Out To Lunch
They say you can't go home again. But maybe you can. Its just more dangerous than it used to be.
Home for me would be Woodrow Wilson High School in Northwest DC. My Alma Mater. Class of '77. When I graduated from Wilson it was considered just about the best public high school in the city, at a time when that title seemed to mean a bit more than it does now.
That's why I was a bit stunned to see this article in The Washington Post describing how Wilson is about to tighten up security because of several fights and and violent confrontations--mostly involving 9th graders just recently transferred to the school.
In short, students will now have to eat lunch in their classrooms instead of with their friends anywhere they want on campus. Geez!! That's what they came up with? Putting hundreds of students on lock down at lunchtime?
I mean, think about it. Back in my day (God, I never thought I'd hear myself saying that!!) lunchtime was the best time of the school day. That was the time when you could chill and get social with your friends, many of whom you didn't take classes with. Eating lunch in classrooms??? Is this what its come to? Really?
School Chancellor Rhee says its only temporary until they can come up with a permanent solution. I hope that's soon 'cause if I was going to Wilson today I'd say this plan sucks!!
posted by Derek McGinty @ 10:46 AM
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I read the article and this line jumped out to greet me
"Parents say the problems are related to the transfer of ninth-graders, including older students with behavioral problems, to Wilson."
Some of those "9th Graders" happen to be 18 years of age!
I graduated when I was 17...
I also could add that times have changed. We haven't seen a Columbine here yet, but we have seen numerous isolated incidents of shootings and gang violence.
Bottom line is all these problems begin at home and just migrate to schools. It involves so many issues ranging from teen pregnancy, single parents, to both parents working jobs in order to pay the bills. They have little or no time for their children.
Some have done excellent jobs raising kids under these difficulties, but that's not the norm; and the problems are not limited to parenting, but that is where it all begins.
Kids are not born bad, they become products of their envirnment.
Just a followup, because although your post was about lock downs for school lunches, the current story is dropout rates in cities (and suburbs).
It's serious, because I see society crumbling because of this weak foundation. It has been for some time, only becoming more noticeable now.
I still focus on parenting at the core, but not as much the parents fault when you consider what they have to do in order to provide a home.
Fix that problem, where you have one bread winner and one home maker (of either sex), and you can have better parenting. Thus reducing all the other problems... teen pregnancy, drugs and gang violence, and... education and lunchtime lock downs.
The issue is not only moral but financial. The solution is complicated, but from watching Bill Cosby just now on CBS morning show the key consideration is "responsibility". (his words)
It only becomes more difficult as time and the problem increases.
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