Scenario: Jack pulls into school parking lot with rifle in gun rack.

1956 - Vice Principal comes over, takes a look at Jack's rifle, goes to his car and gets his to show Jack.

2006 - School goes into lockdown, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.

Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fist fight after school.
1956 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up best friends. Nobody goes to jail, nobody arrested, nobody expelled.

2006 - Police called, SWAT team arrives, arrests Johnny and Mark. Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it.

Scenario: Jeffrey won't be still in class, disrupts other students.

1956 - Jeffrey sent to office and given a good paddling by Principal. Sits still in class.

2006 - Jeffrey given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. School gets extra money from state because Jeffrey has a disability.


Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his father's car and his Dad gives him a whipping.

1956 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.

2006 - Billy's Dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy removed to foster care and joins a gang. Billy's sister is told by state psychologist that she remembers being abused herself and their Dad goes to prison. Billy's mom has affair with psychologist.

Scenario: Mark gets a headache and takes some headache medicine to school.

1956 - Mark shares headache medicine with Principal out on the smoking dock.

2006 - Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug violations. Car searched for drugs and weapons.

Scenario: Pedro fails high school English.

1956 : Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, goes to college.

2006 : Pedro's cause is taken up by state democratic party. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against state school system and Pedro's English teacher. English banned from core curriculum. Pedro given diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he can't speak English.


Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from the 4th of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, blows up a red ant bed .

1956 - Ants die.

2006 - BATF, Homeland Security, FBI called. Johnny charged with domestic terrorism, FBI investigates parents, siblings removed from home, computers confiscated, Johnny's Dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.
[font=verda

 

It's all so very true and pathetic at the same time.That's the direction society is heading in....what can you do?[&:]

 

Not to negatively criticize, but I find that statement puzzling, especially considering your line of work. The simple answer is, don't buy into it!

As you are intimately aware, there will always be idiots who behave outside of the "accepted" or "legal" norms, but for the rest of us, we should not have to live in fear, or oppression, or bow to the restrictive pandering by those who have decided "what is best or most politically correct". Individuals need to believe in themselves, and their rights and let it be known when they don't agree. I'm not saying we all need to be treehugging, sgn waving activists, but by ignoring the "pathetic movements", we are really letting them dictate our society. People need to know that they are responsble for their actions, and with that resposibilty comes the ABILITY to guide the path society takes.

The sad fact that the original postIS true and pathetic is a comment on our lack of self worth IMO.

My .02

 

The problem is a majority of the members of society have already bought into it. I know this because in my line of work, myself and the others I worked with are scrutinized and criticized over our actions in various situations. Because of the mentality portrayed in the original post many of my colleagues feel it's difficult to be proactive because we know that anything we do could cost us our jobs and therefore our livelihood. I try not to let it affect the way I conduct myself, but it can be difficult. Everybody wants to sue people in my profession or put us on trial for making decisions of judgment based upon 2 or 3 seconds of our life in which we were put in very stressful situations and had to make a difficult choice.

Society has made it acceptable to punishchildren for minorinfractions today that 50 years ago would have just got you a butt whipping by your parents. Oh and by the way...whipping your kids could land you in jail. And now for the contradiction....society says it's wrong to punish your kids physically.... I know this because of all of the recent changes to domestic laws. I say the reason we have the problems among today's youth is because parents aren't strict enough with their kids. I attribute this to a fear on their part that they may get thrown in jail. I am by NO means condoning child abuse, but I think parents should have the right todiscipline their kids when they do something wrong. This may seem like such a small, trivial point, but I see how kids who received no discipline at home have grown up to become criminals.

I'm not disagreeing with you LittleHB, but it doesn't seem to me that there are toomany people who share our viewpoints on these issues anymore.

 

Sarah...having been a school teacher I'm sure you can relate. Think about this......when you were akid and you got in trouble in school how many of your parents sided with you and not the teacher? How many of your parents blamed the teacher for your actions? I'd venture to say not to many, but today teacher's get blamed constantly and not the kids. You may ask...how do I know this?...because before I got into my current profession I was a substitute teacher. Okay...I'm done now. Back to studying.

 

I do agree with you that society is too quick to blame, and that is largely a product of our failing legal systems that allows trivial cases and people with money to abuse the system instead of taking their own responsibility. I also STRONGLYfeel and agreethat MANY problems are directly to blame on the lack of responsiblity parents have exhibited. It seems that parents today are to willing to pawn off their childrens upbringing on others, then too easily try to assign blame when things go wrong. Teachers, police, elected officials, and others in positions of trust are there to protect and guide us, yet too many people consider them glorified babysitters or scapegoats. My feelings are that these important members of society are only acting as extensions of ourselves, and that we should be working WITH them, and giving them our support while assuming the responsibility of our own actions. By neglecting the kids, and them blaming the people whom we are trusting, we propogate a feeling of disconnect with our kids, and teach them to blame, rather than totake responsibity. As mentioned, there will always be those who abuse this truct, but that is why we cannot remain ignorant, as it is our duty as members of society to ensure that this abuse is curtailed.

I also agree with and understand the paradox you can find yourself in by trying to buck the societal trends, but really thatis why it is crucial thatthere is a forum and discussion about these issues, totry and educate people and prevent the decay that we seem to be experiencing. Hummer forumsisprobably not the best place to do this, butI find it comforting to know that I am not alone in my thoughts, and if enough people can be made to understand, then perhaps we can continuetalks in other venues where we CAN make a difference.

 

Very well stated, Karl!

 

RDoggy, you are exactly right! When I was in school and I seriously misbehaved - my folks were called, NO ONE asked me for my version...and then I got an (_(_)whoopin OR grounded..heck I spent 1 whole school year grounded!

LOL I once had a student tell meafter disciplining him in class..."go ahead and call my mama! She will come whoop YOUR (_(_)! AND she probably would have! THAT's what things have come to today.

You are also right about the workplace comments...thank goodness for FLEOA and PBA and other organizations such as those! I always say "Walk a mile in a LEO's shoes...

 

 

Rich you little devil! LOL Eh, yes I was somewhat of a bad girl in school LOL...mostly forging notesto cut classes and was not so studious shall we say (which is what gained me the nearly whole school year restriction)- I also put a good whoopin on a couple boys who were mean to me LOL...funny I should later decide to go into education.. Perhaps it made me a little more understanding and effective since "I knew the drill myself?"