This is mainly a reply to the post by Carly Swirtz, but this is something that's been nagging at me since the school year started.
My son (a special ed student with Asberger's syndrome) began living full time with me last year after just slipping between the cracks in the Duluth system. In Duluth, he attended Congdon Park elementary and was educated in an authoritarian setting. He was always in trouble because it was expected that he would get in trouble. He missed almost a whole year of recess partly because I taught him to be somewhat skeptical of authority (remember me?, the guy who ran for city council on an anti-police brutality platform? Of course my son will be a little wary of authoritarian settings.) In the summer of 2002, my son moved in with me full time and began attending Cityview Elementary, a performing arts magnet with a very good special ed program that focuses on mainstreaming those students. In this setting he was respected by teachers who took the time to understand him and in this setting he excelled. He started working with the regular mainstream curriculum and he began to enjoy school. He was near the top of the regular ed class in math and science, while somethings remained difficult for him, but what's more he did very well and enjoyed school....I mean he literally came home exited telling me how much fun school was. The year before, we had to fight him out the door every morning. Yes, my son is getting a great education in an inner city public school in a so-called "bad" neighborhood. This year, some of the schools have adopted an authoritarian attitude toward the students with things like uniforms or dress codes or "crackdowns on classroom behavior." I think this is simply the first step in teaching young people to accept fascism, preparing them to accept prison like conditions, and forcing them not to question authority, even when it's legitimate. I think kids get a terrible message when they are not encouraged to be individuals, to dress as they would. I think it's very dangerous for school boards to be making statements that demean individual rights...yes, even the rights of children. This attitude (and the one below)tells children that they're not important or respected. It tells them that they are subservient to adults. It demeans and discourages the most important things about childhood, asking questions and exploring in order to learn about the world. I'm very disturbed by the authoritarian attitude that some would have us take towards our children. Rules and regulations may be part of life, but so are individuality and individual rights and that's important. Anyway, I've always thought that a healthy counter culture in the schools are a good thing (and I am a teacher.) With all you hear about child abuse in the news these days I think it's important that children (and us grown-ups) understand that despite more life experience, adults aren't perfect, nor are they always right. Tamir Nolley Holland Ward 3 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I home schooled my daughters for many years and had them in a small private school in exchange for my teaching art and drama. When they got to high school age, 2 of my daughters wanted to try public school. Immediately I started hearing stories about students out of control. In one case a math teacher was harassed so badly that he walked out and was replaced by a gym teacher for the remainder of the semester. I decided to find out what was going on and became involved in their parent organization. Then I started observing many classrooms, and they were much the same. What I saw appalled me. Students talking amongst themselves, disrespecting the teacher etc. Not only were pop and candy machines readily available, but kids were allowed to drink pop, eat candy & chew gum in the classroom! Another disturbing aspect was the lack of any dress code. Short skirts, low cut tops, droopy pants. I saw more underware than a Victorias Secret store! I even saw a couple of guys wearing long black capes. Not all the students were dressed that way. It was obvious that some students were there to try and get an education, but the behavior of the others simply caused intimidation and disruption. The education of our children is suffering because schools have become so caught up in individual rights. Something we can thank Lawyers for. Rules and regulations are part of life. How can we expect children to adapt to the real word and learn respect for others when we set such a bad example in our schools? One hears every day about budget cuts in education and students moving into private schools. Is it any wonder? My daughters are all young adults now and policies concerning what I described above may now have changed. I certainly hope so. If not, I urge parent organizations to do what is necessary to safeguard their children's environment. After all, Children are our future. If we want healthy, well adjusted adults, we need to educate them and set some positive examples. I commend those of you on this list that are trying to make these changes! Rev Carly Swirtz Midtown, Phillips __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
