High School 1957:2010

[roddma]

I was reading this piece on how things are different from 1957 and 2014. I do agree we can be paranoid about things, but when it got to the scenario 4 about a father whipping his son with a belt, it disturbed me. The scenario read: father whips son with belt for breaking a neighbor's car window, 1957: Kid grows up normal. 2014:Father accused of child abuse, son goes to foster care and later joins a gang. Sister also claims abuse(spanking). I think belt spankings are cruel. Ok I found the link. Just as I thought, it came from a right wing site that says if you don't literally beat your child they will be spoiled brats.

http://christianfaithinamerica.com/2010 ... 7-vs-2010/

[Marianne]

I was reading this piece on how things are different from 1957 and 2014. I do agree we can be paranoid about things, but when it got to the scenario 4 about a father whipping his son with a belt, it disturbed me. The scenario read: father whips son with belt for breaking a neighbor's car window, 1957: Kid grows up normal. 2014:Father accused of child abuse, son goes to foster care and later joins a gang. Sister also claims abuse(spanking). I think belt spankings are cruel. Ok I found the link. Just as I thought, it came from a right wing site that says if you don't literally beat your child they will be spoiled brats.

http://christianfaithinamerica.com/2010 ... 7-vs-2010/

In 1947, my great-uncle lost custody of hischildren and was sentenced to several years in prison for several spankings with a belt, a shoe, or a martinet. 10 years before 1957, apparently, the belt was not as well accepted as they say ...

[FJismyheadship]

Wow that was extreme.

My former sixth grade teacher hugged her students. I visited her recently, and her students came back in from recess hugging her. She hasn't been called a pedophile as far as I know, and had been a teacher for almost thirty years.

[louisa05]

Wow that was extreme.

My former sixth grade teacher hugged her students. I visited her recently, and her students came back in from recess hugging her. She hasn't been called a pedophile as far as I know, and had been a teacher for almost thirty years.

As a result of sex abuse scandals, a hard and fast rule in many Catholic schools and churches is no hugging kids. We are told to stick to the "side hug". Which, as Duggar watchers know, is awkward and weird. But teachers, priests, and volunteers are taught in one program used widely for training throughout the country that anything else opens you up to accusations.

[2xx1xy1JD]

False Historical Memory Syndrome in action, yet again.

Anyone feel like writing some anecdotes slightly closer to the truth?

I'll go first:

1957: Slow-learning kid (my dad's cousin) gets regularly punished, in a school that still whipped kids, but she doesn't magically improve. That's because nobody ever realized that she had actual learning difficulties. Instead, she fails repeatedly.

2010: My sister, who has some learning disabilities, not only graduated from high school with appropriate class support and learning strategies, but also graduated from university. She becomes respected in her field, and runs therapeutic programs in hospitals and other health care settings.

[roddma]

Here's a couple

1957: Unmarried Mary tells boyfriend she is pregnant. He calls her a cheat and bails. The child gets whisked into an orphanage.

2013: Pregnant unmarried Mary decides to keep the baby, orders DNA test, sues for child support. Kid grows up happy, starts an organization that helps single moms.

1957: Susie's husband came in drunk, hits her in front of two kids. Police called, nothing done. She is stuck becasue divorce is frowned on and she has no job skills.

2013: Susie's husband comes home drunk, hits her in front of their kids. Police called and husband is arrested. Susie and kids gets counseling . She divorces, goes to college on a scholarship.

I agree we are somewhat paranoid and over react, but it's a sign of the times I guess. We haven't gotten more stupid. We just got smarter. It is irresposnible to be encouraging fighting. .

[miffy]

My grandfather got the absolute crap beaten out of him as a child & my grandmother had loving parents who rarely smacked her (uncommon for the 30s) . Guess who had fewer issues & was a happier adult?

These scenarios are ridiculous & far fetched. This kind of thing is actually detrimental to right-wing politics. They are focusing on fairy stories instead of bad policy.

[O Latin]

I remember reading this list years ago on a humor site and my sister and I cracking up over "ants die," which we thought was just the funniest thing ever for some reason.

I do think a lot of those scenarios are pretty over the top. At my high school (which I attended from 2005 to 2008), you were allowed to carry non-prescription medication with you as long as it was in the original package or something like that. I also knew several people who failed English (or another graduation requirement) and they had to go to summer school or repeat the class. And although it never happened as far as I can recall, I don't think a fistfight on school grounds would have gotten the police called. Both parties would have been in big trouble (probably suspended), but I doubt they would have been arrested.

[FakePigtails]

1957: Many students wouldn't have survived to be in high school, having died from diseases like measles and pertussis.

2010: Childhood vaccinations prevent numerous illnesses that used to regularly take the lives of children.

[ADoyle90815]

I remember reading this list years ago on a humor site and my sister and I cracking up over "ants die," which we thought was just the funniest thing ever for some reason.

I do think a lot of those scenarios are pretty over the top. At my high school (which I attended from 2005 to 2008), you were allowed to carry non-prescription medication with you as long as it was in the original package or something like that. I also knew several people who failed English (or another graduation requirement) and they had to go to summer school or repeat the class. And although it never happened as far as I can recall, I don't think a fistfight on school grounds would have gotten the police called. Both parties would have been in big trouble (probably suspended), but I doubt they would have been arrested.

That's also what I remember about high school in the early 90's, that fistfights on campus usually resulted in both parties being suspended and that there was no reason for the police to be called. The only thing I remember was that if there was more than one fight during the lunch period, the bell to go to the next class was rung early. Even then, the school handled it without calling the police, as those fights were on school grounds.

[louisa05]

That's also what I remember about high school in the early 90's, that fistfights on campus usually resulted in both parties being suspended and that there was no reason for the police to be called. The only thing I remember was that if there was more than one fight during the lunch period, the bell to go to the next class was rung early. Even then, the school handled it without calling the police, as those fights were on school grounds.

Fighting is grounds for suspension in every school I taught in and now sub at. I have no recollection of a fight ever resulting in the police being called. In the crisis protocols where I last taught full time, something would have to really escalate in terms of number of students involved or involve actual weapons for that to happen.

In my state, students are not allowed to have even over the counter drugs in their possession at school. After a student died in a bathroom of an asthma attack with his rescue inhaler safely stored in the nurse's office several years ago, a protocol was created to allow students to carry their own inhalers and epi pens. In theory, nothing else is allowed. In practice, at most high schools I have been in as a teacher or sub, staff looks the other way when it comes to things like OTC pain relievers, cough drops, etc...as long as it does not appear that students are abusing them. I may have, a time or two, looked the other way while an 18 year old girl bent over double with menstrual cramps got OTC pain relievers out of my cupboard in my classroom. But I'll never tell.

[mockingbird]

Fighting is grounds for suspension in every school I taught in and now sub at. I have no recollection of a fight ever resulting in the police being called. In the crisis protocols where I last taught full time, something would have to really escalate in terms of number of students involved or involve actual weapons for that to happen.

In my state, students are not allowed to have even over the counter drugs in their possession at school. After a student died in a bathroom of an asthma attack with his rescue inhaler safely stored in the nurse's office several years ago, a protocol was created to allow students to carry their own inhalers and epi pens. In theory, nothing else is allowed. In practice, at most high schools I have been in as a teacher or sub, staff looks the other way when it comes to things like OTC pain relievers, cough drops, etc...as long as it does not appear that students are abusing them. I may have, a time or two, looked the other way while an 18 year old girl bent over double with menstrual cramps got OTC pain relievers out of my cupboard in my classroom. But I'll never tell.

I also graduated high school in 2008. We had a police officer whose office was at the high school. He was called the "resource officer" and part of his job was to do things like DARE programs throughout the district, and direct traffic at the start/end of the school day if needed, but I'm not really sure what the rest of his job was. Anyway he was there whenever a fight broke out but I don't remember the kids ever being charged... I think it was probably more intimidation factor and maybe he knew how to break up fights safely. Our school didn't have a reputation for violence or anything - I think it was more a factor of the police department and school having the money to pay an officer to just be responsible for the schools.

And that medicine policy is pretty much identical to my district's. It was pretty easy to slip OTC painkillers or cough drops. We also weren't supposed to use phones during school day at all but everyone looked the other way during lunch and things like that.

[2xx1xy1JD]

I just remembered something else:

1983:

Popular girls embarrass loser girl (yours truly) in front of the entire class. Loser girl literally does not speak to anyone at school for the next 2 years. No teacher ever said a word.

2009 and onward:

Teacher comments on peer interaction at the parent-teacher interview, even before mentioning the academics. One teacher goes out of her way to describe the concerns that Girl 1 is being somewhat excluded, and then says exactly what she is doing to try to fix the situation (which did, thankfully, get fixed). Vice-principal is available "to talk" whenever Girl 1 feels like talking or hanging out with her. Same vice-principal also starts Recess Buddies program in the school, to train grade 4 students to play with grade 1 students, keeping a special eye out for any child who may be left out.

[SPHASH]

I just remembered something else:

1983:

Popular girls embarrass loser girl (yours truly) in front of the entire class. Loser girl literally does not speak to anyone at school for the next 2 years. No teacher ever said a word.

2009 and onward:

Teacher comments on peer interaction at the parent-teacher interview, even before mentioning the academics. One teacher goes out of her way to describe the concerns that Girl 1 is being somewhat excluded, and then says exactly what she is doing to try to fix the situation (which did, thankfully, get fixed). Vice-principal is available "to talk" whenever Girl 1 feels like talking or hanging out with her. Same vice-principal also starts Recess Buddies program in the school, to train grade 4 students to play with grade 1 students, keeping a special eye out for any child who may be left out.

This. 1990-yours truly is sexually harassed by a male classmate during study hall. Yours truly complains to teacher monitoring study hall only to be told to ignore it. 2014-student is sexually harassed, harasser gets suspended.

[FJismyheadship]

What about in 2002 your teacher has the 8th grade class watch an R rated horror film without parental permission. Parents complain, school does nothing.

What would happen today?

[Rebelwife]

What about in 2002 your teacher has the 8th grade class watch an R rated horror film without parental permission. Parents complain, school does nothing.

What would happen today?

In our district, I imagine that teacher would lose his or her job and I agree. I'm not a prude about stuff like this by any means, but this would be crazy - we're not even talking about high school, these are middle schoolers. Plus, what possible academic value could there be to a horror film outside of a film or sociology class?

[FJismyheadship]

In our district, I imagine that teacher would lose his or her job and I agree. I'm not a prude about stuff like this by any means, but this would be crazy - we're not even talking about high school, these are middle schoolers. Plus, what possible academic value could there be to a horror film outside of a film or sociology class?

It was English and I think we were reading Sleepy Hollow... I don't know why she thought the movie was appropriate.

[Rebelwife]

It was English and I think we were reading Sleepy Hollow... I don't know why she thought the movie was appropriate.

OK, I could see talking about Washington Irving as a writer of horror and horror as a genre and how that tradition continues in literature and now in movies, but you don't have to actually WATCH a horror movie to have that discussion. Sounds like lazy teaching to me - and I say this as the daughter of a woman who taught 8th grade English for almost 30 years.

[O Latin]

In our district, I imagine that teacher would lose his or her job and I agree. I'm not a prude about stuff like this by any means, but this would be crazy - we're not even talking about high school, these are middle schoolers. Plus, what possible academic value could there be to a horror film outside of a film or sociology class?

A little bit of a different scenario, but I was in seventh grade during 2002-2003 (so right about the middle of George W. Bush's first term). One of my teachers was adamantly, vocally liberal and feminist and hated Bush (not that there's anything wrong with those things, but most teachers don't express them to their students the way she did). She had one of those daily tear-off calendars of "Bushisms" and every day she would pick one and write it on the board. Now, this was English class so she would generally pick ones that illustrated common grammatical errors, which we would then discuss, always with a little anti-Bush sentiment thrown in. But then a parent complained and she stopped doing the Bushisms. I don't know whether the parent complained to the administration, who then told her to knock it off, or to the teacher herself, or both.

I do remember teachers in junior high occasionally showing R-rated movies (or at least movies with nudity and F-bombs) but skipping over the objectionable bits, and that was generally considered acceptable. But these were generally things like historical movies with one sex scene that was easily skipped. I don't think a straight up horror movie would have been okay.

[mockingbird]

A little bit of a different scenario, but I was in seventh grade during 2002-2003 (so right about the middle of George W. Bush's first term). One of my teachers was adamantly, vocally liberal and feminist and hated Bush (not that there's anything wrong with those things, but most teachers don't express them to their students the way she did). She had one of those daily tear-off calendars of "Bushisms" and every day she would pick one and write it on the board. Now, this was English class so she would generally pick ones that illustrated common grammatical errors, which we would then discuss, always with a little anti-Bush sentiment thrown in. But then a parent complained and she stopped doing the Bushisms. I don't know whether the parent complained to the administration, who then told her to knock it off, or to the teacher herself, or both.

I do remember teachers in junior high occasionally showing R-rated movies (or at least movies with nudity and F-bombs) but skipping over the objectionable bits, and that was generally considered acceptable. But these were generally things like historical movies with one sex scene that was easily skipped. I don't think a straight up horror movie would have been okay.

That's generally what my teachers did... skip over any objectionable parts. We watched at least part of two Romeo and Juliet movies in 9th grade English, and I remember skipping over a sex scene in a movie about Lady Jane Grey in 10th grade history.

In 8th grade my teacher wanted us to watch The Patriot ® but probably since it's violent in general, he sent home permission slips instead of skipping over parts of it. My mom ended up being the only one who wouldn't sign the form (which like... seriously? it's so violent haha) and he called her and she ended up letting me watch it, because I didn't have a history of being scared by violent movies. I was fine, but I just hadn't seen many R-rated movies yet, and I think my parents figured I'd have other people to hang out with if I didn't watch it. Nope.

[DGayle]

That's also what I remember about high school in the early 90's, that fistfights on campus usually resulted in both parties being suspended and that there was no reason for the police to be called. The only thing I remember was that if there was more than one fight during the lunch period, the bell to go to the next class was rung early. Even then, the school handled it without calling the police, as those fights were on school grounds.

I went to school in the 90's. A girl who was jealous of me claimed I threatened to beat her up. The school did call the cops and I was hauled out of class. Her brother and one of her sisters came to my defense when they found out and were able to prove that during the alleged confrontation where I allegedly threatened to his her happened during a weekend their whole family was out of town!

I guess it just depends on where you went to school. At my school, an accusation of a threat was enough to do it. My reputation was trashed and I got kicked from flag squad and color guards even though it was a lie. No one wanted there to be any hint of scandal.

[DGayle]

As a result of sex abuse scandals, a hard and fast rule in many Catholic schools and churches is no hugging kids. We are told to stick to the "side hug". Which, as Duggar watchers know, is awkward and weird. But teachers, priests, and volunteers are taught in one program used widely for training throughout the country that anything else opens you up to accusations.

The teachers are my local school aren't allowed to side hug. They have to keep a physical distance of at least 24" unless they're putting a band aid on a cut, which they have to stay away at least 18". It makes a big problem because there are young kids with special needs that make it so the kids can't wipe well after going to the bathroom, and even the special aids can't help. None of the parents are happy that sanitation has to be forgotten because the district is too afraid of lawsuits. We trust the teachers, but all it takes it just a single loony parent thinking hugging a crying child with a booboo is molestation, and hell would break loose.

Some of the teachers for the younger kids ignore some of the rules. I'm a classroom mom and have seen some of the little ones get emotional and just need a hug, and the excellent teachers we have put that child's need to a hug ahead of the rules that say keep 24" or more away. I, a classroom volunteer who did have to go through a background check that wasn't as strict as the teachers' checks, can hug all I want. The teachers have to break the rules. What's wrong here?