Where Was "Character Counts" at Edgewood School?

"Character Counts"?  Sadly, at the Edgewood Middle School performance before a fellow student audience of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat", it most certainly did not. So concerned was school administration that there would be a replay of the poor behavior demonstrated by the student audience last year that allegedly steps were taken to reduce student acting-out.  Apparently, the Principal attended the performance and teachers sat at the end of rows.  Also, students were warned prior to the performance about bad behaviors.  Despite this, according to most of the student performers, performers were tripped, the audience jeered and joked, performers were in tears and only two students in the audience were dismissed for poor behavior.

According to many parents of abused student performers and crew (who also witnessed the sad display) little was done to intervene.  The sense of parents who later spoke to the Vice Principal was that his perception of events (he hadn't attended, from what I understand) and those of the performers were different. The Vice Principal suggested (from what some parents described as his reading from a seemingly rehearsed script) that the performers' crying on stage was due to a lack of applause rather than a mean-spirited audience.  The Administrators were in essence suggesting that this was much ado about nothing.

Well, I wasn't there, but I doubt this seriously.  Having had parents over many years who's children were the subject of bullying or other forms of abuse at that school (without appropriate administrative intervention) I believe there is a culture at Edgewood, ignored as many other District 112 values have been, that demonstrates student disrespect, disregard and abuse as well as a lack of administrative will in dealing with these significant issues.

As I've written before, I've had serious concerns with the lack of veracity and resolve of some of District 112 upper administration in the past.  Whether we're dealing with well-intended but in-over-their-head administrators or those trying to placate parents of acting-out students or their attorneys, our children aren't being done a service. Children who put much effort into a performance come away abused, humiliated and perhaps rethinking any future interest in the arts. Students acting-out in the audience, themselves playing to fellow acting-outers, don't learn the the value of respect and dignified behavior.  And they quickly learn that adults who are there to set limits cannot be counted on.

Can we only imagine the students at East Side High in the 1989 film "Lean On Me" disrespectfully disrupting a school performance and having Morgan Freeman tolerate this and minimizing to parents the extent of the disruption?

Now we all see how easy it is to become lax in dealing with our children. Teaching values in today's world is much more challenging.  When I attended a bingo night at one of my kid's schools I saw respectful kids sitting at their tables, but I also watched kids throwing balls, playing keep-away, yelling and running.  It's easy to let all this go.  As parents we can ignore it...it just seems like more work at the end of a long day.  The Principal may just increase the volume of the microphone to be heard over the screaming.  The night ends.  Maybe a few parents like me have a headache. Some money is made for the school.  Oh well...not an all bad thing.  But, I think it's a good thing to make the effort to teach our children what to do, what not to do and when to do each.  That's how I grew up...a lot of respect, a little fear...hopefully learning how to become decent members of society.

So...parents unite!  I urge you to work with District 112 and the new Superintendent to help them live the values they preach.  Edgewood parents...I would insist on a meeting with the Principal and a create a workable plan for the future.  Have students sign written agreements and have enough supervision to enforce them.  Perhaps have parents of some of the performers be there to witness and assist.  And make certain the bad behaviors include consequences from mild to as severe as suspensions.   Why would we not consider tripping a performer running to get on stage as egregious as any other form of physical abuse?