Guns in School

I was listening to the radio on Friday and in the news they were talking about a 7 year old who was actually handcuffed and taken into police custody because during classtime he drew a picture of a gun (no people, blood, etc...just a gun) on a piece of paper. This little guy was taken to the police station and then picked up by his parents...and he was suspended from school. Has anyone else heard about this? I am so surprised. My oldest LOVES cowboys and indians and I have actually drawn notes for his lunchbox with cowboys (gun in holsterss!)or indians and sent them off with him.

Don't you think we have all reached the point of overreacting? Guns are a part of our society, unfortunately. I am not an advocate of having a gun in the home or any of that stuff, but we have used guns extensively in our history and we actually fought to free this country with...guns....We are fighting battles on foreign soil with guns...and we are arresting 7 year olds for drawing pictures of guns?

Just thought I'd vent...

Kris

So as I was saying before I was so rudely locked out of the conversation.... ;0)

I agree that schools have gona a bit over the top with precautions these days. Then again, short of frisking every kid that comes into the classroom, I'm not sure what schools are going to be able to do to put an end to school violence. Every time there is a school shooting everyone starts pointing fingers at the school, saying "They should have seen the warning signs." Give me a break! It is not the school's responsibility to raise our children. Have we become so self-absorbed in our careers in American society that we now look to the schools to solve our childrens' behavioral disorders? The function of the school is to provide education. Parents need to raise their own children. It's that simple. After all, a child can gain intelligence from attending school, but wisdom comes from your parents.

Well, I have to agree that it is not the job of our schools to raise our children....You are right that parents need to take the ultimate responsibility for teaching our children the difference between right and wrong...and I think that we ARE too busy as a society today to raise our children. I would say, that I have to include myself in that last lame group....at least as far as this last year is concerned. I became more interested in my own life and goals and I feel really guilty about that. At least that was time-limited.

That being said, the schools have simply gone overboard, in my opinion. My husband and I both were raised playing cowboys and indians, etc. War has unfortunately been a part of our society since...well, since its inception. We can not shield our children from that reality. I don't support the NRA because I don't think that people need to have guns around....but I have to draw the line when children are arrested for drawing guns or are suspended for playing guns in kindergarten by using their fingers as weapons...I mean, one of my good friends has two boys who actually bite out their cheese slices in the shapes of guns...it seems to be a little boy thing.

Guns have been around for a long time...I don't think that this gun crisis is related to guns at all...I think it is about a moral ...even spiritual crisis in this country. Our young people are hurting....I don't think that metal detectors are the answer either...although I don't profess to know what the real answer is! Somehow we have to reach out to children in a different way. Metal detectors and searches instill a frustration and mistrust in the children who are not a danger. But what is the solution?

Sorry? Not at ALL! It is SO GREAT to have someone to debate with!!! I say..Bring it ON!

Well, I definately agree that it is more than just one factor that affects our children. Certainly, women going into the workforce had an effect on the kids....School prayer? In my opinion? Nah....I never had prayer in school....we went to church every Sunday and I went to Sunday School. For me, prayer and religion is a very personal thing...and I don't think that the government (ie public schools) have a place for prayer in them.....because of the multitude of beliefs...but hey...school prayer is a whole other issue

The media, in my opinion, plays a large role...I remember that when I was a teen-ager, I was not allowed to see R-rated movies (or even drive in a car that another teen-ager drove...It was adults only). I went to a sleepover where the mother allowed us to watch "Footloose"...a movie that in today's climate would probably be labeled "G" My mom had a FIT...and immediately called the other mother. That was mild compared to the sex, drugs and rock-and-roll that is available today....not to mention the lyrics to some rap songs! I believe that repeated exposure to that kind of media ultimately causes desensitization. Think about it...it isn't even as shocking anymore to hear about school shootings or bombings...because every little trauma is blown up by the media and played over and over and over again.

If we compare ourselves to european countries though (my husband is German, and we lived their for years)...they are exposed to the same kinds of music and sex in movies for example is much more...uh....visible than in our movies. Kids over there are allowed to drink beer when they are 14...and there is definately a different level of maturity in the kids....

In europe, school is 13 years from 8/9am to noon. In the upper grades, there are some afternoon courses. All students attend every other Saturday. There is a great deal of emphasis placed on education and there are NO extracurricular activities ie football, cheerleading, etc... associated with the schools. Children can participate in things through local associations like the YMCA...but that is it...you go to school to learn and there is a different pride associated with being educated. Students graduate knowing two foreign languages and begin taking chemistry and physics in the 5th grade. They have completed college-level organic and inorganic chemistry, physics and calculus when they graduate from high school. Even individuals who choose to enter a profession like selling shoes...are required a two year school education where they learn basic science, social studies, etc...as well as other skills related to shoe sales. People here may laugh, but I can honestly say, that your average shoe salesman in europe is more educated and proud than your average high school graduate in the US. There is a pride associated with academic achievement. Perhaps the dumbing down of education in this country has something to do with our youth's failure to achieve? Private schools emphasizing religion or non-religious schools as well that place a sound emphasis on education produce children with fewer problems who tend to excel later as adults.

I went to 3 different high schools because my dad was military. My first school was in Glenview, Illinois, and while I was there, the school was recognized by US News as being one of the top 10 schools in our country. I moved to a high school then where drugs, and violence were a way of life. You could be arrested for being in the halls after 3pm....It was crazy. I got a detention once for being late to a class and the boy that sat next to me was smoking a bong pipe ... I just stared at this until someone wrote me a note explaining it all (I was VERY naive). We then moved to Texas, which was at the time #48 out of 50 for education. This won't be a popular view for those Texans out there, and I do like Texas, but I wouldn't raise my children in their schools. My AP English class studied vocabulary words by looking at CARTOONS and my social studies teacher spent entire class periods discussing her menstrual cycle, hairstyle, and JV cheerleading squad that she ran. We received every big game Friday off, which was ridiculous, and were forced to attend pep rallys weekly. The academic standards were quite poor and I think that the students weren't challenged. Kids were busy with after school jobs at McDonalds to pay for their trucks or with Football practice every morning and night...too busy to study and prepare themselves for their futures.

So maybe, the answer lies in a reform of our public schools...at least partly. Perhaps it is time that we focus again on having people take personal responsibility for their educations. Maybe if we stop the social advancement of children into higher grades and parents stop pressuring teachers to "pass" their children for the 6 weeks so that they can play football...and start focusing on the education of their children.....well, maybe schools would be a learning place again. And with people more educated in general, career opportunities in many fields would be open again to US graduates instead of having to import "smart" people from other countries. Perhaps our national self-esteem would be tied up in our academic achievements and not the Emmy's or Superbowl! But that also means better teacher training and tougher standards for teachers....ooh, another unpopular view.

As to moms...I think you are right that parents need to be there for their children...which is one of the things that really chaps my hide about medical training in this country. There is absolutely NO need for a 3rd or 4th year med student to take call...and the call schedule of interns and residents is not emulated in any other country...and their mortality/morbidity rates are not higher. We are arrogant to believe that we do it the "best"!

We need more resources for support of stay-at-home parents and an increase in the respect of parents who choose to stay at home with their children.

Hehehehe...now I bet YOU are sorry that you "unlocked" this post

Kris

Well Kris-- since you asked... LOL

I don't know that there is some miracle solution to this problem. However, I believe that as with all problems, the first step to finding a resolution is to identify the cause of the malady. People have proposed many causative factors for the apparent lack of morals and values demonstrated by children today. Some have suggested that two-income families are to blame. Others blame guns, or television violence, or rap music, or the Internet. Still others argue that restrictions of prayer in school is to blame.

Personally, I believe that most, if not all, of these factors are to blame. It is interesting to note that these problems with childrens' behavior is a predominantly modern phenomenon. Prior to the 80s, you didn't see these kinds of problems. One might imply from this that the social conditions that existed prior to the 80s were more conducive to raising well-behaved, and socially functional children.

Although the movement towards two-income families started following WW II, when women that had replaced male workers in the US decided that they enjoyed the fulfillment and independence of employment, it didn't really take-off until the 60s-70s. Prior to the 80s, television was a rather innocuous medium. Barry Mannilow (sp?) and the Bee Gees were cutting edge music. Guns were found mostly in rural settings. The Internet was yet to be conceived.

I think that the solution lies in understanding that each of our actions carries with it a consequence. I'm not suggesting that women should stay home and raise their kids. Rather, I would urge parents to realize that, by not having a parent at home, their children are more likely to develop social problems unless the parents take appropriate measures to compensate for lost parental contact. Parents must make time for their children-- they must talk to and listen to their children. They must remain involved in their lives.

As far as the tv, radio, and Internet are concerned-- there are plenty of ways to moderate childrens' exposure to these mediums. I would urge parents to utilize these available measures. And I don't think that prayer in school is such a bad thing, provided that students are forced into doing it.

So we've come down to guns. Indeed, this is perhaps the stickiest of issues. I support our constitutional right to bear arms, although I do not own a gun myself. But disarming a nation can lead to governmental abuses, and since I already lack faith in my government, I am not willing to concede my right to bear arms. I think that a better solution is to retrict the type of arms that are available, mandate strict regulations regarding trigger locks or other safety devices, and hold parents legally accountable if children use guns for criminal purposes.

Perhaps you're sorry you asked now Kris. LOL