Is this really the way to go, Houston?

HISD to eliminate librarians and convert libraries into disciplinary centers at NES schools

"I just couldn't imagine that it could happen so quickly. I don't understand why this current administration doesn't see the value of libraries and what they do for literacy and reading," Hall said. "Libraries are much more than just books. It's about helping match the reader to the right book at the right time. By talking to the student, you can find a direction to meet their needs."

Former library spaces at some schools will be converted into rooms where students who misbehave will be relocated to watch lessons virtually, work alone, or in groups with differentiated lessons. Books will remain on shelves and students will still be able to borrow books on a honor code system.

This disturbed me

that anyone would treat a child this way 1) in the name of education, 2) without resorting to other measures, and 3) without parental consent or knowledge, This is not just a way of 'time out'. And this is how just one 5-year-old was treated. According to the opinion piece, thousands of children are disciplined at school using restraints or seclusion rooms, with a high proportion of them children with special needs, and a good proportion of them non-white.

A Terrifying Way to Discipline Children

At school, her mother and I found Rose standing alone on the cement floor of a basement mop closet, illuminated by a single light bulb. There was nothing in the closet for a child — no chair, no books, no crayons, nothing but our daughter standing naked in a pool of urine, looking frightened as she tried to cover herself with her hands. On the floor lay her favorite purple-striped Hanna Andersson outfit and panties.

Rose got dressed and we removed her from the school. We later learned that Rose had been locked in the closet five times that morning. She said that during the last confinement, she needed to use the restroom but didn’t want to wet her outfit. So she disrobed. Rather than help her, the school called us and then covered the narrow door’s small window with a file folder, on which someone had written “Don’t touch!”

We were told that Rose had been in the closet almost daily for three months, for up to an hour at a time. At first, it was for behavior issues, but later for not following directions. Once in the closet, Rose would pound on the door, or scream for help, staff members said, and once her hand was slammed in the doorjamb while being locked inside.

School should be a safe environment; I'm not saying there shouldn't be discipline, but there is a difference between discipline and abuse, and this, in my opinion, crosses the line.

When teachers snap...

Teacher Peter Harvey 'beat pupil while shouting die'
He was apparently shouting 'die, die, die' as he beat a student in the head with a dumbbell. Now he's on trial for 'grievous bodily harm with intent'.

UPDATE 4/30/2010: Harvey was acquitted on the charge:

Teacher Peter Harvey cleared of attempting to kill boy

It emerged during the four-day trial that pupils at the school were trying to wind up Harvey so his reaction could be caught on a camcorder being used secretly by a girl in the class.

The footage was then to be passed around the school as a way of "humiliating" the teacher.

'Pupils abused' Mansfield school attack teacher