My son has been attending Greenspun Middle School for about one year and is currently in 6th grade…read more We moved here from California, and the difference in how schools are run is shocking, in the worst way.
Clark County School District, and Greenspun specifically, handles student behavior very poorly. My son has witnessed more fights at this school in one year than he ever did in California. Bullying is a serious issue here, and the way staff, teachers, and administration respond to it is unacceptable.
For example, an 8th grade student poured orange juice over my son's head. My son did exactly what he was taught, he reported it to staff instead of reacting. After speaking directly with the principal, Ms. Hermes, it sounded like this 8th grade student would face little to no consequences. However, it was made very clear that if my son had defended himself, he would be the one in trouble. This teaches kids to accept being mistreated while punishing them for standing up for themselves, which does not prepare them for the real world.
This same pattern shows up in the classroom. My son recently got in trouble with Ms. Walsh, his math teacher, for raising his voice. My son admitted to me that he did raise his voice, and I appreciate his honesty. He explained that during free time another student was repeatedly giving him a hard time and even threw a backpack, yet that student was not disciplined. Ms. Walsh did not put a stop to the behavior immediately, allowing the situation to escalate. While my son should not have raised his voice, it is easy to understand his frustration when disruptive behavior is ignored and the child reacting is the only one punished. Students are either ignored when they report issues or immediately punished without any real accountability.
Teachers frequently raise their voices when it isn't necessary, instead of stopping bad behavior the first time it happens. It feels more like a power struggle than effective classroom management.
Academically, things are not much better. My son has struggled with his grades, and after meeting with all of his teachers, one teacher, Mr. Hoffman made the comment, "The dad's job is to work and the son's job is to do his own work." That statement alone showed a complete lack of support, accountability, or willingness to help a struggling student.
I also personally sat in on one of Mr. Hoffman's classes. Before the classroom doors even opened, while waiting outside in the hallway, I overheard multiple students using the N word. This is especially concerning given that over 80% of the student population is Caucasian. There was no staff present to intervene out there , and it was clear this type of language is tolerated.
From my own observation, Mr. Hoffman does the bare minimum, assigns work, sits at his desk, and provides little guidance or engagement. I witnessed this firsthand.
Some classes don't even have assigned seating, which only adds to distractions and behavior problems. Most work is done on computers, yet there is no typing or basic computer skills class, setting students up to struggle even more.
Overall, this school lacks structure, accountability, student support, and effective leadership. Bullying, racial language, and disruptive behavior are not addressed consistently, and administration, under the leadership of Ms. Hermes fails to protect students who follow the rules and report issues appropriately. I would not recommend Greenspun Middle School to any parent who cares about their child's safety, education, or emotional well being.
