SEC: student access and disciplinary action

["Nancy J. Probst" <nprobst@ATW.FULLFEED.COM>]

Dear Netters:
Please advise or send your ideas.  After 16 yr in elem media center, I've
moved to the H.S. LMC.  I would like to hear from you regarding the three
following concerns that I have, and whether or not I am too naive or crazy
to want to change and be more permissive.  The following rules and
practiceshave been established two years ago.
1.  Students must have a pass to come to LMC.  Passes may be acquired at 3
different times throughout the day, to alleviate student loitering in hall.
Students are denied access to LMC without a pass, and are not given a pass
when they request one at times other than those specified.   My concern:
Accessibility policies and rights may be violated, and students are being
denied LMC access. Also, they develop negative attitudes toward the LMC.
I was told by the aide that this is a way to control passage of students
from one location to another.

2.  Students who talk in the LMC are kicked out for two weeks for talking
and "goofing around", meaning that they laugh and talk while working in LMC
or the adjacent computer lab.  The reason given for this is that the
students' usual study hall from where they came is a silent study hall, and
if talking is permitted in the LMC, they only come to the LMC so that they
may talk.  I strongly disagree with this idea, and would greatly appreciate
any support or comments on this.  First, I believe conversation is healthy,
and can be controlled through proper guidance from LMC staff (aides
disagree).  Second, I believe that two weeks of denied access to LMC is too
severe and does not fit the "crime".  Third, kicking out students shows
that we, staff, are not handling the problems, merely throwing them out the
door, instead of focusing on students
' strenghts, etc.  Also, negative attitudes prevail.

3.  When two different teachers reserve the LMC for their entire class to
do research,(seating capacity 60) other students are denied use of the LMC.
I feel this is wrong.  Furthermore, when only one class is scheduled, 15
passes are alloted for other individual students.  Now, these individuals
are expected to be quiet and behave, or else!, while students in the
teacher's class act up, are noisy, and roudy, and this is permitted by both
the teacher and the LMC support staff.  I think there is something wrong
with this picture.

I would like to change the preceding practices, but need to do my homework
first. PLEASE send help.  Thanks a bunch.  Nancy


Nancy Probst
W5008 Hwy. 10
Menasha, WI 54952
e-mail: nprobst@atw.fullfeed.com
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