Sharing information not always best

I am writing in response to the editorial Our View, “Why sharing about students must be mandated.”

Most people at first glance, I think, would agree sharing information between parents, schools, and local agencies would be ideal in protecting and serving the educational, social, and developmental needs of students. But from my experience, unless there are very clear lines of authority and a coordinated plan of action between agencies, the child or student is caught in a barrage of questioning, requirements, and punishments that can overwhelm and ultimately harm rather than help the student and his or her family.

In short, the student is stigmatized and punished multiple times - in their school, through the legal system, various social service agencies, and many times at home. In an ideal world, schools would focus solely on being a safe haven for students, and advocating in every way for the educational, social and developmental well-being of every student.

Ideally, our legal system would coordinate with schools so they are aware particularly of safety issues, but take on the authority and responsibility when it comes to evaluating legal issues and setting appropriate punishments when a proven crime has been committed.

Ideally, discipline in schools should not be punishment based, but educationally based.

And ideally, if a law has been broken, the school refers it to the legal system where they have a fair and just system of review and method to establish appropriate punishment.

Creating a coordinated system of services that does not stigmatize the student or the family, and provides a fair and just process for educating and correcting students is a worthy goal. It is my opinion and experience, however, that coordination between agencies can mean the student is held accountable to multiple authorities without clear lines of responsibility or plan of action to best serve the needs of that student.

Barbara Evans

Deer Park