Changing Times?

Racial tension coincided with the Immigration debate to lead up to a scuffle at Phoenix-area school. Some anglo students burned a Mexican flag which some Mexican students had raised (above the US flag).

I won't say it's "nice" that someone else's flag is being burned for a change. But it's understandable.

But that wasn't the interesting thing about the story:

Organizers of last Friday’s protest that drew 20,000 people of all ages and shut down miles of 24th Street in Phoenix are gearing up for another one on April 10.

During a news conference Wednesday, they begged high school students not to join in until after school lets out.

They begged students...anything?

Beg?

Now, I'm not saying that I think the authoritarian, factory school model is any good, or makes sense. I think much of the way traditional schools operate has more to do with intergenerational ritualized hazing than anything.

But - begging students to stay in class?

When I was in school, there was no "begging"; if you tried to walk out, the principal was there to shove you right back in, or wrote you up for truancy. The assistant principal had no problem driving out to find you, tossing you in his truck, and hauling you back to school.

Begging?

It's no wonder we can't secure our borders.

Posted by Mitch at March 31, 2006 12:40 PM | TrackBack