From: Don Carlos | submitted: Jan 11, 2008
Westview, now known as Emerson, can hardly be called a school. Nearly all of the teachers simply don't teach(with a few exceptions). They hand out packets of work to the students and retreat to their computers for the majority of class, leaving students to their own devices. 90 percent of the time, 90 percent of the students are chatting loudly and openly on topics ranging from music to sex to drugs.
A diminutive amount of work in completed, because the teachers are unable to command the respect required to teach a classroom. The few feeble attempts to impose some semblance of order by the teacher invariably ends with him or her being shouted down, and the "classroom", if you want to really stretch the meaning of the word, returns to its previous chaotic state seamlessly. I have witnessed firsthand, several incidents in which teachers were thoroughly verbally abused. These occurences did not result in any disciplinary action, or even a warning.
The administration is no better. The current principal, who shall not be named, is more concerned with creating the illusion of a functional education environment than realizing one. New protocal that has been established, namely attendance, is designed more to help the principle appear reputable to her peers. In actuallity, it hinders the struggling alternative student in his or her goal of obtaining a high school diploma. A certain student who fits the "alternative student" bill perfectly, was "dropped" on the final day of the course due to "excessive tardies"(Four total, no more than five minutes each), resulting in a loss of credit and a required $25 fee in order to return to school the following day. A certain "SRO"(school resource officer), whom I will refer to as simply "Jeff", is merely present to further perpetuate the fabrication of a effective school environment. In all actuallity, he holds no power whatsoever. He is not a police officer, cannot issue citations, search students, or uphold order any more than a teacher can, which at Westview, is not a whole lot.
So why, if this school is really as broken as I describe, do things not change? Why hasn't something been done? The answer is because no-one says anything. The faculty knows of the state of affairs, yet no complaints are voiced. The students enjoy the school thoroughly. To them, it really isn't a school. It is a time to spend with friends, and the bonus is that it appears they are accomplishing something.
If you are thinking of sending your child to Westview, exhaust all other alternatives first. This is not the school to go to recieve an education.
