Portland, Tennessee Blog

With all due respect, a teacher would surely know that the mayor has absolutely no control over the county school system. Debbie, not trying to create a debate but I'm having a little trouble believing you are what you say you are. Are you a teacher in sumner county?

Mack and MDL, thanks for your support...everybody else...I think the point is we all make mistakes in our line of work but it doesn't mean it's the end of the world...teachers aren't paid enough to expect them to be perfect...how would you like it if someone treated you the same way in what you do? What if we posted a blog every time a bag boy smashed our bread or a cashier forgot to give us our receipt? Just because channel four news was having a slow news week and decided to make this into a story doesn't mean it's really that out of the ordinary. what's the first thing most parents do when their kids get in trouble? They tell them to go to their room and stay there... A person I respect today told me that sometimes we're not happy unless we're mad about something...I hope that's not what's happening in Portland...I just think we should all take a step back every now and then and have a laugh and be thankful we live in a country where we can actually debate things like this...hope everyone has a good week.

It is not a contradiction nor hypocritical to support discipline and still expect the fair and humane treatment of children. (Discipline is an inappropriate use of seclusion rooms; it is not their purpose. Therefore, the charge of hypocrisy lacks credibility.)

I believe in giving credit, where credit is due. There are a great number of exceptional teachers and the good ones do deserve better pay, etc., but please excuse me if I take great exception to the assertion that all teachers are made of the same cloth. That belief epitomizes ignorance, but as the saying goes: Ignorance is bliss so I can certainly understand why one would be content with it.

Mack and Daniel, a hearty amen to both posts.

Hat's off to you Daniel...! I agree.

Now here's my opinion....a few weeks ago, everyone on this board was firing off about the lack of punishment being handed down to bullies, and students with possible gang affiliations (or claims)..etc.

This week, many are voicing about how troubled they are with how the most extreme cases of unruly students are handled!! In other words, they don't agree with discipline this week, but a couple weeks ago, they were calling for the heads of those in charge of Portland Middle School!!!

Make up your mind. I don't mean to be disrespectful, but certainly, you can see where I am coming from as a casual observer of this particular thread!!!

Which way do you guys want it?

MDL - That's what I thought, Thanks for your reply.

I said I was "disappointed" -- not offended.
I was just disappointed that you didn't make a distinction between being isolated in another room such as a study hall room, and the seclusion rooms that was reported on in the news.
There's a huge difference between going to a "study hall" room and these "jail cell" type rooms or closets as a couple people reported on.

The police chase story pointed out how not taking things serious can lead to a LOT of danger and waste of taxpaper's money -- by allowing people who are supposed to be being detained -- not be supervised and allowed to drive off with the police car and possibly endangering any one of us on the roads. Now, a police car has to be repaired, and I'm sure some policy changes are coming, or at least, I would hope so. Those Cross Plains policemen didn't take it serious when they had those two in the car ...they lightened up...and look what happened. A fiasco.

I think I'll remain being serious about serious topics.

No, I did not. I was commending him on his post, which was very well said!

MDL - Did you listen to the show?

Bravo Daniel, very well said!

sorry you took offense, I was hoping you would call in and voice your side, this was my opinion of the issue, I don't agree with seclusion rooms as a whole but I do find many parents views hypocritical when it comes to punishment. This situation is trivial in my opinion, teacher punishes student...blame teacher...teacher doesn't punish student...blame teacher...no responsibility taken by parents...ever...if so parents would have known about these rooms 20-30 years ago when they were implemented...basically what we have in Portland is a certain amount of parents who want to be critical of schools but can't handle it when someone is critical of their parenting ability, actually it's not unique to Portland...as for the police chase thing...it was comical, two people steal a police car and lose the police two times in a 15 minute span...dogs and helicopters everywhere and some guy waiting in line while police have traffic stopped catch the criminals...how can you not find that the least bit amusing?...you guys need to lighten up and stop taking everything so seriously, the sun still came up this morning...right now a seclusion room sounds kind of fun to me

DeeAnna - You summed it up pretty good about the radio show, He noted the parents complaining just a month or so ago about the schools not doing enough to keep our kids safe and now they are complaining because of this.... He did say and the only thing I will give him an ounce of credit for, He wasn't necessarily in favor of seclusion rooms either.

And the pursuit issue was in my opinion totally unnecessary, I am not going to elaborate because I respect our law enforcement enough that if they didn't hear the show, GOOD! lets keep it that way!

I think he painted the picture quite well of what he thought of his audience listening when he came back from the break and said "Welcome back *boys and girls* You're listening".....

I heard that about that little girl on the ride having both her feet severed just above the ankles.....gosh, what a horror that was !

Anyone heard how it happened ?

Daniel's show was such a disappointment today.
I hate when someone has the opportunity to talk about something as important as these two topics...and has a "voice" by being on the radio where they can reach a lot of people to inform them and they waste everyone's time the way he did today. He just made it all sound trivial and of no importance.

He started off making fun of people who were complaining about the seclusion rooms....I think he said "whining" about them or something similiar...I don't remember. He did an imitation of a mother, saying..."oh, my poor child" etc... Anyway, he said when he was in school he was put in an isolated room and it was good for him, etc....he had no clue what he was talking about...or the seriousness of the subject of these seclusion rooms. He should have done some research before his show.

I stayed home at 3 pm, just to listen to his show because I expected it would be a good show. It wasn't. He made the police chase sound like a comedy. I won't be listening to his show anymore.

I do like Tim's show....he has facts and substance in his show...and takes a serious look at whatever subject he's talking about.

A cable broke on one of the rides at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom today and amputated a little girl's feet. Scary stuff!

DeeAnna- What did Daniel have to say on the seclusion rooms?

Judy- What did he say that made you feel that he was making a mockery of law enforcement?

Well [Expletives] Wish I hadn't missed it.

I felt he made a mockery of the law enforcement involved in this story, a REAL disappointment to say the least, don't know that I'll bother tuning in again, this is not what I expect to hear on the radio!

I listened to Daniel's show today - :(

I was disappointed in his comments on the seclusion room ...and the stolen police car and capture of the two people.....well...all I can say is that it's a miracle that story ended as well as it did. It's right out of Mayberry !

Overall, I was disappointed in Daniel's show today.

I missed the show, but would be very interested in hearing about the criminals, as well as the seclusion room issue. I wish I had known earlier in the day, because I would have made a special effort to listen in. Are Daniel's shows taped?

Did anyone else listen to Daniel's "The Other Side" today on the radio? He talked about the capture of the two criminals in Portland, If so what did you think?

Thanks, Debra, for the reply. They have an awesome website with all the info @ warbirdskyventures.com. I was just curious if anyone had been on a flight yet!

Looks like my family will be going to Westmoreland to celebrate the 4th. Check out the Portland Web site. Too bad Portland can't do something like that.

My husband stopped by the airport and asked about the planes. They will take you for a ride at prices starting at $150.00. The most expensive was $650.00.

MDL, I'm sure they do have a written protocol on the books for such a situation...but in high speed chases, unexpected things happen......and officers have been known to "get caught up in the high adrenalin" of it all......and protocol goes out the window. They just deal with it later.

I would have thought there would have been a protocol about handcuffing someone that is in their car, too....so they couldn't drive off with their car !! Kinda sounds like something that could only happen in Mayberry.

No, dont' know anyone who's done that, but did see the articles and pictures in the newspapers...

I'm certain our law enforcement has a protocol for exactly that situation.

Has anyone had or know anyone who has participated in the WarBirds Sky Ventures now located at the Portland Airport?

Michelle - in my opinion, it would have been determined when that tragedy happened. Seems those decisions are never made until someone gets killed as a result.
It's kinda like the dragster that crashed into the crowd of people at that parade. They thought it was ok to do until something went wrong and several people ended up getting killed.

I don't know that I've ever heard of a high speed crash ending....except that the one being pursued ends it by crashing his car himself.

I was absolutely horrified to learn that a high speed police chase ended right here in Portland. We should all thank our lucky stars that the criminals who led police on this chase crashed BEFORE they made it to the Hwy 52/Hwy 109 intersection because it would have most likely ended in tragedy.

The million dollar question is: At what point would law enforcement have determined that pursuit was too dangerous to continue?

Heres a great site to post yard sales and misc too check it out http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/PortlandTennesseeGarageSales/

Re-Posting to Current week:

If anyone has lost a dog around the Jernigan Road area, please email me at tnbelle913@yahoo.com.
She is approximately 1 year old, australian shepherd mix. Very sweet, has a green collar. We cannot keep her here, my dogs do NOT like her and I'm afraid she'll get hurt.

Thanks.
Posted by: Amy at June 19, 2007 10:30 PM

Multiple family yard sale at 1135 New Deal Potts Rd near Mt. Pleasant Church Saturday, possibly Friday as well. Home items, ladies and plus size womens clothing, misc items. Come see us! Everything must go!
(In other words, please don't make us box it all up again... LOL!)

Posted by: Ad at June 19, 2007 09:38 PM