New Three Rivers Parent's Organization

Welcome to digital Three Rivers and please feel free to post here about anything concerning your site.

---

The smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights, cannot claim to be defenders of minorities. - Ayn Rand

The most basic human right is the right to self defense. Those who deny the right to self defense cannot claim to be defenders of human rights - Buck Hicks

Thanks for the welcome. Our site is already seeing increased visitation. Please visit www.trparents.org.

I helped start this group and I'm sure many people don't agree with it, but I believe we need a community group that will go directly to the school board to share ideas and pass on information regarding happenings in the district. If we don't tell them, who will? We recently had an issue and in the past we've always tried to follow the chain of command up the ladder in an effort to resolve our problem. In this case, school administration didn't agree with us so they just didn't call us back. Yes the AD called us back once and when he heard our complaint he went MIA, we had to eventually keep calling him to request a meeting. If that wasn't bad enough the superintendent never once returned our calls, even after he was asked by a school board member to do so. I realize he was out of town at a superintendent conference (I wonder who paid for that?) but we were assured by the board and his staff that he was getting our messages and when he did return to the office he still didn't return our calls). HELLO? I live in this community and own 2 homes and one business and I pay substantial taxes to fund the public school system. How can the administration justify not returning our calls or the calls of anyone who lives in this community? After being ignored by the paid administration we went to the school board. Of the two we were able to get a hold of, both called us back and were helpful. I am thankful for that - kudos to those school board members. The situation taught me a lesson and that lesson is the TR school administration has forgotten who pays the bills and we need to remind them!

Man, I can't believe some of the adults in our town. One of the boys cut from the team posted his side of the story in what I thought was a very respectful manner. His post drew attacks on his baseball skills, being called a liar, criticism for voicing his opinion, and suggestions that he should get out of the district if he didn't like it. Maybe those posts were from younger kids that don't know any better, but they appeared to be from adults. I thought we lived in Three Rivers, Michigan, not Three Rivers, China.

Yes "fight4kids" I'm glad you noticed and mentioned it. I was waiting for someone to. The kid you are talking about is my son. He is a very respectful kid and always has been. During the course of this whole thing his principal told us that the school really appreciates your sons academic contribution to this school. I guess they like his "advanced" scores on the meap which helps the district but other than that "too bad" for him. He was just trying to add to the discussion by telling a viewpoint from one of the ballplayers who were excluded. He handled what happened very well, he knows it wasn't fair but he said "I'll play one more year in little league and once again prove I'm a good player. He was hurt when the coach told him he did show enough skill, well I should say hurt and perplexed since he's missed the family vacation 3 years running to play on the all-star team. I guess those aren't the skills his coach was looking for. He certainly didn't say anything to draw the attack on him and the people responsible should be ashamed of themselves!

If you all have an opportunity please visit www.trparents.org and it's forum. We now have anonymous members of the community suggesting that autistic children should be left out of school functions. Made to stay home with babysitters. It really is an outrage.

I want to reiterate my hope that this new parents group is a positive one. I was upset by some of the things typed yesterday and I allowed myself to become too negative. We can communicate, share ideas and even disagree without being nasty. I think we have good school but I think there is room for improvement in some areas. I really believe this group can be a great tool to help parents and community members share ideas and voice concerns with the school administration and the school board.

I am interested in the school discipline policy. I had an incident over the weekend in which two car loads of boys came to my house knocking on the door wanting to fight my son. (Bear in mind this group jumped another boy two weeks ago.) The first time I went out they took off running and sped away in their cars. The second time they just waited in their cars down the block. The third time I told them not to come back and called the police.

This afternoon one of the boys from the carload of boys walked up to my son at his locker and punched him in the face. Of course my son defended himself and hit back. He was suspended for 5 days. I asked what was my son supposed to do and I was told he should have walked away. Great advice for someone who is actively being attacked.

These kids have no respect for authority or adults. They don't care about getting kicked out of school. Parents hands are tied. I have to protect my child in my own home from these delinquents but I can not do it at school. So essentially they have all the power. The school policy (to my understanding)states that if someone jumps my child and he defends himself he is therefore suspended.

This is just the beginning. I have no doubt that these drive-by "jumpings" are going to get worse. When there are no real consequences there is no deterrent. And who is next on the list?

"I never consider a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend." - Thomas Jefferson

Stillwaters - you're a decent person, because if i were in your shoes, i'd be pressing charges against those kids and their parents. It's about high time these kids be RESPONSIBLE for their actions. NOT blaming it on someone/something else. It's quite obvious, responsibility is not in their family structure.

Then, i'd be taking it up w/the school board. Holy cow !! I hope my children never experience this, because they have a right to defend themselves in my house, without punishment from me.

I'm right with you Stillwaters and takeastand:

Where in the heck does the school get off saying a kid should not defend themselves? If they don't show a bully that hits them they're not going to take it, the next time the bully can come back with a weapon and do more serious damage. Or perhaps the school would like a dead body on their hands so they can claim, once again, that they're underfunded - NOT!

AND where were the teaching staff when this was going on? Hiding in the staff room no doubt.

The school has now victimized this kid twice. Once by not defending him when he was attacked and THEN by throwing him out of school for five days, WHEN HE DID NOTHING WRONG!

It's absolutely a disgrace! I, for one, am sick and tired of all the 'politically correct' attitudes which have led us to live in a society where gangs can intimidate people; where the victim is somehow in the wrong when they're attacked and where authorities, be it school boards or police, consistently come down on the side of the perpetrator!

This 0 tolerance policy does not take into account someone who is targeted. I for one did not raise my son to be a punching bag for some delinquent who doesn't care about anything.

Mr. Hamilton said he would get the names of the boys who actually still attend school and warn them to leave my son alone. These kids aren't afraid of the police. What makes him think they are the least bit intimidated by him?

There needs to be a policy change. The power to control these situations should not be in the hands of bullies.

"I never consider a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend." - Thomas Jefferson

Would be nice to see if the teaching staff would follow their own advice on the zero tolerance issue and not fight back if a kid starts in on them?

And what happens if the targeted student walks away, and reports the incident? Will they still be in trouble for allowing themselves to be targeted.

This whole policy is flawed and actually in the end supports the bully over the bullied. Make the bully walk around school for a week with a label round his neck saying that he is a bully.

Oh, no wait, some bleeding heart liberal will jump up declaring that interferes with the bully's civil rights!

Way time for the silent majority to say 'enough'!

Don't forget his self esteem.[}:)]

"I never consider a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend." - Thomas Jefferson

Absolutely, and where's his encouragement to stay in the school system and graduate. It's no wonder that we have such a high drop out rate when the schools don't bother to protect their students from bullying.

I would invite you all to our community group. We intend to bring the concerns of parents in our community to the school board. I am aware of the school's policy were both children are suspended even if one child is defending him or herself against an attack by another student. One of our sons was bullied relentlessly in his 6th grade year. We told the school that we instructed our son to defend himself if the bullying progressed into a physical attack. We were then told that he would be suspended if he defended himself. We asked if they were going to put a stop to the bullying and they said they would try. Well the bullying never stopped and my son did eventually have to defend himself. Fortunately for my son when he was attacked and he defended himself, none of the middle school staff saw it so he wasn't suspended and neither was the bully. I will say the bully never bothered my son again after he stood up to him. I don't agree with the school's policy and believe it is in place so they don't have to "figure out" what happened, they just suspend both students no matter who was the aggressor. It's easier for the school staff - plain and simple. It's also wrong! It allows child to become targets for those who don't care if they are suspended or punished.

Please visit www.trparents.org and plan to attend the school board meetings with us. There are several informative links on the site including the next school board meeting date and time. We will be there and we welcome you as well. Please also take the time to fill out the contact form on the site to be added to our mailing and email list. We plan to support school board candidates willing to listen to the community and help steer policies that are brought about by open communication and collaboration between the school board, administration and community.