Killing the Messenger. Didn't we agree this was a BAD idea?
Last night over dinner a friend of mine who had read yesterday's tirade about the secret thought police arresting a teen had a problem with it. She was concerned that I thought that every time a child put pen, pencil, or crayon, to paper with words of murder and killing that I wasn't allowing for the possibility that they were writing a plan and not a story. Fair enough, I didn't go into any detail at all about the times where the kid actually does write a battle plan to slaughter at home or in school. Yes it happens, rarely, but it happens. All I am asking is to quietly investigate whenever you think the kid has an attack plan and only arrest those kids who ARE planning to go on a killing spree. Putting every kid in handcuffs on the six oclock news who has a dark thought doesn't do anything but drive more normal well adjusted kids over that thin line. Some kids will go terminator because you are an adult behaving like an ass. Some kids will kill simply because they will finally get the attention they diserve if they do. Other kids, you know the ones, the quiet types who grow up to become famous seriel killers. They will be driven deeper underground where instead of getting help early will be developed into thoughtful killing machines. I gotta to tell you people, I am not sure I would have turned out as well as I have if I grew up in the climate of fear that the powers that be have created for us.
Speaking of the climate of fear that the powers that be have created for us, I have another interesting story to share. This is an article about a teacher behaving inappropriately in a high school. The good news that a student caught the over the top antics on a camera phone. Now everyone can see for themselves just how badly this supposed teacher of the fertile mind is behaving. The bad news is: (choose one)
a.) Nothing is publically and/or privately done to repremand the teacher at all.
b.) A rule is created so students can't have wireless phones in their classrooms anymore.
c.) The student is suspended
d.) All of the above.
If you guessed "d" you would be correct! And what a plan it is! Of course what could we expect from the town of Brick, other than blockhead behavior. The Board of Education behaving like true modern day Repugnicants by punishing the whistle blower, making sure that that avenue of proof can never be followed again, and covering up/rewarding bad behavior.
Now it wouldn't be an incensed blog entry if I didn't name names so the guilty can google themselves and threaten me so here goes. "Stuart Mantel", "Jay", "Ron Rice", "Jennifer Strano", "Thomas L. Seidenberger". For the sake of pure and simple fairness on my part I won't say which names are on the protagonist side, and which names are on the antagonist side. But be sure both sides are represented.
Comments
Great post Woody. The video of the teacher losing it can be viewed here:
http://nyc.indymedia.org/newswire/display/142004/index.php
My teacher girlfriend just had a situation last week where a student drew a picture of a "teacher killing machine." Without panic, with a reasonable understanding of the student's personality and a consideration of her likely intentions, my girlfriend's measured response was to include the principle and parents in a discussion with the student in which she was made aware of why such a thing is not appropriate and the possible consequences if she were to make a habit out of this kind of joking.
Props to my girlfriend and the principle for EDCUCATING the student instead of overreacting and criminalizing a troubling but ultimately harmless act -- good judgement exercised by professionals who undertand their responsibilities.
Posted by: Roch101 | March 2, 2005 11:32 AM
Hey Woody,
Ohh, you know I love a good debate. :) Have to say that I completely agree with you that the media frenzy surrounding every kid with some evil thoughts towards his/her teachers/school/classmates is rediculous and only encouraging the behavior, not solving anything. I am much more along the lines of keeping tabs on the situation privately (teachers, parents, therapists, principals, whoever needs to be involved discretely...if they need to be involved), determaning whether the threat is viable, and then, only then considering the needed outcomes to rectify the situation.
I do not believe that children (yes, including teenagers) should be arrested, shown on the news, and generally hog tied in front of the general public unless they have actually committed a crime and then, yes, they do need to face punishment and unfortunately that does usually mean the media will get involved. I am all about prevention of the actual acts and an understanding of the developmental levels of the teenagers involved. Sometimes, yes most times, this should only involve a small group...the teacher, a parent conference, the student themselves. It might then be determined that the student need to go to therapy, see a school counselor, be on medication, or just given a verbal reprimand that the behavior is inappropriate.
My final point is, however, and this is where I think we disagree, that if something disturbing that indicates the possible harm of the student or others is written down or spoken of it does need to be investigated for the student's own sake as well as the sake of the others around them. This is a tragic world we live in and we need to be giving all the support we can to those who are sending out desperate messages for it.
I love reading your blogs Woody. I love the fact that they are political rantings about what needs to be changed and is unjust in the world today. (Okay, not all of them, but some of them.) I love that they make me think and make me form my opinions into coherent thoughts. I hope you know I wasn't shooting the messenger...just debating a point to get a little more in depth so I knew where his thoughts were coming from.
Posted by: Leslie | March 2, 2005 9:28 PM
Leslie!!!! Thanks for posting!
I think we are on the same page everywhere but one place. (And there I think we are on the same page, just different paragraphs.) Nope, I was wrong, I reread it. We both agree that if someone needs help they should get it. We both agree that arresting everyone who has an angry thought on paper is bad. (Otherwise, I am going to end up in jail for half of my blog.)
And shooting the messager wasn't in reference to you, but in reference to the child who recorded their teacher being wildly inappropriate in class.
Thanks for posting!
Posted by: woody | March 3, 2005 8:17 AM