Berkeley Parents Network: Doing Poorly at BHS

Berkeley Parents Network

Doing Poorly at BHS

Berkeley Parents Network > Reviews > K-12 Schools > Berkeley Public Schools > Berkeley High School > Doing Poorly at BHS

Sphomore son is doing poorly academically

February 2006

My son, a sophmore at BHS, skips as many classes as he attends. He is doing poorly academically. I believe that the current program is not right for him. He wanted to be in the Arts program but was not admitted.

I've tried talking with the counselor, and I believe that the counselor is unable to help because he seems uninterested in my son in the first place and hostile to me. I've requested from the deputy principal that a different counselor be assigned and was refused.

Therefore, I am considering:
--other schools, including arts academies
--the BHS independent study program.

Anybody have a suggestion for an incredibly intelligent young man who is not successful at BHS?
Looking for Alternatives

A while back, some parents were meeting as a 'school is not for boys' support group, and we archived the notes and resources from those meetings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/schoolsnotforboys/. Hope you find something useful there - several of the entries include other schools to consider, including a new charter school in Oakland. The group is now defunct, but maybe it could be resurrected with new members (and the group might consider including parents of daughters as well). I don't know why the group was short-lived, must be many reasons. Our situations were quite different (family composition, finances, ethnicity, sons' ages, schools...); it's difficult to share these stories with strangers (and perhaps the conversations are better handled by a professional); some of us were experiencing some success and others saw little change.... I wish we could have helped one another more. The problems are real and need raising and addressing. Best of luck to you. anon

I highly recommend the East Bay Waldorf High School. Some kids think it's too small, but the education is excellent and the kids can't hide - which can make all the difference - so much attention is paid to each child and I have found my interactions with the faculty to be very informative and helpful - I know it's not close, it's in El Sobrante - there is a bus and there are carpools from Berkeley and other cities. There aren't lots of sports and clubs like Berkeley High but there are some and they are working on making more. Kids can visit the school for a few days to get a feel for it.
A Happy EBWS Parent

Son's negative experience at Berkeley High

April 2002

My son is a senior and about to graduate from BHS - but in hind site I consider the last three years very detrimental and think we should have removed him - if only to take the high school equivalency exam and move on. He has been cutting class (significantly) since his sophomore year - and no one gives a damn. He has been very depressed and has received an unbelievably poor education. In his first two years of English - they read maybe six books (one of the small schools).

Through monumental efforts on our (the parents) part he is going to a private four year university, but considering his negative experience and what he has learned at BHS (you don't have to do anything - and who cares) we have no idea how he will manage.

If we could do it again - we would have removed him from BHS - at least to independent study (where he is completing his senior year).

My advice is - if your kid is struggling, unhappy, truant or depressed - get him out of BHS. I do think Michele Lawrence will turn things around given time - but having a healthy, happy and confident kid should come first - even before high school.

sign me anonymous

Advise to BHS parents - My son wanted to attend Berkeley and I was quite happy to give it a try. He started off good, but as time went by his grades dropped from A's to C's and D's. He played truant, locked himself in his bedroom and refused to come out. In the beginning like most parents we thought it was his teenage mood swings, but then it became obvious something was really wrong when he began to slash his wrists.

He hated the B.High culture and claimed school was a waste of his time as far as getting an education. The depression went on - we sought counseling - like many parents we thought what the hell can I do. I can't afford a private high school on my salary.

Then one day - our relationship with B.High was over - my son was asked by a group of three males for a 'pocket check' that is 'empty your pockets' he said and 'no' and consequently got beaten up pretty bad. Clothes torn, black eye etc. Might I add that it didn't help the fact that he got so depressed he stopped hanging out with his group of friends and was alone while this took place. Nevertheless, I cried, how could I let my son go to a school where his physical safety was at risk.

Cut a long story short - I somehow found the money to send him to Bishop O'Dowd. As much as it is a hardship for us to find the extra cash - I can honestly say in the three months that my son has been there I have a totally different child. He has gone from failing and falling through the cracks to being an up beat motivated kid that loves school. His grades this semester are four A's one B and a C - such a miraculous improvement over B.High.

What is the difference - lower class size - strong values for respect for each other - child held accountable by the school - text books (which we have to buy of course) - closed campus - high levels of professional security - more counselors per child and the obvious no government budget cuts.

What more can I say those stories you here are true and there is no denying that there is something terribly wrong with our school system - that is not to say that all kids are miserable and physically threatened at B.High.

Bottom line - I think you just have to listen to your kid and find some way to get them out of B.High if you have to. Anon

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