A new policy at Cook County Middle School does not allow students to talk during lunch hours or during class transitions.
Parents and students have raised concerns about not being in agreement with the new policy, and according to parents and students, the students are only allowed to talk during Friday at recess. If students talk, they are sent to in-school suspension. Parents were never notified this policy was being enforced until students informed them after the first day of school. One parent says she was told by school officials that this is being enforced as a proactive tactic to keep students disciplined.
I think its insane, they cannot speak in the hallway they cannot speak in class, a parent said. They have to walk in the two-tile square that is closest to the wall to pass between classes.
Some even told WALB they feel as if their kids are getting treated similarly to inmates, and they want a further explanation as to why.
Its okay for them to make a name for the school sports-wise but you get them in there and you want to treat them like that those kids are not in a penitentiary. This is not reform school, and this is not a prison, another parent added.
Cook County Middle School made a statement on Facebook;
Cook Middle Schools administration and staff appreciate the concerns you have expressed in regard to our new lunch and transition procedures. MS is striving to ensure all students understand the rules, routines, and procedures needed for a safe and orderly school environment so they can excel academically and socially. After three days of following appropriate procedures, students have risen to the occasion and exceeded our expectations. We have seen improvements in hallway traffic flow and our ability to attend to students needs. Our desire is to effectively model and teach expectations as we begin the new school year to strive for success. We value your help and support in this endeavor, and we look forward to our students having conversations during lunch in the coming days as they continue to demonstrate responsible behavior.
Parents told WALB that a big part of their students development is practicing social skills. These comments on Facebook show how distraught parents are knowing their childs speaking rights are taken away. Due to this new policy, several parents are having lunch with their children at the schools during that time to give them some freedom from school.
I dont know what point they are trying to prove or what kind of control they are trying to get but this is not the way to do it, if there is an issue with the kids that you want resolved involve the parents, said another parent.
We spent the day at the board of education trying to get a hold of the middle schools principal, the superintendent, as well as the administrators for further explanation and where the policy stemmed from, but no comment was given.