I'm sure you have seen it on the news. That school resource officer flinging the student to the ground. It is all over the media. As with most of this stuff we are only seeing a small portion of the incident. Now I'm not supporting what I saw let me be clear about that. I also am not " outraged " by it. This student was obviously " acting out. " What troubles me more is the public reaction. The police officer has been suspended. What about the student ? Was she also suspended ? No mention of that in the news reports that I have seen. I did see an interview with one of the other students that said he couldn't even watch, it was so bad. Yeah right, like he wouldn't be standing on the playground cheering if it was a fight among students. I didn't just fall off the turnip truck. It does sound good for a media soundbite however. Can a lawsuit be far behind ? I'm going " all in " that there will be.
The question here is, what should the officer have done ? Really, to me, the question is why do we even have to have a school resource officer ? When I was in school we didn't require a police presence to keep things under control. And now they are calling in the FBI !
The answer is of course, discipline. and the enforcement of it. Just what is discipline ? The dictionary says it is training someone to obey the rules or standard of conduct. It is taught by using punishment. So then the question is, how to punish those that refuse to obey or conform to the accepted rules ? Is it to be accomplished merely with reason ? Very difficult when a person chooses to be unreasonable. Should force ever be employed ? That is the quandary, is it not ?
Just how did we get to this point ? I have talked about this before and my feelings are unchanged. I believe you have to do like Barney Fife would recommend, " nip it " you have to nip it in the bud. That is to say, when the children are very small the training must begin. There is a fine line between fear and respect. I think children should be just a little bit " afraid " of their parents. Other adults should also be viewed with just a measure of fear. That "fear" will develop into respect as the child grows in age and maturity. Children must be taught with a standard. That is to say, receiving the same result each time an action is repeated. If they are allowed to " act out " and receive reinforcement for that action it will be repeated. It works with the positive as well, a lesson that seems to be forgotten. The concept of, let's litigate every response and action is just not going to work. In principle it seems like a fair and balanced system, and it is, as long as all parties are willing to litigate. Of course litigation is dependent upon " standards " and we must establish that standard first. If we do not teach, by discipline, to a " standard " litigation becomes impossible. The result is the situation you see in the news.
I have no answer or fix for this problem. I wish I did. What happened with that child, well she didn't look like a child and was using a cell phone in class and apparently disregarding all orders and instructions from the teacher and subsequently the police officer, shouldn't have occurred. Neither party was right here. The degree of blame will be assigned by, you know it, litigation. Shouldn't be that way but that is what it is coming to with the world today. Something I say a lot is a simple truth, you can't legislate morality. We keep trying to do that however. I would add now that you can't litigate discipline or respect. Litigation follows incorrect actions. The solution ? Nip IT ! Just nip it. The incorrect action that is. Why did man write laws in the first place ? To establish a standard, that's why. Proving who is right ? Not necessarily, but determining who acted within the established standard.
Yes, back in the day we didn't need the Police or the FBI we had something worse, The Principle ! The very title tells it all. If your actions were reported to the principle, or God forbid, you were sent to his office you knew the end was near. Detention was about the best you could expect. A phone call to Mom or Dad and a suspension hung before you like a death sentence ! Yes, he or she was the principle but Dad and Mom were the wardens ! Fear or respect ? Did it matter ?
The question here is, what should the officer have done ? Really, to me, the question is why do we even have to have a school resource officer ? When I was in school we didn't require a police presence to keep things under control. And now they are calling in the FBI !
The answer is of course, discipline. and the enforcement of it. Just what is discipline ? The dictionary says it is training someone to obey the rules or standard of conduct. It is taught by using punishment. So then the question is, how to punish those that refuse to obey or conform to the accepted rules ? Is it to be accomplished merely with reason ? Very difficult when a person chooses to be unreasonable. Should force ever be employed ? That is the quandary, is it not ?
Just how did we get to this point ? I have talked about this before and my feelings are unchanged. I believe you have to do like Barney Fife would recommend, " nip it " you have to nip it in the bud. That is to say, when the children are very small the training must begin. There is a fine line between fear and respect. I think children should be just a little bit " afraid " of their parents. Other adults should also be viewed with just a measure of fear. That "fear" will develop into respect as the child grows in age and maturity. Children must be taught with a standard. That is to say, receiving the same result each time an action is repeated. If they are allowed to " act out " and receive reinforcement for that action it will be repeated. It works with the positive as well, a lesson that seems to be forgotten. The concept of, let's litigate every response and action is just not going to work. In principle it seems like a fair and balanced system, and it is, as long as all parties are willing to litigate. Of course litigation is dependent upon " standards " and we must establish that standard first. If we do not teach, by discipline, to a " standard " litigation becomes impossible. The result is the situation you see in the news.
I have no answer or fix for this problem. I wish I did. What happened with that child, well she didn't look like a child and was using a cell phone in class and apparently disregarding all orders and instructions from the teacher and subsequently the police officer, shouldn't have occurred. Neither party was right here. The degree of blame will be assigned by, you know it, litigation. Shouldn't be that way but that is what it is coming to with the world today. Something I say a lot is a simple truth, you can't legislate morality. We keep trying to do that however. I would add now that you can't litigate discipline or respect. Litigation follows incorrect actions. The solution ? Nip IT ! Just nip it. The incorrect action that is. Why did man write laws in the first place ? To establish a standard, that's why. Proving who is right ? Not necessarily, but determining who acted within the established standard.
Yes, back in the day we didn't need the Police or the FBI we had something worse, The Principle ! The very title tells it all. If your actions were reported to the principle, or God forbid, you were sent to his office you knew the end was near. Detention was about the best you could expect. A phone call to Mom or Dad and a suspension hung before you like a death sentence ! Yes, he or she was the principle but Dad and Mom were the wardens ! Fear or respect ? Did it matter ?
No comments:
Post a Comment