Feb. 3: Where Were the Teachers At South Broward High?

By Sylvia Gurinsky

In the press accounts of last week's fight that got 23 students arrested at South Broward High School, a word was missing.

That word was "teachers."

Where were they?

Weren't there any in the cafeteria - it was a lunch period - to try to ensure that cooler heads would prevail before it came to the police getting involved?

Did anyone monitor the students early on to try to head off trouble, particularly since there had been previous fights?

What are the guidelines for faculty to prevent and punish disruptive behavior? We know this for some Broward schools, mostly elementary and middle, that post those guidelines at their Web sites. We don't know this for South Broward.

A report by WFOR-Channel 4 late last year shows violence has been increasing in Broward schools. South Broward High makes those lists:

http://cbs4.com/local/school.violence.statistics.2.862743.html

School grounds are supposed to be safe zones. South Broward's school community and the Broward County School District have a way to go to meet that label.