Manhattan school plagued with violence, parents say concerns neglected – New York Post

Violence has spiraled at a Manhattan middle school in one of the city’s top districts this year — and administrators aren’t doing enough to stop it, a group of parents told the Post. A string of incidents at 75 Morton, including a bus stop beating and a cafeteria body slam, drew a rare visit from Department of Education security chief Mark Rampersant on Friday, sources said. Some parents assert that principal Valerie Leak — who is in her first year at the helm — has neglected violent incidents and relied largely on restorative justice strategies to maintain order. Instead of suspensions and other measures, the approach has students try to peacefully hash out disputes in circles under teacher supervision. “That’s fine, but when there are no other consequences, things are going to happen,” said one mom. “If kids know they can get away with something, they do it. That is what’s happening here.” Conditions in the building led to a student Snapchat group named “75 Morton Fights” that shared brawl footage. One clip shows a confrontation in a school stairwell where hair is yanked and punches are thrown. Another clip posted to the group shows a student being beaten at…
Read More