Good heavens, Wilma, you sound like an old fuddy-duddy. Or Bill Cosby. Are you actually arguing for <eeeek> *family values*???
BTW there's a very funny sequence in Spike Lee's "Inside Man" where the bank robber is looking at the little kid's video game and is absolutely horrified by what he sees. On 3/12/07, Wilma de Soto <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Perhaps I am wrong, but High School has a distinct purpose as opposed to simply child care. The students are there to earn a diploma which in turn will entitle them to certain privileges in the adult world. If students do not understand that by that age, I do not see how adding any more programs, on top of those already in place, will change things. As long as we cannot change what socialization process (if any) occurs within the confines of a child's home that would make them understand and value getting an education. If we are unable to hold the early managers of their lives accountable, we are facing an uphill task. I remember not being privy to many adult situations or even being allowed to stay up late and watch scary movies etc. Take a glimpse into the formative years of today's children. Mind you these products are bought and allowed in the home by their parents. Some kids in my K-5 School have played this game: http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/action/gta4/downloads.html?om_act=convert&om_clk =tabs There are even worse games out there with racial slurs, rape, maltreatment of women, you name it. Add the popular "music", violent movies and being left to one's own devices too often and defense of wrongdoing often times by the parent, it's small wonder these kids are socialized violently. Two years ago a parent was arrested outside of Shaw Middle School after classes were over along with her adult daughter, for videotaping her child beating up another student who had "messed with them" earlier. Parents certainly have changed since I was a kid. Now the chickens have come home to roost. I do not disagree with your assertion that they will be our neighbors, but before we start jumping into more programs, I think people need to open their eyes and REALLY understand the extent of the problem. Unfortunately people are just only starting to realize that there is one. On 3/12/07 4:44 PM, "McKenzie, Wendell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > I am a graduate of West Philly High School 1978 & also University of > Pennsylvania. I believe as a community maybe we the new families in the > area could come up with additional programs to try to combat the > Problems. We were told when we were at West that we too were bad and > the school was the worst it has ever been. With all the people on this > list serv who can make wonderful things happen in this neighborhood > instead on running afraid why try to make things better. Reason being > that these young people are still going to live in the neighborhood. > > > > > > > > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Wilma de Soto > Sent: Monday, March 12, 2007 4:05 PM > To: Kyle Cassidy; UnivCity listserv > Subject: Re: [UC] RE: West Philly High re recent violence there > > It's been that way for a LONG time. Not just at West Philadelphia High > either but all over the district. > > At least you don't have to go inside and spend your day in that sort of > environment, be trained and re-trained and re-trained in the name of > "School > Reform." > > OR > > Be held accountable if they don't do well on standardized tests; have to > present your credentials to proven "highly qualified" to be in there and > try > to teach them. > > OR > > See no consequences for the students or their parents; just you and/or > your > administrator. > > This is how people are treated who WANT to be there and want to teach. > > We shall see how the public reacts when contract negotiations start > soon; as > the district tries to pare down even more of our rights and heap more > responsibility on us. > > > On 3/12/07 1:23 PM, "Kyle Cassidy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> I don't know if it's still the case, but walking along 48th between >> locust and spruce during school hours used to be an abuse gauntlet of >> epic proportions. At any given time there would be several kids > hanging >> out of different windows yelling at me as I walked past. I did that >> maybe twice and then permanently re-routed around that place whenever > I >> needed to go to Radio Shack or the Asian market that used to be on >> Spruce. At about that time one of my friends did his student teaching >> there and it seems it was similar on the inside. I photographed Paul >> Vallas at a different high school and was rather surprised to see that >> in conjunction with metal detectors they had ROTC stationed at each >> hallway intersection. >> >> I heard on WHYY this morning that the Teacher Safety Hotline >> (215-400-stop) had logged fifty complaints of student/teacher assaults >> in 7 days. >> >> I'm starting to feel old. Why, back in my day..... >> >> ---- >> You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the >> list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see >> <http://www.purple.com/list.html>. > > > ---- > You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the > list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see > <http://www.purple.com/list.html>. > > ---- > You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the > list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see > <http://www.purple.com/list.html>. ---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see <http://www.purple.com/list.html>.
-- Ross Bender http://rossbender.org
