Bridges caters to students who've run out of chances

Inside a Glendora classroom, teens sit in a circle, having a spirited discussion of world events.

They begin by discussing both sides of the abortion issue, then segue into the importance of the U.S. Supreme Court. Their facilitator and teacher, Helen Doherty, explains that, with two of the justices nearing retirement, new judicial appointments could easily overturn Roe vs. Wade, making abortion illegal again.

The 26 students move on to discuss birth control, the role that government plays in the lives of Americans and the president's recent speech, which they had been assigned to watch on television the previous night.

Like a typical classroom, many of the students are articulate, informed and thoughtful; a few stare off into space. But it is not a typical classroom. The students, many of whom have learning disabilities, have been expelled from other schools for bringing weapons to school, substance abuse, selling drugs and "generally running out of chances," according to their teacher.

But they have one last chance in Doherty's classroom - a community day school known as the Bridges Program. And their teacher, a member of the Charter Oak Education Association, is determined to help them succeed.

Community day schools were first implemented in 1996 as an alternative education program for "mandatorily expelled" students and other high-risk youth. They were created as part of an effort to implement a policy of zero tolerance for serious negative behavior. More than 200 districts and 20 county offices of education operate such schools, with more than 8,000 students enrolled.

The facilities are separated from other school sites, and often exist in storefronts.

Bridges, which was granted a waiver, shares a site with an independent study program and a continuation school, but the students are isolated from other students and eat lunch in a separate area.

The name "Bridges" is symbolic for the program's goal - serving as a bridge back to a regular classroom and mainstream society.

Doherty, a 39-year teaching veteran who serves on CTA's Native American Caucus, credits her "tough and tender" approach with helping nearly 70 percent of her students succeed. "My goal is to help them back to traditional programs," she says. "Some stay with me a semester; most stay here a year or more. Some elect to stay in the program for additional time, because they find they can get their needs met and feel better about themselves here."

Her intention is not just to bring students up to speed academically, but also to develop character and engender appropriate social behavior.

"These kids have poor judgment, lack impulse control and have frequent blowups," she says. "I work on behavior modeling in the classroom and give them feedback on what is socially acceptable. I want an environment of mutual dignity and respect. When students are respected, they tend to respect you in return."

When asked what led them to the Bridges program, the students tell stories of academic failure, drug abuse, violence and anger.

"We're kids who wore out our welcome at regular school for a variety of reasons," says 16-year-old Nickii.

"I was expelled for possession of a knife and vandalism. Some people look at kids who don't go to a 'regular school' differently. I don't know why; everyone makes mistakes. We're just the ones who got caught doing them."

Cassandra, 13, says she has been doing drugs since she was 8 years old. Drugs, especially speed, "really messed up my ability to learn," she says. "Also, I was a bully at regular school - a big one."

Another girl, also 13, says she "accidentally" took a knife to school and ended up threatening another student.

Jacob, 13, threatened to stab a student with a pencil and is repeating sixth grade for the third time. "It's hard to talk about, and it makes me feel really stupid," he says. "I'll be 14 when I'm in seventh grade."

"Lots of my kids cover up the fact they have learning disabilities by acting out," says Doherty, a grandmotherly woman who speaks to the students in a calm, reassuring manner. "They cover it up with bad behavior and think it's not cool to ask for help. They think that no one will know they can't read if they act badly. But these kids are actually pretty smart because they have survival skills. I think they get underestimated all the time."

In Doherty's class, the students are not afraid to be themselves or ask for the help they need, and they know they won't be ridiculed by their peers. "When we're in here, we aren't going to make each other feel bad," Doherty tells them. "We're going to make each other feel good. Others may want to put us down, but we're not going to beat them to the punch."

Her students may be taken off guard by her unfailingly upbeat attitude at first. "I try to catch them in the act of being successful and reward them for that," she confides. "The majority of parents are used to only getting phone calls about what their child has done wrong; I try to make positive phone calls about what their child is doing right."

Because she constantly tells her students how much she believes in them, she finds them willing to take risks. For example, they competed against general education students from some 90 schools in a mock trial competition held at the Los Angeles Superior Court earlier this year. After writing their own legal arguments, they went before the judges and jury and won the first round of competition.

"Some of these kids have been on the wrong side of the law, but this experience showed them how the law works," says Doherty. "The competition also shows them that laws aren't just on the books to be punitive, but to set rules for how society lives. Activities like this get students more in tune with society and teach them their role in society."

The theme extends into the students' volunteer work in the community nearly every weekend. They also participate in the Kudos for Kids Foundation, which sponsors a Youth Issues Summit for Unity and Understanding. Doherty, who started the foundation, recently won a CTA Human Rights Award for her efforts. Students are also involved in political activism, ranging from listening to speeches from local politicians to writing letters to newspapers, working phone banks and walking precincts.

The students read at a local convalescent home during the CTA/NEA observance of Read Across America. "The older people read to kids when they were younger; we say thanks by reading to them now," explains one student.

Doherty encourages her students to stand up for themselves and make good choices. At the end of the discussion group, she tells the students, "Don't give anyone else control over your life. I want you to be thinkers. Don't be afraid to take risks. Set the highest standards for yourselves. You will make or break yourself as a human being based on the choices you make. Every choice you make on a daily basis has a consequence."

Students say the program has helped them get back on track and focus on what is important. "At first I thought nothing was going to change," says Steven. "But this school makes you change. It makes you a better person, and I've learned there is more to life than just smoking pot."

"Bridges offers kids many opportunities to get ahead," says Nickii. "I've used this school to my advantage. I think this school is much easier because you can get hands-on learning, work at your own pace and understand things, rather than being rushed to finish something without understanding it. You can get ahead here if you're willing to try."