The Kringlesphere

But They Want More Of My Money

Racine Unified can't even keep kids safe in the bathrooms.

I bet they claim it's because we don't pay enough in taxes. Even at $10,000 per student. It's stuff like this that tells me they don't need any more of my money; they need to get their act together.

RACINE - The Racine Unified School District needs to do more on school safety, two parents of assaulted students said during the public comment portion of Monday night's School Board meeting.

Angie Olsen said one of her sons, a freshman, was assaulted in the bathroom at Case High School on March 3. In a random act of violence, five assailants punched him in the back of the neck, pushing his head into a wall and embedded his braces into his cheek, she said.

"Kids won't even use bathrooms out of fear," Olsen said. "How can kids get an education in such an unsafe environment?" One of her older sons, a senior, was randomly assaulted by a group of high school students in a fast-food parking lot on April 7.

"We have learned these are gang-related," Olsen said, adding that students are making video tapes of the fights. Police reports were filed in both cases, she said.

Liz Rosienski said her son was assaulted in the bathroom at Park High School on March 30. He was using the bathroom at the end of the school day before boarding the bus to go home, she said.

Three students entered the bathroom, repeatedly punched her son and made racial comments. He was unable to identify his attackers.

"This is traumatic," she said. "My son didn't sleep for four nights."

Rosienski said the school has since locked upstairs bathrooms, but hasn't informed students or staff of the reason.

She said Principal John Scott told her that bathroom assaults were an issue last school year and have picked up again.

"This cannot be tolerated in our schools," Rosienski said.

Olsen said she was told the students involved in these types of attacks often get expelled from one school and sent to another school, where the attacks continue. In one case, a student's jaw was broken at Case High School, Olsen said.

Superintendent Tom Hicks said he would personally follow up on the parent's concerns, bringing in Assistant Superintendent Jose Martinez and the new Director of Security Al Days.

"...I believe I was very clear about the nature of penalties that needed to be in place when such violence occurs," Hicks said at Monday's School Board meeting.

There does not appear to be any spike in violence at local high schools, according to Sgt. Steve Madsen of the Racine Police Department.

Wanna bet the pro-referendum advocates cite this as part of the reason we need to give RUSD permission to blow the spending caps? That we need a tax increase?

Actually, this is a perfect reason to vote "NO!"

posted by The Badgerland Conservative @ 2:44 PM