Hot List sparks concern

VALDOSTA
The Valdosta Daily Times

Rabyn Ratliff Sat, May 17 2008

— After much community concern and question behind recent news of the Hot List at Valdosta High School, the board heard from the public regarding the issue during the March work session held Tuesday.
In a copy of the letter, which was sent to VHS faculty by e-mail, the purpose of the Hot List was stated as, “(a) list of students at VHS that have been identified as behavior problems and/or non-performers in the classroom.”
The letter, which was confirmed to have been written by VHS Principal Brett Staton went on to say that the principal, administrators, superintendent, and PLC director would work “to get more of these students into a different environment.” Examples of such alternative environments, as stated in the letter, included, “(i.e. PLC, Alternative School, night school, GED or the ‘Real World’) since they have shown an inability to be successful at VHS.”
Since finding its way into the community, parents have grown concerned over the list, and questioned its purpose.
After more than a month of rising concern about the issue, the board heard from four individuals regarding the list during Tuesday’s work session and called meeting.
The first to speak to the board was a local grandmother, Yvonne Morgan.
“The thing that disturbed me about the Hot List, is that it included the names of 12 special education students, and also, in talking with some of the parents of some of the students, I noticed that there was no reason for their children to be on the list,” said Morgan.
Parent Sharon Gay, is one such example.
“My son is a senior and is about to graduate and his name is on this hot list. My concern is, how could he have been accepted into college and be on a hot list,” said Gay.
“It says this is for children with behavioral problems and who are failing. My son has not been in any trouble or failed any of his classes this year, and they say it was a mistake (his name being placed on the list). How many teachers do we have that would make a mistake like this? And how many mistakes are in that first wave from Jan. 23, 2008?”
Speaking on behalf of VHS department heads, teacher Charlotte Duplantis, shared her perspective of the Hot List as a daily instructor of 39 years, in hopes of easing some concerns.
“One of the interventions that we have is the Hot List, and from my perspective as a teacher, the motivation behind the Hot List is to let students know we care,” Duplantis said. “I can’t solve a problem until I know what the problem is. The list was compiled to identify students who were at risk of not being successful. The term hot means importance, it is not synonymous with hit.”
According to Duplantis, the complete list (which included 420 names) was compiled by names submitted to administrators by teachers, with the understanding that parental contact would be made.
“Teachers were asked to turn in the names of students who were non-performing or constant disruption problems, and we were informed the names would be used to contact parents or guardians to place students on behavioral, and or academic contracts,” Duplantis said. “Teachers never saw the original list, only assistant principals to deal with discipline. They cross referenced the list and identified 100 students to begin immediate intervention.”
After that process, according to Duplantis, a special intervention meeting was held on Feb. 28, with students listed on the first wave list, “Followed up by a parent guardian meeting that evening,” she said. “This was the action to prepare our students for the real world.”
Valdosta School District Volunteer and mentor J.C. Cunningham shared a different perspective, of the origin of the Hot List.
“The student handbook included a point value system of 100 points, and every student received a copy of that and every parent was supposed to sign it,” said Cunningham. “I missed the meeting when the board approved the point system, which is how the Hot List came to be. And with this 100 point system, I’m surprised that there weren’t more than 100 people on the list.”
Cunningham also went on to share how a rigorous program initiative may have placed students at an academic disadvantage, making them prime targets for placement on the Hot List.
“I’m upset with myself for not going to The Valdosta Daily Times when I found out the board had approved a college prep program to begin at VHS for all incoming freshmen, despite their educational performance in middle school,” Cunningham said. “I’m upset because I knew this program was rushed, and it was setting our children up to fail. Over 300 freshmen failed one or more classes during the first semester–another reason of how the Hot List came to be."
In closing, Cunningham asked parents and the community to channel their anger toward the list into challenge - challenge toward themselves and toward the board, to make improvements to education for the benefit of all students.
“I hope and pray we channel our anger toward something positive now that we have the board’s attention, and we have to work with them and help them, and show up for meetings and forums,” Cunningham said. “We must demand books, demand certified teachers, and we need to demand that our children be treated like human beings when they eat in the lunchroom. But also, we must demand that our children go to school and act with respect at all times, and we must demand that they go to class and do their homework, and take advantage of every opportunity.”
He continued, “And we must tell them (the board) that if every student can’t have a book to do their class work, we definitely don’t need an IB program, which is costly and only going to help the privileged few.”
No public response or comment was shared by the board Tuesday in regards to the issue, although each guest was thanked for their participation.