rivera who Facebooked and Tweeted and called parent meetings and begged people to come up to the school.”
Kelly went on to say that the school council has not met all year even though it’s required to meet four times a year by the Cobb County School District.
“I talked to Ms. Magee at the beginning of the year and I introduced myself, I made a point,” she said. “I said, ‘I’m on school council. I look forward to working with you.’ And she said, ‘I can’t even think about that right now.’”
According to the Cobb County School District website, all Cobb County schools are required to have a school council except charter schools, Oakwood Digital Academy, Central Alternative School and H.A.V.E.N. Academy. The council is comprised of the school’s principal, two certificated teachers and four parents or guardians, two of whom are business people. School councils were implemented with the provisions of the A+ Education Reform Act of 2000.
The group also discussed what they coined a “general attitude of disrespect” at Campbell. The woman who wouldn’t identify herself told the students present that said she was alarmed at the difference from one year to the next.
“I think there’s so much disrespect going on in that school from the administration, but from the teachers as well,” she said. “The teachers are speaking so negatively about the administration and speaking to students about it. It just blows my mind. My son said as well, ‘How are we supposed to respect our administrators? You teach us to respect people in authority, respect adults. But when the other adults aren’t even respecting each other.’ I think that’s a trickle down to y’all. I just see so much getting blown out of proportion.”
Andrew Snell, a Campbell senior, said he noticed the difference as well.
“I think there was a mutual respect,” he said. “They respected us as young adults—or close to young adults. They respected us as individuals and spoke to us and tried to communicate with us. There was mutual respect so if they told us to do something we did it out of respect. Not just because they were in authority over us or because these are the rules. It was respect toward them as individuals.”
Snell said he’d recently received 10 days out of school suspension for comments he made on his Twitter account about enforcement of the school’s tardy policy. Magee told Snell and his parents that other students felt threatened by his Tweets. Snell and his parents say it was clear he was being sarcastic.
“Of course something has to be done, but where is the teachable moment here?” said Anthony Snell, Andrew’s father. “That didn’t happen. I’m disappointed in him in the language he chose to express even if he did disagree. I told him that. And he had to write an apology to her, but to take the draconian action that it’s 10 days get out of my face type of thing. Versus saying to a child who is a good student, but not to take a moment to truly make it a learning moment for him in his life when he has made an out of character—made a boneheaded mistake. I think that you have wasted the time to earn his respect.”
Not all the parents present felt Campbell’s new administration was at fault. One man whose stepdaughter will attend Campbell next year thought they still deserved a chance.
“Why not give the administration a full chance instead of saying it’s all the administration, which is what the majority of what I’m hearing,” he said. “It’s the administration’s fault. It’s the administration’s fault. They don’t have the camaraderie. Well of course they’re not going to have the camaraderie because they’ve made such a big chance. Why not give them a full chance. Give them a full year to find out what mistakes have been made this year that they can go about changing.”
Ultimately the parents decided a public meeting with Magee was necessary. As an elected representative of the school council, Kelly said she would propose this to the principal Monday.
“I think that is more than just a tardy thing,” said Anthony Snell. “There are a lot of issues. We’ll just leave it at that. We as a concerned group of parents this is what we have heard. This is what we have talked about. What do you see as the issue? What can we actively do with you to solve it so Campbell can be all that it can be for all of us?”
Anita Norman
10:04 pm on Sunday, March 11, 2012
CHS parents and students, I am SO very sorry that I missed this meeting that I myself had organized. I also apologize for the miscommunication re: who was responsible for having the building open. Thank you, Ms. Kelly, for stepping up and taking the lead.
As I said in my posts on the previous article ("Four Campbell Students Arrested"), I have been a proud Smyrna resident and Campbell parent since my son entered the IB program in 2003. While we were disheartened to see Kehl Arnson being replaced at the start of my daughter's freshman year, we could tell from the start that Dr. Rivera was going to continue to lead the school and its students in a positive direction. As Ms. Kelly pointed out, he was over the top in encouraging parental involvement, and his communication and interaction with students and parents was incredible.
My daughter still wants to graduate from Campbell (we seriously discussed transferring her last week to a private school or home school co-op), but because of the environment of negativity and all-around disrespect created by a principal who is in WAY over her head from the get-go, my daughter has applied for dual enrollment so that she can take her senior year classes at a local college and AWAY from the halls of CHS. However, I am still gravely concerned about the future of this great school, and I hope, for our kids' sake and our community, that Ms. Kelly is successful in organizing an open forum with Ms. Magee and ALL concerned parents.
Anita Norman
10:45 pm on Sunday, March 11, 2012
I can well see this level of censorship becoming a reality at CHS under its current leadership. Kids are already afraid to talk publicly about what's going on in school, and as Mr. Snell learned the hard way, free speech isn't always free. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/11/minnesota-girl-facebook-password_n_1337712.html?1331499012&icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl1%7Csec3_lnk3%26pLid%3D142586
Katie Bell
7:38 am on Monday, March 12, 2012
Just a quick observation from an outsider - I see that Campbell HS has been an IB World School since 1997, but that Campbell MS was just authorized by IB in 2011. Has anyone considered the negative influence of the IB philosophy on the schools?
www.truthaboutib.com
smurf
9:08 am on Monday, March 12, 2012
I don't think you have a clue as to what you are talking about. The IB program represents an outstanding educational opportunity for those students lucky enough to be in it. And, it is a program recognized and respected around the world for its quality and standards. My guess is you also think people who want their kids to go to college and the kids who want to go to college are snobs. And, we know what part of the political spectrum that nutty kind of talk is found.
PK
8:26 am on Monday, March 12, 2012
Katie - I don't see how the IB program factors into this discussion. As you noted, it has been in place at Campbell High for some time and we've not run into the issues that we are having this year.
Teri A.
10:14 am on Monday, March 12, 2012
PK, based upon Katie's other posts on various Patch sites, along with the website she linked to in her post above, it's clear to me that she has a pretty strong philosophical and ideological problem with IB. Which - whatever floats her boat. But something tells me that she has a Google Alert set up for articles on IB and simply trolls around posting her website anytime there's an article on the subject. I wouldn't expect her to contribute anything substantive to the discussion, particularly since she is not from this area and is not knowledgeable about CHS.
smurf
9:06 am on Monday, March 12, 2012
Grant Riveria's leadership is sorely missed at CHS and one can only blame the area superintendent for his leaving and the lack of leadership from the current principal who was over her head from the start. It wasn't Riveria who should have been replaced it was the area superintendent whose job is over his head....just a good ole" boy who is part of the good ole' boy system.
Chris Pumphrey
11:38 am on Monday, March 12, 2012
Smurf,
I'm an outsider too ... I do not support IB at all, just to be clear where I am coming from. However, I can see the point that this particular issue may have nothing to do with IB being in CHS, But I have to speak my mind here on your comment to Katie Bell.
I am continually amazed at the assumptions made by supporters of IB programs. For those that support IB Values, that espouse tolerance, acceptance, critical thinking and “that others with different Ideas, value sets and points of view can also be correct” (all are IB Learner traits); continually make assumptions about those of us that oppose the IB, without engaging in a discussion to find out why specifically we oppose it so much. Another virtue, that IB states that it encourages in its instruction, and which would represent true Socratic Learning, I.e. philosophical debate. Cont.below ....
Chris Pumphrey
11:45 am on Monday, March 12, 2012
Comments like those you made above about Katie, assumed that she does not value College education, by stating that she must think College educated persons or those wishing their children to attend College are snobs; as well as you insinuation that she ascribed to “nutty ideas” from an un-named part of the political spectrum (I'm going to infer, you meant the Conservative, Right end of the spectrum), those kind of comments, continue to demonstrate an appalling lack of Tolerance, acceptance, Critical thinking as well as every other IB supported Value, that are claimed to be the heart of the program which you are defending. You made unsupported, uneducated and demeaning assumptions about a fellow Human being, which are in fact untrue and demonstrate a strong negative Bias. If fact a Bias that is as inappropriate as those that the IB program states that it intends to eliminate from society through its form of Values education. If you do not want criticism you should practice what you preach and what you claim to support, especially when it is challenging not simply when it is comfortably agreeable.
Chris Pumphrey
11:56 am on Monday, March 12, 2012
If IB is not part of the issue here, then it is not part of the issue here... that is a fair and possibly true statement (I don't know I'm not there to know first hand and no one there has yet claimed that it is related). Katie, while an outsider raised a question because of her great concern over the IB's politics and how IB school personnel have not always behaved well in other schools around the Nation and in fact around the world. But, if IB is not part of this issue then state that and move on, to address your schools local problem. Meanwhile, Personal attacks however are unnecessary.
Kristen Sudduth
2:57 pm on Monday, March 12, 2012
Since there are so many comments from outsiders, I figure I'll offer one from an "insider". My daughter is a freshman in the IB program. This is a stellar program full of motivated young people with lofty goals. This is the first time in her school career that our daughter has had to "crack a book" to make A's. I have talked with these students, had them in my home, seen them in their classes and they are polite teenagers who have their eye on the ball and their future. This is a true area where the old "iron sharpens iron" mantra holds true.
The issues at Campbell HS have nothing to do with the IB program or any other educational track at the school. The issues there are simple, the administration waited a long time to enforce discipline and when they did, students got mad. The school sent out a robo call on Tuesday of the week of the sweeps to parents saying that tardy sweeps would be conducted on that Thursday and Friday. It clearly stated that the consequence for not complying would be Saturday school and the consequence for not attending Saturday school would be one day Out of School Suspension.The school asked kids to go to class and be on time. What part of that is unreasonable? This rule has been the case since the dawn of education and it is a basic rule of business. Show up for work and show up on time or you will lose your job.
The only problem here is that the school waited until March to do what should have been done in August.
PK
3:20 pm on Monday, March 12, 2012
I wanted to let you know I just spoke with Dr. Magee. She said she planned a "townhall" meeting towards the end of March for interested parents & students to discuss what's going on at the school. She said it would be publicized closer to the meeting date. This will be a great opportunity for all to separate fact from fiction and learn how we can work together to take positive steps forward.
smurf
3:39 pm on Monday, March 12, 2012
Whatever sour grapes, axes she wishes to grind or distorted views she wishes to espouse have little merit as it regards IB in general or the or the CHS IB in particular, which is, without question, recognized as exemplary. The CHS program, teachers and students are of the highest quality. This is easily attested to by the professional and educational background of the faculty and the the post secondary experiences and post graduate success stories of the students who completed the rigorous program Critical thinking helps one draw thoughtful, informed, intelligent conclusions, not frivolous, uninformed or biased ones. I stand by my opinion and, for the record, so do serious academicians around the world. I know of no respected educational professionals that do not share my views on the worldwide acclaimed IB program. So, I leave those of you who are without such standing in the educational community to your nonsensical views and commentary.
Katie Bell
8:26 am on Tuesday, March 13, 2012
I believe Dr. Thomas Sowell is a respected, educational professional:
http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/sowell022604.asp
smurf
9:06 am on Tuesday, March 13, 2012
He is a well educated right wing, conservative pundit that certainly has a following, as does Rush Limbaugh. However, serious academicians take what he says with a grain of salt as do those within our national political community take Ron Paul....intelligent, articulate, but to some extent out in left field, or in his case....right field. Dr. Sowell does not represent the mainstream of serious educational thought. Bright, articulate...yes....but, a somewhat distorted worldview. There are also Biblical scholars that I could name that are respected in their own circles who would have us reject science in the classroom, too, in favor of teaching creationism because it is part of their belief system. But, these circles are very limited and not based on the scientific method of inquiry and objective educational standards. If your information is coming from a narrow source, it is very likely to be skewed, at best. I certainly have no intention of basing my conclusions on this one recognized slanted source anymore than I would, say, allow Fox News to form my political opinions.