On last week’s “Up Close Show,” Gary Daigneault spoke with MUSD principals Justin Monical of Yucca Valley High School and Mike Ruggiero of 29 Palm High School, regarding September’s flare-up of on-campus violence. When Amanda, a parent of an MUSD student, called in, she asked Monical, “What are the consequences for children who get into altercations since there’s no longer an Operation Clean Sweep?”
Monical responded, “Obviously, each situation is going to be unique in and of itself. We do have a tiered disciplinary response system, depending upon the nature of the behavioral offense that may occur on campus. That being said, we also recognize and embrace the idea that our responsibility isn’t just to dispense consequences but to also teach proper conduct and educate the whole child.”
Monical later referenced the successful PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) currently adopted by MUSD, and while he spoke in support of the progressive program, he also lamented the removal of Clean Sweep tickets as mentioned by Amanda.
“There was a time where administrators were trained by SBC sheriff department to write juvenile infraction tickets… We could write a ticket for PC415, which is Disturbing the Peace. When I was the assistant principal at Yucca, I wrote a lot of those tickets my first few years, and then eventually the fighting on campus died out, because the penalty was that you had to go to court with your parents.”
Monical mentioned Clean Sweep ticket fines would be up to $400, but typically the commissioner would opt to give 20 hours of community service instead.
You can hear the entire interview on the Up Close show right here:
