Cassville Superintendent Responds to New School Policies
September 7, 2022
Adriana Keeton
The Cassville School District made national news last month with the re-introduction of opt-in corporal punishment for the 2022-2023 school year. But that is not the only change that has been made this school year, according to Cassville Superintendent Dr. Merlyn Johnson.
I wanted to be as transparent with readers so I sent a list of questions I felt would focus on some of the issues I have heard from the public in the past few weeks to Superintendent Dr. Merlyn Johnson. Below is the list of questions and his responses.
1. Why was the decision made to ban cellular phones at the high school? Could you explain how you feel this will bring positive change to the learning environment for students and staff?
Cell phones were already banned for all students in grades PK-8 last year. The high school principals reported dealing with multiple cell phone related discipline issues last school year. Due to the amount of student discipline associated with cell phones, the administration recommended banning cell phones for all high school students this year. We have already noticed a considerable change in student behavior during the first few days of this school year. Students are no longer looking down at their cell phones during instruction time. High School teachers and administrators are reporting improvements with students interacting more positively with each other and are more engaged during instruction time.
2. Some feel that bringing back opt-in corporal punishment is a step back in time. How long has it been since corporal punishment has been an option in Cassville Schools and why did the administration feel it necessary to bring it back as an option for disciplinary action?
We live in a society that believes every step forward is a good step forward, just because it was a new step. If that philosophy goes on long enough, we lose our way. We sometimes lose our footing, our grounding, our roots and our history. Under modern day progressive concepts, we can gradually find ourselves over time far from our core values and truths. Some of the strategies we discontinue along the way are worth revisiting; but in a new light with better wisdom. The return of corporal punishment after 20 years is just one of the many new changes this school year. Besides banning cell phones district wide, the district is working with families and the juvenile office to address the growing number of students who use vapes. We also started the Success Academy, which gives students who struggle in the regular school setting an alternative option for graduation. The Success Academy provides a small setting for students in the program to develop the necessary confidence to be successful.
We understand that many people are uncomfortable with the idea of corporal punishment in the school setting. That is why it is an opt-in option for parents who have confidence that school administration will appropriately use this last resort option. We brought corporal punishment back, not only to offer more options to hardworking parents who count on us, but to also start having conversations about how discipline is a service we provide just like structure, teaching, lessons, warmth, community, and all the other services of the school. This action is a return to the idea that everything we do in a school is a public service in some way... even discipline. Our district wide changes are not solely centered around the return of corporal punishment. Our focus is to have every possible disciplinary option available to support families who want their children to learn in bully-free schools and our teachers to teach uninterrupted and free from constant distractions. Our goal is to improve student behavior and accountability in an effort to reduce distractions from the learning environment. Teachers are already committed to a multitude of student behavior initiatives that focus on relationship building, mental health awareness, counseling services, and trauma-informed schools. All of the changes we are implementing at Cassville Schools are centered around supporting our families who want their children to have a productive educational experience. Approximately 175 (35%) school districts in the state of Missouri presently have a policy permitting the use of corporal punishment.
3. Do you plan to incorporate any character building/bullying deterrent courses into the curriculum for students to participate during the 2022-2023 school year?
We already have a program in place and counseling services available for students who need behavioral modifications.
The Cassville Middle School uses the R.E.A.P. the Reward; Love Your School Community legacy objectives:
• Be (R)esilent
• Show (E)mpathy towards others
• Be (A)ccepting of others different than yourself
• Listen to others' (P)erspectives
Middle School Counselors have monthly visits with ALL students at CMS. All lessons are centered around the legacy objectives stated above, which is hung in four different areas around the school building.
Specific Bully Lessons are taught to ALL students at CMS. We use the stopbullying.gov website. Lessons cover: Bullying and what it is; Difference between mean, rude and bullying; How to be an Upstander (Standing up for those who bully others) instead of a bystander; and cyber bullying.
All students have access to a Google form where they can contact the counselor to report bullying and/or anything else that might be going on in their life.
The Cassville School District made national news last month with the re-introduction of opt-in corporal punishment for the 2022-2023 school year. But that is not the only change that has been made this school year, according to Cassville Superintendent Dr. Merlyn Johnson.
I wanted to be as transparent with readers so I sent a list of questions I felt would focus on some of the issues I have heard from the public in the past few weeks to Superintendent Dr. Merlyn Johnson. Below is the list of questions and his responses.
1. Why was the decision made to ban cellular phones at the high school? Could you explain how you feel this will bring positive change to the learning environment for students and staff?
Cell phones were already banned for all students in grades PK-8 last year. The high school principals reported dealing with multiple cell phone related discipline issues last school year. Due to the amount of student discipline associated with cell phones, the administration recommended banning cell phones for all high school students this year. We have already noticed a considerable change in student behavior during the first few days of this school year. Students are no longer looking down at their cell phones during instruction time. High School teachers and administrators are reporting improvements with students interacting more positively with each other and are more engaged during instruction time.
2. Some feel that bringing back opt-in corporal punishment is a step back in time. How long has it been since corporal punishment has been an option in Cassville Schools and why did the administration feel it necessary to bring it back as an option for disciplinary action?
We live in a society that believes every step forward is a good step forward, just because it was a new step. If that philosophy goes on long enough, we lose our way. We sometimes lose our footing, our grounding, our roots and our history. Under modern day progressive concepts, we can gradually find ourselves over time far from our core values and truths. Some of the strategies we discontinue along the way are worth revisiting; but in a new light with better wisdom. The return of corporal punishment after 20 years is just one of the many new changes this school year. Besides banning cell phones district wide, the district is working with families and the juvenile office to address the growing number of students who use vapes. We also started the Success Academy, which gives students who struggle in the regular school setting an alternative option for graduation. The Success Academy provides a small setting for students in the program to develop the necessary confidence to be successful.
We understand that many people are uncomfortable with the idea of corporal punishment in the school setting. That is why it is an opt-in option for parents who have confidence that school administration will appropriately use this last resort option. We brought corporal punishment back, not only to offer more options to hardworking parents who count on us, but to also start having conversations about how discipline is a service we provide just like structure, teaching, lessons, warmth, community, and all the other services of the school. This action is a return to the idea that everything we do in a school is a public service in some way... even discipline. Our district wide changes are not solely centered around the return of corporal punishment. Our focus is to have every possible disciplinary option available to support families who want their children to learn in bully-free schools and our teachers to teach uninterrupted and free from constant distractions. Our goal is to improve student behavior and accountability in an effort to reduce distractions from the learning environment. Teachers are already committed to a multitude of student behavior initiatives that focus on relationship building, mental health awareness, counseling services, and trauma-informed schools. All of the changes we are implementing at Cassville Schools are centered around supporting our families who want their children to have a productive educational experience. Approximately 175 (35%) school districts in the state of Missouri presently have a policy permitting the use of corporal punishment.
3. Do you plan to incorporate any character building/bullying deterrent courses into the curriculum for students to participate during the 2022-2023 school year?
We already have a program in place and counseling services available for students who need behavioral modifications.
The Cassville Middle School uses the R.E.A.P. the Reward; Love Your School Community legacy objectives:
• Be (R)esilent
• Show (E)mpathy towards others
• Be (A)ccepting of others different than yourself
• Listen to others' (P)erspectives
Middle School Counselors have monthly visits with ALL students at CMS. All lessons are centered around the legacy objectives stated above, which is hung in four different areas around the school building.
Specific Bully Lessons are taught to ALL students at CMS. We use the stopbullying.gov website. Lessons cover: Bullying and what it is; Difference between mean, rude and bullying; How to be an Upstander (Standing up for those who bully others) instead of a bystander; and cyber bullying.
All students have access to a Google form where they can contact the counselor to report bullying and/or anything else that might be going on in their life.