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Violence in Student Writing

A School Administrator's Guide

By: Gretchen A. Oltman

Foreword by Allan Osborne

Oltman helps you apply caution and logic in protecting your students' freedom of speech while also protecting the safety of everyone in the building.

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Product Details

Grade Level: PreK-12
ISBN: 9781452203973
Published By: Corwin
Year: 2012
Page Count: 144
Publication date: January 07, 2013

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Description

Your guide to action when student writing crosses the line

At what point should violent student expressions be considered a legitimate threat? This legal handbook helps you apply caution and logic in protecting your students' freedom of speech while also protecting the safety of everyone in the building. Gretchen Oltman, an experienced educator and licensed attorney, shows you how to react appropriately to warning signs from students. You'll discover how to:

Prevent violence by creating a positive and safe school environment
Guide teachers in assessing written threats of violence
Evaluate writing outside the classroom, including texting and Facebook postings

Violence in Student Writing delves into the real-life experiences of administrators, teachers, and students, exploring current and relevant issues in student writing violence and offering solutions that every school administrator needs to know.

"This book provides educators with legal and education frameworks for distinguishing students who are writing about violence from writing by violent students. Knowing the difference between the two can possibly save lives."
—Kenneth S. Trump, President of National School Safety and Security Services
Author of Proactive School Security and Emergency Preparedness Planning

"Increased emphasis on writing, combined with evolving trends in online media and bullying, make this a book we all need to keep handy. Here, Oltman combines her wisdom as both a classroom teacher and a lawyer, offering us a guide we can trust as we all seek to navigate our way through the complex landscape of writing instruction."
—Jim Burke, Author of The English Teacher's Companion

Key features

Using published court cases dealing with students' violent and/or disturbing writing, the book will interpret the law in an administrator-friendly way and show how to apply the legal principles to student discipline scenarios while still upholding educational goals.
Deals with violent writing both within the classroom and outside the classroom, including cyberbullying, texting, and Facebook writings.
Each chapter will include real-life scenarios from school administrators and teachers to help illustrate the problems. Actual student writing samples will also be used whenever feasible to obtain.
Shows how to shape a positive and safe school culture where students are less likely to commit school violence.
Gives administrators strategies on how to provide guidance to teachers across the content areas, including how to recognize potential syllabus problems and how to do threat assessments of student writing.

Author(s)

Gretchen A. Oltman

Gretchen Oltman, J.D., Ph.D. has spent over a decade in education, including many years as a high school English teacher. She is a licensed attorney in the state of Nebraska and holds a Ph.D. in Educational Studies from the University of Nebraska. Oltman spent most of her career as a high school English teacher where she focused on Freshman English courses. In addition, Oltman successfully team taught a course for struggling readers and writers, developed a new elective course called “Law and Literature,” and served on building and district-wide assessment committees. She has also served as a lecturer of Education Law in the Department of Educational Administration at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as well as a graduate program administrator at the University of Nebraska College of Law. Oltman currently is a doctoral dissertation consultant at a Midwestern university. She was awarded the 2010 Dr. Ted Sizer High School Level Dissertation of the Year by the National Association of Secondary School Principals. She has been a presenter at national conferences for the NASSP, Education Law Association, and several local and state organizations.

Table of Contents

Foreword by Allan Osborne

Preface

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Introduction

1. The Aftermath of Columbine on Student Writing

A Brief History of School Violence

The Columbine and Jonesboro Shootings: Writings as a Pretext for Violence

The Columbine Effect

The Aftermath of Columbine on the Student Writer

Boston, Massachusetts

Cary, Illinois

West Warwick, Rhode Island

Prosser, Washington

Johnston, Rhode Island

Summary

Practical Applications for Teachers and Administrators

For K-6 Schools

For 7-12 Schools

Questions to Consider

2. Schooling for Citizenship: A Legal Primer for Educators

Freedom of Expression in Today's Public Schools

The U.S. Constitution

Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District

Bethel v. Fraser

Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier

Morse v. Frederick

How Do These Cases Apply to Classroom Writing Samples?

The True Threat Standard

The Court’s Call for Citizenship Education

Citizenship Education Through the Curriculum

Courts Agree – Public Schools Are More Than Books and Pencils

Summary

Practical Applications for Teachers and Administrators

For K-6 Schools

For 7-12 Schools

Questions to Consider

3. School Culture and Student Safety

What Students Write About (And What It Can Say About Your School Culture)

The School Administrator’s Influence On School Culture

Improving Your School Culture

Summary

Practical Applications for Teachers and Administrators

For K-6 Schools

For 7-12 Schools

Questions to Consider

4. Regulating Student Expression: Examining Your School Policy

Why a Zero Tolerance Approach Fails Everyone

Incorporating Legal Principles Into School Policies

Sample Policies

Summary

Practical Applications for Teachers and Administrators

For K-6 Schools

For 7-12 Schools

Questions to Consider

5. Violent Writing Within the Classroom

Freewriting Is Not the Cause of School Violence

Writing as a Predictor of Violence

Writing Instead of Violence

The Unique Nature of the Writing Classroom

“But, Teacher, I Want To Be the Next Stephen King...”

The Lost Lesson: Purpose and Audience

Advice for All Teachers of Writing

Summary

Practical Applications for Teachers and Administrators

For K-6 Schools

For 7-12 Schools

Questions to Consider

6. Violent Writing Beyond the Classroom

Off-Campus Writings

Cases Where Schools Prevailed

Cases Where Students Prevailed

Cyberbullying, Texting, and Facebook Writings

When the Violent Writing Targets You

Staying Informed

Summary

Practical Applications for Teachers and Administrators

For K-6 Schools

For 7-12 Schools

Questions to Consider

7. Communicating With Teachers About Student Violent Writing

Conversing With Teachers Before the School Year Begins

Recognizing Potential Syllabus Problems

Reviewing Teacher Classroom Policies

Suggesting Teaching Methods When You Are Not a Writing Teacher

Continuing the Conversation

Summary

Practical Applications for Teachers and Administrators

For K-6 Schools

For 7-12 Schools

Questions to Consider

8. Threat Assessment for Student Violent Writing Incidents

Assessment Does Not Mean Profiling

Listening and Threat Assessment

Keep a Copy of Student Writing

A Sample Threat Assessment Form for Student Violent Writing Incidents

Summary

Practical Applications for Teachers and Administrators

For K-6 Schools

For 7-12 Schools

Questions to Consider

9. Acting and Responding to Student Violent Writing

The Need for a Timely Response

Responding Reasonably to All Student Violent Writing

Creating a Documentation Trail

Potential Administrative Responses

Summary

Practical Applications for Teachers and Administrators

For K-6 Schools

For 7-12 Schools

Questions to Consider

References

Appendix A

Reviews

"Today's school administrators strive to balance student safety without compromising student creativity and supportive educational climates. Violence in Student Writing: A School Administrator’s Guide provides educators with legal and education frameworks for distinguishing students who are writing about violence from writing by violent students. Knowing the difference between the two can possibly save lives."

Kenneth S. Trump, President of National School Safety and Security Services and author of Proactive School Security and Emergency Preparedness Planning

“What is so special about this book (and the author!) is the comprehensive nature of the issue, the historical and legal perspectives, and the sensible recommendations the author provides to handle what can be a tenuous situation. The author presents the reader with the social, educational and legal aspects of the issue while at the same time providing strategies and procedures that the administrator can feel comfortable about developing and implementing that encourage the creativity in students as well as ensure the safety and trust in attending school.”

Susan N. Inamura, Principal (Retired)
Manoa Elementary School, Honolulu, HI

“This book provides an in depth look at the educators and school administrators responsibility to respond to student work samples that are threatening, abusive, and violent. The aim of the book is to provide an awareness of what is student violent writing, how the English teacher can promote creative writing with guides, and applications for immediate response using a systematic approach once a report has been made involving a violent student writing.
I highly recommend this book for all educators, parents, and professional scholars interested in Education in the 21 Century.”

Robin E. Ruiz, Teacher
Denison Middle School, Winter Haven, FL

“Timely and relevant in today’s educational climate. This book will encourage educators and administrators to remain aware, cautious, and empowered.”

Marilyn Steneken, Science Teacher
Sparta Middle School, Oak Ridge, NJ

“This exceptionally practical book addresses the pervasive issues that school staff members face today.”

Marian White-Hood, Director of Academics
Maya Angelou Public Charter Schools, Washington, DC

"Gretchen Oltman offers an important book on a subject that helps us understand the challenges of the past, those of the present, and (gulp!) those we cannot yet imagine. Increased emphasis on writing, combined with evolving trends in online media and bullying, make this a book we all need to keep handy. Here, Gretchen combines her wisdom as both a classroom teacher and a lawyer, offering us a guide we can trust as we all seek to navigate our way through the complex landscape of writing instruction."

Jim Burke, Author, The English Teacher's Companion

"Rarely do authors have the ability to bring the law alive by providing teachers and administrators with deep understanding of its practical application in their schools. This book is an insightful look into the power of school culture, instructional decision making, policy development, and student well-being through the lens of violent writing, both on and off campus. The writing is compelling, the scholarship is deft, and Oltman’s clear focus on the real work of schools makes this book a must read."

Susan G. Clark, President, Education Law Association and Professor, Educational Foundations and Leadership
University of Akron, Akron, OH

"I know first hand how destructive high schools can be in handling student writing that makes them uncomfortable. In some cases students with no record of violence have been suspended, and their reputations permanently altered, just because their English teacher was frightened by something they wrote. Oltman's book presents the case for much more intelligent policies. Teams of educators who have researched the issue and have spoken to the students should be making these decisions, she says. This is a sensible guide that should be required reading for all principals."

Jay Mathews, Education columnist
Washington Post

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