We need to spank again. When I went to school they would saw a baseball bat in half and tie athletic tap around it to prevent splinters. It hurt like heck, but did no long-term damage.

I would also remind kids that an education was a privilege and not an entitlement. If a kid committed truly disruptive actions, then the kid is told to come back next year and try again or possibly even sent to juvenile detention.

FYI Juvenile detention camps should be turned into work camps.

Maybe this stuff sounds harsh, but its time for the pendulum to swing the other way. Teachers are physically threatened by students and the parents of students. Teachers are powerless to prevent students from disrupting class and preventing other kids from learning. Fights are on the rise. Drugs and firearms make it on to campus way to much.

These kids need a firm and certain attitude adjustment while they are young enough to possibly be reformed.

We (collectively) remove any effective form of discipline from our schools, fail to raise our kids properly and then blame the educational system, rap music, popular culture or their friends when they do not turn out well. Thats just crap.

If they do the right thing then no problem. If they make little infractions, then deal with it incrementally. If they make big infractions, then give them a swift kick in the butt to bring them back into line before its too late.

The troubled students of today will be the criminals, dead beat dads and all-around jerks of tomorrow.

You bring up some valid points. While I agree with the issues you bring up, I'm not sure I agree with the solutions. Right now, it seems the goal of Public education is to prepare the students for college. For many of the children you speak of, I feel that this is not something that interests them. However, if the system were changed to give these kids some options that are realistic to them ( i.e. training them to enter the work force), then they might become active participants b/c they can take something from it.

I was never hit in school. But I still remember my elementary principal hung paddles on the wall behind his desk. It intimidated the hell out of alot of kids. Sometimes fear can be a good motivator.

-Demosthenes

__________________
"A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both."
- Dwight D. Eisenhower

At the core of my beliefs, people are inherently selfish and self serving. As such, you can expect them to do what is in their best interest. All I am saying is that sometimes you need the consequences that go along with discipline to align the self interest of the sudents with the self interest of society.

The alternative is a bunch of ignorant, ill-behaved kids. Kinda like what we have now.

Yes, but if the masses are ignorant then they are easier to control. You know this, man.

-Demosthenes

__________________
"A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both."
- Dwight D. Eisenhower

Hallelujah Dan.

The poor parenting and lack of accountablilty all the way around cannot be explained away by a government conspiracy theory or some other world order theory. Do you honestly think the Freemasons are making parents give their kids gameboys so they do not have to spend as much time with them?

Please tell me you are joking.

If we had a totalitarian state that wanted easily controlled masses, then it would want ignorant masses that followed order and structure. Not these ignorant jerks being produced today who know how to do little except spend mommy & daddy's money.

Besides, if we had a totalitarian state, it would most likley be controlled by corporate interests and corporate interests cannot be served by a broken educational system. At least the corporations I know about all need educated, well-behaved workers. Therefore, I do not think this is a crime being inflicted on us by "The Man".

Dan,

Of course I was kidding. I thought you would be able to tell from my postings that I am not interested in controlling anyone.

-Demosthenes

__________________
"A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both."
- Dwight D. Eisenhower

I suppose I can call you "the man" now. You know what they say about not trusting "the man"?

It also probably makes sense to you then that I plan on becoming a lawyer as well. But maybe I can comfort you in saying this. I believe that everyone in this country has the right to the type of defense that the rich receive simply b/c they can afford it. I plan on spending my time trying to make that come true in a Public Defender's office. I would rather have respect from people than riches. My grandfather was a lawyer and he was the most honorable man I've ever met. He lived his life fighting for the people who couldn't fight for themselves. If I could live up to half of what he was, than I will die a proud man.

-Demosthenes

__________________
"A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both."
- Dwight D. Eisenhower