My question is: Is it legal for the HS principal to charge students to park at school? It is not in the student handbook nor is it in the district policy. This is something she just came up with and announced on the second day of school. I consider this public property and noone has ever had to pay before. This is one of many times she has tried to force students to pay for unnecessary things. A previous incident was a broken glass door that had been busted out by an unknown person over the weekend. She announced that every person in the school, students and teachers, will have to pay $2.00 each to replace the door and if they did not pay they would go to "tax prison", which of course had the students scared. I contacted a lawyer and the principal dropped the matter. She has also been caught in numerous other lies that she had used to intimidate the students, including my own son.
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HS principal on power trip
- Thread Starter gwlkdl
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army judge
Super Moderator
This is an issue best addressed to your school board.
Get some concerned parents and students to attend the next board meeting.
Ask to be heard and tell them what you wish to say.
You should also take the issue to your local newspaper, student newspaper, radio stations, and tv stations.
No need to argue with he.
You won't win.
But, you will win with the school board.
The board makes policy.
She just enforces it.
You could also go to your school superintendent with your issues.
You're pretty smart.
There are no "tax prisons" in the US.
People in this country can't be put in jail for owing debts.
Good catch.
CdwJava
Moderator
The whole tax prison thing is odd ... I'm wondering whether that story is misrepresented, or, the principal is just an odd duck? But, the pay for parking thing is common in many high schools. Even when I was in high school we had to buy a parking permit to park on campus. If the school board tells the principal not to do this, the principal will have to abide by that. Absent that, the principal may well be within her authority to institute a fee for parking deal on campus.
As suggested, contact the superintendent and the school board and see if you can get any support for your complaints. If you are a lone wolf on this (i.e. no other parents have expressed concerns), it may not bode well for success on your part.
As suggested, contact the superintendent and the school board and see if you can get any support for your complaints. If you are a lone wolf on this (i.e. no other parents have expressed concerns), it may not bode well for success on your part.
"The whole tax prison thing is odd ... I'm wondering whether that story is misrepresented, or, the principal is just an odd duck?"
The principal is definitely an odd duck!! She does not have the support of the staff and has lost the respect of most of the students. It was not misrepresented. She announced over the intercom that if they did not pay they would go to tax prison. This was the first incident that I absolutely exploded over. Things just got worse from there. I keep in close contact with the teachers and many of the parents, none of whom agree with the things she does.
"But, the pay for parking thing is common in many high schools. Even when I was in high school we had to buy a parking permit to park on campus."
I know this is true in many schools but has never been an issue here. We live in a small town and this is unheard of. She came from an inner city school with gangs n metal detectors and she apparently has a hard time adjusting.
As suggested, contact the superintendent and the school board and see if you can get any support for your complaints. If you are a lone wolf on this (i.e. no other parents have expressed concerns), it may not bode well for success on your part.
I am definitely not a lone wolf, Im just the one with the big mouth. And the teachers fear for their jobs.
The principal is definitely an odd duck!! She does not have the support of the staff and has lost the respect of most of the students. It was not misrepresented. She announced over the intercom that if they did not pay they would go to tax prison. This was the first incident that I absolutely exploded over. Things just got worse from there. I keep in close contact with the teachers and many of the parents, none of whom agree with the things she does.
"But, the pay for parking thing is common in many high schools. Even when I was in high school we had to buy a parking permit to park on campus."
I know this is true in many schools but has never been an issue here. We live in a small town and this is unheard of. She came from an inner city school with gangs n metal detectors and she apparently has a hard time adjusting.
As suggested, contact the superintendent and the school board and see if you can get any support for your complaints. If you are a lone wolf on this (i.e. no other parents have expressed concerns), it may not bode well for success on your part.
I am definitely not a lone wolf, Im just the one with the big mouth. And the teachers fear for their jobs.
CdwJava
Moderator
Ultimately only the school board or the superintendent can realistically reign her in. I suspect that a fee for parking is probably within her authority. Sending people to "tax prison," well ... I have to think that was a failed attempt at humor.
mightymoose
Moderator
I don't think there is a problem with the school district assessing a fee for parking passes, but it would be for the school district to assess, not the principal.
I wonder what the principal intends to do if people don't pay the fee?
I wonder what the principal intends to do if people don't pay the fee?
CdwJava
Moderator
At the schools where I have worked and known of, cars that do not have paid parking permits can get towed or can get cited (usually a civil citation assessed through the school). No permit, no park. Depending on the district's rules, such fees may well be within the discretion of the principal ... though the Superintendent or the board could rescind it.
It is not in our district policy and it never has been. No one has ever had to pay to park. This is a small school not a college campus. One of our board members has already taken care of it. He actually went to the school and got his son's money back. She told the teachers she was going to use the money to buy office supplies but told the board member she had planned on using it as a fundraiser. Anyway its all take care of now. The thing is I had just found out that she didnt make that announcement she only charged the kids who went into her office and asked about their parking. So that makes me think she was just making herself a little extra cash.
CdwJava
Moderator
Neither of which is proof that he does not have the authority to institute a pay for parking plan.
But this one is easy to stop. Call the Superintendent. If he agrees that this is not district policy and the principal cannot do this without board or district approval, it's done.
Sounds like someone throwing their weight around independently. If that board member wanted to do it right, he would have gotten the district to take action to refund all the kids' money not gone down to bully them into returning their child's money.
The school may not have the right to force a parking fee, but it irks me when individual politicos toss their weight around.
If true, then this is bizarre and someone needs to seriously look into getting rid of this principal as she sounds unsteady or at least a poor administrator.
Sounds like someone throwing their weight around independently. If that board member wanted to do it right, he would have gotten the district to take action to refund all the kids' money not gone down to bully them into returning their child's money.
The school may not have the right to force a parking fee, but it irks me when individual politicos toss their weight around.
Well I have to say that if she wanted to inplement a new plan onto our students she should have went through the board in the first place not thrown her weight around like she constantly does. I feel he had every right to go down and get his son's money back. Then if she wants to take it to the board and get it approved it would be a different story. I didnt allow my child to even pay the fee.
If true, then this is bizarre and someone needs to seriously look into getting rid of this principal as she sounds unsteady or at least a poor administrator.
She is unsteady and we've been trying to get that across to certain board members but when they dont have kids in school they dont know about this kind of stuff. I think its awesome that one of the kids in her office that day just happened to be a board members son and now he knows all these parents havent been making crap up.
The school may not have the right to force a parking fee, but it irks me when individual politicos toss their weight around.
Well I have to say that if she wanted to inplement a new plan onto our students she should have went through the board in the first place not thrown her weight around like she constantly does. I feel he had every right to go down and get his son's money back. Then if she wants to take it to the board and get it approved it would be a different story. I didnt allow my child to even pay the fee.
If true, then this is bizarre and someone needs to seriously look into getting rid of this principal as she sounds unsteady or at least a poor administrator.
She is unsteady and we've been trying to get that across to certain board members but when they dont have kids in school they dont know about this kind of stuff. I think its awesome that one of the kids in her office that day just happened to be a board members son and now he knows all these parents havent been making crap up.
CdwJava
Moderator
The point is that the rules in the district may not REQUIRE a principal to go through the board to establish a parking fee. Unless the rules prohibit the establishment of such fees or require that they go through a specific process prior to implementation, the principal may have had the authority to institute a parking fee ... though it should have been done properly. If done only from those students that went to the office and asked, that's slipshod, stupid, and unfair.
Had I been on the school board and found out that my son had to pay some fee and the other kids didn't, I would raise the issue at the district level to see about compelling the return of everyone's money and not go to the office and bluster that MY son should get his money back because of who I am. That kind of thing is wrong no matter who does it or why.
I live and work in a small town and find a few small people with big titles throw their weight around as if they are all that and I find it dismaying. That may not have been the intent by this school board member and he may have been merely acting as a parent. But, in things that blur areas of responsibility one might have to defer to their more official role rather than acting in a manner that could be perceived as throwing their weight around. If my kid were arrested, it would hardly be appropriate for me to go and speak to the arresting officer - my subordinate - about cutting him a break and releasing him. I would have to defer to my role as a police supervisor and either handle it another route or let it go so as to avoid the perception of impropriety.
Now, if this principal is as whacked as you say there should be no trouble getting her out. I just find it hard to believe that anyone that whacked and with so many enemies on staff and among parents can still be employed. It makes me wonder just how obviously improper these bizarre acts are.
Had I been on the school board and found out that my son had to pay some fee and the other kids didn't, I would raise the issue at the district level to see about compelling the return of everyone's money and not go to the office and bluster that MY son should get his money back because of who I am. That kind of thing is wrong no matter who does it or why.
I live and work in a small town and find a few small people with big titles throw their weight around as if they are all that and I find it dismaying. That may not have been the intent by this school board member and he may have been merely acting as a parent. But, in things that blur areas of responsibility one might have to defer to their more official role rather than acting in a manner that could be perceived as throwing their weight around. If my kid were arrested, it would hardly be appropriate for me to go and speak to the arresting officer - my subordinate - about cutting him a break and releasing him. I would have to defer to my role as a police supervisor and either handle it another route or let it go so as to avoid the perception of impropriety.
Now, if this principal is as whacked as you say there should be no trouble getting her out. I just find it hard to believe that anyone that whacked and with so many enemies on staff and among parents can still be employed. It makes me wonder just how obviously improper these bizarre acts are.
I believe in this situation he was acting as a parent. Like I said, I didnt allow my child to pay his fee and had he paid it I would have went to the school and got his money back. And they have to go through the proper channels to get rid of someone which is exactly what will happen. The fact that so many parents chose to pull their kids out of this school and move them instead of fighting for them has a lot to do with why she is still here.
Answer this one for me.. District policy states that if a fight occurs on school grounds the students involved will likely face detention. 2 girls got in a fight on Friday night around midnight at one of the girls' houses and when the principal found out about she suspended them both for 1 week. It was off school time and off school grounds. How was this legal and why would the school board agree to it?
Answer this one for me.. District policy states that if a fight occurs on school grounds the students involved will likely face detention. 2 girls got in a fight on Friday night around midnight at one of the girls' houses and when the principal found out about she suspended them both for 1 week. It was off school time and off school grounds. How was this legal and why would the school board agree to it?
CdwJava
Moderator
The authority for such action would come from state law. Not being familiar with your state's laws, I do not know the answer. However, if similar to the laws in MY state the parent(s) could appeal the suspension and would probably prevail. I don't see that a valid suspension could be made absent some other circumstances such as this get together at the other girls' house involved an approved extra curricular activity such as a cheer camp or something, or the action involved the police or a criminal allegation, and the student(s) involved had a binding behavior contract due to some extra curricular activity. Unless a nexus can be made to the school, I would think the board should dismiss the action.
mightymoose
Moderator
Sounds like a principal that needs to be replaced.
I would be writing many letters to the school district asking lots of questions about the legality of all of this.
mightymoose
Moderator
The suspension sounds bad too. Parents need to unite and collectively address the school board regarding this principal.
Yes we are working on it. I am hoping enough parents will take the time to file the complaints and it wont be just a few of us.
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