Quote:Discipline in the schools is the biggest problem I see. Currently my daughter is struggling in a math class because it's full of disruptive kids. The teacher sends them to the office which in turn sends them back to the classroom. The brats know nothing will happen to them because their parents, or too often just a parent, uses the school as a babysitting service. So the kids continue acting up.

People will howl about this, but back in my day (said in old man voice) corporal punishment was a powerful deterrent. I suffered the sting a few times myself over the course of my schooling. I've seen tough punk kids go almost limp when the small kindly teacher had had enough and would order them to go see Mr. Big Strong PE teacher to get swats. It was effective and I don't recollect any stories about people whose lives were ruined because they were paddled in school. I know that sounds TMD-esque, but it's true.

When my older kids were still in school corporal punishment wasn't yet completely banned. The parent had to sign a waiver forbidding it. I always made a point of showing my kids that I did not sign the waiver, and they took notice.

I say whoop 'em! (shakes palsied fist)

I remember getting paddled in elementary school for chewing gum. That was a serious offense and disrespectful to the teacher for ignoring her so they sent me to the principal's office and swatted twice with the paddle. I never chewed gum in school again. They had to tell your parents when they weighed corporal punishment on you and my mom was mad that I didn't follow the rules but thought it pretty stupid that I got paddled and it went in my record. This was back in the early 80's.


Now kids disrespect teachers on purpose far more than chewing gum and not a darn thing is done about it.

---