Petition Against Proposed Derry Township School Board Policy No. 824 Until Changes Are Made

As a former educator, I can attest to the significance of student / teacher interaction beyond the classroom. It is those connections and caring that students take with them beyond the classroom that let them know they are real people becoming members of our adult society and culture, and are the future models by which we dmonstrate the qualities of "being a good and decent human being". The most prominent example of teacher / student communication outside the classroom is a teacher being an advisor or leader for one of those same student's youth groups or religious organizations. There is plenty of arguement for the separation of church and state, which are valid, however, consider the following scenario: A student having a difficult time attends a youth group. An advisor (also a teacher) attends to this student to help him/her with said issue on the grounds that are not associated with a school or for "educational purposes" on perhaps a Sunday evening. Does that same person / teacher / adult now forced to NOT discuss the issue with said student? Is the school now presenting a policy that will remove healthy interactions between the student / teacher when the student is at a critical junction of need / support / conversation from this very same adult? Another: Perhaps the teacher and the students parent are friends outside of the educational environment and exchange pleasantries on Social Media. Maybe the student's parent is suddenly taken seriously ill, or perhaps is killed in an auto accident. The teacher possesses specific knowledge of the parent that the student is already aware of, and by having a policy like this in place is now prohibited by language in assisting this student in a non-educational situation? Perhaps the teacher is even a neighbor, and able to offer the student something as simple as a ride home after missing a bus, or having an unnecessary delay from departing school. A policy like this would under

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I am grateful for how the community has rallied around the importance of forming relationships with students and athletes.

I fully support this petition. I students should have the ability to develop appropriate relationships with their teachers. Having a personal or family matter can affect a student's ability to focus in class. Students shouldn't feel like they're forbidden to discuss a problem with their teacher -- someone who knows them, cares about them and who may be able to help get them back on track.

Think about the numerous teachers who were influential in your life choices in any positive regard...now imagine that being against policy. Seems like the antithesis to exactly what school is supposed to be and do for our youth!!!!! Teachers are role models and mentors, often the only ones some of our kids will come across. Sending them to a guidance counselor at every personal conversation will undoubtedly dampen that meaningful influence.

I'm from LD but I'm still signing it because this is so dumb.

A little common sense please. Who do our children see on a daily basis. The children and the teachers lose out.

Toss this act out the window

I support altering the policy wording so that students are protected, while still being able to benefit from the advice of their teachers

I don't always feel comfortable talking to my guidance counselor. It is not a person who I work with on a day to day basis and won't understand what I am saying.

It's quite absurd, the whole purpose of this policy. The School advertises itself as a friendly and welcoming community, yet tries to prohibit interactions between students and teachers, the latter being a fundamental pillar in this so-called "community." To do this, we might as well have no teachers at all, just us showing up to class, filling out questions in packets, skimming bolded terms in textbooks. That is the epitome of such a policy proposal. To accomplish it, either the students must go, or the teachers, and I suspect neither is a suitable option.

As an alumni and an educator I support the modification this policy.

This policy is overbearing and creates unnecessary boundaries between students. Maintaining the community will consequently maintain the professional environment. Creating unnecessary boundaries will lead to the opposite effect, disconnection of person and emotion will lead to the disconnection of learning. A teacher cannot fully assess a student with a standardized system and a standardized test, there is more in play for the student than simply knowing the information.

As a past student and an education major, this policy is ridiculous in many senses. There are good things there but there are other things that would be detrimental to the student body.

Policy 824 is interesting and disturbing. This information is coming to light during Teacher Appreciation Week. Policy 824 demonstrates anything but "teacher appreciation". Yesterday the US Secretary of Education, John King, released the following statement in part, John King wrote: “This week, our nation recognizes and honors teachers across the country for their tireless efforts on behalf of our students, everywhere from small towns and suburbs, to rural communities and Tribal lands, to big cities. Teachers have one of the most challenging and fulfilling jobs — literally shaping and changing lives. If you are a teacher, or if you know one, you know the long hours and hard work that go into designing challenging lessons, guiding students and providing feedback, engaging with parents and families, collaborating with colleagues, reflecting on instruction, and staying abreast of research. But much of the work you do also is about the intangible — it’s about fostering that almost indescribable, and yet unmistakable, spark between you and your students. It’s there when you see the potential in every student who walks through your door, even when he may not yet recognize his own gifts.” Our US Secretary of Education recognizes the special relationships that are built between both teachers and students and their parents. Our School District and School Board are acting contrary to what is recognized as good practice throughout the United States. COCOA Principles and "Every Child, Every Day", I say NOT.

There were many times that, without the personal support of a few understanding and concerned members of DTSD's faculty, I would most certainly have had a more than negative outcome of my formative years. To this day, those special individuals hold a place in my memories that I often recall as examples of how truly empathetic and caring adults should treat sensitive and confused young people.

I might as well be home schooled if this rule is applied.

Moreover, many kids have parents who have the time and ability to help them through issues, but many do not. Some kids don't have parents who will be there for them, and denying them connections with trusted adults is extremely unfair.

Hi Josh, I am a sophomore at temple university and an alumna of HHS. Temple is a huge school, and even my freshman year, I had only one lecture while the rest of my classes had about 20 kids in them. Even then, professors are always available outside of class to talk to students personally. Making connections with professors is fundamental to success at college, and this policy would certainly hurt students in that aspect. Helping students with issues is not "babysitting" and I know that many of my teachers valued helping their students through trying times. HHS currently has 4 guidance counselors, which would not be nearly enough to help the current number of students. I urge you to rethink you're position.

Unless the district is prepared to hire a 10 fold increase in guidance counselors, there simply is not enough to scale to the size of the student body. Having teachers be more than just academic resources enables the growth of students to scale broadly across the organization.