Stabbing at my school today

I needed to write about something serious, forgive me this once. No. There will be no funny side voices this time.
Today I learned that a former student of mine was viciously attacked and stabbed multiple times while riding the school bus home. I know I write about death, and I've even been accused of romanticizing it, but the truth is death is not something that's easy for me to deal with. Not when it's children, or animals for that matter.
No. My former student did not die, but he could have. In fact, he still could. He's in the hospital now. He didn't deserve this. Yes. He is a child that doesn't always make the best decisions, he isn't liked by everyone, and provokes many things, but nothing to justify killing him.
I found myself crying for this student, and his mother. As a mother I can't possibly imagine what I would do if this happened to my child. So, yes I'm sad. But there's more to this story and it makes me want to scream at anyone within hearing distance.
This could have been prevented. There. I said it as clearly as I know how. The school system knew that the stabber was prone to violence. He was excluded last school year due to his discipline. Yet, there he was. Sitting on the bus with children no different than your son or daughter, or neice, or nephew. No different than my son. Good children who have a right to a safe environment to learn in.
Just last year the principal of the school where I teach played down an incident where a female student brought a knife to school. Instead of the zero tolerance policy of immediate 365 days of Out of school suspension, she received a warning and 5 days of Out of school suspension. Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Maybe if the penalties had been more severe the first time then the second time wouldn't have occurred.
No student was offered counseling at my school today. A teacher finally took it upon herself to send a child that was covered in blood yesterday to speak to the guidance counselor. NO OTHER STUDENT WAS SPOKEN TO ABOUT THE INCIDENT. Did you hear that? The administration felt it would be better not to address the situation. Ignore it and it will go away philosophy. The one student sent by the teacher was spoken to briefly only because a teacher raised the issue on his behalf.
Yes, the students on that bus saw a frightening thing, perhaps for some the most frightening thing they will ever see. Accounts that I have heard in my small town testify to the fact that the students that witnessed it are suffering from nightmares, inability to sleep, and flashback like symptons (red juice was spilt and a child started screaming). I ask you, no child needed counseling? That's what the office said when downtown called to assist with the counseling. Our principal told them that he didn't feel counseling was needed.
My last two points.
One: Administration is too big and out of touch with what is going on in the classrooms. They see too many disciplinary reports being filed by teachers and assume it's the teacher's inability to manage his/her own classroom. But what these reports are really saying is, "Warning. We have too many things not being handled effectively the first time."
Two: Parents. No one will speak for your child. (Look at what I said about my principal.) No one will think about what's best for your child. Do not forget that a school has a reputation to maintain. They do not report all incidents of violence, drugs, or truancy to the newspapers. What you read is a fraction of the truth. These matters are re-worded and re-stated based on pre-defined standards. For example, a child brings a knife to school. Teacher finds out. Principal refused to allow it to be written up as a weapon. Why? Because it's under 4 inches long. See what I mean?
NO ONE IS GOING TO SPEAK FOR YOUR CHILD! You need to know who your child is in the classroom with. The school won't tell you. Get off your ass, or take a day off of work, go to your child's school and sit in ALL of his/her classes. The school will suggest that you come at a certain time of the day. INSIST to stay the whole day. They will try to direct you away from times and classes where less than perfect behavior occurs. It is against the law for a school to deny you access to your child at anytime. You can stay all day, everyday if you want. Personally, all parents are welcome in all of my classes all the time. So I know some teachers are more than okay with your visit. Unfortunately, it's the teachers that don't want to see you that you need to worry about.
Do not be fooled by the No Child Left Behind propaganda. The most violent students are now being thrust into the classroom with your child. Students labeled as Behaviorally and Emotionally Disturbed are in the same class as your child. Notice that those words are not only emotionally disturbed, but behaviorally disturbed as well.
I live in a small, small, small town in the middle of nowhere. Hell, we tell jokes about living in the middle of nowhere. Violence in the schools is everywhere now.
What's it going to take to fix our schools? Parents raising holy hell and demanding a safer place for their kids. Teachers are brushed off and accused of writing too many discipline referrals. Principals try to ignore it for the sake of their school's reputation as well as their own. Superintendants? Well, they want to win their awards and sound positive so that they get a job the next year. They are just politicians by nature.
That's it. I'm done. I'm going to post this as many places as I can, then I'm going to kiss my son while he sleeps safely tucked into bed. After all that, I'm going to cry again for the mother whose son is fighting for his life. Speak up parents. Inclusion puts the violent ones in the class with your kids too. Get the violence out. Only parents can do it.
Signed,
Certified Teacher Who Is Fed Up