tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285353362748898720.post3195166523620126103..comments2024-03-28T06:53:24.022-05:00Comments on a blog about school: Debate or Groupthink? An exchange with a school board memberChrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12919030671050831251noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285353362748898720.post-74970284940394955902012-01-04T08:44:45.259-06:002012-01-04T08:44:45.259-06:00Thanks, Anonymous. It just infuriates me to hear ...Thanks, Anonymous. It just infuriates me to hear reports like that. What right do administrators have to conceal that information from parents and the public? How is it conceivably in the interest of good policymaking, or in the interest of the kids?Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07559356125770114400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285353362748898720.post-85157134487964312522012-01-04T08:13:29.452-06:002012-01-04T08:13:29.452-06:00I'm a little late on reading this, but, as a t...I'm a little late on reading this, but, as a teacher, want to say: many of us strongly dislike PBIS for the many reasons you raise here. Also, from personal experience, I have dealt with a principal who has told me directly that she would be punitive about me expressing my concerns about PBIS and other issues. It's a sad spot to be in.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285353362748898720.post-35097651812116088412011-03-16T17:55:08.713-05:002011-03-16T17:55:08.713-05:00Shirl -- Thanks for commenting! That's an int...Shirl -- Thanks for commenting! That's an interesting perspective on PBIS. I dislike PBIS for a lot of reasons (explained at more length <a href="http://ablogaboutschool.blogspot.com/2009/10/what-follows-is-text-of-letter-i-am.html" rel="nofollow">here</a>), but one of them is that it models a dishonest way of interacting with people. PBIS isn't about genuine praise at all; it's about feigning praise to manipulate the kids into compliance. I think we should question whether all this emphasis on compliance is necessary. But I agree with you that candor is far preferable to insincere praise.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12919030671050831251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285353362748898720.post-44734451580669127312011-03-16T14:01:23.629-05:002011-03-16T14:01:23.629-05:00Hello,
I am currently an assistant teacher, parent...Hello,<br />I am currently an assistant teacher, parent and student, and am researching PBIS. I appreciate much of what has been said in this posting as it "gets at" some of my concerns about the "culture" of communication in schools and how that relates to PBIS. In brief, I too have concerns about PBIS, from a social engineering standpoint. On the surface, research-based, empirical evidence aside (not to ignore these but they are tangent to my point, I believe), PBIS seems to be a positive and effective approach to addressing some of the behavioral issues in schools. Yet that is exactly my concern: it's overemphasis on the positive. This relates directly to what has been said in this blog about not "criticizing" schools. Only support and positive comments are truly welcomed, or, at best, one has to "couch" what is in fact a criticism in a "positive" light that isn't really positive at all. It's a bit of a farce and actually insulting to everyone involved--the assumption that we cannot handle criticism. It is my impression that the U.S. has never been very good at allowing, accepting and even embracing rigorous (and rancorous) debate, such as what one might witness during political discussions in other countries (e.g., England, The Netherlands, etc.). Now it feels not only like it has become worse, but the climate in schools seems to mirrors the worst of this climate in the U.S.: don't criticize anything (Obama, healthcare policy, obesity, PBIS, etc.) because it is "politically incorrect" or "not supportive." All this positivity could diminish our ability to deal with adversity (e.g., disagreement, disappointment, etc.) and is in many ways directly opposed to the notion that risk-taking is a positive thing for kids. Honest debate, while not always nice and pretty, is quite risky, yet evokes in my experience a much higher level of individual growth for all involved, even though that growth is rarely immediately visible...Shirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03638810164211208252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285353362748898720.post-11345327794115243962011-01-03T23:49:22.952-06:002011-01-03T23:49:22.952-06:00KD -- I totally agree. I think there are a lot of...KD -- I totally agree. I think there are a lot of subtle and not-so-subtle pressures on parents to "be supportive" -- that is, to refrain from criticism -- of their kids' schools, and I think school administrators sometimes use that as a conscious strategy to discourage parents from discussing their concerns with others.<br /><br />I also agree that the district provided very little information about PBIS as they adopted and implemented it. To the extent they did provide any information, it was entirely one-sided. They certainly weren't about to direct anyone's attention to criticisms and counterarguments against the program, because that would imply that the decision to adopt it hadn't already been made, and that the community might actually have a say in it.<br /><br />If there is a better illustration of a program adopted and implemented from the top down, I don't know what it is. Several times I have heard school personnel say things like "PBIS is here to stay," as if the community had no say whatsoever in the matter. At the PTA meeting that I described in this post, I asked our principal whether it would make any difference if all the parents were against PBIS -- and she said no, it wouldn't. It doesn't get much more top-down than that. I'll be interested to hear your ongoing thinking about PBIS.<br /><br />(By the way, I think I'm going to have to get my "recent comments" widget tuned up -- don't know why your comment took so long to appear there.)Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12919030671050831251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285353362748898720.post-26556352701805920302011-01-03T23:00:37.426-06:002011-01-03T23:00:37.426-06:00northTOmom -- In yesterday's post, I described...northTOmom -- In <a href="http://ablogaboutschool.blogspot.com/2011/01/is-our-school-board-responsible-for.html" rel="nofollow">yesterday's post</a>, I described two ways a board member can approach his or her role in the age of No Child Left Behind -- "board member as state employee" and "board member as elected representative." I think the dynamic you're describing can be examined in that same light: somehow we've taken the speech norms that prevail in the typical corporate workplace and imposed them on what is supposed to be a democratically accountable public institution. That strikes me as a pretty serious wrong turn.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12919030671050831251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285353362748898720.post-52046147179504478612011-01-02T14:48:09.067-06:002011-01-02T14:48:09.067-06:00Bravo to Tuyet Dorau for responding to some of the...Bravo to Tuyet Dorau for responding to some of the issues you have brought up. I think your blog piece raises some interesting points.<br /><br />To an outsider the ICCSD seems like a fine district. I think some of the current/former board members don't wish to respond to any information to the contrary, when questions or problems come to their attention.<br /><br />I think the Board "culture" has always been one where there has not been much dissent or discussion. In my opinion the local media has been soft on the ICCSD, and doesn't try to dig very deep for information.<br /><br />In talking with others I think some feel it is disloyal to the idea of public education to discuss or criticize how things are done. <br /><br />I'm not sure how I feel about PBIS yet...I'm thinking it isn't quite as innocent as I once believed. What I wonder about though, is why doesn't the district make more of an effort to provide information about the program to parents. We received very little information about it at our school. My own opinion is, if the community isn't provided with information.....then they can't ask questions....is this an oversight by the district, or are things done this way purposely?KDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07883213697051461818noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285353362748898720.post-88955191313693977112011-01-01T11:50:24.141-06:002011-01-01T11:50:24.141-06:00Hi Chris--I think the board member inadvertently s...Hi Chris--I think the board member inadvertently sums up the problem when she writes: <br /><br />"However, by going public with an opinion without first getting or understanding another perspective can often do more harm than good."<br /><br />You call this "checking in," and that's exactly what it is. It's actually quite patronizing to assume that either a teacher or a member of the public must necessarily have a poor understanding of an issue before they've solicited the opinion of someone "higher up." This whole "chain of command" process does indeed produce the "chill" and group-speak that you mention. I would argue that on the larger political scene it leads to silence and concealment about extremely important issues, and eventually gives rise to a phenomenon like Wikileaks. It seems to me that what you're seeking here is quite simple: genuine dialogue and transparency when it comes to issues of policy; no one who believes in democracy and free speech should be opposed to that.StepfordTOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08340282997915000608noreply@blogger.com