The LuLac Edition #1737, August 31st, 2011
PHOTO INDEX: "WRITE ON WEDNESDAY" LOGO.
WRITE ON WEDNESDAY
IT’S THE PARENTS JOB!
During the entire summer, we have been hearing constantly about Judge Mark Ciavarella’s role in the Judicial scandal. Surely there were some kids that too much of a punishment but there were other, out of control kids that pretty much got a pass after all the former Judge’s cases were tossed. This letter to the Times Leader makes the point that a Juvenile Court Judge or a police officer should not be left to parent a child. But unfortunately this has been the trend. There are more than a few parents living in this area who are plain lazy and irresponsible when it comes to parenting. My sister was a first grade teacher for over thirty years. She had a good reputation as a tough but kind task master who wanted to make sure these tykes were prepared for the rest of their educational career. Toward her middle years at the District, parents of incoming children would say, “Thank God my child has you for first grade because we can’t do anything with them”. Her response was always, “You’re the parent, you had them for 5 years, what am I going to do with them if there isn’t at least a foundation for learning?” Most times all the parents heard was the word “learning” and told her that was her job, not theirs. The Judicial scandal brought up the problems in the county system and hopefully they’ll be fixed. But none of that won’t solve the problem of parental incompetence. Here’s that letter:
Parenting should rest in hands of actual parents
Most of us probably think the “kids for cash” judge, Mark Ciavarella, is just a terrible person. I can think of a few parents who cried with him and their child in his chambers. The parents were practically begging him to do something because their child was going down the wrong road and they didn’t know what to do. The judge made a decision to handle the discipline, like many of our police officers do, and he gets 28 years in jail.
A parent calls 911 when Johnny won’t go to school, or when Susie comes home smelling of booze and pot. Congratulations! The parents have introduced their troublesome child to law enforcement. If arrested, the child now has a record. Great job!
As I was growing up in the ’70s, a Children and Youth agency was only an idea. When I got out of line, let’s just say dad didn’t put me in a time-out chair or make me stand in the corner to get his point across. I’m sure many men and women reading this can relate. Discipline wasn’t handled by the police, judges or a government-created agency. Discipline was handled by the “man of the house.”
Thanks to government, we have the “pansy of the house,” and the children dictate what the parents do on a daily basis.
Government has made it a crime for a parent to discipline a child. If a parent disciplines with a smack on the butt in the grocery store, some knucklehead with a cell phone is dialing 911 to report a child abuse case. An embarrassing visit from Children and Youth follows.
Want to cut something from the budget? Leave parenting up to the parents and allow the government to care for foster children who might not have someone to care for them, as it was intended. Or doesn’t this qualify as a kids-for-cash scheme? Because as I see it, the whole system is “kids for cash.”
Ask yourself this: Who pays the fine, lodging and probation fee of the child?
The parent who refuses to discipline a child, because the law prohibits it.
Chuck Watkins, Sugar Notch
posted by David Yonki @ 12:44 AM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Chuck has his finger on the pulse of the problem. NO kid appeared in court unless his parents, the school district or the police filed charges against him/her. People just don't understand that these kids are not sentenced to a term of incarceration, they are each given a psychological evaluation and even if the child had a minor offence, the testing may have shown that deep trouble was right around the corner. The child is then sent for the appropriate treatment and is evaluated every 30 days. The child remains in treatment till the 30 day evaluation indicates improvement. Luzerne county sends kids all over the country for appropriate treatment and the only time they would see the inside of the local "Kid for Cash" facility was when they were taken there by the police awaiting testing. The media created this dog and pony show. The judge did wrong but the wrong was tax evasion, not kids for cash. The media is the tail that wags the dog.
Students, Nothing could have prepared me, I must confess, for Mr. Watkins's eloquence expressed in his letter (and I hope you all take the time to read it).
Too many of todays parents were raised in the 70's and early 80's.
I recall at that time the practice in elemntary education was for youngsters to recite a song:
"I AM SPECIAL, I AM SPECIAL, LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT ME....".
Such was the advent of pure liberalism in our educational system.
We wonder why this generation of slackers (and you in this classroom) end up on drugs and anti-depressants and the answer is clear.
Most of you are not special and the world outside is a cold/dog eat dog place. A place where one cannot get by on one's good looks or charms. STudying, working, and working hard, mind you, is the key to success.
Parents seem to want us educators to be mother, father, grandparent and pastor all in one.
I have some bad news, none of us are any of those.
I always tell my students that they must teach themselves subjectively and that I will train their minds.
Alas, if they possess no mind within their MTV, U-tube raddled cobwebbed brain, what can I or any other respectable educator do???
I find it repulsive when some of my brethren give these layabouts passing grades to fill a quota.
I can assure you class, that no one here receives a grade that he/she does not deserve.
As it stands now most of you at best receive a D, if not a F.
SOmething to think about this morning as the semester is now underway.
Class Dismissed!!!!!!!!!!
No one can "give" you self esteem, it is earned by whatever conquest you achieve or goal you reach. Too often parents, teachers, and politicos miss this point.
Our schools accept ANYTHING, fearing having to defend any standard or requirement. This sets the student up for failure in the upper echelon job demographic when they can't show up regularly, on time, dressed properly.
They walk around angry because they just don't get it.
The old professor throws out insults like they are free verbiage and he has special insight into people he does not know and has never met. What a guy! Sometimes, in fact most of the time, I think it would be nice if the professor would just stand on his back porch (if he has one), spout his mindless insults and then simply go back to bed. He doesn't know me or you yet he has the arrogance to stand in judgement. He really does fit right into the Valley Without a Brain.
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