I heard from three local residents yesterday. One of the three doesn’t live in the Hot Springs School District, but she is very concerned with recent events occurring there.
I have written before of my concern about the “IB World Programme,” a United Nations sponsored curriculum, now being taught to “the crème of the crop” in four of the HSSD schools. Information sent to me yesterday makes it clear that the I.B. curriculum isn’t the only problem in the Hot Springs Schools.
HSSD middle school employees are receiving training on gang violence. Evidently, the situation is getting bad. A former honor student is now locked in a psych facility because of panic attacks and flashbacks. Certain thugs told this young man that “they’d get him” and they did. Many of them laughed on March 12th as he was being strapped to an ambulance gurney shouting “leave me alone, please, please, just leave me alone.”
The young man has been diagnosed with PTSD, post traumatic stress disorder.
One citizen has stated that the bullies at the school have no respect for those in authority. It seems that many kids who want to learn are being threatened and beaten by those who have been sent back into the school by the local courts.
My question is, “What is the Hot Springs School Board doing about this problem?”
I have taught at the Jr. High level and have taken knives from kids (IN A PRIVATE SCHOOL!). When schools look the other way at fear and bullying going on in their hallways, the results usually spell disaster.
These reports, sadly, don’t surprise me. How can a school that lacks the wisdom to see the intent of the I.B. “programme” deal with other issues properly?
I have seen in action the leadership of HSSD when they met with the citizens of Park Avenue regarding changes in the school located in their neighborhood. The HSSD told concerned citizens in the Park Avenue area that they had no say when it came to the kind of school that would be put in their vicinity.
I have also heard recent reports of problems in the Park Avenue area where the HSSD told the residents there would be no ill effects resulting from moving kids who’ve had poor previous records into their neighborhood.
All of these problems have little to do with bad kids. These problems are the result of poor adult leadership.
Local residents are asking concerned citizens who wish to find out more to attend the next HSSD school board meeting.
The meetings are held the third Tuesday of every month at 5:00 P.M. That puts this month’s on the 18th. If you plan on attending a meeting, call 624-3372 to verify time and date. The meeting is held at the Jones Administrative building.
Chris Reimers
For more on the I.B. Programme, here’s a website published by a concerned American:
Wings of the Wind 
Thanks for this report Chris…please keep us posted. I believe that bullying is going on in all levels of school in our district. I will try to make the next meeting.
Hi Claudia,
It would be great if you could go to the meeting. A couple of friends of mine are going. I’m going to try and be there if I can.
I just talked today to a friend of mine who has substituted in the Hot Springs Schools and will not do so again. She is a very good teacher and is now teaching in another school district. She told me that, on her first day as a sub in the high school, a young man approached her and asked her, “Have you ever been slapped in the face by a black boy?” He then proceeded to act like he was going to hit her in an apparent attempt to make her flinch. My friend is not very tall, but she is not easily intimidated. I imagine the kid towered over her. She didn’t flinch, but said that she also didn’t report the incident like she should have. She said that she was so shocked she didn’t even think to make a report. Imagine having to deal with that on your first day of substitute teaching.
I was saddened to hear of such behavior. The fact that a student has no fear of making such a comment to an authority figure is an indicator that the comments we are hearing aren’t unfounded.
I have covered the Hot Springs High School Band and I know that many of the students at the school are great kids. The interviews that I did with the students in the band were enjoyable.
It is also the truth that, if she were writing this, my teacher friend would put me to shame. I have met many teachers and, if I were asked to rank them, I would put her near the top. Yet, she has experienced Hot Springs School District and would never want to teach there. That speaks volumes to me.
You know the school district much better than I do. It sounds like you are also aware of a problem. I have been to one HSSD board meeting and I can’t recall seeing more than a few parents there. From what I’ve been told, the poor showing of parents isn’t because parents don’t care. It seems that school board meeting times have been hushed. Lending weight to this suspicion is the fact that the next scheduled meeting is on May 18th, at 5:00. Isn’t that the day when most folks will be voting around that time?
I will continue to try and gather more information on the situation. I don’t know what we can do about this except to keep our ears open and try to get more parents involved. My hope is that the students in the Hot Springs schools aren’t going to school scared. What kind of learning environment would that be?
Thanks for the comment Claudia.