Parents have always been concerned about their kids getting to school safely, but it looks like the worry shouldn't end at the front doors.
An 8-year-old student from the Bronx is accused of slashing a 9-year-old classmate in the neck with a double-edge razor.
The fight went down during recess where the kids were arguing in the play yard. The younger of the two whipped out the weapon and cut the other one, who was rushed to the hospital, stitched up, and released.
How scary is that?! Rough high schools are one thing but this is ridiculous. It's like Lean on Me for the Elmo-adoring set. But as disturbing as it is to picture this half-pint playing Freddy Krueger, I find it even more shocking that school parents are BLAMING THE TEACHERS for the violence.
Many say classes are overrun with "problem children" because the administration is not strict enough when it comes to discipline. (I should note that this school has a history of behavioral issues. The students are so bad, the principal canceled the fifth grade graduation ceremony.)
Now, I could be wrong, but I seriously doubt the teachers are arming them with shanks and encouraging a round of The Hunger Games near the swing set. It's not reading, writing, and assault with a deadly weapon.
The problems these students have began long before they landed in those classrooms. Violence is a learned behavior and most kids learn it in their homes or from those closest to them. That means it's the parents' job to teach them right and wrong, to respect the lives of others, and how to resolve differences without violence. Of course teachers should reinforce those life lessons, but is it really fair to make it their job to curb anti-social or homicidal tendencies?
Now, I do think kids can pick up bad habits at school, but a willingness to literally cut another student's throat is beyond that. It’s ultimately the parents responsibility to shape them into good, decent people.
What do you think? Are the teachers to blame for these out-of-control students?
Image via yellowcloud/Flickr
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Comments 42
social services should probably do a home evaluation. I have a 10 year old daughter and that is def a home issue.
I think it's a systemic issue, indicative of a larger problem. Many parents have the previoiusly-mentioned "snowflake" mentality about their children - that they can do no wrong. And they believe that their "I'm going to be your best friend" mentality is going to work. Then there's the school system that bows to every neurotic helicopter parent out there, and not only refuses to allow discipline in the schools, but rewards bullies by "talking" to them rather than lowering the hammer. Finally, we have a system that insists that every child be treated "equally" - so those with behavior problems are 'mainstreamed' into regular classrooms, regardless of how many problems they have, and how much they'd benefit from a specialized classroom or school.
Put all of those things together - lack of disciplinary options for the teachers, lack of discipline at home, special needs/behavior disordered kids, and rewards for bullies, and you have a massive recipe for disaster. The blame can be spread around, here. Not the teacher's fault, but the fault of a stupid system.
I remember coming home with my knuckles red and raw from the teacher slapping them with a ruler. And I deserved it. And my parents agreed. And the teacher was a St. Joseph Nun! Parenting has long gone out the door with today's society and parents having no time nor interest in teaching their kids the bare basics of right from wrong. How dare the parents blame the teachers -- teachers are there to teach; parents are there to discipline, guide by example, and cease and desist from letting your child learn from all those technological toys!
where to begin, in the home, on the television on the games played on the xbox and on the computers. parents just not watching how there kids react to a bad situation, is the girl or boy acting out violence from a game a movie or even mom and dad arguing? and i agree about the teachers not having enough discipline and not being able to handle troubled kids when they need too. when i was in school i hated the teachers ruler or the paddle with holes in it. but you know we respected our teachers and parents back then. we have to take a stand somewhere or our kids are going to have us scared to death of what they might do to us let alone a kid at school. sorry if i took up to much space. its a reality check for us all.