Who is in charge of Student Services at PAUSD? If Wendy Stratton cannot ensure a safe learning environment for Gunn high school students she needs to go. July 7, 2023, 11:26 PM PDT. Rent fields, gyms, theaters and more in Palo Alto - Facilitron A former parent of the school also left a note offering help from the community, while some children wrote to express their sympathy and condolences. Share this video Its extremely disappointing that the school has apparently tried to ignore this. Det Ch Supt Clair Kelland, local policing commander for south-west London, said the operation was "the largest local policing deployment in south-west London since 2017" and the scene was "challenging and traumatic". Although the perpetrators appear to have been briefly suspended, the boys allegedly continued to receive threats, both in person and online.The school's response to the attacks and other bullying was to tell the boys to use only specific restrooms and to check in with the school before attending certain Gunn events. Dharap said that as a practice, board members don't comment on pending or anticipated litigation, but he referred questions to the district's legal counsel and Austin, who said he was unable to discuss the situation.Gunn Principal Wendy Stratton said in a text that the school's administration "is committed and works diligently to ensure the safety of our students on a daily basis," but declined to comment further, citing student privacy protections and an active investigation.Bullying has long been a concern in Palo Alto schools, including a 2011 case in which a middle-school student's long struggle against bullying triggered an investigation by the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, which concluded the district's mishandling of it violated federal antidiscrimination laws and required remedial actions.There was also a 2016 case in which a special-education student at Jordan Middle School (now known as Frank S. Greene Jr. Middle School) was repeatedly bullied, [causing the school board to examine how staff were responding to complaints of discriminatory bullying. "Interrogate the victims" is 100% the m.o. A school that fails to respond appropriately to harassment of students based on a protected class may be violating one or more civil rights laws enforced by the ED and the DO" (2009 photo by Tony Avelar/AP) Suing the school will not change the behavior of kids or their parents! Oct. 21, 2009— -- A cluster of violent teen suicides in an affluent California town has officials scrambling to figure out why four kids from the same high school took their own lives and how to prevent others from doing the same. Let their prospective colleges know about their disciplinary issues. Their parents need to take control of them! Suicide by train is not very common among teenagers, she said. The high level of membership participation in Gunn PTSA demonstrates one important measure of this strength. Who's going to do it? There are so many questions to be answered by the school. All the administrators who should have been fired here in the last 20 years just moved on happily to inflict themselves on other districts. "It's like drugs," she said. Updated: Fri, Nov 12, 2021, 5:00 pm The school's response to the attacks and other bullying was to tell the boys to use only specific restrooms and to check in with the school before attending certain Gunn events. TownSquare Community Calendar Sophia Hwangbo, Reporter, Photographer June 1, 2023. June 30, 2023 In April, Palo Alto High School administrators used on-campus security cameras to help identify the perpetrator of a school-shooting threat, calling attention to the role security systems play on Palo. Bystander, I beg to differ with your explanation for totally unacceptable behavior! If the district rejects the claims or doesn't respond in time, Rosenberg said the families would typically have six months to file a lawsuit.The district's Board of Education met in a special closed session Nov. 2 to confer with its legal counsel about the families' claims, which were listed on the agenda as "anticipated litigation." Video, the crash at The Study Preparatory School on Thursda, Clashes at Eritrea festival injure 26 German police, Violent protesters storm Georgia LGBT event, Syrian government cancels BBC press accreditation, Families of Boeing 737 crash victims seek answers, USA forward Rapinoe to retire at end of season, Zelensky visits Snake Island on 500th day of war. Sign up to receive text and email alerts from your favorite teams. Federal . This is completely opposite of what lawyers have told their clients forever, but of course lawyers make out like bandits. Gunn students file claims over violent and racist bullying For many children, particularly those who live in a family without siblings, lives have been altered and for a young teen this has been a large amount of time in their young lives. Summer 2023 availability coming soon For more information on the District's fee schedule please click here HENRY M. GUNN HIGH SCHOOL Community Spaces for All Your Activities Bow Gym VIEW Classroom VIEW Pool VIEW Her condition was assessed as not life-threatening. Time to read: about 4 minutes. Just like anything else in life, your approach matters. Place a Legal Notice " In some cases, bullying overlaps with discriminatory harassment, which is covered under federal civil rights laws enforced by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). I chose the Navy where I trained as a Navy Corpsman (medic) and with the assistance of the GI Bill, I was able to attend college and later completed med school. No one will be firing anyone. On Thursday, a spokesman for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said his "deepest condolences" were with the family of the girl who had died, and his thoughts were with all of those involved and injured. of this district. [19] A Mountain View native, she has previous experience as an education reporter in both California and Oregon. Read about our approach to external linking. Mobile site. In all four cases, the teenagers jumped into the path of an oncoming commuter train operated by Caltrain. I wonder if the adults involved are thinking about holistic solutions rather than appeasement measures? Students at Henry M. Gunn High School who created a student-run support group after three Gunn students committed suicide. Wow! Jack Fallows, Henry M. Gunn High School. The classroom buildings and benches at Gunn High School in Palo Alto. I agree that there should be no zero tolerance for bullying. London Ambulance Service said it sent 15 ambulances to the scene and treated 16 people. Disturbing Suicide Cluster Prompts CDC to Start - ABC News Board members, serve and listen to your parents. The district allows this behavior in grade school and middle school. Lucy Ma - Systems and Hardware Intern - Abbott | LinkedIn Web Link Follow Palo Alto Online and the Palo Alto Weekly on Twitter @paloaltoweekly, Facebook and on Instagram @paloaltoonline for breaking news, local events, photos, videos and more. A group of six Gunn High School boys have faced violent bullying and harassment, including racial slurs, that administrators didn't adequately respond to, according to claims recently filed. "How do you know your kid isn't going to be next? Person dies at Caltrain East Meadow crossing, Apartment buildings as tall as 88 feet in Ventura? He described what happened as "extremely distressing and extremely concerning". Some of the attacks described here cross the line to criminal assault. The institutional response can be improved. Henry M. Gunn High School placed in the top 1% of all schools in California for overall test scores (math proficiency is top 1%, and reading proficiency is top 5%) for the 2020-21 school year. Home Does. California Penal code 11160 a(2) mandatory reporting by a medical practitioner upon treating A person suffering from any wound or other physical injury inflicted upon the person where the injury is the result of assaultive or abusive conduct.. Sadly, bullying has been going on for years, and administration (in most schools) turn a blind eye. Read about our approach to external linking. Or us being more sensitive? The issue predates Gunn principal, who's only started during COVID. The school's website was replaced by a holding page with a statement reading: "We are profoundly shocked by the tragic accident this morning at Wilberforce House and devastated that it has claimed the life of one of our young pupils as well as injuring several others. These problems are nothing new, and hopefully best practices for dealing with them have been developed. This isn't a pandemic issue. I think last 3 years would be most relevant. What would really help is to focus on how we can do better: protect the victims better; help bullies realize bullying is bad, and find a different purpose in life. With historical perspective, we could drive for the systemic change. -- Unwelcome and objectively offensive, such as derogatory language, intimidation, threats, physical contact, or physical violence; Let me repeat: "schools are obligated by these laws to address the conduct", "A school that fails to respond appropriately to harassment of students based on a protected class may be violating one or more civil rights laws". An eight-year old girl has died with at least 10 people taken to hospital after a car crashed into a primary school in Wimbledon, south London. You want to eliminate bullies? They keep the child at arms' length, and don't allow anyone to develop a normal relationship with the child or family. I would almost guarantee that this is not.the first time the bullies have acted this way. "In September, three of the boys spoke with Gunn administrators to report the students who were bullying them, according to the claim. The woman, from Wimbledon, had been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and was taken to hospital. SAVE SCHOOL. However, "the incessant bullying and harassment continued," the claim states, with students threatening and insulting the boys for reporting them to school staff.The situation allegedly turned violent on Oct. 5, when two students ambushed some of the boys in a bathroom. This is a lack of acting properly on the part of Gunn and PAUSD. So they never learn from their mistakes or how to actually solve a problem like this. The car crashed into the school at about 10:00 BST on Thursday, Floral tributes have been placed outside the school gates, Ian Hewitt visited the school to pay his respects on Friday, The surprising benefits of breaking up. Home - Henry M. Gunn High School This evening gives you a brief overview of your child's instructional program and lets you meet his/her instructors. This is an appropriate starting point but oftentimes therapy doesn't work due to non-cooperation or apathy and besides, a sizable number of so-called therapists are rarely firing on all eight mental cylinders themselves (which is why so many of them got into the field). I attended PAUSD in the 70s and 80s and raised my children for the past 17 years in Duveneck/Jordan/Paly. Administrators have not excused those absences, even though they were due to "legitimate safety concerns," the parents said through their attorney. I do feel like there is more bullying now than when I grew up, perhaps due to more moms working? The large number of bullies is very unusual. The rash of suicides started May 5, when a 17-year-old male committed suicide at 8:20 a.m. during the morning commute. Ian Hewitt, chair of the All England Club, visited the school to "offer our heartfelt sympathies to all affected by this tragic, tragic incident". An 18-year-old Gunn High School student was arrested Thursday for bringing a weapon to school. Video, Violent protesters storm Georgia LGBT event, Clashes at Eritrea festival injure 26 German police, Syrian government cancels BBC press accreditation, Zelensky visits Snake Island on 500th day of war, USA forward Rapinoe to retire at end of season, Latvia swears in EU's first openly gay president. The bigger issue, as many people have stated, is the obvious pattern PAUSD exhibits in all things either racial in nature, willingness to blame the victim, and then go on a secrecy/cover of darkness campaign until it goes to court. "You pass around drugs and that encourages other kids to do it.". You're absolutely right about the relationship between the board and admin, with the oversight role abdicated. Recording attacks and posting it to internet is way beyond simple bullying. Instagram. A group of six Gunn High School boys have faced violent bullying and harassment, including racial slurs, that administrators didn't adequately respond to, according to claims recently filed by the students and their parents. classes with an emphasis on neutralizing one's attacker. They can ditch and fail classes but they remain academically eligible for athletics. Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Programs - Gunn High School Understanding the anguish some of our teens does not mean making excuses or acceptance of what is wrong. Gunn Titans - Official Athletic Website - Palo Alto, CA view_module chevron_left 4 chevron_right Upcoming Events No Events This Week Events are added by athletic staff. Person dies at Caltrain East Meadow crossing, Apartment buildings as tall as 88 feet in Ventura? This is outrageous that school administrators let it get as far as hospitalization! 93% scored 3 or higher and 54% scored a grade of 5. My children said that the best aspect of this district is the lack of bullying. The key questionhow could any of this been avoided? Most are adapting without bullying of course, but not using social skills, interacting with a large community, and the anonymity that doing school online has brought, probably has effects on their lives we cannot possibly understand. Why is this the pattern and how can we actually stop it as a community. Shortly afterwards, a group of students attacked one of the boys in the locker room and "pummeled" him with fists and kicks, while recording the attack and later posting it on social media, the claim states, going on to say that he suffered a head injury and experienced headaches and back pain. Web Link "According to Rosenberg, the school district has 45 days to accept or reject the students' claims from the date they were received. We do not want another Columbine incident where a bullied student went on a shooting rampage to rid himself of his perpetual tormentors. Child dies after car crashes into elementary school in Wimbledon - CNN Karrie Z. Huang, Palo Alto Senior High School. I have one for the medical staff at the school: When the injured student(s) came to you for treatment, what did you do? The aggressive kids in middle school were training for high school bully behavior. Self-defense should be taught in P.E. The Weekly is not naming the students or parents involved to protect their privacy. "This is especially troubling as the assailants had a history of violent behavior known to GHS even before the issues addressed herein. "They should be able to walk the school campus without constantly looking over their shoulders for danger and be able to go into a locker room or a bathroom without fear of an attack," they said. A group of students is urging the Palo Alto Unified School District to change the way it responds to suicides so that there is more transparency with the community after a death occurs. "This situation has been extremely difficult for our children and our families, and is not something we ever expected to face," the parents said through their attorney. The Met Police said several people, including a seven-month-old girl, had been taken to hospital. The students include one who is Black, others who are of European or Middle Eastern descent and some who have an IEP or 504 Plan, Rosenberg said. There is no excuse for bullying or this type of behavior and I am not condoning it. Not only do the actual suicides of some teens encourage others who may already be thinking about it, she said, some studies have suggested that intense media coverage spurs others. It was unclear whether any of the teens were connected. PAUSD let the ball drop as evidence of the cases of six young "We feel closely associated with the community and we recognise what a tragic incident [it is].". Hide behind the lawyers, blame the victims. These alleged bullies need to expelled.The school districts policy must include consequences for example expulsion. Athletics - Gunn High School Zoe Morgan covers education, youth and families for the Mountain View Voice and Palo Alto Weekly / PaloAltoOnline.com, with a focus on using data to tell compelling stories. 62 followers 62 connections Join to view profile Gunn High School About I am attending my third year of high school at Henry M. Gunn High School. A group of six Gunn High School boys have faced violent bullying and harassment, including racial slurs, that administrators didn't adequately respond to, according to claims recently filed by the students and their parents.Since the beginning of the school year, the six students, who are all freshmen or sophomores, have been "constantly bullied, harassed and physically attacked by fellow students," according to a redacted version of one of the personal injury claims that Seth Rosenberg, the attorney representing the families, shared with the Weekly.The students include one who is Black, others who are of European or Middle Eastern descent and some who have an IEP or 504 Plan, Rosenberg said. PAUSD has a problem with institutional bias, as has been determined both by the courts and also by the United States Justice Department. She said: "I wanted to pay tribute to this girl, her family and the school, and I'm really sorry. It sounds like many of the victims were Black or Middle Eastern - should we be worried that we are not living up to our values an an inclusive society? Wow, how many more excuses can people make for criminal conduct? This year's commencements for . I know plenty of folks with anxiety disorders who would ask for extra time to finish an assignment but that wouldn't mean they would go on to bully someone. Since the beginning of the school year, the six students, who are all freshmen or sophomores, have been "constantly bullied, harassed and physically attacked by fellow students," according to a redacted version of one of the personal injury claims that Seth Rosenberg, the attorney representing the families, shared with the Weekly. Your contribution matters. In many parts of town, you can hear the warning of a passing train just about everywhere: the quad at Palo Alto High School; the tables at Piazza's grocery store, where kids from Gunn High. "I wanted to pay my respects and for [my son] to see that's an important thing to do.". At Paly, Assistant Principal Jerry Berkson does as little as humanly possible and students know they won't get in trouble. In 2008, Bartholomew said, 12 out of the 16 fatalities involving Caltrain were suicides. Cyber bullying has been reported as increasing during the pandemic. What has always happened is that PAUSD and the administrators at the PAUSD schools have always tried to discourage the reporting of bullying and any other type of harassment that might reflect poorly on the school. "This is especially troubling as the assailants had a history of violent behavior known to GHS even before the issues addressed herein.". Watch: The BBC's Mark Lobel is at the scene the day after the fatal crash. After sending three oppressors to the ER (broken jaw, dislocated shoulder, and dislodged eye socket) the bullies learned to leave me alone. Police are continuing to question a woman over a car crash at a school which killed an eight-year-old girl, as floral tributes are laid at the scene. The board took no formal action at the meeting, board President Shounak Dharap said. Gunn High School - Wikipedia Has a police complaint been filed? Palo Alto police did not return messages seeking comment about the suicides, but Sgt. PAUSD creates these lawsuits not through the incidents, but through the callous and evasive response we give to parents. Why havent the perpetrators been suspended from school?! As a youngster who was constantly bullied because of my ethnicity (Jewish), diminutive size, and profound intellectualism, I eventually took it upon myself to effectively deal with this problematic issue. "It's very difficult and it's very sensitive," Caltrain spokeswoman Tasha Bartholomew said today. One of Palo Alto's darkest chapters is explored on the big screen in a remarkably personal documentary on suicides among students at the highly rated public schools in one of Silicon Valley's. Instead, the attitude on the board is to work with the admin to best 'manage' the parents totally backwards. Best High Schools in San Jose, CA Area - US News Become a member today. The district is hoping that everyone will vent their frustration and then forget about the whole thing in a few weeks/months. Information about the teenagers and the particulars of their deaths are being closely guarded by school and police officials who fear a public spectacle will only encourage more unstable students to take their lives. Freshmen and sophomores work in class at Gunn High School in Palo Alto on March 16, 2022. That said, we did have a few issues with bullying at Duveneck and Jordan and I reported it immediately to the teachers and principals and it was resolved. Template Design 4 - Gunn High School - GitHub Pages Well, OK Dr. Austin - what do you have to say about it? Bullying is due to poor parenting and most parenting here is good. Roger Fan - Gunn High School - Palo Alto, California, United States The force has said it is not treating the crash as terror-related. We all know that bullies are cowards. Spotify. This in-depth report by Palo Alto Online appears in the official website of National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environment, the US Department of Education: Marion Davis, instead of sending these bullies to juvenile hall, where they will learn new violent skills, how about mandatory FAMILY THERAPY? According to Rosenberg, the school district has 45 days to accept or reject the students' claims from the date they were received. people attacked by aggressors at school. I do not know why we stand for this. 2023 BBC. Dharap and Superintendent Don Austin both declined interview requests for this article. The Weekly is not naming the students or parents involved to protect their privacy.The claim, which was mailed to the school district Oct. 29, describes alleged physical assaults that led one student to go to the emergency room, two more to see the nurse and another to suffer a head injury. A group of six Gunn High School boys have faced violent bullying and harassment, including racial slurs, that administrators didn't adequately respond to, according to claims recently filed by the students and their parents. Children don't always deal with change well. As an adolescent of 17, I was arrested twice for grand theft auto (joyriding) and given one of two choices by the judgeeither finish up in reform school or join the Navy upon turning 18. Despite a full week of parent and student outcry, Paly has doubled-down on its choice to remove one of its *only* black role models as well as its most beloved mentor to most of the baseball players. Is there social media evidence? so are other schools. Image via Google Street View. -- Shawna Chen recalled the unsettling response she got when she was in middle school and she told friends that she was going to attend the elite Henry M. Gunn High School in Palo Alto, California. Baran told ABCNews.com that Palo Alto set up a committee called HEARD, comprised of pediatricians, schools, police and community agencies after the first two suicides this year "to come up with a response to address this pattern.". My experience has been some positive, but more negative.). "'That's the school with suicides," Chen, 18, recalled her friends saying. Don't miss out on the discussion! Det Ch Sup Clair Kelland, local police commander for south-west London, said: "We would ask people not to speculate while we work to understand the full circumstances of what has happened during this tragic incident.". Protect your children. Uploaded: Fri, Nov 12, 2021, 6:56 am A total of 35 police vehicles were deployed and officers worked with paramedics to give first aid to those injured. The Almanac Thank you. Phoro by Magali Gauthier. Two critical after fatal Wimbledon school crash - BBC News As the saying goes from The Karate Kid"No mercy.". PAUSD administration? The families went on to say that they want to see administrators respond quickly and effectively, so students feel safe. He added: "I just want to offer condolences on behalf of the All England Club and everyone involved in Wimbledon Tennis. Rotten parenting, low self-esteem and stress to arrive do not EXCUSE bad behavior. My son is now working on a Ph.D. from Harvard and his friend is a medical Dr. CDC investigates why so many students in wealthy Palo Alto, Calif The key is to get the majority of these juvenile delinquents and thugs off the streets and out of the public school system where they wreak havoc. Let me take this opportunity to educate the school officials by showing some quotes in stopbullying.gov, an official website of the United States government. The schools need to mandate therapy and pay for it if the families can't. 2023 Palo Alto Online. Photo by Magali Gauthier. My guess is the bullies have influential parents that the District does not want to offend so they roll over. Instead, some came in with constant fear, not knowing what could happen next. The only way to deter and neutralize these punks is to separate them from the pack. The bullies/perpertrators won't be punished because the school/district is afraid the parents will complain. I am now researching similar cases of racism in schools and colleges. Very sad circumstances but hearsay is hard to work with. "Parents are extremely affected by this right now and they need help, too," she said of Palo Alto. Det Ch Supt Kelland added the crash "would have also had a significant impact" on officers who were at the scene and the force would "ensure their welfare is looked after". Henry M. Gunn High School - U.S. News & World Report Gunn Principal Wendy Stratton said in a text that the school's administration "is committed and works diligently to ensure the safety of our students on a daily basis," but declined to comment further, citing student privacy protections and an active investigation. Those kids might have problems and are acting out at school. What these students experienced is terrible. Henry M. Gunn High School serves 1,936 students in grades 9-12. He qualified from St Thomas's Medical School, and completed general medical training . News . Why is this not happening? Dan Ryan told the San Jose Mercury News that he knows of six to eight more that had been prevented. This is NOT a pandemic issue. Maybe the parents of the bullies must be required to attend counseling. "I think parents are wanting to know what they can do.". Bullying is not acceptable. 'Gunn High School wanted to curtail these boys' school experience and treat the assailants and victims as equals.'. CNN . The act of using an ethnic slur and causing bodily injuries is way more than simple bullying -- it's a hate crime. The superintendent might not have been aware of details of what happens at Gunn. It also describes the Black student being repeatedly called the N-word. 4 minutes ago. It also describes the Black student being repeatedly called the N-word.The response from Gunn administrators has been "unreasonable, impractical and ineffective," leading to "ongoing and pervasive" problems for the students, according to the claim. This is criminal behavior. [5] [6] He went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts from Saint Louis University. @S. Underwood, totally agree. Get a thorough investigation of all parties involved. If the parents are to blame for having children who are bullies, the solution is simplemake the parents criminally and financially responsible for the actions of their offspring who are still minors.