What Do We Think of Belle Plaine Kansas' School Systems

The Teachers at Belle Plaine Elementary School here in Belle Plaine, Kansas, will try to come across as being nice and sincere about teaching your child while they are there. However, how does a teacher come across to the child once you are gone or you have a child with some emotional problems? Do the parents actually get involved in the classroom or do they just trust this school so much that they take everything for granted and leave their children without wondering?

Well the story is that a little boy whom needed help was refused help and basically (should I say shunned) put to the back because he did not have the capabilities of the other children.

It all started with a very bright little boy who has been diagnosed with an all too common disorder. He has problems sitting for prolonged periods of time and he is definitely a follower. This child was treated in the wrong
due to his mother interfering too much. The mother had gone to the school to explain to the teacher that he was a very active little boy that had some emotional problems. She stated that she would like to have a daily report done on his activities that would require that certain teacher to check basically well or not so well on a paper for each hour of the day. This was done and set up by another teacher the year before at the same school.

When the teacher was asked about this because the student had succeeded the year before, she stated that it was his responsibility to inform the parent of his conduct. How outrageous is this? I found it conflicting being that a six year old child is not going to come home and say mom I had a bad day. I don't expect a child to want to be corrected for doing wrong. They anicipate the trouble they will get into and they don't know how sometimes to be totally honest.

The teacher stated that it was not up to her to report to the parent how the child was doing on a daily basis. It was not her job. OK!

This student continued to have some problems. On one occasion he was asked to get off of the retainer wall, and he "supposedly" stated that he "just wished he could take a bomb and blow up the school". Now this child had never stated anything like this at home, and although the parent was told about it (4 days later) the school took it as a threat. This is unreal! Instead of sitting down with the child and contacting the parent about what he had said they took it as a "real threat". The parents found out later during the week when the mother went in to talk with the school and check on how her child was doing? When she had found out what had happened she asked her son, why he would say that? He stated that two of his other friends had said it so he did too.
Now, the other two children did not get into trouble for this. On a later occasion the students (the same three) had gotten into trouble for taking toys from the back of the commode in the classroom restroom. Now the one boy was repremanded and sent home a note, and the other two children again did not get into trouble.
The fascinating fact I find interesting here is that the only child that had gotten into trouble was the child whose parent was up at the school on a every other day to two day basis. Oh did I forget to mention that the child is of a hispanic descent?

When the mother stated that she would like to remove the child from the school and put him into another school, the same school told her to wait and to give them time because he was making progress. OK! He was removed from the parent within three days because the school was so concerned that they evidently notfied the state and made suggestions to them. Now being that the boy out of 9 other children was the only one removed what do you get from that?

Basically What I am trying to tell you is that if you have a child that is not white, or a child that is not a perfect student you may wnat to rethink the option of putting your child into this school. The school also did not refund any of the money that they owed the parent back for its dues, or its milk and projects (in which the child did not attend) and the child never received the shirts that the parents paid for. They also did not reimburse the parent for the lunches that the parent had payed for either. This school is not all it states it is when it comes to a "problem child". They do not go out of their way to help you or your child, and the teachers (though I am sure not all) do not want to go out of their way to help a student in need.

My advice to you is this: If your child is a perfect child in need of no help then by all means this is a great school system. Low student to teacher ratio, etc., good test results, most of the staff is helpful. However if you have a child that is a little emotional or has behavioral problems, then you definitely would want to enroll them into another school. I would recommend Wellington, or Derby. For a small fee you can enroll your child in the state of Kansas, in a school not in your district. I believe that every child deserves to have the same chance the other children have. They shouldn't be treated any differently because of their race or ethnicity. Nor should they be treated any differently because they have a few problems. Research the school you allow your child to attend and find out how your child is being treated in the school systems.