I forget who I heard referring to the inner city as “government’s warehouse for poor people”. There are those who get hurt and bothered when I use that term, as if I’m characterizing the people.
I’m not. I’m characterizing the government.
And for those of you who haven’t had the pleasure of dealing with government in a failed one-party state, this article explains why I use the simile, and don’t apologize for it, ever.
Read the story. And then remember that while the tax money that was supposed to help alleviate these kids problems has been slashed, the Saint Paul School District’s administration has been getting huge pay raises. Especially African-American parents: this is your DFL in action, with your kids. This is the wages of your allegiance the DFL. Let’s talk.
I’m not going to pullquote the article – because I’d like you all to read it. It may be the most depressing thing I’ve read lately.
Further proof, were any necessary, that the single most important thing you can do for your kids or grandkids is to get them out of the publik skoolz.
The person who wrote the article isn’t helping any. After describing acts of mayhem and student-on-student violence, she writes that “Kids only learn when they’re in school, after all, and some children don’t feel safe in their homes.”
Near the end:
“The diversity training, that’s one thing that it’s doing well, asking us to acknowledge that when we enter into every situation and learn from students, there’s always tension, but I really think a lot of the teachers in our building are working hard to try.”
If the teacher is learning from her students she is in the wrong job. What she is being taught by them is that she must accept that they will act in a manner that will get them arrested as an adult. What she is doing the opposite of teaching.
The idea that no one gets suspended is killing urban schools. Well behaved students can’t learn, and teachers hate their jobs now.
There was an op-ed in the St Paul paper last year. A teacher said teaching in St Paul schools is horrible now. They can’t suspend nasty students because too many kids with dark skin hues were getting suspended compared to ones with lighter skin hues.
I just can’t see why parents would want their children out of these schools. :^)
Really, what needs to happen for the sake of the urban poor of all races is for people to let all H*** break out as they enforce some basic rules. Bring in cameras and such if they have to, but the ugly reality is that if a kid punches a teacher at age 10, he’s likely to be putting other people in the hospital or worse at age 16, if even he lives that long. There is nothing “loving” about letting kids be brats.
My first inclination is for teachers to take a page out of the Nun’s Teacher Handbook, but that would probably end up with teachers in jail.
Alternatively, if the school administration refuses to deal with the behavioral problems before it escalates to criminal behavior, then the teachers need to start bypassing the principals and calling the cops in when kids start committing crimes (assault, battery, vandalism, etc). Alternatively, parents of the well behaved kids should probably sue the hell out of SPPS and get money for alternative, AKA private, schools where their kids can actually learn.
Nice Husker Du reference, by the way.
Some how I don’t know that suing the schools is an alternative, or else those subjected to DC, Chicago, and other horrific school systems would have sued them into oblivion years ago.
Actually, lawsuits have been brought, and have been successful. They certainly should be. And if teachers won’t call the police, I think parents should. Make the principal and teachers answer some cop’s questions every day, and maybe the message gets through.
Many kids act out when they need attention or when they are bored/frustrated because they are so far behind in the classroom. Consequently, they may be emulating behavior that is seen outside of school and potentially in their own home. These kids do need attention but not at the expense of those who want to learn. The police should be involved in any violent situation and those students should be removed from the school. Kids need boundaries and consequences and at some point, the parents need to be responsible. As seen from recent math and reading test scores, public schools need to raise the bar; not lower it. Public schools do not have the resources or time to be a place of learning for the greater good and a juvenile detention center all in one.
These kids can beat the brakes off everyone within reach, and the SPPS won’t bat an eye.
But just let one wear a marriage=1man/1woman T shirt and all hell would break loose.