Learning About Those Being Taught

If they still have those back-to-school assemblies where high school principals greet the students, here’s how I’d use my three minutes if I were principal:

Many of you see me as the ultimate authority figure around here, and I’m aware some of you refer to me as “The Warden.” This is the year I want that to stop.

No, I’m not turning the keys over to you. But it’s occurred to me over the summer that we ask an awful lot of you during the school year. What we don’t spend enough time asking is how you’re doing.

We take you for granted, because we once sat in your chairs and we figure since we muddled through, so will you. But our lives as teenagers 25, 30 and 40 years ago were different from your lives today. People might say you have it a lot easier than we did, but if you don’t believe that, then it does us no good to think it. We need to get inside your heads and try to see how you view the world.

I’m asking you to help us do that this year.

We all know that teenagers are in the news these days. The media see too many of you as sullen, aimless, angry and vengeful.

You know I’d be lying if I said none of you was like that. I know some of you are. What I want to tell you is that some of your parents, teachers--and maybe even your principal--felt that same way at your age.

You think we don’t understand, that only your friends do.

I’m telling you that we may understand you more than you think. This year, I don’t want you to keep your problems bottled up inside. My first suggestion is that you find a teacher or vice principal you can talk to.

I’ve already directed them that they’re not to turn anyone away who wants counseling. It might interest you to know that we already have a number of teachers who have volunteered to stay late, if necessary, to talk to any student who wants it.

I’m also giving some thought to establishing a mailbox or, possibly, a Web site, here at the school where you can express your frustrations anonymously. I’m aware that sometimes you just have to vent, and we’re not going to be afraid to let you do it.

There’s another twist this year. I meet with my faculty every other Monday afternoon at 4. This year, a panel of students representing every class is going to attend those meetings. You’ll be choosing your own representatives, and they’ll be free to speak up as they see fit.

On top of that, I’ll meet by myself once a month with a group of 10 to 15 of you. We’ll let you know how you can sign up for these voluntary sessions.

What I’m trying to tell you is that I don’t want this to be a business-as-usual school year.

We want you to succeed. You’ve heard that before, and you can see right through us when we say it and don’t mean it. That’s why I’m directing every teacher on this staff to write a 500-word essay--that’s right, just like a class assignment--on how they see their responsibility to you.

Now, you’re asking, there must be a catch, right?

Yes, there is a catch.

The catch is that I want you to believe what I’m saying.

Now, do I think that somehow, mysteriously, none of you will get in trouble this year? No, some of you are sitting there right now, figuring how to take advantage of things.

That’s OK. I said we were going to talk frankly. You know as well as I do that some of you will test us.

But here’s another twist. I’ve gotten special dispensation from the school district that before any suspensions or expulsions are meted out, I’ll air the case before a group of your peers.

They won’t have decision-making authority--we can’t go that far--but I will get their perspective.

We want to teach you this year. We want to know you this year.

When it’s over, I want you to really mean it when you say it’s your school.

*

Dana Parsons’ column appears Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Readers may reach Parsons by calling (714) 966-7821 or by writing to him at the Times Orange County Edition, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626, or by e-mail to dana.parsons@latimes.com