I just read the article in the
NY Times about the nine teens being charged for the suicide of a fellow student. The students are charged with bullying the teen into committing suicide. Reading the article reminded me of a book I had reviewed by
Ralph Larkin on the Columbine shootings. What seems similar about the two cases is how the school administration was ineffective in preventing the bullying. It seemed that the school administration in the Columbine case had even been in collusion with the students in creating a climate that permitted bullying. According to Larkin there seemed to be a culture of Christian conservatism and intolerance for difference that led to the bullying of Harris and Klebold and ultimately their rampage. According to the NY Times article it was the fact that the girl in the Massachucetts school had recently moved from a small town in Ireland that led to her being singled out. What seems worth noting is the effect that school climate has in shaping how students are treated. Maybe what is needed is to rethink how schools become social institutions that create their own norms at times leading to abusive behavior. Importantly we need to determine whether schools are an extension of society or alternatively whether they are unique social phenomenon created by the congregating of thousands of teenagers in one spot. Where we stand on this point may determine how we act to prevent future bullying. If schools are an extension of society it would seem that this gives weight to the perspective that bullying is an individual problem and should confront individuals for their errant behavior. However, if schools are considered unique social entities which the state creates the state, the administrators needed to be held accountable for any bullying that goes on more so than the kids themselves.
The Columbine shootings suggest that schools are unique social institutions that create a closed and self perpetuating system. Kids must enter this other world that seems at times disconnected and alien to the norms and expectations of society at large. We require kids to sink or swim in this not only academic but social environment. The social and academic are interrelated contrary to the emphasis we put solely on academic achievement. Afterall is it not the ability of a school's administrative to set the school climate that is key to making a school thrive ultimately? Can we blame individual teachers and students without considering the role that the administration of education in this country plays?
In considering the
Portland high school reform (aka High School System Design) effort it is important to note that the aim is to create schools that are better integrated into the community and better track and support the needs of every student. The high school system design seeks to improve student engagement, achievement and graduation. The emphasis on engagement seems to be significant in light of the above considerations. Clearly engagement is a concern but are there any concerns about bullying in Portland high schools? The Portland Tribune reports the following:
"...according to the Oregon Department of Human Service’s 2008 Oregon Teen Health Survey, 41 percent of Oregon eighth graders and 31 percent of eleventh graders reported being harassed within the previous month. Those numbers have declined since 2005 when the Public Health Division of the Oregon Department of Human Services published a report that used teen health survey data to correlate bullying with suicide attempts and depression. Thirty-three percent of eighth graders who reported severe bullying also reported thoughts of suicide, compared to 6.5 percent among those who reported no bullying.
Suicide isn’t the only concern either. A key finding of a 2002 Secret Service report on violence in schools noted that 75 percent of school shooters had been bullied."
http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=126945270177155100
In reviewing the Portland high school reform online materials I am concerned that engagement seems to be narrowly defined as what gets students to focus more on their academics. While the goal is improving the graduation rate to what extent has preventing bullying been considered in this reform? For example, to increase engagement the plan proposes more conselors. How would more counselors reduce bullying? If so how will Portland high schools after the redesign facilitate openness, tolerance and respect in Portland high schools? Where does desire to increase engagement fall in their priority in relation to their effort to improve achievement and graduation?
