This should probably be declared 'Deer Valley Middle School Week!'  First, KPNX-TV unfairly singles them out for having teachers deemed to be not 'highly-qualified,' and doesn't even mention the poor quality of administration that cause this situation to exist(Sure, blame it on Bush's NCLB legislation) - and now I am exposing the DVUSD administrations - at all levels, including the School Board - for falsely proclaiming DVMS to be a member of the Safe Schools program, while in fact, the facility is anything BUT safe!

     DVMS has received tens of thousands of dollars(possibly more) to initiate and improve upon programs that would ensure the safety of its students, staff and community.  Those funds have either been diverted from their original intent, or otherwise mis-spent/mis-managed, and the proof is easily exhibited.

     My vehicles have been vandalized at least three times in the past two years, in staff parking lots.  Other staff members have reported similar vandalism, as well as having personal items stolen or destroyed from within their classrooms.  The campus has been repeatedly tagged and burglarized, and rooms that require extra security are routinely left unlocked and unsupervised, even when outside contractors or the general public are on campus, such as during vacation times, after-school activities, or evening hours.  Administration has permitted numerous, non-essential personnel to possess master keys to the campus - to the point where they do not know exactly who may still possess them!(Who should?  Administration and Maintence staff - and that's it!)

     Off-duty policemen, hired to provide security during school hours - on specified days only -  rarely, if ever, patrol the front of the campus at times when Goldwater HS students would be exiting, many of whom enter the DVMS campus as a short-cut home!  While officers do spend time in the school office completing paperwork, 'down-time' - periods of relative student inactivity - would be better spent patrolling vulnerable campus areas!

     Students are routinely allowed to return to DVMS, after having perpetrated acts of vandalism, threatening behaviors and violence.  "They have IEP's" is a routine administrative response, but DVMS is also known for accepting other district's castaways, when administration is aware of their previous offensive(often criminal) behaviors.  The DV District Administration has informed DVMS that the Suspensions Off Campus, which routinely are more than most other DV schools combined, is a 'classroom management problem!'  Yeah, right!  It's the teachers who are at fault!?!  Parents have withdrawn their children from DVMS, to avoid the constant fears for personal safety, often racially or gang-related.  DVMS has had teachers threatened and assaulted by students and parents, and even those perpetrators have been allowed to return! 

     Lastly, a video monitoring system was installed at DVMS a few years ago, and most of the cameras are now inoperative, disabled or dismantled - and the actual recording device is also inoperative!  Why have these items not been repaired or replaced?  Certainly not due to a lack of Safe Schools grant money at the district level.  Whose decision is it, to continually put the well-being of students, staff and community in jeopardy?  Safe Schools?  You bet your life - literally!