Battling for Basic Education

The next time your child complains about having to go to school, consider having him tune into PBS’ Time for School 3. The 12-year documentary project chronicling the lives of young children desperately trying to secure basic education is as heart wrenching as it is informative. You’ll have a pit in your stomach by the end of the show. I did. Time for School 3 is the continuation of the documentary, which started filming in 2002. The series takes viewers inside seven classrooms in seven countries and offers a glimpse into the lives of seven extraordinary children who are practically … Continue reading →

Spanking in School

I attended Catholic school back in the 70s, so being hit by a ruler-wielding nun was nothing out of the ordinary. These days I highly doubt many parents would warmly embrace Sister Rose Fatima’s choice of discipline. Just ask parents in Chicago. According to a new investigative report by the CBS affiliate in the Windy City, teachers, coaches and other school administrators have allegedly beaten hundreds of public school students. The report goes on to say that corporal punishment in Chicago public schools is more widespread than most people realize. For the record, beating kids in school is illegal. Still, … Continue reading →

Dating Violence in Schools

Dating violence is becoming more and more common. Possessive boyfriends that become jealous, demanding, isolate young teen girls and then finally become violent with them are not usual even on school grounds. Sometimes dating violence has fatal consequences that can end a young life and leave her family in ruins. Just two states mandate teaching kids about dating violence in schools. Texas mandates awareness education on dating violence, although the specific education requirements are not specified. Other states say they encourage this education, although it is not required. But Rhode Island is progressive on the issue. It recently passed a … Continue reading →

Anniversary of the Amish School Shooting

Just two years ago today, the country watched in horror as it was reported that a lone gunman infiltrated a one-room Amish schoolhouse and went on a massacre that left five girls dead and five others wounded. During the attack, the boys were sent out of the school, leaving the girls behind with the gunman, who after the attack, killed himself. The quiet town of Nickle Mines, Pa is a place of lots of pasture. On any given weekday, you will usually find various Amish folks mowing their lawns with rotary cutters, working in the fields, hanging laundry out to … Continue reading →

Freeport Students Get Involved in Year End Fights

It seems that one high school end of the year tradition has turned foul. Freeport High School students in Long Island have made it a tradition to take part in an end of the year water fight. However last year an injury occurred when a student was hit with a bottle filled with water during the fight. In order to keep these types of incidents from happening this year, school officials thought ahead and had the water turned off in parts of the school. To the administrators dismay this did not stop the traditional fight. However it did change the … Continue reading →

How Serious Should A Young Child’s Threats be Taken?

Young children see and hear many things that their little eyes and ears are not ready for hearing and seeing. They are exposed to adult talk, inappropriate songs, and less than pure television shows. In many cases they repeat the things that they hear and see. They often use these things as attempts for gaining attention or to feel more grown up. It is not unusual to hear at least one kindergarten student each year make inappropriate comments or use “dirty” words. In most cases the child has no idea or a complete understanding of what he or she has … Continue reading →

When a Threat is Made…

School violence and shootings are becoming more and more common. In fact they are so common that teachers can no longer assume that the gun actions of imaginative boys is innocent. Words of shooting and death cannot be ignored or taken lightly. While I am thankful that my county has been saved thus far from the terror and nightmare of school shootings, I am aware of threats and threatening notes. These threats have been made to both students and to teachers. While the parents of all involved students and the students’ teachers are made aware of the situation, not everyone … Continue reading →

Signs of a Dangerous or Distressed Child

With much school violence circling our society, I began wondering why teachers are not given more instruction on how to identify a potentially dangerous child. I also pondered on why teachers are not supported when they report a child that they feel is potentially dangerous. Many people believe that because I work with five and six year old children, I do not encounter potentially dangerous or emotional distressed children. However, I believe that violent behaviors begin early. People do not start with murder. Violence begins in a minor state and gradually increases. Many children who commit school violence begin by … Continue reading →