I realize this is old news, but I just have to lodge my disappointment that not a single person filed to run for the District 150 school board from District 3. I really am at a loss for words over this turn of events, so I’ll just reprint this paragraph from the Journal Star’s editorial last week:
Yet not a soul in District 3, the most affluent of the three neighborhood zones from which School Board members are chosen, could muster the interest to jump in the race. It would be one thing if everybody was happy with the status quo in a school district on top of its game, but that clearly is not the case. It suggests that Peorians have checked out on District 150. If that doesn’t spell doom for the district, neither does it characterize a healthy situation.
That pretty much sums up my feelings, too.
None of us knows for sure what we would have gone in the situation. We all know what should have been done–you know hindsight, etc. None of us can predict what is going to make us angry and the direction our anger will take us. Yes, most of us know how to control anger, etc. My sense is that most of you have never encountered an out-of-control teenager in a group setting–and tried to get the teenager to cease the behaviors or to leave. We don’t know the whole story until we know all the things that happened before Lee’s role began. When you know about the whole situation, then you should have a greater appreciation for all teachers who
successfully cope with such situations every day. There are teachers who do not have these problems–they are in private schools, for the most part.
well, I know what I would do—because I have encountered these type situations before.
Observor–so have I–and every time I thanked God that I didn’t over-react–because I knew my own limitations. Self-confidence is good–over confidence can trip you up when you least expect it. The problem is that you can’t control what the other person does–and there is always a chance that you could be taken by surprise. Teenagers have the uncanny ability of finding our weak spots. I learned never to say “never” because kids love that challenge. I would be willing to bet that if asked beforehand what he would have done in such a situation, Lee would not have predicted his own behavior.
Sharon, here was the problem in my view. Lee isn’t a teacher and doesn’t have the experience nor training in dealing with young people in a school setting.
Let me add that neither Lee or his wife were attacked. His wife chewed out a student and the student reacted poorly—but there was no violence or threatened violence by the student. This was a case of an untrained and inexperienced person trying to interact with a student in a difficult situation—but not an extraordinary situation. I suspect if he wasn’t there, this would have been handled fine by his wife.
Very unfortunate and a good reason that spouses should stay away as much as possible.
150 Observor, no one is denying that Lee shouldn’t have done what he did–we all wish he hadn’t. Do you know either of these people? Lee does have experience–was a 150 sub for years–I knew him first as a sub at Manual–but he didn’t have the authority to resolve this situation. Do you know anything about the problems Denise has had this year or this student’s history? Do you know what the student did or did not do before she and Lee were on camera? Do you know the girl’s history in the class or her disciplinary record, etc? Lee wasn’t the only non-teacher there–the cast consisted of other community people. For years, Lee has participated in this musicals at Woodruff.
He shouldn’t have taken matters into his own hands and he will pay for it. But what about the girl? What lesson has she learned? We are so used to thinking that if one person in a situation is wrong, then the other must be right. That just isn’t the case. Lee probably will never do this again. Can we say that about the young lady–especially, if she has a history of disruptive behavior and if she views herself as vindicated now? Is that the lesson we want her to take away from this experience–it’s the “lesson” too many students already learn on a daily basis in District 150.
If District 150 takes your stance (and it probably will), then no lessons will have been learned. Too many students in District 150 do not respond well to any kind of authority–this is really a very mild example of what happens daily in classrooms. The problem for the district is that it has become public–but they have a scapegoat and I have no doubt that he will be the only person to learn a lesson.
By the way, subs and new teachers with far less training and experience than Lee has face these problems every day.
“There are mechanisms in schools to handle a student who says something out of line.”
Really? Have you been in a school with your eyes open in the past 10 years?
“The choral music program at the Prepatory School for the Arts”
You must be an administrator… you certainly know nothing about arts…
Peoria High is not preparatory school for the arts… EXCEPT maybe in name. It is not a magnet for anything except bad decisions and wasted money.
“Lee isn’t a teacher and doesn’t have the experience nor training in dealing with young people in a school setting.”
You just toe the line and drink kool aid don’cha 150?
Tell us all about the “training” teachers get to deal with these “problem behaviors”???
150 observer, when you get paid for all the boot licking you do, is by the boot, or are you on salary?
Sharon, yes I know the situation well at Central. Yes, some here think Lee did the right thing.
Charlie, suck it. You are an idiot, a bufoon and an embarrassment to this site.
District 150 Observor–Charlie made his statements in a bit stronger manner than most of us–but most of us had very similar opinions about the incident. Certainly, I agreed with his take on the subject.
Bufoon?
Interesting that Charlie should have a big red butt……..
Even more interesting that he knows how to use a keyboard……
Changing the subject, but still sticking with 150 — have any of you heard that Von Steuben is on the chopping block for sch year 2011-2013? “Where’s there’s smoke” there’s often fire, so just tapping into your networking!
I was thinking the same thing, “OMG!! I agreed with Charlie on this one!” It was a first!
So, is District 150 observer going off on Charlie and comparing him to a bufoon (which is spelled buffoon) and then calling him an idiot for simply having an opinion (no matter how course it may seem) the same as say,…..going off on an unruly student? Or is it simply just as bad?
Surely, Emtronics, you aren’t saying the District 150 Observor has no self-control. 🙂 I still want to know where teachers get the training to handle unruly students–I missed that course in college. The truth is that the only reason I was ever able to handle unruly students was that I had back up in the office–much of which weakened considerably by the time I left in 2005. I don’t think it has improved.
Everyone is free to have an opinion, but I value civility. “Boot licker” isn’t civil. Rather than having a good conversation—as Sharon and many other do–Charlie has to resort to name calling. I will never start a fight, but I will mix it up with anybody who wants to gum up the blog here with crap–as Charlie regularly does.
Back to the the subject, as I have said numerous times, Lee is a good guy. This incident was unfortunate and the student is a trouble maker. That however doesn’t make a physical confrontation the right thing to do. I suspect Lee wishes he had shown more self-control and had let the school discipline the student.
hey 150 observer… what did you mean by “some here” in your statement “yes I know the situation well at Central. Yes, some here think Lee did the right thing.”??
You mean I was right about you being in tight with the ADMINISTRATION?
“had let the school discipline the student.”
That’s a good one!!!
Almost as good as “suck it. You are an idiot, a bufoon and an embarrassment “
I do not work for District 150. I have never worked for District 150. I have never had any position with District 150.
I do know a number of people at 150 and I keep abreast of what goes on there. I have an interest in education, though I do not, and have never, worked in education.
There you go Charlie.
what did you mean by “some here” in your statement “Yes, some here think Lee did the right thing.”
Where is “here”?
“Here” is this blog. That seems pretty obvious.
Sharon made the statement “no one is denying that Lee shouldn’t have done what he did”. I was disputing that by saying “some here {at Peoria Chronicle} think Lee did the right thing”.
You spend a little too much time looking for black helicopters Charlie….
So your statement wasn’t a statement of agreement in that you agreed with the sentiment you were expressing, you were just repeating that Sharon was correct that many people disagreed with you. Okay, that makes sense. You are usually a condescending, patronizing jerk hole.
So how come you know so many of the details of what happened that night? Were you privy to the video tape? Video has no sound track.
“Let me add that neither Lee or his wife were attacked. His wife chewed out a student and the student reacted poorly—but there was no violence or threatened violence by the student.”
and you came up with this doozy:
“This was a case of an untrained and inexperienced person trying to interact with a student in a difficult situation”
Just shut up, please. You have nothing to base that on.
My last word–I think those of us that care about Lee and Denise should hold them up in our thoughts and prayers. Beyond that, all speculation is futile. Denise went on with her school duties last night by bringing a group of her students to perform at the board meeting. During the 30-minute delay while the board stayed in executive session, I had a chance to talk to Randy, who is just as compassionate about the situation as we are. Unfortunately, Randy was in the buiding at the time of the incident–but in another area where students were gathered and needed supervision.
I have never been that exited about having videos in schools for the very reason Charlie mentions. They often catch only a moment in time and decisions made on that one moment of time might be very unfair.
Stacey Shangraw resigned as District 150 PR person as of January 31. I wonder if that was the issue that caused the executive session to last until 7 p.m. last night.
How could anyone be the PR person for that group for very long? It would be worse than being the spokesperson for Bush or Palin.
“Stacey Shangraw resigned as District 150 PR person as of January 31”
Just one week notice! Interesting!
You are a pathetic little man Charlie. I feel sorry for you. A little.
District 150 Observor, I guess you’ve never met Charlie.
I hear Stacy took a job that offers a better work schedule for her family and was “recruited away” – nothing to do with last nights delay. Why does anyone listen to a pretend teacher that couldn’t even earn state certification? Sad.
I’m the one who speculated as to Stacey’s being the cause of last night’s delay. I was a real teacher with state certification. 🙂 So now I still don’t know what issue caused the executive session to go past ime for the BOE meeting to start.
If you are referring to Charlie, junior college and college teachers do not have to be certified, do they?
Sharon, no, and I am happy that is the case!
@in the know
“couldn’t even earn state certification”
Nice try… if you are trying to insult me, you have to do better than that. I WOULDN’T earn a certificate, not couldn’t. (I took and passed with As ALL of the required courses except student teaching) What do you think that State recognition means? Do you think it means you are teacher if you get one? Do you think I care what the State of Illinois thinks of my teaching ability? I don’t even think of myself as a teacher. I am a guide.
January 26, 2011
Dave Haney
In the ring for District 150
There may be no names on the ballot for District 150 School Board’s District 3 seat in the next election but that doesn’t mean no one is running.
Already two people have filed with the Peoria Election Commission to run as write-in candidates. They are:
-Jody Pritcher, 6109 N. Heather Oak Drive
-Rick Cloyd, 9172 N. Picture Ridge Road
For anyone else interested, you have until Feb. 3.
Stay tuned. We’ll have more when the deadline approaches
Rick Cloyd sounds interesting and well qualified. Former teacher = good. Graduated from 150 = good. Anyone know anything about him? Works for Cat. Hopefully he isn’t a hack for the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce.
Is the name Jody “Pritcher” or “Pitcher”?
This is the most informative news piece I have seen for the candidacy of Rick Cloyd. He doesn’t sound like a hack for the Chamber of Commerce. He sounds more like a dream come true. God bless him for stepping up. Will look forward to hearing more from/about him.
http://thecommunityword.com/online/cwnotes/2011/01/27/rick-cloyd-seeks-district-150-school-board-3rd-dist-seat-as-write-in-candidate/
I do not know the other candidate, nor anything about them, but I know who Rick Cloyd is and he is fabulous. He and his wife have donated many hours and much money to causes pertaining to children, even paying to put some through college at ICC. Yes, he is a dream come true and thankfully someone of his caliber is interested in the job. We should all be cheering.
The name is Jody Pitcher. She is a CVICU nurse at one of the local hospitals. She donates her time paying trubute to the local veterans. She started a program on her floor to honor every veteran patient. She has done a lot for the community.