cpendlay

Of course there is a solution, maybe not for the kids already screwed up but for others. The solution as you said CH is better parenting, teaching kids respect and responsibility for their actions and enforcing it. Also stop giving them everything they want and make them earn special things. They get every little thing their hearts desire and the whole family revolves around their wishes it's no wonder they don't have any respect for anyone or anything. Every time they get in a bind their parents jump up and get them out of it rather than making them figure out how to do it themselves. Instead of helping and teaching kids parents are just doing everything for them.

jwolfe99

On this one JimZ I would have to agree. Had my butt popped evertime I got out of line, no it was not abuse, just discipline. Especailly with School, get in trouble in School and the Principal popped you then when you got home you got it again. Did not take me long to figure out if I was going to do something wrong then it was not going to be at School. I was raised in a strict environment where I was expected to be responsible for my actions, right or wrong and I turned out to be a pretty good person, well IMO. As far as the CA law, wow can they add any more social problems to the list? IMO the problem with Society in general today is no one wants to own responsibility for what they do, blame it on someone else or a new strange disorder that someone can come up with to explain something that they haven't got a clue about. Oh well enough rambling, sorry.

SoCalHHR

Spank 'em all and let GDZHHR sort 'em out!

teech

ask and you shall recieve!

THis post got by me somehow, but anyway. I witnessed violence on the daily in some situations and have been attacked myself. Comes with the territory. I am both a product of an urban school system and have only worked in urban settings to date. Here's my take:

1. What happens in the schools is a reflection of what's happening in the streets. Kids today are far more worldly than ever before and they take that baggage into school with them. I've seen 6-7 year olds on the subway, 12 year olds getting the siblings dressed, fed and out to school and an 11 year old have a baby. These kids are having to take on adult-like behavior and its impossible to be a kid again once they walk into a school building. A teenager can't handly that kind of stress!

2. Discipline is the biggest enigma that we face. Whether its a lack of discipline from the home or trying to manage it at school, its the hardest part of the job. Unfortunately, behavior gone unchecked is reinforcement and we have taught kids to be ego-maniacs. We have taught kids that they can do and be whatever they want and unfortunately that includes thugs and....killers. THere is so much that we CAN'T do (I could go on forever) and the sad part is that NO ONE is doing the disciplining and you've got kids going wild because of it. Lines need to be drawn and somebody needs to be the parent...and that doesn't mean always making your kid happy; it also means creating some boundaries, LISTENING and saying no. Its easy to point fingers and that's not my intent, but kids are raising themselves. By law I can be sued and fired if I as much as SPEAK to a student the wrong way...school administration is afraid to suspend because enrollment and test scores are already too low and they don't want to see their doors close. Its a mess.

3. We've successfully built zoo's complete with cages for kids to act like animals. We've tried just about every bandaid in the world to cover up this sore, but have yet to addressed how we got hurt in the first place. We have not met these students most basic needs (see Maslow Hierarchy of needs)...in this case safety...and in turn cannot even think about educating. THey most successful schools in the nation are schools where even the most hardened of kids can leave his defenses at the door and feel safe.

</rant>

I'll end here...I broken my soapbox. I'll post my actual answer to the violence after work.

teech

I work with "special ed" kids (mostly kids with learning disabilities or emotionalities:translated=bad attitudes) and this kids aspergers had nothing to do with him stabbing somebody. Its embarrasing that its even mentioned in context to a violent act like this one (not you firewatcher, but the media). Aspergers is a mild form of Autism. Austism is a pervasive development disorder in which a child has an extreme focus on themselves and have a hard time understanding social pragmatics (i.e. holding a conversation). Individuals with Aspergers look and act just like you and me, only thier behavior at time could be interpreted as "strange". It could be many things like anxiety around crowds or hyper-sensitivity to noise or being touched. THis kids was probably a loner. If the kid stabbed somebody, it wasn't because of Asperger's it was because he didn't feel safe and brought a knife to school. That could be any kid at the school.

teech

AHHHHHHH!!!!!

Don't believe the hype! More later-

fastsuv

In my opinion, there are several reasons for these types of problems.

1) Adults are afraid of the kids. Years ago, the adults were in control and they were not afraid to remind kids about it. Spankings, groundings, loss of privileges, etc. I wouldn't dare complain about a teacher reprimanding me when I got home. The biggets fear was a teacher saying "have your parents call me" or "here's a note for your parents". Now if a teacher reprimands a student, some parents storm angrily to the school and threaten lawsuits galore. A teacher I know actually retired early because the principal wouldn't back him up beacuse of a fear of lawsuits.

2) As CH pointed out, parents need to actually care about their kids. Find out what they are doing and who they are hanging around with. The problem in cities is usually kids in broken homes, single mothers, all occuring in a low-income area. That's usually an obvious problem. However, there's a problem that can be just as bad in the affluent suburbs. Both parents work jobs that require long hours, don't monitor their kids, then buy them expensive toys (cars, ATVs, big spending money$) to ease any guilt. Working long hours and having all the college money they need for their kids won't matter a hoot if the parents don't raise the kids properly and they end up delinquents or lazy and spoiled. Teachers and police will NEVER be a replacement for proper parenting. This is not a knock on teachers or police, many of which are going above and beyond the call to try to help. One teacher can't be expected to counsel a class full of kids. It's the parents job.

When I attended high school in the 70s a fight meant that someone got a fat lip or black eye. Normal part of growing up. However, now a fight sometimes means a trip to the hospital or death. It happens more often in the city, but it also happens here in the "affluent" suburbs in the Buffalo/Lockport area.

I have six kids from ages 3 to 14 (3 boys and 3 girls) and you constantly need to "nip it in the bud" before a problem gets out of control. If you have children, you have a responsibility to raise them the best you can (there are still no guarantees of outcome).

Steve

James06

My wife is a teacher, and she agrees that it's a lack of discipline. She also says the "No child left behind" law has hurt instead of helped, because they are now responsible for all the kids, not just the ones that want to learn. She has several in her classes that are just there until they can leave, with zero or ver low average on homework, that she is held accountable for if they don't pass the gateway exams. To me, that's bull. The parents should push them to, at least, pass. If they don't the student and the parent should be disciplined. (The last sentence is my opinion, not hers.)

I also look back at my childhood. I got the crap beat out of me at school and at home if I did something wrong. It wasn't abuse, just good discipline. It didn't warp me, and I think I turned out all right (at least most of the time).