The Food Fight
Less than a week from the end of the year, the kids at our local high school instigated a food fight. Several kids were suspended and were required to take their finals after school and several seniors were not allowed to walk at graduation (on the condition that they were eligible in the first place). It was on the news several times that night and it was all over Twitter and Facebook. This is big news to our community and devastating to our already struggling school. A lot of people are upset with the way the administration handled the consequences. I get it. I'd be mad too if I had heard that my kid wasn't graduating because he was part of a food fight.
I want to make it clear that while I think the punishment doesn't quite fit the crime, what is really bothering me is the childish behavior on behalf of grown adults who have NO IDEA WHAT THE ENTIRE STORY REALLY IS. I suspect only the principal and parents really know both sides. That being said, why do we all feel like we can start name calling and threatening the school via social media? Is that the example we are setting for our children? Is that how we deal with our problems nowadays?
I can't imagine it is easy being on either side of this issue. As principal, the needs of the school as a whole as well as the safety of each child must be considered and consequences must be applied. Would community service in order to walk with his graduating class be punishment enough? Is not letting him walk too much punishment? Not my call, I'm not the principal. As a parent, I have the right to defend my child. Do I want people to agree with me? Absolutely. I just think we've gone about it the wrong way and it makes me sick to see adults behaving as if their mothers hadn't taught them any better.
So maybe you think I am a softie. It's true; I don't like confrontation one bit. But I have tried (sometimes unsuccessfully) to teach my children how to deal with people in a civilized manner. Talking badly about others on social media or behind their backs makes you more of a coward than I am. I wrote my e-mail to the school and then I moved on.
No wonder there is a bully problem in our world. No wonder.
I want to make it clear that while I think the punishment doesn't quite fit the crime, what is really bothering me is the childish behavior on behalf of grown adults who have NO IDEA WHAT THE ENTIRE STORY REALLY IS. I suspect only the principal and parents really know both sides. That being said, why do we all feel like we can start name calling and threatening the school via social media? Is that the example we are setting for our children? Is that how we deal with our problems nowadays?
I can't imagine it is easy being on either side of this issue. As principal, the needs of the school as a whole as well as the safety of each child must be considered and consequences must be applied. Would community service in order to walk with his graduating class be punishment enough? Is not letting him walk too much punishment? Not my call, I'm not the principal. As a parent, I have the right to defend my child. Do I want people to agree with me? Absolutely. I just think we've gone about it the wrong way and it makes me sick to see adults behaving as if their mothers hadn't taught them any better.
So maybe you think I am a softie. It's true; I don't like confrontation one bit. But I have tried (sometimes unsuccessfully) to teach my children how to deal with people in a civilized manner. Talking badly about others on social media or behind their backs makes you more of a coward than I am. I wrote my e-mail to the school and then I moved on.
No wonder there is a bully problem in our world. No wonder.
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