Quote:
Originally Posted by The_Blur
 We need to remember what made us who we are today. Some of our parents did things that we genuinely hated as children but made us reasonable adults and kept us on track. Not all good parents have to spank or belt their kids, but we have to remember that it isn't abuse to punish children for bad behavior because without that punishment they have no motivation to avoid doing what we tell them not to do. Words are not enough. Time out is not enough. Children need to realize that there are terrible consequences for actions. For a child terrible is a spanking. For an adult, terrible could be a date in the prison shower with Big Bubba. We should do what it takes to keep our children away from Bubba and on track to being good, reasonable people in society.
These children are not necessarily devoid of spirituality as some of you have suggested. While I tend to get disturbed by religious arguments about morality, it is important for all of us to recognize that religion may instill positive morals in our youth; however, 9-year-olds do not comprehend religion as we do and are therefore less "religious" than we would like to believe. They don't know the cosmic consequences of their actions according to their parents' beliefs. They only know that there is good and bad and rewards and punishments. Morality is best taught to children through rewards and punishments because that is what they understand. Most children are naturally eager-to-please and friendly, but there are instances, like this, of wild children. The usual culprit is uninvolved parents who let their children do as they would without guidance. When I was a kid all the way through high school graduation, I studied taekwondo under Charlie Foxman of Midwest Martial Arts Academy (Creve Cour, MO), an exemplary role model. To a great extent, he guided the way I live my life. My parents introduced that role model to my life. Nowadays, there are less children being enrolled in these types of programs. Soccer and baseball are activities but not replacements for good guidance. |
Completely agree. Heck there are a lot of teenagers that don't even comprehend religion. The reason for all the issues of "today" are not because of schools, but are of society and parenting. Its sad that parents just don't seem to care as much. Now the good majority of parents out there are great as it sounds like from everyone who posts here. The problem lies in the few who aren't good, and those few have been increasing in number. Honestly I don't have an idea as to how to solve this either. How do you get the parents to parent without infringing on their rights? The best idea is the role model thing, but even that isn't close to being a guarantee. I remember in school it was almost to the point of relying on fellow children to be the role models... and that was hard to come by.
On the topic of shutting down schools all together, I think it will be a major reform in the system that keeps things going, that or privatization.