Do you think the issue within the Public School System is fear to discipline?

1. 61

   Sundaymomentsposted 11 years ago

   Do you think the issue within the Public School System is fear to discipline?
   
   In just the past school year there has been more allegations of abuse and neglect by school officials (Teachers,Teachers Aids,Counselors, and Principals). I have often wondered is this caused by school officials fearing they will be charged with abuse or is this an out right issue of abuse and the Public School System needs to be totally scrapped and reformed into a better system?
   
   

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2. 60

   duffsmomposted 11 years ago

   I've lived in a lot of different states and no two public schools I have dealt with are run the same way.  So an overhaul would be very difficult.
   
   As our society becomes more litigious, yes I suppose fear to discipline can be a part of the problem.  Quality teachers, quality admin may be hard to find as we ask them to work long hours for little money.
   
   I'm not sure what a better system would be.  What are your thoughts on a better system and what would that look like?

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3. 74

   backporchstoriesposted 11 years ago

   Wish I had the answer for what would be a better system.  When I was a grade schooler, I remember the stories of the Principal's paddle.  Kids would enlarge the story of how he used the paddle or that it has splinters or nails, but regardless, the stories kept most of the kids thinking twice before becoming unruley.  Today, we do not hear of the paddle and the Principal no longer has that right to discipline a child the way they did in the past.  Instead of children being in fear it is now the faculity that walks on eggshells!  Maybe out of this inability to discipline we now contend with bullies in our local schools.

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4. 61

   Lucia Wysposted 11 years ago

   There is a fear definitely. I have a grade schooler he's undisciplined, unruly and difficult. Our house is run strictly but the schools let him do whatever he wants. I was surprised to note that corporal punishment was still allowed in the district I was in. You had to send in a notice if you didn't want it used. I was thrilled. I thought that the  school would be strict, education would be focused on, behaviors he'd been getting away with at school would be eliminated.
   
   I was wrong. Despite the fact that it was in the handbook I found out it hadn't been used in years. I was just something that hadn't gotten around to removing. I was disappointed. I never considered stepping out of line when I was in school because I knew what would be waiting for me at home. Now the government makes everything into abuse. I had a friend have the police called on her because she grabbed her child's arm to keep him from running away from her in a store. I was there, he went to take off and she reached out and caught him. When the police arrived they informed her she wasn't allowed to do that because it was considered abusive. I was shocked.
   
   I have another friend who's father was accused of sexual abuse because he hugged his teenaged daughter when she won an award. The laws are written in generalities and are open to interpretation. As a result, parents are afraid to do anything, teachers have no recourse and we have an entire generation of children growing up lacking the fundamentals of hard work, control and self discipline.
   
   While local school districts are usually run differently, sometimes even within a district I think there should be someone looking into the idea of overhauling the education system and the entire question of discipline vs. abuse. Give it a real definition with specifics not generalities so that parents and teachers know where the lines are. I think if that happened, there would be significantly fewer issues and both teachers and parents would have a firmer footing.

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5. 60

   Addie Priceposted 11 years ago

   When you lack discipline you also loose respect and that is the root of the problem with the public education system.

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