‘Sadly, based upon the phone calls I received from former and current Bogie students, it appears “The Boca Ciega High School” has fallen from grace,’ said Goliath J. Davis, III, Ph.D.
GOLIATH J. DAVIS, III, Ph.D. | Contributor
GULFPORT — Before the COVID outbreak and the promotion of then-Principal Mike Vigue to area superintendent, COQEB meetings were live, in person and sometimes quite eventful. One constant was an informative report by Vigue, who was always eager to share the news from what he proudly proclaimed, “The Boca Ciega High School. ”
COQEB members visited Boca Ciega High and walked the halls with Vigue on numerous occasions. They were consistently impressed by his knowledge of the students, including their names, grade levels and progress toward graduation. The school was always orderly, clean, and inviting. Scholars in the traditional program, medical magnet and ROTC were proud Pirates.
Sadly, based upon the phone calls I received from former and current Bogie students, it appears “The Boca Ciega High School” has fallen from grace. Some describe Bogie now as “Boogie High,” noting an academic decline and frequent disruptions that I will not describe or elevate for fear of giving the behaviors dignity or an unintended endorsement. Scholars state without reservation or prompting that “Mr. Vigue would not have tolerated what’s happening.”
The salient question is: why the change? What is occurring now at Bogie that accounts for what is an obvious decline? Is the new leadership not up to the task? The scholars reporting are not the majority, but their perspectives warrant careful consideration, given the incidents they describe are factual. The new principal is Jennifer Gil, and Dywayne Hinds is the area superintendent.
Scholars attending Bogie and their parents must assume some responsibility for ensuring Bogie moves from “Boogie High” and back to “The Boca Ciega High School.” The cultural slide must be reversed, and a renewed emphasis on academics must be priority one.
Parents and participating scholars alike should fully expect to be separated from the Bogie family if the disruptions cited by concerned students persist. My review of district discipline data indicates a need to reassess if the right students are being expelled.
I visited Bogie and attempted to meet with Principal Gil. Regrettably, I was not able to do so. I waited for her to complete a meeting so that we could meet at 9 a.m. She met me in the front lobby and indicated she could not meet, given she had another meeting scheduled for 9 a.m.
I was told earlier that she was free at 9 a.m. I immediately asked, “How does the rest of your day look?” She fumbled with her phone and said, “I am busy for the remainder of the day. I have to prepare for a staff meeting.” Principal Gil requested my email address and stated she would schedule an appointment. I gave her my phone number instead and requested she call to schedule a new appointment.
Upon departing, I was told, “You know why she doesn’t want to meet.” Additionally, individuals outside the school reported disruptive incidents every day last week. I observed the school resource officer while at the school and was pleased to see a capable individual at work.
Hopefully, the district will recognize before it is too late that Bogie has a problem that needs immediate first aid. Some scholars and staff alike do not feel Principal Gil is a good fit for Bogie and may not be able to restore a constructive culture.
Some say she has big shoes to fill. For the sake of the scholars, I hope she can turn it around. To say the jury is out is optimistic in the eyes of some observers. I very much would like to see Gil succeed. It’s in all our best interest.
Please note: After this column was written and submitted, I received a call from Bogie at approximately 12:28 p.m. indicating Principal Gil wanted to schedule a meeting for Friday or Monday next week. A meeting was scheduled for Oct. 2 at 2 p.m.
I think this post is based off of personal bias and is incredibly narrow sighted to paint Gil negatively.
There has been a complete administration change in the past year since previous administration was promoted or retired. The new administration has done an incredible job at adapting, learning quickly, and responding to feedback.
I also think it is incredible that someone would assume they can get a meeting with a high school principal day of without having anything previously scheduled.
Yes there are big shoes to fill for Ms. Gil, but this school year has already majorly improved from last. This article does not accurately depict what is currently going on at Boca Ciega.
You are flat just wrong. Back in the late teens this school had more than double its current enrollment. Since that time there has been a major shift in demographics as students of wealthy white families who live West of the school moved in and sent their children to private schools funded with taxpayer dollars.
I am a long term substitute teacher at Boca Ciega High School. Over the years I have been exposed to to different high schools through my wife. I can say unequivocally that there is no school principal that cares more about kids than Ms. Gill. Her staff is highly motivated to bring Boca Ciega High Schools to its glory.
The more I think about your article the more incensed I become. You are a spoiled, sel-entited child who is angry because Ms. Gill choice to attend a last minute meeting involving a student rather than meet with you. Did you try to reschedule the meeting? No.
If you had done your background search about Boca Ciega High School, which you should have done, you would have known that Principal Gil in her short tenure at the school has brought it from an “F” school to a “C” school in a single year. Her predecessor was going into retirement and simply did not care. The inmates were running the institution.
I am a substitute teacher. I don’t have to teach at Boca Ciega High School. I chose to teach there every day even though it means driving nearly two hours every day to school. I show up every day because Ms. Gil inspires teachers. Are there issues at the school? Of course. But there is not a day that goes by that Ms. Gil does not fight to fix the issues. But first and foremost it is about the students. My wife taught in high school for 22 years as a National Board Certified Teacher. I cannot ever remember her getting an email from the principal sent in the middle of the night or on the weekend, but Ms. Gil does not work 8-5.
Boca Ciega has been in the tank for a very long time. It needs a total revamp. Alumni 1974. I went through some very difficult times at Bogie with busing and integration. These students don’t have a clue what respect for their school and teachers are. Take responsibility for your actions!
My name is Calvin Dennie, a retired Sheriif’s Deputy of twenty-five years. I am seventy-five years old. The numerical mention of my age is jermaine to what I have to say. Boca Ciega was recently criticized as well as the principal Mrs. Gill reference the nick name “Boogie” Ciega. I too walk the halls of the school several times a week as a volunteer, a Pirate Parent. It was mentioned in an article by Goliath Davis about the “right” students being expelled from the school. Here’s where the mention of my age comes into play. The problem lies with parents! Not politics! The elephant in the room well knows if the troubled child is expelled, there will be a backlash not only from the parents, the NAACP, the media as exploitation and a School Board/Superintendent who fear the uproar of the said children’s parents. These students mentioned that should be expelled are not afraid of anything. It starts with parenting. I too was a school resource officer in South St. Pete at Pinellas Technical College, teens and adults from 1990 thru 1995. The school system took a bold step in recruiting the Sheriff’s Office to to be in the city of St. Pete. With the support of the administrator Dr. Warren Laux and staff, a campus that was over run by loitering non-students causing disruption on the campus, threatening the enrollments from students students attending from all over the county the school within under a year was a safe place to get an education.
The are so many programs and good things that Mrs. Gill and staff have implemented to encourage the students that I have seen first hand. The incidents that happen at school and I have been present for some, are neighborhood beef’s that are brought to the school. Social media (ie: instagram, facebook) sparks a lot of this negative activity from the perspective neighborhoods. These incidents are unpreventable. Again I mention my age, the parenting in my day was dual. I’ve had two daughters graduated from Boca Ciega without any problems because of the support and home taught discipline.
I should say respectfully the NAACP and other Civil Rights group work hard for our youth but the reality is, “they are saving whom than can”. It shouldn’t be and ever be an assumption that all can be rescued as in some pipe dream often promoted to the public by certain black officials. Times have changed where dress, looks, peer pressure to belong and material status is the norm.