Longfellow middle school -- need a reality check
Hi, we are relatively new to the US education system and I need to understand what to expect in terms of middle school behaviour. My child is at Longfellow Middle in Berkeley and she shared that kids push each other in hallways during class transitions, physical fights break out regularly among students, curse words such as n****r and h** are used frequently, and boys pull their pants down in PE and walk around with pants around their ankles (they have shorts underneath but still horrifying).
What I am wondering is:
- Is this behaviour specific to Longfellow Middle or does this happen in all Berkeley middle schools?
- Is this behaviour specific to Berkeley middle schools and are other school districts better?
- Is it a public school problem or do such behaviours happen in private schools as well?
Thank you in advance for your insights.
Sep 8, 2025
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