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Parents----it's your responsibility
By Frederick Corrigan
The year was 1940 and I was a 5 year old boy in the first grade. The school was in a small town in northern New Hampshire, had one classroom, no running water and no electricity. The teacher had been there for over 30 years, was teaching all 12 grades and had been my father’s teacher. One of the older boys, about 15 years old, in the eighth grade was creating a disturbance in the back of the classroom. The teacher asked him to sit down, but he wanted to show-off. The teacher walked toward the boy, reached out her hand, to guide him to his seat. The student made the mistake of pushing the teacher away. Faster than lightning, the teacher spun the student around, then grabbed the back of his head and drove him face first into the blackboard. She spun the boy around to face her and the blood was running profusely from his nose. When she released him, he slid down the wall to the floor. The teacher turned toward his two brothers, instructed them to take their brother into the kitchen area, wash him up and return to their seats. I can assure you that the boy in this story was also disciplined by his father when he got home and it wasn’t just a time out. I don’t approve of physical force with students, but neither do I approve of physical abuse of a teacher by a student. I will tell you that this image of teacher discipline stayed with me for a number of years and I certainly didn’t disobey any teacher---ever. The responsibility for keeping children in school, and for their behavior, falls on the shoulders of the parents. Starting in the first grade and throughout their child’s education, parents need to get involved with the child’s homework, with teacher/parents meetings, with school activities and organizations like the PTA. If they don’t, then they’re not keeping up with their responsibility. The State of Massachusetts Education Committee recently held a hearing on a Bill (H380) allowing the imposition of up to a $1000.00 fine and/or 30-day jail sentence for parents whose children have more than seven unexcused absences from school in a six-month period. According to the media, there is interest in changing the minimum school drop-out age to 18. Currently a student can leave school at the age of 16. Statistics show that ONLY 35% of students who drop out of High School find sustainable full-time employment. The largest number of jobs lost in our current recession is in the group of workers who have less than a High School education. PARENTS, this is your responsibility. Keep your children in school. Get involved with them and because of them. A cell phone, baggy-trendy clothing, tattoos, gangs and fast cars don’t make responsible parents for the next generation. If your child isn’t responsible, it’s because you didn’t make them see the value of being responsible. If you need help, talk to the teachers---don’t just blame them.
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Contributor's Note
Times have changed discipline within our schools, but respect and responsibility still start in the home.
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