Resident speaks out about lack of discipline at CHS
Columbia resident Joni Albright Groom spoke out about the lack of discipline and follow-through by administrators for bullying incidents at Columbia High School. Groom spoke to the Columbia School Board at its September 15 meeting, with about 100 residents in attendance:
"I witnessed firsthand, as I was employed at CHS for 21 years in the kitchen, prior to my retirement this school year. I've seen students throwing food at each other, teachers, co-workers, janitors, me, etc. I've seen students purposely make messes, be destructive, using foul and inappropriate language to myself, teachers, etc. Most of the time they were reported and written up, but the problem is most of the time they were never disciplined. In one such incident, I was personally threatened by a student, serving lunch I was, she said to me, 'I'll come back over that counter after you and I'll beat your m-f-ing a-s-s.' Guess what, this student was never written up or punished for this incident. Never. She was right back in there. In fact, she was never even taken out of the cafeteria that day. Never. I'm not so sure our teachers get the full support from the administration for handling these ongoing discipline problems.
"Mr. Strickler, I read where you said that the reason they had their cellphones out was because they were turning them off before class. Well, I plead Dr. Hollister and yourself to take a trip up to the high school and see how many cellphones are being used other than in the cafeteria. I've seen it firsthand.
"I really don't know what the solution is to these problems, but I hope we can all work as a community to make this a safe place for our students who want to learn and get a good education. In closing, there is an African proverb that says, 'It takes a village to raise a child.' Well, I guess that's what it takes."
Comments
It takes ethical leadership from people with integrity to make changes.
Positive change is not possible without quality leadership.
Poor leaders offer only superficial short term make believe changes, then turn their backs on the problem.
There is an old saying that, "you can't win a thoroughbred horse race if the only thing you have to ride on is a jackass."
Unethical behavior by some board members prevents positive change.
We all know that student behavior must change. Discipline comes before learning.
Quality leadership has a defined purpose and realistic goals. It never comes from self-serving individuals.
Great job, Joni. Real Columbians' will not allow this debacle to continue.
Even though I do not live in Columbia any longer, I am a Columbia person through and through, and, being that Columbia person has served me well.
The rapid deterioration of the high school, this whole Elanco situation, lack of transparency, and the unethical behavior of board members sited appears to be embarrassing and wrong in so many ways.
I am trying to determine how I can help and if money is needed to follow through with any issue ending legal matters , maybe I can help in that way.
Will continue to follow this site and phone friends that I still have in Columbia in order to further educate myself on this matter.
THANKS JONI....WE ARE COLUMBIA...WE ARE NOT ELANCO.
Fill the meetings !
Mike was a marine! Adapt, innovate, and overcome! Help him .
Strickler appeared to mock these good people.
People who embellish their resumes' and omit negative aspects are cowards and attempt to hide from the truth. They use others to cover their tracks.
Come to meetings. Add your support. End this corrupt takeover of our district that was designed over the last 4 years, for one person's personal gain, at our expense.
GO TIDE!
Convert the overblown ego's, arrogance, and narcissism of several board members and the doo...into dollar amounts.
Should be enough to fund the district for at least 5 years. Probably longer.
Little tommy and his group buy a lottery ticket.
Upon winning ,they find that there are conditions to be met.
They must all, as a group , agree to resign and leave town, never to return.
Little tommy who ,of course, did not help buy the ticket convinces the group that he should be entitled to more than his share, borrows a tour bus ,and as an experienced driver and guide, leaves town, with the group, in the dark of the night, collects the winnings and he and his group proceed to a new town and take over a new school system.
Everyone wins!
How did this sleazy unethical agreement get started?
Who wrote this agreement and how was it hidden from the good board members?
Why did the job posting not list the need for a degree in education?
How was it slipped passed the good board members?
What people ,at higher levels, are involved and to what extent?
How can an entire district be manipulated by one person for his own personal gain after board members knew that he tried this 4 years ago and was denied?
Did he include this first attempt and denial on his resume'?
Is Hollister aware of this first attempt and its denial?
Maybe that first attempt counts as a start up that made Hollister give him more money?
Are some of those same board members present now that were on the board during his first attempt?
Who are his helpers and where are their brains and their morals?
How can anyone in their right mind hire a person with such a resume'?
Lot's of questions that the board feels that they do not have to answer.
Get ready, the questions will keep coming.
The days of empty school board meetings are a thing of the past!!!!!
Misinformed and assumming