AKRON - Patrons attending Tippecanoe Valley School Board meetings agree that a discipline problem exists at Tippecanoe Valley Middle School. What they don't agree on is whether the problem is a lack of discipline or discipline bordering on abuse.

Last month, a number of parents made allegations that their children were suffering abuse at the hands of the TVMS staff. This month, several parents complained that there is no discipline. One mother commented that a group of students and their parents are ruling the school.

"I guess I fear for my kids," she said. "They beg me to take them out of the school system. ... The students cuss at the staff and principal and at other students. Kids are shoved into lockers. ... The meaner you are, the more popular.

"I have no complaints for the teachers. They are trying but no one is backing them up. Kids shouldn't have to be afraid to come to school."

Another mother said, "There is a total lack of discipline here. Certain kids get away with everything; the kids from the middle and lower class are the ones who are disciplined. There isn't enough repercussion to keep the kids from misbehaving. If you can't control them, they need to leave. The ones who are disruptive are keeping the others from getting an education."

A father who said his son is one of the disruptive ones told the board he would encourage them to put on their jeans and sneakers and go to school. He said he shadowed his son at school for a day and the lack of respect was disgusting. He suggested the school consider using a paddle to enforce the rules.

Board member Mark Wise cited the lack of respect as a major problem. He said he has advocated a pull-out program but met with resistance.

Superintendent Karen Boling said using the program at Warsaw is no longer an alternative for middle school students because studies showed it was not effective for that age group. She said other programs are being studied and all complaints will be checked into.

TMVS teacher Polly Finney read a letter drafted in response to last month's concerns over discipline. The letter said the discipline policy used at the middle school was approved by the school board and is modeled after successful plans from around the state. Prior to developing the discipline policy, administrators and teachers from the corporation visited exemplary schools and attended the Indiana Middle Level Educators' Association convention to research successful discipline plans.

Finney said administrators and staff observe and document misbehavior and misconduct and keep documentation in student files. Exclusion from the regular classroom is recommended only after classroom and team interventions are tried, parents are contacted, conferences are requested and behavior contracts are implemented.

In discussing another issue tabled last month, Wise reiterated the need for evaluations of administrators.

"I see this as a direct line from the teachers to the school board," he said. "This is something we don't have now. We are flying by the seat of our pants being asked to renew contracts when we don't have any evaluation of how they are doing their jobs. If we have such good administrators, what are they afraid of?"

Boling said in the current structure, the corporation had delineated between management and labor, with management evaluating labor. She said they have moved away from a checklist to goal-oriented evaluations and while she doesn't believe anyone is fearful of being evaluated, it doesn't fit with the current structure.

Wise said he felt the issue had been settled last June when the board voted 5-0 to implement the evaluations. He didn't see why it was a big deal and said not doing it is limiting the information the board has access to.

"I want to do what's best for the kids," said Wise, "and at this point, I'm not absolutely sure we have the best administrators."

The board voted 4-1 to table the discussion until the summer training retreat.

The first hearing on year-round school evoked no response from the public after Boling explained that new legislation requires schools to have two public hearings prior to going to the Property Tax Board for the purpose of a building project. She said the primary need for the Mentone building project is not due to increased enrollment but to alleviate problems with the current structure. The second public hearing will be held at 7:30 p.m. May 12 at the regular board meeting. [[In-content Ad]]