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Inside Room 222 on the second floor of Allapattah Middle School this past January 17, around 4:30 p.m., the 15 students in Erika Selig's eighth-period academic improvement class are sitting at their desks, working on algebra exercises. The walls of the classroom are decorated with large, colorful phrases explaining the essentials of reading and writing. In the back of the room, eight desktop computers sit idle. Despite being an English teacher who has provided no math instruction in her 10-year career, Selig is charged with helping her students increase their FCAT math scores. And that means algebra.

Minutes before the final bell sounds at the northwest Miami school, Selig catches 13-year-old seventh-grader Catharine* listening to her iPod. She asks the girl three times to put away the music player, but the student ignores Selig. The teacher walks over to the chubby Hispanic girl's desk. "Look, I don't want to take it away from you," Selig warns, "so please put it away."

As the 35-year-old sits back in her chair at the front of the room, Catharine, sporting a menacing pout, approaches. She cocks her hand in her pocket as if holding a pistol. "Look, bitch," the girl hisses. "You're gonna have to say hello to my little friend, bitch."

A dumbfounded Selig can't muster a response. The bell rings and Catharine bolts out the door. Selig immediately reports the incident to her bosses, Principal Adolfo Costa and Assistant Principal Jacqueline Lewis, but they do nothing to discipline the teen. For more than 10 days, they ignore Selig's pleas to have the child removed from her class.

During a meeting in his office January 28, according to Selig, Costa asked, "Do you think you're the only teacher who has been threatened by a student?" Before ending their meeting, he suggested that Selig "look in the mirror and think hard about whether she fit in" at Allapattah Middle. "I was almost in tears," Selig recalls. "I didn't feel safe."

Not until Selig contacted Mark Zaher, the school district's operations chief in charge of conduct, did Principal Costa relent and relocate Catharine to another classroom. But that wasn't the last time Selig was threatened by one of the seventh-graders in her eighth-period class. On February 12, while Selig explained to her students that they would fail if they did not do their algebra assignments, a Hispanic girl named Michelle screamed, "I'll shoot you if you give me an F!"

Two days later, Costa removed Michelle from the class, but she was not punished. Selig was undeterred, hounding Costa and his assistant principals to do something about unruly students — children fighting on the second floor of the main building, banging on classroom doors, screaming racially charged obscenities — as well as the low morale among Allapattah teachers that stemmed from the lack of discipline at the school.

When the administrators ignored her, Selig went above them, reporting the problems to the school board. She even reached out to Superintendent Rudolph "Rudy" Crew, who was recently named national superintendent of the year by the American Association of School Administrators. Crew has spent tens of millions of taxpayer dollars trying to fix schools such as Allapattah, without producing any meaningful results.

Selig's complaints achieved little, other than to motivate Costa to silence her for exposing Allapattah's hostile work environment. Her whole experience illustrates how Crew condones a culture that rewards inaction and blind obedience over critical thinking and whistleblowing.

Despite several attempts to interview Costa and Crew, both declined to comment for this article. In addition, Costa, as well as schools spokesman John Schuster, did not respond to a list of 47 questions New Times e-mailed both of them.

"They wanted to make me look like a bad guy," Selig says. "The principal made my job so much more difficult by not backing me up and believing in me."

Located in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Miami, Allapattah is among the county's worst middle schools. Only 20 percent of its 643 students are likely to graduate high school.

Some of Allapattah's children suffer from social ills far beyond the control of school officials. For instance, Michelle — one of the girls who threatened Selig — had to move in with a friend because her mother has been in and out of the hospital after suffering two strokes late last year. This past February 23, one of Michelle's teachers, in an e-mail to the girl's guidance counselor, reported that the girl had carved her name on the skin of her left forearm.

Other neighborhood kids don't even make it to secondary school alive. This past April 3, during spring break, 14-year-old eighth-grader Deandre Anderson was behind the wheel of a maroon compact car with a friend. He didn't have a driver's license and it was not his car, according to police. As he drove north on NW Seventh Avenue near 112th Street, Anderson struck a gray Nineties Ford Thunderbird, damaging the driver's side. The boy fled, but the driver of the Thunderbird chased him. When Anderson's ride broke down at the intersection of NW 114th Street and 11th Avenue, he and his friend bailed on foot.

Anderson didn't make the getaway. Someone in the gray car pulled a gun and opened fire, killing him six houses down from where the car had conked out.

In 2005, the year after he was named superintendent, Crew put Allapattah, along with 38 other schools, in his School Improvement Zone. The goal of his initiative was to dramatically turn around chronically failing schools.

As a zone school, Allapattah operates on an extended school year, with 10 extra days and an extra hour added each day, except Wednesday. During the extra period, students practice for the FCAT, grappling with deficiencies in literacy, mathematics, and science. Teachers in the zone receive a 20 percent bump in annual salary. Selig, for example, saw her yearly base pay of $36,000 jump to $42,000 because she taught at Allapattah.

Write Your Comment show comments (112)

  1. Discipline needs to be re-established, especially at home. People like Crew and Costa deserved to be fired, their work performance is a piece of crap.
    www.poeticmotherlover.com

    Comment by M.M. — April 30, 2008 @ 07:44PM

  2. Clearly this article is one-sided and totally biased. Ms. Selig is nowhere in the same league or category of teachers or administrators that represent Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Her hysterical diatribe further shows how she is just a bitter, white woman that was fired for her incompetence and just wants to place the blame on someone else for her inability to do her job. She points her prickly finger at everyone but never bothers to look at herself and the fact that she is clearly unacceptable as a teacher and will never have the ability to motivate her students to achieve success. Has anyone checked out what her new administrators and teachers think about her in her new private school in northeast Miami-Dade? I bet you they are now wishing they would have thoroughly checked her credentials before they hired her. Do they have a 97-day dismissal policy at that school too? Let's hope they do.

    Comment by TopEducator — April 30, 2008 @ 10:28PM

  3. Ding Dong the Witch is Gone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Comment by J.J.R. — April 30, 2008 @ 10:43PM

  4. Even if she were crazy, that doesn't explain the kids wandering the halls, the students' comments about the security at the school, the fact that NO ONE, not even the principal, stopped to ask the reporter who they were and if they had a pass to be there. Even if she were crazy, what gives the right to students to threaten her, call her a white bitch, a ho, etc. If she said those things to the parents, the news would be in an uproar, but if a student says these things...then clearly it's the TEACHER's fault. No wonder Miami is such a such a cess pool....with these type of students and these type of people leaving comments.

    Comment by Pam — May 1, 2008 @ 10:01AM

  5. Is everyone that works for that school district nuts!!! I see a couple of posts here from people who are obviously on the inside. Quit whining about the whistleblower. You folks have a big problem on your hands that needs to be addressed. BTW, don't think for one minute I don't know what I'm talking about. I'm a Jr. High teacher in a rough part of town in a large urban area. I deal with the same type of students profiled in the article. If any one of them dared to call me a bitch or 'ho, that would be last I saw of them for a long time. We also have high stakes testing in our state. While it is our job to do the best we can to promote success on the tests, our primary focus is on the education of children. Children need discipline. I've seen a few crappy administrators in my day, but this one would definately take the cake!

    Comment by azteach — May 1, 2008 @ 11:37AM

  6. I went to Allapattah when it was still called Junior High School from 1983-1984. During that time there was a math teacher who during the SSAT provided the answers to the students. I sat in that class dumbfounded that a teacher would provide the answers to a standardized test. This corruption of 12 and 13 year old children was obviously endemic in the school and nothing ever happened to that teacher. The experience was so blatant that I vividly remember it to this day. Soon there after before the next school year my family moved south of the Miami River and I attended Citrus Grove Middle School from 1985-1986. The difference was a 180 degree turn for the better and I can truly say that I flourished at Citrus Grove and Miami High after thereafter. My attendance at Allapattah was a long time ago but the evidence is clear that it hasn't changed much and it's only getting worse.

    I have sympathy for Ms. Selig. She should have taken her case to the EEOC office of Miami-Dade. Costa wouldn't have been able to touch her and the whole school would have been investigated. This would have been beyond Costa, Crew or UTD's control. Once the Feds get involved they all shiver like the weasels they are. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 would have protected her: Hostile work environment, retaliation, you name it the the law is there to protect anyone who is being treated is the manner Ms. Selig was treated. However, she did the best thing for her own sanity, leave the school.

    Comment by Angel Lazo — May 1, 2008 @ 12:04PM

  7. ms.selig is not telling the truth we do not live in a poor nieghborhood we live in a caring powerful alomost rich nieghborhood and we are interested in education and so does mr.costa he is a good principal and does caare for the students and so is the rest of the falculty and staff

    Comment by unavalible — May 1, 2008 @ 01:54PM

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    Comment by barry morse — May 1, 2008 @ 04:45PM

  9. Might I suggest that comment #8 accurately portrays the school. I've been to Liberty City, and even visited the school. It was my experience that the problem is not simply the students and the administration, but is a result of the culture of the community. Liberty City matches every stereotype about the "Ghetto." The vast majority of residents are below the poverty level surviving off of welfare and food stamps, there aren't hardly any two parent homes, crime and violence are rampant, and excessive drug usage. The worst part about this lifestyle is not that this is actually taking place, but that it is glorified. It is golrified in the clothing that they where, the verbage in their speach, and their lack of desire for upward mobility. The schools will not change, nor will the education provided for the children until the residents of the community change their atitudes and values and stop trying to live their lives like a music video on BET...

    Comment by TEXASSTA — May 1, 2008 @ 05:14PM

  10. You what, GROW UP! NOT everyone is like that. I'm a current 8th grader at Allapattah and yes, there is fights and all. THOSE ARE FLAWS. Every school has it believe or not. It's reality. There are lots of positive things to say about Allapattah. First of all, look up the Hands on Miami project 2008. Many students took a Saturday from playing video games or watching movies to come down to the school to paint Murals & plant gardens. Last year, no 8th grader student scored no lower than a 3 on the Writing FCAT. NONE. Look at the clubs such as FBLA (I infer that you are incredibly stupid to know what it means), Chess. What about the sports. Wrestling made it in county finals. What's that? Accomplishments. I'm not a dumb person who attends Allapattah. I'm a student who works hard, has TWO honor classes (High School credits) & has been accepted to four amazing high schools (MAST Academy, DASH, South Miami, Miami Coral Reef). How? HARD WORK. Plus, I earned awards, trophies and recognition. Oh wait, what school do I attend? ALLAPATTAH. Look at my grammar and vocabulary and you refer us to being stupid? Get you facts straight by the way, lots of what you wrote is complete nonsense.

    End of the story.

    yes, and I can write.

    Comment by Diana — May 1, 2008 @ 05:41PM

  11. This article is both sad and relieving to me.

    I taught at AMS also as a geography teacher for 96 days as well. I am sure I was les than half the teacher that Ms. Selig was, being 22 years old and with no experience, but my experience with the district and school's administratino was eerily similar. I left Miami shortly thereafter, admittedly ashamed that I had failed where many of my friends had succeeded (many still are veyr successfull teachers in Miami-Dade).

    As I began to finally establish some semblance of educaiton in the room a number of students tore down the little order I had managed to achieve in my classroom. You don't blame the children though, they are not to be held accoutantable for their actions. The no detention, no punishment policy was in full-force under Brain Hamilton as well. I remember sending 120+ pound students to the office for punching 10 year old girls in the face repeatedly only to have them return to my class in 20 minutes. I remember being cursed out daily by students in front of other students and being revealed to all of those innocent young faces as a powerless charlatan of authority. I remember the students knowing (via the administration) that they did not need to pass my class to move on to the next grade. I remember being told that I could only fail 2 students per quarter so we wouldn't appear to be struggling. I remember going to the administration for support after work and foolishly signing their papers only to have them all turned back on me after 96 days (against which the Teach for America program explicitly advises).

    I believe the problem is the vast bureaucracy, little pieces of paper used to cut teachers up. The schools fear that little pieces of paper will appear on Rudy Crew's desk as well. These little piees of paper have supplanted young minds and hearts, not only of the students but of those who seek to educate and give water the the barren soil of urban youth.

    Comment by Travis — May 1, 2008 @ 05:57PM

  12. This article is totally one sided and Ms. Selig only told her side of the story and left out a lot of details. She failed to mention that she herself insulted her students by calling them racial slurs and degrading them. She even called some of her female students "bitches". She also failed to mention that she WALKED out on her class more than one time. Leaving her students unattended and LEFT to go HOME without notifying administration. Her students were left alone in the classroom without any adult supervision...that alone is grounds for termination. She also e-mailed staff during instructional hours with unwanted e-mails, instead of teaching her students she spent her time in the computer complaining(and then she wonders why her students were out of control...how about they were BORED). Nobody can deny that at inner city schools we encounter numerous challenges and behavioral problems but everyone who teaches at these schools know that it comes with the territory. She cannot blame the school or the students because she has absolutely NO CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT! She is trying to make this a racial issue and that is sad. We have wonderful teachers at our school and yes hey are "white". The students respect teachers that earn the respect regardless of color. Mr. Costa is a first year principal who has made a lot of positive changes to the school. We have wonderful students who are proud of the school. Instead of complaining and criticizing, we should get involved. Ms. Selig needs to grow up and stop acting like a child. Lastly, Ms. Selig...you are NOT PETITE...you are a short potbelly biitter person! You are not missed!

    Comment by Teacher — May 1, 2008 @ 07:18PM

  13. Addition to my pervious comment: We have wonderful teachers and that includes teachers of all races and some of our white teachers are happy and have respect for the students and the students respect them in return. Ms. Selig does not speak for every white teacher at Allapattah Middle.

    Comment by Teacher — May 1, 2008 @ 07:27PM

  14. Many Teachers out there are experiencing "Twilight Zone" moments with the public school system. We have entered an era where administrators at schools can no longer ask questions for fear of their boss not knowing the answer. Obviously that would mean a belittling and abusive response in front of colleagues at the next meeting. I do not believe the principle of this school is the "culprit". Nor do I believe it is Rudy Crew. I think it is everyone in the positions between the two. With all of the budget cuts and administrative shuffling everyone in the plush positions of high pay with no students is afraid to lose their job. They must all of a sudden prove that they deserve to sit in an office all day and send ridiculous emails to principles. So they become bullies who are abusive with their power and hold the system back from the change that it needs. The peer pressure to act like this in our system is incredible. I have met principles that do not "speak" to teachers because they are above them. The teacher must go through the "proper channels" first. In my experience administrators are paid too little to put up with ridiculous request from their district offices and regional offices. If a teacher has a question they could never call region because that would mean the administrator is not doing their job. Joining MDCPS is like joining a sorority. Being an administrator is like “rushing”. Our budget has been cut once again. While we (the teachers and administrators) are being threatened with a loss of benefits and an unimaginable work load region/district workers pull into our parking lots in their Mercedes to tell us how we are doing our job incorrectly. I say get rid of all of them re-budget the system and let Crew work directly with us "the little people". If he saw what actually goes on. I believe truly, if he knew how ridiculous the work load is and how real our students problems are Crew would step up. He would defend the under-paid, the over worked, the ones who love the children.

    Comment by Just a teacher — May 1, 2008 @ 07:46PM

  15. It's unfortunate that the truth hurts! Sorry Diana but if you expect me to believe that you are an 8th grade student you must be smoking that pot readily available at Allapattah. The story had to be one sided because those that on the otherside didn't want to be interviewed for obvious. This story tells it like it is and has always been in the dump called Allapattah. Poverty and single parent family is no excuse for misbehavior.

    Comment by Truth Hurts — May 1, 2008 @ 08:49PM

  16. Such a sad story, I remember being in a similar situation (short lived..I transferred). Most administrators are more than competent. However, there are those who master the 'game' of invalidating teacher concerns; they turn the situation against the teacher in order to stick their heads in the sand. They don't report the true happenings of the school in order to attain a good 'end of the year' report from the powers above. In situations like that...it's all about power; instead of being about the student/teacher safety and acheivement. Those types of 'leaders' play the CYA game.

    Interesting that the administrators mentioned refused interviews for the article. Why is it that security gives an open door policy to the 'outsider' doing this article? Security even walked the 'outsider' to the teachers' door! Great job at NOT doing your job Mr/Mrs Security person. Did administrators address that?

    Even the students validate Seligs complaints of violence etc.

    Unfortunately, the students and dedicated teachers in an environment like that, are the ones on the losing end. The administrators dress up in their suits and strut around as though they are important, but the fact is you can dress them up but you can't make them work! After all, that's what they have the teachers for..to make them look good.

    It's sickening.

    Comment by Retired MDCPS Educator — May 2, 2008 @ 10:27AM

  17. u are all liers b****es !!!!!!!!u made the school the worsest it can be so stop sayin lies also so stop bugging us we not the only bad school there is so shut the **** up

    Comment by katherine — May 2, 2008 @ 10:54AM

  18. look people u made us the worst so if u think u that good to just talk then get out cauz all u say iz the same thing also u are all liers u evan said this is a good school by the newspaper how people planted to make a good enviorment u taught us science reading math n more fun stuff but look teachers u just make up to much work can we atleast hav some free time for at least 30 minuetes why u makin this school work so why teachers why.........i knowu u think we need to study but if u keep doin that then we never going to move on we goin to stay in the same place just like mr.harris all h sayz iz his kidz and all in the pass but u say we hav to pay attention n we are but we wont work if u keep talkin about somtin else so this was my time i put for all of u so keep reading till u find sumtin out and if u cant then go somewhere else

    thank
    you!

    Comment by bryan v — May 2, 2008 @ 11:10AM

  19. why did u write all that stuff for no reason.

    Comment by sean — May 2, 2008 @ 11:16AM

  20. Dear,Ms. Selig Hey i understand you but some of them were lies. I thimk this is the best school ever. I know there might be some fights or things like that.I get you on that part but, you are only telling your part tell about the great masteries and the great fun things. When you were here you were an excellent teacher and you smiled everyday you where here.So talk about the fun things that happened in the school. SO STOP LYING,LYING,AND LYING ON US!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!AND GETA LIFE I DONT KNOW WHY YOU ARE LYING AND FUSSING WHEN THERE MANY JOBS OUT THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!DUH!!!!!!!SO TAKE CARE OF YOUR RESPONSIBLIES AND DONT THINK ABOUT ALLAPATTAH MIDDLE SCHOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!1

    Comment by Nessie — May 2, 2008 @ 11:22AM

  21. !!!!!!!!!!you r a fucking lier so sotp lieing bitch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Comment by !!!!!!!!!!!!!1your worse night mare!!!!!!!!!! — May 2, 2008 @ 11:26AM

  22. ANGEL LAZO! STOP TAKING HER SIDE CAUSE YOU KNOW SHE IS A LYING.YOU SO STUPID CAUSE SOME OF THE THING SHE IS SAYING IN THE NEWS IS A LIE SO BE QUIET!!!!!!!

    Comment by Nessie — May 2, 2008 @ 11:27AM

  23. yo selig you bitch y u lieing u triping u white trash mother fucker u just mad because yo ass got fired hoe u bald head mother fucker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!FROM UR BEST STUDENT EVA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Comment by AMANDA — May 2, 2008 @ 11:34AM

  24. yo selig you bitch y u lieing u triping u white trash mother fucker u just mad because yo ass got fired hoe u bald head mother fucker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!FROM UR BEST STUDENT EVA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Comment by AMANDA — May 2, 2008 @ 11:34AM

  25. Mz.Sileg am writing this letter truly for you. Am guessing that you want no kids to come to this school. You want our school to shut down well you¡¯ve been telling some lies. Kids don¡¯t threaten teachers like that wand we don¡¯t carry no guns or pocket knives so you need to STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!u betta stop sayin doez thingz!!!!!!!!! Everyboddi hate u!! 4rom everthing that u sai i hate u 2!! u a bad teacher!! were so glad dat u left da school!!!!!!!!!!!!! U hatin on a.p! diz school iz da best!! u makin kidz,Parents think diz school iz bad!! so u betta shut ur mouth!! U knw anotha name 4 u iz Mz,leg jejeje!! people b crackin on u!! nd u alwayz were jeanz dat wat i heard 4rom people in da school!!! =]!! nd diz school iz a gud school!! we do alot of fun!! nd we love haterz!! which u iz one!!! U makin uz famous!! so hatin on uz we are da best! nd u betta respect are school! all da teacher in a.p teach betta dan u!! everthing u sayin iz a lie!! STOP!!! nd derez no kid dat have the gutz 2 curse in a teacher face!!!!!! c we catch u in a lie!! Nd u betta stop puttin kidz name in diz website!!! BYEE HATER!!!!

    Comment by S¢¾LAtInA Gurl — May 2, 2008 @ 11:35AM

  26. I dnt knw wat happend in dat classroom but u knw u was dead ass rong about some of the sufe u said na I can say some bad sufe but I am not cuz I dnt knw wat happend but wat I knw if u would have told MS.Lewis she would have did something about it but sence u want to say ms.lewis wat about ms.sierra you is a races bitch and i anit sorry to say dat to u gon get fuked up on the hause win u here the guns start popin

    Comment by mr.get right — May 2, 2008 @ 11:36AM

  27. im a student at allapattah middle and she is worng this school is full of disipline and i hate that teacher shes wrong

    Comment by robert — May 2, 2008 @ 11:36AM

  28. I dnt knw wat happend in dat classroom but u knw u was dead ass rong about some of the sufe u said na I can say some bad sufe but I am not cuz I dnt knw wat happend but wat I knw if u would have told MS.Lewis she would have did something about it but sence u want to say ms.lewis wat about ms.sierra you is a races bitch and i anit sorry to say dat to u gon get fuked up on the hause win u here the guns start popin

    Comment by mr.get right — May 2, 2008 @ 11:36AM

  29. I dnt knw wat happend in dat classroom but u knw u was dead ass rong about some of the sufe u said na I can say some bad sufe but I am not cuz I dnt knw wat happend but wat I knw if u would have told MS.Lewis she would have did something about it but sence u want to say ms.lewis wat about ms.sierra you is a races bitch and i anit sorry to say dat to u gon get fuked up on the hause win u here the guns start popin

    Comment by mr.get right — May 2, 2008 @ 11:36AM

  30. I dnt knw wat happend in dat classroom but u knw u was dead ass rong about some of the sufe u said na I can say some bad sufe but I am not cuz I dnt knw wat happend but wat I knw if u would have told MS.Lewis she would have did something about it but sence u want to say ms.lewis wat about ms.sierra you is a races bitch and i anit sorry to say dat to u gon get fuked up on the hause win u here the guns start popin

    Comment by mr.get right — May 2, 2008 @ 11:36AM

  31. This is one of the students from allapattah I dont believe everything u said was true .I feel like you just mad because you dont work here and I know that the student out here have problems but never told somebody they will kill them if you was to give them a "F" .Ms.selig I kno I never had one of your classes but I been going out here for a year and ahalf and I know these kids are not like that.when you said that the student called you a B**** I dont to much believe that at all .The only thing you can say about allapattah is that we got a bad grade for the school but the students got a mine to there own and they are very smart so whatever they put there there mind to they can do whatever and be whatever they want to be and you kno that.Im very upset abou the thing's you said bout are school I know it was kinda heard to work with these students because look we from the hood you just got to learn how to handle it.

    Comment by sharquala — May 2, 2008 @ 11:36AM

  32. Ms.Selig,
    I¡¯m writing this strongly worded letter to you because you are only telling a story that even I can make up in an instant second. People can think that you are telling the truth but to me this is the best school I have ever been to. People in this school are not that bad.I have never saw any student in this school school ever have the guts to actually curse a teacher out!Never in my life!Maybe it's because I have not been in this school for more than one year but still it's wrong to lie on kids just because you left.If you don't like this school then just forget about it!Keep it to yourself!STOP writing things about this school so people can stop coming to this school!To tell you the truth I know so many people that don't even think that your a good teacher!You want to know something else,just because you wrote this about the school I don't like you either!The bad thing is that I don'teven much know you!You need to get a life!Most of all you need to stop hatin'!Most of these kids know you but I don't and yet I still hate you!Many students in our school made mastery and this is still a bad school to you!You want to know something your just writing all ththese stories to make people mad!Not only that you is for ever hatin'!To tell you the truth many people like me love haters!You know why because the more they talk crap the more famous we get!So if you want to keep making me and my friends famous,like Michele then keep on hatin'!Thanks to Allapattah now I can actually read fluently!Im actually more comfortable!I don't know not one teacher in the school that will scoop to your level!And for your information there is no student in A.P the age of 35!!So don't over exagerate!
    ☻h ya once again "STOP HATIN"
    P.S.DONT HATE,APPRECIATE

    Comment by R¢¾L@tin@* — May 2, 2008 @ 11:37AM

  33. You have only said your part. You haven't said the truth. this school is the best school i have ever been to. All schools have problem, no school is perfect.It's not fair that you come to our school a long time ago and say all the things that have happened and I'm not saying that what you wrote is true. Allapattah Middle has done alot of good thing. For example we planted plants and flowers for the Elevate Miami.And that not the only good thing we have done many more. You have only wrote what some students may have done.Why dont you write about how we have a big list on our walls of how student have made mastery. About how other schools take more then ten student to write their news paper and we acomplish to only need 9 student to write ours. So yes we made be an "F" school but that dose not mean that we are a bad school. When i came to AP i was a level two reader but now I'm a 3 and I feel much more comfortable reading and I can read fluently. I have never meat no techer that would go that low.

    P*S

    THE DEVIL IS A LIER

    Comment by N ¢¾ L@tin@* — May 2, 2008 @ 11:38AM

  34. hi everybody including darion

    Comment by whatever — May 2, 2008 @ 11:48AM

  35. hi everybody i am bored and darion love chicken,hi everybody i am bored and darion love chicken,hi everybody i am bored and darion love chicken

    Comment by d.n.angel dark — May 2, 2008 @ 11:52AM

  36. hi everybody i am bored and darion love chicken,hi everybody i am bored and darion love chicken,hi everybody i am bored and darion love chicken

    Comment by d.n.angel dark — May 2, 2008 @ 11:52AM

  37. hi everybody i am bored and darion love chicken,hi everybody i am bored and darion love chicken,hi everybody i am bored and darion love chicken

    Comment by d.n.angel dark — May 2, 2008 @ 11:52AM

  38. I like chicken I like chicken I dont like seleg cause she stay bitchen O i like chicken

    Comment by gubery — May 2, 2008 @ 11:54AM

  39. Well every school fights so thats not a suprise. and we do not fight every 5 . ok? well that dosent sound much like the truth. Also yes lots of kids are smart here. We are not dumb ( like diana said) i agree with her. Most kids are smart and there are some good programs and lots of kids go them. So i disagree with you.

    Comment by Student — May 2, 2008 @ 12:01PM

  40. Ms.Selig you is a lier.How u just gone try us like that.You know datz not true about our school.But its all cool though cause wen u loose your other job you gone come lookin for a another job......N dont come back to A.P.

    Comment by @m@ 100% real n!gg@ — May 2, 2008 @ 12:03PM

  41. U on this enternet talkinG all this stuff about A.P this n THAT u dont no stuff u sit yo stuck up self in yo classroom n guess wat is goin on..WIT YO STUPID BUTT n u aint even try n teach us u gave us our work n sat down in got on dat enternet.. n u tld us dat we gne be on dat corner or under that bridge.....all dat u talking is a lie they aint course at you stop lieing cause you would have wrote a scam on us just like u did me n two of my friends 4 being late to class in i couldnt come to class 4 almost a week n a half. so dont lie and make ALLAPATTAH seem like a bad school.. yea we have fights just like any other school now u got everybody thinking that thats all we do.. but when u see dawg u gota holla at me n thats real dawg

    Comment by BOOBIE — May 2, 2008 @ 12:11PM

  42. Ms. Selig You are a dumb bicth I am maunel I am in the 8th Grade and it just that we don't like your fuk ass White shithead

    Comment by Maunel Alvarega — May 2, 2008 @ 12:24PM

  43. I can completely relate to this story. Upon graduating college, I took a job teaching middle school kids art in an inner city Orlando school. Being one of three white people in the entire school, the students didn't respect me at all. Many of these children are animals. They have no caring families, no education, and ostensibly no future. Trying to get a 14 year old to care about color theory while his dad is in jail and mom is pregnant with another sister is impossible. There is no support at home. There are some people cut out to do this, I am not one of them.

    The best thing that ever happened to me was getting relieved of that job. Everyday I went to class, I thought I would get fired. My students constantly misbehaved, were rowdy, and my classroom became the spot to have fights. I think the school eventually realized I was a liability and decided to "cut" the art program. Funny enough, the next year, my "cut" position had been restored, with a black man.

    Looking back, I had some great, caring students in my classes there. Most were pure nightmares. Some of us are cut out to work with these mostly lost children. I am not. Now I teach my affluent, well behaved students in a much more peaceful environment and am happy.

    Comment by Harry — May 2, 2008 @ 12:51PM

  44. This is just perfect! Some teacher at the school is having his/her students write responses to the article! All those response at around 11:15-11:30/. What wonderful language and grammer she's taught them! If anyone doesn't believe this stuff happens every day, they're dreamin!

    Comment by Unbelievable! — May 2, 2008 @ 01:25PM

  45. i disagree with the whole article dis female need to get life yo.if dis female felt dat way she should have stp babyin deez kidz yo and she would have had more respect she shud hav been cheacked da student wit da ipod.da writer did not tell da whole truth

    Comment by travis — May 2, 2008 @ 02:17PM

  46. this is an outrage.Ms Selig is giving false information and is changing words around in this article

    Comment by R.A. — May 2, 2008 @ 02:18PM

  47. im a honor roll student at allapattah middle school you are taking this to far, teachers at this school have went through this for five to ten years and are still working you are just mad because you couldn't have your way you aren't just making our school look bad but your self you sound like a three year old child whing about some words GROW UP!!!!!!!!! we are glad you gone you trippin little baby

    Comment by honor roll student — May 2, 2008 @ 02:20PM

  48. the article is somewhat true but some things she didnt have to put there

    Comment by albert — May 2, 2008 @ 02:21PM

  49. the article is somewhat true but some things she didnt have to put there

    Comment by albert — May 2, 2008 @ 02:21PM

  50. the article is somewhat true but some things she didnt have to put there

    Comment by albert — May 2, 2008 @ 02:21PM

  51. fuk azz white bitch suk deez hanglowz yeah i said it bitch

    Comment by 1 — May 2, 2008 @ 02:25PM

  52. This is not true. Well i wont lie because i come to this school 5 days a week. Sum of it is true some kids are indeed out of control and its true about the lack of action mr. costa and ms. lewis take when the children here misbehave. But what ms. Selig did not state is the words that she said to these kids. She said to a boy named kevin that he would be on a bus stop selling newspapers. And i just want to say is that these are some very intelligent students out here and she should not have put Michelle's buisness out like that. This article was uncalled for. No one beat anyone up with a broom this article is full of lies. And about this neighborhood this neighborhood is not poor and drug infested and she does not live here so she has no right to talk about this neighborhood. And i am passin all lmy classes and to tell you the truth this school is full of kids who work their butts-off and some very good teachers such ass Ms. King, Ms. Shirley, Mr. Noble and Many more i trusted this lady i thought she was so sweet, but after a while i started to see her true side and nowhere in this article did you see anything about what she did. She cursed at kids, told them that there lives are going to be full of suffering and for her to go this far is unnecessary. You let this whole school DOWN!

    Comment by Mar'sha Roberts — May 2, 2008 @ 02:26PM

  53. This is not true. Well i wont lie because i come to this school 5 days a week. Sum of it is true some kids are indeed out of control and its true about the lack of action mr. costa and ms. lewis take when the children here misbehave. But what ms. Selig did not state is the words that she said to these kids. She said to a boy named kevin that he would be on a bus stop selling newspapers. And i just want to say is that these are some very intelligent students out here and she should not have put Michelle's buisness out like that. This article was uncalled for. No one beat anyone up with a broom this article is full of lies. And about this neighborhood this neighborhood is not poor and drug infested and she does not live here so she has no right to talk about this neighborhood. And i am passin all lmy classes and to tell you the truth this school is full of kids who work their butts-off and some very good teachers such ass Ms. King, Ms. Shirley, Mr. Noble and Many more i trusted this lady i thought she was so sweet, but after a while i started to see her true side and nowhere in this article did you see anything about what she did. She cursed at kids, told them that there lives are going to be full of suffering and for her to go this far is unnecessary. You let this whole school DOWN!

    Comment by Mar'sha Roberts — May 2, 2008 @ 02:26PM

  54. whoever made this article has a whole lot of lies and whoever made this I want to tell them in there face dat da wron

    Comment by raggle fraggle — May 2, 2008 @ 02:26PM

  55. wat cheack a nigga out i aint even kno dis cracker but she suck me backwards yo she saw thang in her face and she dipped man i dont lyk ppeople lyk dat

    Comment by travis — May 2, 2008 @ 02:30PM

  56. I PERSONALLY THINK THAT YOU JUST WENT TOO FAR... MR.COSTA FAT BUT HE AINT PREGNANT HOE WAT U WANA FUK HIM... U MAD CUZ THINGS AINT GO YO WAY N U AINT GET TOO SUCK THE DICK BEFORE YOU LEFT BITCH.... N HOE DNT SURGAR COAT SHIT MARGRETTA AINT SAY SHE GNE SHOOT YOU SHE SAID DAT YOU GOTTA SHOT HER ONE DAT MEAN FITE DUM ASS.. I DONT LIKE WHAT YOU WROTE ABOUT THE SKOOL!!! WE ARE NOT GOOD BUT WE ARE NOT THE WROST SKOOL HOE WORRY BOUT WATS GOING ON AT YOUR HOUSE.... Y WUD YOU PUT MARGRETTA BUSSINIESS OUT LYK DAT HOE DNT YOU THINK THINGS LIKE DAT HURTS HER FEELINGS DUH HOE DATS Y SHE ACT THE WAY SHE ACT CUZ SHE DNT HAVE A MOM TELLIN HER DA RIGHT THINGS TO DO PUSSY ASS HOE NOW PUT THIS IN THE PAPER

    Comment by {F.C.B.B} — May 2, 2008 @ 02:32PM

  57. I PERSONALLY THINK THAT YOU JUST WENT TOO FAR... MR.COSTA FAT BUT HE AINT PREGNANT HOE WAT U WANA FUK HIM... U MAD CUZ THINGS AINT GO YO WAY N U AINT GET TOO SUCK THE DICK BEFORE YOU LEFT BITCH.... N HOE DNT SURGAR COAT SHIT MARGRETTA AINT SAY SHE GNE SHOOT YOU SHE SAID DAT YOU GOTTA SHOT HER ONE DAT MEAN FITE DUM ASS.. I DONT LIKE WHAT YOU WROTE ABOUT THE SKOOL!!! WE ARE NOT GOOD BUT WE ARE NOT THE WROST SKOOL HOE WORRY BOUT WATS GOING ON AT YOUR HOUSE.... Y WUD YOU PUT MARGRETTA BUSSINIESS OUT LYK DAT HOE DNT YOU THINK THINGS LIKE DAT HURTS HER FEELINGS DUH HOE DATS Y SHE ACT THE WAY SHE ACT CUZ SHE DNT HAVE A MOM TELLIN HER DA RIGHT THINGS TO DO PUSSY ASS HOE NOW PUT THIS IN THE PAPER

    Comment by {F.C.B.B} — May 2, 2008 @ 02:32PM

  58. ms selig wat you said about the school was wrong all that stuff you said isn't true you might not know what is going on in the school because yyou never leave your room until 4:40 and to anyone who reads this we are a good school with good extra cricular activities our wrestling team won district and county championships so how dare say we are a bad school and have bad students

    Comment by godfrey — May 2, 2008 @ 02:34PM

  59. The students who wrote feedback to this story need to be transferred to Ruth Owens Kruse at once. There, they will learn some discipline and perhaps will have a future. The principal needs to be fired without a recommendation. The Superintendent has greater problems than harassing teachers and failing students. We need to fire him. The School Board Attorney likewise should be fired. I cannot imagine any school system in this country as corrupt as ours. When I first began sharing Miami-Dade County School Board meeting tapes with educators in Canada, they thought I had devised this wonderful standup comic routine. They don't laugh any more.

    The teacher's union should be replaced with folks who will fight for education, not knuckle under to edu-terrorists.

    Comment by Annie — May 2, 2008 @ 02:38PM

  60. Don't just go to Allapattah and just say that its a bad school >.

    Comment by Neko — May 2, 2008 @ 02:49PM

  61. Ms.Selig was not the only teacher that has been threatened.There are some good kids and some bad, but you cant let anybody get in your head.If selig didnt like the shcool, why didnt she just leave. Im a 7th grader at this school and most of the kids are not that bad.All Selig wants to do is make the school look bad because of a few threats. She should know that all kids are not bad. Allapattah is just the beggining of what the future has to hold.

    Comment by Lil Chris Chris — May 2, 2008 @ 02:56PM

  62. I am currently a student at Allapattah Middle School. Yes, the conduct is not the best but every school has conduct issues and I'm sure Ms.Selig knows that. In every school there is fighting and there is drama. This article is portraying our school in a negative like. She is just angry she didn't have her way. She should have gave a negative side and a positive side. Here at Allapatah there are great things happening. We had a Hands on Miami Program where students gave not one but two Saturdays up to make our school look beautiful. Kids came and painted murals, planted flowers and trees. Why didn't the reporter write about the beautiful garden that we have or murals. We also have great education and wonderful teachers. There is also a chess club with kids who compete in competitions. There is (FBLA) Future Buisness Leaders of America. There is 5000 Role Models. We Have Sports. I was on a wonderful soccer team. We all got along and had great games. Ms.Selig is searching for a perfect job with no problems and that doesn't exsist. I want to be a teacher when I grow up and I know the problems I'm going to face, but I plan to help my students change their behavior. Kids have problems with their families or where they live and that plays a big part in who they are and how they act. Its a teachers responsibility to set an example not spend the day sending e-mails to complain or walking out of class like Ms.Selig did. I recomend people to watch the movie Freedom Writers it has alot to do with this. About Mr.Costa he is a great principal and he really cares about us. I hope that reporter would have said something about the long list of students on our mastery board who got a 70% or higher on Interm Assessments. Mr.Costa makes sure those students are rewarded with an Icecream Party or a Pizza Party. That motavates students to do great. We are currentlly reading novels in homeroom like Tears of a Tiger, Brothers In Arms, Spirit Bear, Blood & Chocolate, The Diary of Anne Frank ect. Kids here spend time on FCAT Explorer most of the time and I garantee you that our school will come up one letter grade this year because of our hard work. Check out the schools attendence during FCAT only two students missed school out of 4 testing days. We may be playful in the halls but we get to class and we try to learn. Before you judge our school take a quick look at the positive side of it, Ms.Selig. I absolutly love coming to school everyday at Allappatah Middle School and I mean that.

    P.S I thank Mr.Noble for my grammer!! :D


    Sincerly, Anel, a student at Allappatah :D

    Comment by Anel :D — May 2, 2008 @ 03:30PM

  63. This woman is completely out of line! I have been teaching at this school for many years and as the poster above said she DOES NOT speak for all the white teachers at Allapattah I HAVE NEVER been disrespected! my administration has ALWAYS been more than supportive of any an all of my concerns I have nothing but glowing words for MR. Costa , Mrs. Lewis, and Mrs. Sierra they are all top notch administrators! yes it is true our kids do present their fair share of trials and difficulties but what kids in middle school dont? I ask you this it boils down to respect Miss Selig did you give your children any therefore were you yourself worthy of receiving any in return? The same can be said for your job performance and classmanagement style how often were you running off copies to place in peoples mail box and emailing coworkers instead of teaching? OR didnt any one ever tell you when you point a finger at someone you have three more pointing back at you! (try holding the mirror up at your self you nasty woman instead of insulting children!)

    Comment by womanwithexperience — May 2, 2008 @ 04:01PM

  64. Ms.selig lied about every thing she said

    Comment by jd — May 2, 2008 @ 04:22PM

  65. why would you tell these lies to these new reporter like that.you think your gonna look good for making up all these lies.is just gonna make you feel bad inside. the first time i met you cussed me out i was just saying good bye to our wonderful teacher Ms.Stering and then you started bithcing at me form that day on i dispised you.I was scared of you i thought if i look at you wrong your gonna smack me across the head and i was gonna hit you back.you should be the mature one in class in fcat you were acting like a baby.if kids as you a question you called them stupid.am guessing your mom didint teach you any manners.and thats messed up about how you lied about our school.and for this kids in the school are gonna hate and for what you did it will be in allapattah history

    Comment by ace — May 2, 2008 @ 04:39PM

  66. why would you tell these lies to these new reporter like that.you think your gonna look good for making up all these lies.is just gonna make you feel bad inside. the first time i met you cussed me out i was just saying good bye to our wonderful teacher Ms.Stering and then you started bithcing at me form that day on i dispised you.I was scared of you i thought if i look at you wrong your gonna smack me across the head and i was gonna hit you back.you should be the mature one in class in fcat you were acting like a baby.if kids as you a question you called them stupid.am guessing your mom didint teach you any manners.and thats messed up about how you lied about our school.and for this kids in the school are gonna hate and for what you did it will be in allapattah history

    Comment by ace — May 2, 2008 @ 04:39PM

  67. ms.sileg i think that what you did was truly wrong half of the things you said was not true what you did was wrong...

    Comment by latinos_ppls — May 2, 2008 @ 04:57PM

  68. i disagree with most of this subject,i am a 8 grade student of allapattha. there is some true thing such as fights every school has them it a part of nature the stuff this lady said about of school was tottaly unfair i think that the pudlishers should of got an better view of the school from someone who been there loner not just there for 3 mounts allapattha it in woorking process our fcat scors are continually rising. they should have talk to some of our older teacher such as mr harris or mr brabley or even a student.




    anyhow thanks ms.sligh for getting our school some attiton:0

    Comment by chamyriam r — May 2, 2008 @ 05:32PM

  69. first of all who are you to tell us what we are and what we are capable of? you dont know what you are talking about lady. and another thing i woyld like to see you come to school every day and put up with what we put up with. and another thing U NEED TO KEEP ALAPATTAH OUT OF YOUR MOUTH IF YOU DONT KNOW WHAT THE HECK U TALKING ABOUT !!!!!

    Comment by Kendia Ellison — May 2, 2008 @ 06:08PM

  70. It is so sad that these children from Allapattah show their ignorance with their illiterate, violent, disgustingly trashy comments. Clearly, they don't realize that they only validate Ms. Selig's experience and story even further. It is sad that the children and people in this very nasty ghetto would rather abuse a good teacher because she is WHITE and deny themselves from being properly educated. These ghetto children and their families want to live in denial and think they live in a "rich" neighborhood!? Sure, and I live on Gumdrop Island where there is no racism, and everyone loves one another. Talk about HATERS? What a bunch of racist, ignorant children.

    And why were these postings allowed during school time? Who was watching the children?

    Comment by Suzy — May 2, 2008 @ 06:42PM

  71. Perhaps teachers at Allapattah need to educate these children that "Mz sleig" didn't WRITE the article. It's called a "newspaper" and there are reporters who write for newspapers.

    My heart goes out to all the poor, uneducated, violent, angry children who are clearly growing up in a disturbingly violent neighborhood with no discipline and no idea what exists beyond their trashy world.

    And clearly, as their horrible grammar shows, those children aren't being taught much, if anything at all.

    Ms. Selig was lucky to get a ticket out of that hellhole before one of those children shot her.

    I commend you Ms. Selig, for having the courage to speak the truth and stand up for yourself in the face of racist death threats, instead of running out of there as those RACIST children and administration clearly wanted you to do.

    And by the way, silly children, not all schools have violence and fighting.

    Comment by Lisa — May 2, 2008 @ 06:57PM

  72. any of yall people out there do not believe this lady she is making up so much lies if she was still der and u went der u would see how stupid she would act she will yell for no dangon reason and if yall believe her yall dont know nothing bout Alapattah

    Comment by selig hater — May 2, 2008 @ 08:11PM

  73. any of yall people out there do not believe this lady she is making up so much lies if she was still der and u went der u would see how stupid she would act she will yell for no dangon reason and if yall believe her yall dont know nothing bout Alapattah

    Comment by selig hater — May 2, 2008 @ 08:20PM

  74. any of yall people out there do not believe this lady she is making up so much lies if she was still der and u went der u would see how stupid she would act she will yell for no dangon reason and if yall believe her yall dont know nothing bout Alapattah

    Comment by selig hater — May 2, 2008 @ 08:20PM

  75. There is some truth to her claim. Although I've never attended AMS, I have heard the horror stories during the late 80's. This school has always had a bad reputation because of the locale. Unfortunately, same story different cities (inner). I know that it is usually hard for White teachers to adjust in a culturally diverse inner city school, but you must have the backing of the Administration to help in aiding discipline. Costa apparently did not do much at Edison, he's probaly a Cuban and could care less about his tenure at AMS or maybe AMS is just a pit stop for him while the puppeteers are working him downtown. I think that the school should focus on discipline then the Fundamentals. I hope that Ms. Selig is doing well at her new school.

    Comment by i'mateachah2 — May 3, 2008 @ 12:57AM

  76. I am a student who is currently attending Allapattah. Most of those sentences and phrases about the school are somewhat true and somewhat wrong. Nevertheless, I do not think Ms.Selig or however, you spell her name had the rights to spread rumors and lies about the school. The only reason she probably wrote those cruel words is that she could not continue to work at the school. To my point of view, Mr. Costa is a very marvelous man and does a very good job with the school and I would not change him for the world. If Ms.Selig thinks she can do a better job, how about she come and tries to be the boss for a week. I would give her one day and I bet she would not make it. Mr. Costa is doing a great job and so are all the other teachers who work at the school and remember I am a student who has been attending allapattah for one year and is going to continue to attend the school that I love and adore........

    Comment by Kimberly Valmyre — May 3, 2008 @ 07:30AM

  77. I taught for four years at Miami Central in the late 1980s and witnessed much of the same problems. Fresh out of college, I earnestly believed that teachers could make a difference, like mine had for me at Palmetto. I thought that the administration would back up a teacher when threatened or when his or her ability to teach was being compromised by student behavior.
    Boy was I wrong.
    I had students in class with rings of cocaine around their nostrils, bouncing off the walls. Students having sex in any semi-hidden place they could find, drug deals in the hallways, one of the PE teachers was screwing female students, everyone knew about it, nothing was done. The security guards were a joke.
    Not only did the administration cover up problems, they also invented classes, and student rosters to inflate the population and thus get more money from the state, they shuffled the disability students around when they needed more funding from the state (disabled students earn the school extra money), we didn't have enough desks or books. Many of the teachers, both black and white were racist beyond belief. It was a zoo.
    And while we were using our own funds to supplement supplies, the principal's wife was driving a Rolls Royce.
    So sad to see another teacher leaving due to the inept management of the school. Thank goodness she wasn't hurt. One of the teachers I worked with was being assaulted. While she was being beaten, she tried to defend herself. She was fired for it. The mean white teacher raising her hands to the poor black kid. His parents went to the principal, and that is how it ended. She was an excellent teacher, a published author, and she really cared about her students.

    Kudos to all the teachers who remain in the system and work very hard everyday in the face of horrible students, horrible administrators and oblivious parents.

    Comment by Happily Gone from Miami — May 3, 2008 @ 10:47AM

  78. I am a studet at A.P I think I speak or all the students that ms. Selig or how ever you spell her name was out of line for what she said. Allapatah is a great school sure it my have its flaws but no school is perfect and for ms. Selig to lie about the school is just wrong sure we fight at our school and there is always somthing new going on with some drama but the teachers really like us and do try there best to help us learn sure we get them mad but they want us to have a future. We have many good things about allapatah we have a chess team,math,club,FBLA,golf and many other clubs. So before you say anyhing about our school take a good look at the things we have to offer

    P.S. THANKS to all my teachers here at allapatah for making me an honor roll student and giving me an education!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Comment by jewelss12619 — May 3, 2008 @ 11:25AM

  79. I was raised in an English public school. When I was fourteen, I was learning whole passages of Shakespeare, Marlowe, Alighieri, Dickens, and even Wilde. We had to be able to differentiate Haydn and Mozart after hearing only four bars, and we were able to do this. Disrespectful students were spanked in front of the entire school -- often with canes.

    This was unpleasant, but I cannot help but feel we were luckier than the illiterate miscreants posting inane defenses of their school on this board. Like their parents and teachers, they have been taught that having "comfort" is more important than having standards. If the two can coexist, fine -- but I do not think that happy idyll has been created at this school, nor at any school in South Florida. If students can disobey (never mind threaten) their teachers and not worry about the consequences, then we may as well cease forcing them to go to school at all: obviously, they have the same wisdom and rights as adults, and should not be impelled to do what anyone says.

    Of course, this kind of thinking will ruin both the country and the entire western hemisphere in the by and by. If a child disobeys a reasonable command from a teacher, he or she should be forced to suffer a very unpleasant detention -- one involving several hours of classwork from whichever subject the pupil is worst at. If the student fails to comply, expulsion would be appropriate. If the parents are tending properly to their children's upbringing, this eventuality should seldom arise. If the parents are not, there is nothing the school system can do about it, and by trying to pick up the parents' slack they are wandering dangerously beyond their jurisdiction, into arenas in which they shall find themselves terribly impotent.

    Western schools seem to have forgotten their function: education, education, and still more education. If students try to impede this function, they must be disciplined and removed. If a teacher or an administrator cannot discipline and remove his children as needed, then he too must be removed, for he has willingly sacrificed his own authority and made the system's operation contingent upon the whim of the pupil -- the one person least qualified to dictate terms.

    Iggy Reilly

    Comment by Iggy Reilly — May 3, 2008 @ 12:49PM

  80. ms.sileg what you did was wrong you are disrespecting allapattah middle you must want no kids to come to this school.your a liar talking about we carry guns and knifes to school.ive been coming to this school for 2 in a half years and learned so much for a six grader you should be ashamed of your self yeah thers fights but that happens in every school.you act like where the only school that does that stuff.you wouldnt like it if we wrote a whole bunch of lies about you and put it on the enternet would you.when you where talking about mr. costa the principal he does a great job just dont be jjelous that you dont have his place.i thought you were good but turns out your a cruel person.

    Comment by quiana — May 3, 2008 @ 01:17PM

  81. ms.sileg what you did was wrong you are disrespecting allapattah middle you must want no kids to come to this school.your a liar talking about we carry guns and knifes to school.ive been coming to this school for 2 in a half years and learned so much for a six grader you should be ashamed of your self yeah thers fights but that happens in every school.you act like where the only school that does that stuff.you wouldnt like it if we wrote a whole bunch of lies about you and put it on the enternet would you.when you where talking about mr. costa the principal he does a great job just dont be jjelous that you dont have his place.i thought you were good but turns out your a cruel person.

    Comment by quiana — May 3, 2008 @ 01:17PM

  82. I wasn't sure if I would respond with a post or not, as most of these negative, moronic responses deserve no validation. To the angry, violent, clearly psychologically disturbed children who posted (one of whom revealed a child's name that Mr. Alvarado had changed in his article to protect the children's identities): Do you know what a newspaper is? Do you know what a reporter is? Can you differentiate between the person who WROTE the article and the person who is quoted in the article? It also seems your English teachers need to do more to educate you on "author's purpose" and not just TELL you if you're a level 1, 2, or 3, severely below grade-level "reader" (and I use that term "reader" loosely).

    Also, Frank Alvarado asked MANY teachers and administrators at Allapattah and MDCPS comment in this article, and ALL refused. What does that tell you? If they had any real defense or interest in defending Allapattah, they were given a chance. they were given MULTIPLE chances. THEY chose to make this article one-sided by refusing to get involved, and hiding in their ivory towers because administrators in MDCPS and at Allapattah DO NOT CARE ABOUT CHILDREN IN THE GHETTO. They care about money and power.

    To the phony "teachers" - administrators - who posted such outrageously ignorant comments, I hope that makes you feel better. "Most white teachers" are "happy" at Allapattah? Well, considering there are about 5 white-Anglo teachers at Allapattah and no white-Anglo students, it's sad that you say "most (not all) white" teachers are happy. Clearly, you are not white, and you are a coward who can't reveal your name. And, you don't know anything about me, and how I have RESPECTFULLY and POSITIVELY served 1000s of student in my 10 year teaching history. How dare you, or any of you disgusting people make your shallow inaccurate assessments of me or what happened to me at Allapattah, when YOU are part of the problem, not the solution.

    However, I do realize that if you grew up in the ghetto of Allapattah (or somewhere similar) you probably just don't know any better. Ignorance breeds ignorance, so I've learned with my short stint at Allapattah. (Silly me for wanting to fight the ignorance that runs through the veins of many involved at MDCPS and Allapatah.)

    As only normal, non-barbaric, intelligent human beings would be able to INFER, this article was not about EVERY STUDENT at Allapattah. It was about my horrific experience, and the FACT that MDCPS, Mr. Costa and his incompetent administration could care less about their teachers and their students. The chaos at Allapattah that they perpetuate with their "let's look at the positive and ignore the problems" (denial) attitude IS the problem. This article was an EXAMPLE of the corruption that exists at Allapattah and in MDCPS, the utter incompetence and laziness of the "powers-that-be" in MDCPS and the fact that the CHILDREN are not being educated or held to ANY real behavioral OR academic standards that would make them competitive in the REAL world, beyond the ghetto.

    How many teachers have come and gone from Allapattah through the years, versus how many teachers who have stayed? And how many teachers who stay there are truly happy and competent, or simply trapped and stuck because they have no self-motivation to do better, and go somewhere better? Now, I fully realize SOME of the teachers there are TRUE heroes, because they sacrifice their own safety (and sanity) to try to help children learn and become better citizens. And someone (maybe) I hope is even trying to teach you PROPER English instead of your trashy, ghetto broken - I can't even call it English - as your e-mail posts indicate.

    Yes, as Anel stated (and as I stated in the article if ANY of you can READ the final quote) there are MANY wonderful, hard-working, respectful students and teachers at Allapattah. However, Ms. Anel, I am hardly looking for a "perfect" environment. I know quite a bit about pain and anguish, about heartache, about FAR less than "perfect" situations. What you don't understand because you've hardly stepped out of your ghetto world, Ms. Anel, is that there are people like me who purposely come to the ghetto to help children like you, when we could have stayed in our safe, happy, sane more affluent neighborhoods. But I don't expect a child to understand that big picture concept, of course. I just want you to know that I could have left (as most people would have) the DAY that crazy girl threatened me (3 DAYS AFTER I STARTED IN THAT CLASSROOM) but I didn't.

    I had intended to stay to help my students succeed, as many were doing, against insurmountable odds. Instead, Costa decided to put a first year, uncertified, untrained teacher in that classroom as my replacement. Instead, it was a blessing in disguise, because I am in a much safer, better environment teaching children who go to Ivy League schools. It's no utopia, because ALL schools have issues, however, I am safe and very much appreciated. And I am REALLY TEACHING instead of acting like a behavior monitor/social worker.

    And let me ask you this: what is wrong with wanting the BEST? What is wrong with wanting to go somewhere better? I guess it's hard to teach that concept to children of generational illiteracy growing up in an environment where hardly any one WANTS to do better.

    Forgive me, please, for wanting to help. Forgiving me, please, for holding a mirror up to everyone's eyes at Allapattah and MDCPS, FORCING them to take a look in the mirror and asking everyone there: are you part of the problem or part of the solution?

    And for the person (#2) who is worried about my administrators at my current WONDERFUL private school finding out about this incident or my credentials (which weren't purchased through an online degree program as MANY people in MDCPS have done): don't worry about it! Obviously, I'm not, or I never would have contributed to this article. I'm in a much better place, where my honesty and candor is much appreciated and actually respected. And if that changes, oh well, I'll keep moving on in pursuit of something better. I am able to have that positive you-can't-stop-me attitude because I can stand by my credentials and my reputation, and I don't have to hide in a dysfucntional school where you "can't get fired" after 97 days.

    You see, outside of bizarro world MDCPS and Allapattah, there is an entire world of civilized, educated, sane people who have solid reputations and aren't afraid of the truth. In fact, they appreciate the truth, unlike those many cowards in MDCPS who have to run from the classroom to an administrative position because they were failures as teachers.

    I understand many teachers and staff in MDCPS don't have the freedom that I have to stand up and fight. Many people are justifiably worried about losing their jobs and not being able to pay their mortgages and feed their children. I understand. However, the frightening fact still remains that until the MAJORITY of teachers in MDCPS stand up and say "we're not going to be abused like this anymore" the corruption will exist.

    I don't have a lifetime to wait for that to happen. I have a beautiful, fulfilling life, and I never forget that I come from a better place than Allapattah and corrupt MDCPS system. I have spent 10 years teaching underprivileged children, overprivileged children, and everything in between. Teaching and the field of education has become an abusive profession. Teachers are abused by parents, students, and administrators on a daily basis. But we persevere because we know that in spite of all the ignorance, the racism, the violence, that we DO make a difference, at least for some children. If we only reach 10 out of 100 children, that's ok. The children who WANT to succeed, who want to do better, who WANT to see the truth and get out of the ghetto and rise above the barbaric, violent ghetto mentality will do so no matter what. I just wanted to help those children, and protect them from the violence and chaos that tries to pull them back. And I have SUCCEEDED in helping so many