h More Student Support Services and Programs

Students longed for consistently supportive people, places, and programs they could visit to receive guidance and support. Similar to the increased availability of counselors, support service providers, teachers, greater access to academic, social, emotional, behavioral student support services and programs is needed. Also, schools should support academic and social needs together so they are not at odds. If schools lack services and programs that support students struggling with academic, social, emotional, and interpersonal problems, they can be encouraged to give up on their efforts to overcome personal challenges. Zaafir shared how a lack of literacy support (and the lack of caring and compassion he experienced—a theme explored in the “Caring and Supportive Staff” section in a few pages) in his school led to his decision to give up:

That kind of did affect me in school a lot because there was times when I would go to class and I had a hard time reading because I had never had a school experience back home so it’s kind of hard for me to understand how to read, so every time I would try to read something in class, my teacher would pick on me on purpose. When I would read something, they would laugh at me, like ‘he doesn’t know how to read.’ I was kind of sad. While that was happening, I didn’t want to go to school anymore. And I felt like ‘to hell with this’ you know. Forget about it and walk away, you know. (Fall 2011, Zaafir) Zaafir attended a high school in Suburban District 7,and he reminded us that not only

131

must there be more academic and social support offered to struggling students, but these services and practices must be performed with patience, compassion, care, and respect.

Zoe struggled during her last few years of high school because of health issues and expressed a need for greater support while she figured out how to manage all of her school work and her chronic illness:

Out a lot fall to spring of junior year because of undiagnosed hyperthyroidism. It affected my education very much. I was missing a lot of school. I began to miss school once or twice a week. It was very hard to concentrate when I had so many other things on my mind. My school work started to really fall. School has always been my main priority, but when you are diagnosed with a chronic illness at 17, you really don't care. My senior year, my thyroid levels fell, and I started falling asleep in class and not waking up for school. I did my worst senior year. I missed 50 days of school and went on home

instruction for 3 months. Home instruction is far from the same as regular school. I went back to school and was so behind. I wanted to give up, but I didn't, and graduated! (Fall 2011, Zoe)

Schools need policies and practices that support sick children and refrain from punishing them because of their ailments. If students have to learn in home instruction, they should still receive a quality education. Creative solutions will likely be necessary so that high quality home instruction can be affordable for districts and logistically feasible.

Leah shared that:

One of the problems, especially for the younger grades in high school, is drugs and alcohol. What I was thinking is forming some type of program, awareness club after school, to get kids together, maybe an education charity, working with youth to provide

132

support for the drug and alcohol problems affecting all age levels to bring students the positive messages of personal care, trust, and drug use prevention. This would help by reaching out to students’ minds and steering them to the right path in the right direction, to engage them in the right path and the right direction, to educate them about the dangers and the consequences of abusing drugs, to empower them with the truth and the hope. So that’s what I was thinking about. I know it’s a lot. (Fall 2011, Leah)

If created collaboratively, with the respectful inclusion of students, families, guidance counselors, teachers, administrators, and community members, these programs could have the scope and buy-in needed to reach students in meaningful ways. Students/co-researchers thought the support services and programs should meet the specific needs of the students and school community, so services and programs could be different from school to school. They did list ideas that seemed to be relevant to students regardless of what school they attended. One group in the fall shared that “Schools should encourage and give importance to clubs and activities that bring awareness to students about racism and discrimination.” If standardized tests continue to exist as a measurement of a student’s knowledge, they should not be the only measurement as they are limited in what they capture. The group also argued that “Schools should offer SAT, ACT, HSPA tutoring so students can get help to prepare for these exams” (Fall 2011, Group). In discussions and final presentations, students/co-researchers also identified the need for schools to provide comprehensive and consistent:

 tutoring services

133

 diversity training for teachers in an effort to increase compassion for students with disabilities or lower skill levels so they will be less likely to treat them with frustration (or consider them too much work to catch them up)

 programs to support teens who are pregnant or have children

 counseling services, support groups, and educational programs for students who are coping with abuse (physical, sexual, emotional abuse; drug and alcohol abuse; problems at home; etc.) and illness (mental, physical, chronic, etc.)

 support for students who are constantly moving from school to school

 support and educational programs that work to increase compassion and decrease cruelty related to identities (race, ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, sexuality, gender, difference, disability, weight, appearance, look, dress, possessions, etc.), with a respectful and open-minded understanding of the intersectionality of these sociocultural constructions as well.