"Committed to Ultimate Success of Truant Students" 11-28
Judge Stephen Walker: (photo)
a.k.a. Walker Report Publisher/Editor
28 de noviembre de 2010
28 de noviembre de 2010
by Dennis Ayotte Jr.
A retired teacher from Harlandale ISD, former adjunct professor at Wayland Baptist University and current San Antonio’s Precinct 2, Judge Stephen Walker looks to decrease dropout rates through encouraging students to continue on.
The fact a judge would require a truant student to obtain a San Antonio Library card and have them submit a two-page written and oral report seems odd, but for Judge Stephen Walker it is about redirecting the student toward a path of redemption.
Precinct 2, traditionally handled truancy cases in parts of NISD, NEISD, SAISD and Edgewood ISD until as of late.
Due to a backlog of cases and no attendance officers, SAISD and NISD have opted to reassign truancy cases to municipal courts, in order to expedite the process. The expedition of these cases comes at the cost of students financially and educationally.
In a recent editorial Judge Walker wrote for La Prensa, he made his stance clear. “Instead of just fining the parents, we require counseling for the student to include anger management, goal setting, good decision making, family counseling and Valero Mentoring.”
“Expediting students to municipal court for fines is a short term solution to a long term problem. It acerbates the problem of students becoming a dropout statistic or worse,” he added.
Fining parents and students while adding community service is not the answer to helping truants get back in the classroom and earn a high school diploma or GED. Judge Stephen Walker, who spent 26 years of his adult life as an educator, has a genuine vested interest in the rehabilitation and ultimate success of the student.
Judge Walker’s progressive methods and ideas on truancy have included court mandated:
Graduation plans
San Antonio Library Card
Written and oral book reports
Completion of a GED or high school diploma
Revocation or prevention of a driver’s license
Mandatory sign in sheets at school
Daily attendance sheets
Along with implementing new ways of helping students achieve ultimate success, Judge Walker feels it’s vital to have attendance officers involved. He often asks the recommendation of the attendance officer before making his final ruling.
“I only get to see these kids for two or three minutes, but the attendance officers are the ones working with the students regularly,” he said.
Judge Walker’s relentless commitment to the betterment of students couldn’t be seen more clearly from a case he had early this year, after he was faced with a distraught parent and a student that was cited numerous times for truancy.
After working with both the mother and daughter and monitoring the student’s attendance, she is now enrolled in a local college and works in the Precinct 2 courtroom two days a week doing data entry. A student who could have been easily another dropout statistic is now on her way to a career.
Judge Walker is making sure the students who pass through his court room amount to something through the power of redemption. To read more about Judge Stephen Walker, visit his website at walkerreport.net.
http://www.laprensasa.com/2.0/4/301/San-Antonio.html
A retired teacher from Harlandale ISD, former adjunct professor at Wayland Baptist University and current San Antonio’s Precinct 2, Judge Stephen Walker looks to decrease dropout rates through encouraging students to continue on.
The fact a judge would require a truant student to obtain a San Antonio Library card and have them submit a two-page written and oral report seems odd, but for Judge Stephen Walker it is about redirecting the student toward a path of redemption.
Precinct 2, traditionally handled truancy cases in parts of NISD, NEISD, SAISD and Edgewood ISD until as of late.
Due to a backlog of cases and no attendance officers, SAISD and NISD have opted to reassign truancy cases to municipal courts, in order to expedite the process. The expedition of these cases comes at the cost of students financially and educationally.
In a recent editorial Judge Walker wrote for La Prensa, he made his stance clear. “Instead of just fining the parents, we require counseling for the student to include anger management, goal setting, good decision making, family counseling and Valero Mentoring.”
“Expediting students to municipal court for fines is a short term solution to a long term problem. It acerbates the problem of students becoming a dropout statistic or worse,” he added.
Fining parents and students while adding community service is not the answer to helping truants get back in the classroom and earn a high school diploma or GED. Judge Stephen Walker, who spent 26 years of his adult life as an educator, has a genuine vested interest in the rehabilitation and ultimate success of the student.
Judge Walker’s progressive methods and ideas on truancy have included court mandated:
Graduation plans
San Antonio Library Card
Written and oral book reports
Completion of a GED or high school diploma
Revocation or prevention of a driver’s license
Mandatory sign in sheets at school
Daily attendance sheets
Along with implementing new ways of helping students achieve ultimate success, Judge Walker feels it’s vital to have attendance officers involved. He often asks the recommendation of the attendance officer before making his final ruling.
“I only get to see these kids for two or three minutes, but the attendance officers are the ones working with the students regularly,” he said.
Judge Walker’s relentless commitment to the betterment of students couldn’t be seen more clearly from a case he had early this year, after he was faced with a distraught parent and a student that was cited numerous times for truancy.
After working with both the mother and daughter and monitoring the student’s attendance, she is now enrolled in a local college and works in the Precinct 2 courtroom two days a week doing data entry. A student who could have been easily another dropout statistic is now on her way to a career.
Judge Walker is making sure the students who pass through his court room amount to something through the power of redemption. To read more about Judge Stephen Walker, visit his website at walkerreport.net.
http://www.laprensasa.com/2.0/4/301/San-Antonio.html
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