St. Paul Principal: Students In Crisis, Teachers Sometimes Overwhelmed
ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) -- We're getting a look inside a St. Paul high school that's been making headlines for disruptive student behavior.
I had the chance to sit down with the principal of Como Park Senior High School and a behavioral specialist at the school to talk about the challenges students face in and out of the classroom.
Earlier this year, there was a series of fights among students. A little more than a week ago, two Como Park students were charged with assault after being accused of punching a teacher.
"There are young people who walk through these halls, and they wear their emotions on their sleeves," said Como Park Principal Theresa Neal. "Those emotions will sometimes resonate sadness. Those emotions will sometimes resonate frustration or anger."
She says this school year has heightened everyone's awareness that many teenagers are in crisis.
"I certainly think teachers are very mindful of the needs of our children," she said. "Sometimes our teachers may feel overwhelmed in terms of what can we do for them."
Donnell Gibson, a behavioral specialist at the school, talks to students and helps them handle conflict.
"We are starting to deal with kids who are now raising themselves," he said. "So when you raise yourself, the standards of respect and the standards of what common respect is is not there anymore."
He says the behavior in school is often a reflection of what's going outside of school.
"We have people who are continuously getting touched, disrespected or just forgotten about, because we deal with an area where the parents haven't healed," Gibson said. "They haven't even addressed their problems, so the kids are dealing with that."
He says he sees a growing disconnect between students and teachers, leaving each side feeling misunderstood.
In addition to a behavioral specialist, Como Senior High also has a cultural specialist, three social workers, guidance counselors, and community members who supervise hallway and cafeteria activity.
The need for more behavioral specialists, social workers and psychologists was a big part of the most recent contract negotiations between the St. Paul school district and the teachers union.
The district agreed to hire more staff to help with school climate.