Survey Responses: Question 6: What policies in your school district (or university, private school, etc.) do you disagree with and why. What would you like to see change in, for the benefit of the students and teachers?

These are questions taken directly from the survey I created and passed around to teachers from elementary to higher education.  Each bullet is a separate person's answer, and some include quotes with permission from the teacher.  All others are anonymous.

6.)  What policies in your school district (or university, private school, etc.) do you disagree with and why.  What would you like to see change in, for the benefit of the students and teachers?

• What we need:  Stricter admissions criteria/ requirements for students with academic deficiencies to visit writing center, meet with tutors, etc.  Need more resources and support for students with learning disabilities and other barriers to learning.  Need to improve situation for adjuncts and lecturers (better contracts, health insurance).
• School districts have become enablers for both low performing students and teachers.  The entire public school culture needs to change in Manchester, NH.  -- Jeff Miller
• They (students) should be expelled from school for certain behaviors/ reasons.  Suspension of students should be for longer depending on the issue.  There should be an "alternative high school"  in district for students with behavior issues.  Housing all students in one building creates an unequal chance of education for EVERYONE.  Too much negative attention and it flows downwards.  Staffed appropriately would help if all housed in one building.  Too much freedom for those students who can't handle the freedom!
• Stricter attendance policy.
• I don't think we have high enough standards.  We settle for less and pass students who don't know how to read and write or do basic math.  We need to have a basic core curriculum through the 8th grade and then possibly teach either a skill or trade or a college prep. curriculum.
• I strongly disagree with how the school board is run.  The mayor should have no impact in any kind of school decisions.  If our district were a business, we would be "out of business".  -- Justin Gorham
• See number 5-- Better, up to date technology.  --  Terry Villemure
• Dress code too strict.  Bring your own electronic device policy would be great with device loans to disadvantaged students.
• We need to hold students accountable for their choices -- good and bad.  We need to recognize and reward students who make proper choices and and we need meaningful consequences for those making poor choices.  For example, our district has a policy of social promotion.  Employers are going to hold them accountable so it's just more realistic.  Teachers would benefit because proper behavior would be encouraged.
• The school district needs to find a better or alternative way of providing education to those students who are disruptive, violent, truant, resistant, etc.  Too many times students cause problems in the classroom that get in the way of teachers teaching and willing students learning.  They don't want to follow rules?  Get them out to do an alternative program. 
• I disagree with the grading policy.  I believe that it has led to less homework being done.  Grades have been skewed as a result of weighting competencies. 
• I disagree with how our district defines formative and summative.  I think the percentages each are worth should be more equal.  I also dislike how our district is judged by NECAP scores.  It is one test which does not represent me as a teacher or the abilities of my students.  --  Angela Balch 
• Summative (90%) versus formative (10%)  --  Students are not mastering the 10% material because it's only 10% and then can't do the 90%.  The district seems to have set them up for failure. 
• Need to have better understanding of behavior and consequences; better training to teach this population of learners. 
• Different diplomas for different accomplishments.  Real vocational education.  Internships/job shadowing beginning in grade 8.  --  Leslie Blanding 
• I would like to see the discipline policy followed more closely.  I feel that students could focus on academics if discipline wasn't so often an issue.  --  Cornelia Reisman 
• Currently there are no specific policies with which I disagree.  On occasion, however, I disagree with administrative handling of middle school discipline issues.  They tend to waver between being overly strict and far too lax.  I believe that students and staff would benefit from calm, assertive consequences that are consistent and fair.  That would improve behaviors during unstructured times in the hallways and cafeteria.