Candidates Ponder Discipline

The discipline problems of the Ann Arbor Public Schools got most of the attention last night at a Candidates' Night for the 11 contestants for the Board of Education sponsored by a group of Tappan Junior High parents. The question of parochiaid and the candidates' stands on some type of "shared-time" program for private and parochial schools with the public schools also came up. All 11 candidates attended. The Tappan auditorium was far from filled, however, with an estimated 110 persons attending. Many of the people who attended were among the 729 Tappan parents who presented a signed petition to the Board of Education May 13 urging t h a t necessary disciplinary measures be used to maintain a "proper and stimulating atmosphere" in the schools. Most of the candidates agreed there is a discipline problem in the public schools. But their analyses of the problems and their proposed solutions differed greatly. Christopher J. Burke, a teacher at Ypsilanti High School, declared that "we've got to get discipline back in the schools again." No child can learn in a "fear-filled environment," he said, and he urged parents, teachers and administrators to again gain control of the schools. Robert E. Barry, 'a thermal systems engineer for Detroit Edison Co., was critical of the jschool board for doing nothing after recerving the petition from the Tappan parents. Barry said he was one of the 729 signers. The teachers "desperately need the backing of a strong school board" on discipline problems, he said, and he criticized the teachers and principáis afraid to "make waves" by disciplining certain children. "As a result, you have a girl attacked with a razor blade at Scarlett Junior High and a seventh grader pushing drugs," Barry charged. While many parents are upset, some don't know what's really going on in the schools because their children are afraid to teil them, fearing retaliation, he said. Robert Conn, a lieutenant in the Ann Arbor Pólice Department, said it is impossible to adminístrate discipline in the schools when some parents and groups continually say the child is just "misunderstood." Conn says he sees very few youngsters "downtown" (at the pólice station) who have discipline and respect emphasized in their homes. Roy Couch, aWashtenaw County Sheriff's Deputy, said, if the present discipline policy of the schools were enforced, there would be fewer behavioral problems. He blamed the Board of Education, teachers and principáis for not doing their part in disciplining students. A. Gerald Gottleib, state sales manager for Misco Care Chemical Co., called it a "shame" that 700 parents have to ask the school board to maintain disci- - - - - ■ ■ pfine. The curriculum and mat e r i a 1 s used in Ann Arbor schools are "f ar outdated," Gottleib charged, and he contended this contributes to the discipline problem, if children are not challenged. If elected, he said he wouldn't wait for a petition with 700 names on it to take action on the discipline issue, particularly attacks in the school lavatories. Norman Keefer, a psychologist in the Taylor Public Schools, decried "doublé standards" at Tappan in disciplining black and white students, and said the school "can't afford" to do this. He suggested some type of modular scheduling and involving staff more in the decisions to help solve the discipline problems. Mrs. Patricia Shipman, a housewife and former teacher, said the schools have not "expected" the children to behave and achieve in the past - "we have been too willing to excuse them." She called for parents to give firm and loving guidance, and said all rules must be fairly and equally enforced. Mrs. Harriet Powers, also a housewife and former teacher, called for a "redefining of our goals and purposes," especially at the 7th and 8th grade levéis, and urged the schools to change as society is changing. Mrs. Powers said the 7th and 8th grades have always been "turbulent times," and said most boys fight at this age. "What bothers me now is the girls are beginning to fight." Paul D. Carrington, a law professor at the University, said good rules are necessary to protect the individual rights of the students and to maintain a "proper" learning environment. But he advocates that students be i n v o 1 v e d in formulating "good" rules. Carrington said punishment by suspension from school, however, is not a "satisfactory remedy" for all offenses, and he called for "more imagination" in formulating penalties for "small offenses." Dallas Hodgins, a research associate in the University College of Engineering, called discipline problems a "symptom" of other shortcomings, such as too large classes and ill-trained personnel. Teachers "who have something to teach" have no discipline problems, he said. Charles H. Good, vice president of the school board, said people must agree on the goals of education before discipline can be intelligently discussed. He advocates teaching "reason and responsibility" along with "r e a d i n g, 'riting and 'rithmetic." Seven of the candidates (four had already left to fufill other commitments) vvere asked if they would support some type of "shared-time" program between the public and privateparochial schools. Barry and Good said they did not support such programs. In favor of some kind of program were Gottleib, Couch, Hodgins, Mrs. Shipman and Burke.