except I believe in God and that nut is way past out there. Interesting that as we have forced God out of the classrooms more and more problems happen at school.
How did mere man force God out of school? That official prayer is gone is not an issue with me. When I prayed in school, the answers I usually got were along the line of "you should have studied more. I've got bigger things to do." In a pluralist society, we tolerate ideas that differ from our own. Others hold their own ideas as sacrosanct. And, in a pluralistic society, no official can legally promote one belief above another. Thus, we tolerate those who do not believe in God, those who believe in God, Gods, Flying Spaghetti Monster, and a host of other beliefs and non beliefs. Bullying is not addressed as it should be, IMO. I wholeheartedly disagree with suspending the assaulted, because of defending himself. That's just ridiculous. A child in Columbus County NC hanged herself at home, apparently after being bullied at school, with no protection from the school. The entire school chain, from the teacher that allowed it to the school superintendent who apparently hasn't convinced the schools that he is serious about addressing bullying should be FIRED, not suspended with pay... Bullying, physical threat and assault is criminal.
My son had problems in middle school with a boy bullying him. The administrators did NOTHING. So from my experience, the JC school system is all bark and no bite when it comes to their bullying policies. Their policies force those being bullied to put up with it or else they face the same consequences as those doing the bullying. Ridiculous! I'm so glad my kids aren't in the JC school system any longer!
The school systems seem to treat different religions in the school much like Affirmative Action. No one can force God out of a school, but the majority of "customers" would identify themselves as Christians. The appearance is that the majority of "religion" instruction is not Christianity.
It should not matter what the appearance is. It shouldn't matter that the majority of 'customers' identify themselves in one way or another. Those in the minority have the right to enjoy their beliefs or nonbeliefs unfettered. In a civil , pluralist society, a persons's religious views are protected. That protection does NOT extend to any appearance that it is officially sanctioned. Nor does it extend to forcing those who may have a different view to be forced to listen to yours or mine, especially in an environment where the audience is not free to protest the actions of the leadership.
Just a thought, and I'm not trying to start a discussion on religion in schools, but did you ever consider the reason that the majority of "religion" instruction in school being not Christian is because it is presumed that the kids receive this instruction in the home?
One's faith and religion should not have to be compartmentalized... it should be 24/7 ... not just applied and learned in specific instances and settings.
Thankfully we live in a world where this is not true, allowing commerce to occur. If we sat around discussing religion all day nothing would get accomplished! Well I am off to work! :jester:
Just had an issue a few weeks ago... I went to the school with another parent who's child was having the same issue with same "bully". they talked about doing peer remediation. Has not happened yet but my child says things have toned down for her, so I hope it stays that way.
This is an honest question, and I ask as a parent (my little girl is still too young for school, pre school is as far as it goes for now), but have you considered telling your bullied kid to just ball up the fist and sock said bully right in the mouth next time they get picked on? I understand apprehension regarding how the school system will take it (suspensions), and some people think any and all "violence" is wrong (I dont, some direct, physical acts do in fact solve some problems, bullying, is one of them) and feel conflicted. But look at it this way your kid is going to get a big shot of confidence for the future in understanding, sometimes is ok to stand up for yourself and just say "enough"! Am I off here?
Presuming your child isn't a kick butt trained kid, (No, I am not advocating every child become a martial arts master) what happens if she knocks said bully in mouth, and rather than stopping the action, only escalates it. Sadly, it seems the NFL referee thing works against ya, as we tend to see the reaction, not the action that precipitated it.
Someone VERY close to me has gotten bullied by a girl @ school since 6th grade and they are in HS now. Finally, the victim had enough and beat the crap outta her and got suspended as well as charges pressed. How much can one person be forced to take?
ok, i know i am oldschool, but i had two big brothers growing up and i was never subjected to bullying because as they told me and as they did, all it takes is one time to stand up for yourself and the bullies leave you alone, luckily their reputation protected me from the bullies too. How can we raise children to not stand up for themselves in the school arena, when there are going to be bullies in every aspect of their adult life too?
What world do you live in? Most (99%) bullies dont want to "work" for their thrills. Once my kid is too much trouble for them (even if she gets knocked around a bit as well) the bully issue is pretty much over. As for getting a flag thrown (school punishment) well, if I greenlight an action, what do I care how a school system, that is being charged with too much (too much having to watch/raise kids, and not enough just being able to focus on education) what do I care? You cant tell me you feel it would escalate from a kid bully getting socked to a life and death situation. Now if said "bully" tortures small animals, keeps a "collection" of skulls, etc, I would advise differently of course, since that isnt a bully, that is s future serial killer.
We agree that the situation might not escalate. Yet, it might. In my youth, if it did, it escalated to a fist fight after school. In my experience, kids today don't settle things on that low tech a basis. It's unusual (yet has happened) that kids as young as 10 bring guns to school. When asked why, the response often includes words to the effect of 'getting even'. The world I live in includes a local elementary school, where I volunteer hours each week and where my wife has taught many years. My world involves a grown young son who recently graduated from pharmacy school and a emergent young adult lady in middle school, plus a few foster children, here and there. We can hypothesize about this a thousand different ways. It still comes down to teaching your child self worth, self respect, and respect for others. It's about teaching them to not bully or tease others, nor be willing to accept that from another. It's about teaching them that each of us has value, regardless of color of skin, hair, eyes, economic status, clothing labels, and so many other labels that kids learn to assign. Where they learn this is no mystery. So where does a child learn to choke another student, because he didn't like the way the other child looks. Where does that same child learn to threaten another to move out of line so he can be in that space? We can blame some on the media examples to which children are exposed. Seems to me that some parents also teach this, perhaps without realizing it. Hearing a parent threaten to 'tune up' his child for bullying, seems to me to confirm that the lesson being taught is that the larger person can wail away on the smaller. Adults who refer to other people in negative terms based on issues other than conduct teach that to their kids. I won't even go into the reactions of adults driving in traffic with an audience of children, yet unaware that the kids are listening, observing, and learning. I'm not Pollyanish in any outlook. No, the world does not exist with rainbows and pink ponies where we all sit around and sing Kumbayah. The world is a harsh place, especially for those not given the tools to succeed. Those tools do not include, in my mind, the art of bullying.
so if you don't advocate the bullied to stand up for themselves , how is this being taught to them? Not arguing, just really curious how walking away and not standing up for ones self teaches this?
