WTF is happening to us?

[Footy Chick]

Lost for words.......... apart from one - disgusting.

What? The kids who belted the teacher, or us for saying that we should belt kids?

[Choccies]

Lost for words.......... apart from one - disgusting.

What? The kids who belted the teacher, or us for saying that we should belt kids?

The kids belting the teacher. I was belted plenty of times as a kid and it's the only thing that stopped me getting into bigger trouble.... the fear that my old man would belt me into next week so for that I'm thankful.... wasn't at the time though...

These kids should be made to do chores each and every weekend at the teachers house for the next year at least.....

[Ronnie]

quote="Wedgie"]It all comes back to the fact some people should not be allowed to breed.[/quote]


Too right, but that's always been the case. Unfortunately stories like this are losing their shock value.

We live in a degenerate age, no doubt about it, pretty much all the social taboos have been demolished, which is good to a point, but very damaging as well. Some of them were there for a reason, as old fashioned as they may seem now.

most parents do a heroic job, no different to their parents. But the environment they operate in is very different to what their parents had to deal with. Still, some parents have abrogated their responsibilities and the court system is full of their consequences.

The silliest thing i hear is someone saying how they want to be their teenage or pre teenage child's "best friend".
Since when is that a replacement for being a parent?

[Felch]

I have a feeling our own Pag might teach at this school.... I know he's out that way somewhere..

He does teach there FC, and he was telling us some interesting stories last Friday night...

[Footy Chick]

I have a feeling our own Pag might teach at this school.... I know he's out that way somewhere..

He does teach there FC, and he was telling us some interesting stories last Friday night...

Yes..he..was...

[zipzap]

If a child is 'naughty' to the extent where the parents are needing to be called in - the parents (in some cases) turn on the teacher (In front of the child) and defend the childs 'naughty behaviour' and all of a sudden it becomes the teachers fault

Sadly this is very true. And when a kid does turn on you, often the PRincipal (the PR is quite deliberate) when faced with the choice of supporting the teacher or keeping parents happy will opt for the latter. That's pretty much the only reason I'm with the Union.

This whole incident made me feel sick when I heard it. I think some schools in the US hire security to do lunch duties and though I would appreciate actually getting a break now and then, what a horrible indictment of society this would be.

[A Mum]

If a child is 'naughty' to the extent where the parents are needing to be called in - the parents (in some cases) turn on the teacher (In front of the child) and defend the childs 'naughty behaviour' and all of a sudden it becomes the teachers fault

Sadly this is very true. And when a kid does turn on you, often the PRincipal (the PR is quite deliberate) when faced with the choice of supporting the teacher or keeping parents happy will opt for the latter. That's pretty much the only reason I'm with the Union.

This whole incident made me feel sick when I heard it. I think some schools in the US hire security to do lunch duties and though I would appreciate actually getting a break now and then, what a horrible indictment of society this would be.

I was in the front office of a school one day when a parent had been called to the school -
because for the 3rd time this week the kid took it upon himself to 'beat up' on a kid during class time
(3 seperate kids - not as if it was even the same kid he was beating up on)

His mum arrives to pick up the child.

When the teacher of the class just happens to walk through the door - and so the mother let the teacher 'have it'-
"Why are you sending him home - it's not my fault you can't control him - blah, blah, blah"

I couldn't beleive it - and you should have seen the smug look on the kids face.

I just thought OMG

[Rams52]

Many 'kids' nowadays I believe have been brought up with next to no discipline, I helped out at a local 'milo into cricket' recently for 1 session, with my 5yo boy. As I was watching & encouraging him whilst assisting the other kids, a few of the other kids happend to start kicking him and some other kids. My son asked them to stop and they didn't. I then asked the kids to stop and they (5-7yo kids?) told me to get ******, and their dad would bash me up if I asked them to stop again. These kids parents were also watching the whole time, and DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. WTF!! We left, and are not going back. Lack of respect. I see it all of the time. Very frustrating.

[Choccies]

Many 'kids' nowadays I believe have been brought up with next to no discipline, I helped out at a local 'milo into cricket' recently for 1 session, with my 5yo boy. As I was watching & encouraging him whilst assisting the other kids, a few of the other kids happend to start kicking him and some other kids. My son asked them to stop and they didn't. I then asked the kids to stop and they (5-7yo kids?) told me to get ******, and their dad would bash me up if I asked them to stop again. These kids parents were also watching the whole time, and DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. WTF!! We left, and are not going back. Lack of respect. I see it all of the time. Very frustrating.

Same sort of thing happened to me in past years when participating in the Credit Union Christmas Pageant as a clown. Go running up to kids trying to be happy and cheery and funny and all that only to be told to 'GF' and being subjected to being belted with all sorts of things..... in front of the parents too....

[locky801]

what is really going on in our schools, a week ago i attended to pick up my daughter from school at 3pm, whilst waiting 3 students jumped another student and started laying into him quite badly, 2 teachers approached and were told where to go by the malefactors and the teachers backed off, a number of us rang for the police, (still havent turned up). My 2 daughters have also related some incidents when a student or students have come to school and there has been incidents and the school has gone into lock down but it is was not reported and the police were not called.

Remeber 30 odd years ago when i first started out as a cop, school kids misbehaved we gave em a size 12 up the butt good and proper and took them home, these days the cops ask if they can take them home and of course cant touch them, same for parents, soon as they touch the kids, the kids ring the cops, i really feel that is where the problem lies, you are not allowed to really discipline your kids.

Be interested to hear an outcome of an incident a few weeks ago where a 14 year old was grounded and not allowed out of the premises over a weekend, evidently she rang the Police and story goes the parents may well have been charged with unlawful imprisionment, must say I don't know the full facts or even if they are true, but Ian, your topic WTF is happening to us, we are being dominated by our kids

[Sojourner]

First off, how many Male Teachers are there at the School concerned as apposed to how many Female Teachers are there? I would suggest that like various public schools there are very few male teachers there and that the staff including the administration are predominantly female and I think that a part of the solution is to correct the Gender imbalance in schools and have similar number of male and female staff.

Secondly questions have to be asked why specialist schools like Bowden Brompton are not being used to their full potential by the Education Department? Students that act up in Private Schools are usually suspended or expelled fairly quickly. The State Schools have this option as well and can relocated students that display violent behavior into Bowden Brompton, that is what it is there for, so that the kids that no doubt have many social problems can get the help that they need and so that the local school students can get a decent education without having to put up with this social nannying of students who should not be present in the classroom.

The answers to the problem already exist, so why are they not being acted upon? Surely its not because its in the interests of Governments to have parents remove their children from Public Schools and save them massive amounts of money in the process after the schools are then closed right?....

[Wedgie]

It all comes back to the fact some people should not be allowed to breed.

That is correct, but it is not all of the problem, if someone behaves outside of the rules, someone in authority should be able to hand out appropriate punishment (consequences) without fear of being charged

I disagree, stuff like that would have NO effect on these sorts of inbreds. It would have an effect on other issues that affect schools.

[zipzap]

First off, how many Male Teachers are there at the School concerned as apposed to how many Female Teachers are there? I would suggest that like various public schools there are very few male teachers there and that the staff including the administration are predominantly female and I think that a part of the solution is to correct the Gender imbalance in schools and have similar number of male and female staff.

Personally I think this is a bit of an urban myth. I've seen plenty of weak male teachers who get walked all over and many strong women teachers who simply command respect. Teachers of both gender are hamstrung by how much discipline they can enforce.

As an example, yesterday on yard duty some girls reported to me that some students had deliberately smashed a bench. On investigating, I got three culprits to own up - they admitted their guilt and burst into tears, showing remorse which is what you want. But suddenly all their mates (some of whom were involved but too gutless to own up) started forming a Cronulla-like mob swarming around the scene, goading me with smartarse comments and protesting the three kids' innocence. Took the kids to the office and filled out oodles of paperwork. As the principal and deputy were out somewhere (lunch? a meeting?) I told the kids to wait in the office. Upon returning, the deputy said it was no big deal and sent them back to class with no consequence.

The fact the leadership team is all-female may have had an impact, but I don't reckon the gender of actual teachers has much to do with it.

This was a minor issue (in a nice, leafy-green school I might add) but it gets you wondering - why stick your neck out when you get next to zero support from leadership or the department?

[Mic]

First off, how many Male Teachers are there at the School concerned as apposed to how many Female Teachers are there? I would suggest that like various public schools there are very few male teachers there and that the staff including the administration are predominantly female and I think that a part of the solution is to correct the Gender imbalance in schools and have similar number of male and female staff.

Secondly questions have to be asked why specialist schools like Bowden Brompton are not being used to their full potential by the Education Department? Students that act up in Private Schools are usually suspended or expelled fairly quickly. The State Schools have this option as well and can relocated students that display violent behavior into Bowden Brompton, that is what it is there for, so that the kids that no doubt have many social problems can get the help that they need and so that the local school students can get a decent education without having to put up with this social nannying of students who should not be present in the classroom.

The answers to the problem already exist, so why are they not being acted upon? Surely its not because its in the interests of Governments to have parents remove their children from Public Schools and save them massive amounts of money in the process after the schools are then closed right?....

If the public schools in this city were to relocate all the students that had behavioural issues/violent behaviour/etc then Bowden Brompton would probably need to be big enough to hold thousands of students.

In reference to other posts in this thread, as a teacher I would never feel comfortable hitting a student. Plus I think fear and respect are different things, behaving well because you fear you will be hit if you don't, or behaving well because you respect others and understand why it's the right thing to do.

In 10 years of teaching, some concerns I've come across with are the large amount of parents who try to rescue their children when they have done the wrong thing (a child will never accept responsibility if their parents can't), the large amount of money that children are spending (I don't understand why parents are forking out big money so their children can text/ring their friends 24/7), the large amount of time children spend on the Internet unsupervised, the seemingly increasing amount of children who only do what they want, etc.

[Psyber]

Cats and Dogs give their young a quick nip if they push their behaviour too far.
A minority of humans seem to have given up setting limits on ours some time ago and now we have a second generation raising their kids the same way.
If they were not taught the limits of acceptable behaviour, they are going to resist anyone trying to discipline their kids.
They seem to be a minority still, but a growing one...

On top of that there is more violence on TV, movies, and in games than there used to be.
That can make it seem more acceptable too, especially if the parents don't actively teach their kids to tell the difference between a story and real life, or can't tell the difference themselves.
I guess in the end their way becomes real life and the rest of us will have to leave..

[Wedgie]

In 10 years of teaching, some concerns I've come across with are the large amount of parents who try to rescue their children when they have done the wrong thing (a child will never accept responsibility if their parents can't), the large amount of money that children are spending (I don't understand why parents are forking out big money so their children can text/ring their friends 24/7), the large amount of time children spend on the Internet unsupervised, the seemingly increasing amount of children who only do what they want, etc.

Interesting points you make there Mic, we'll have to have some chats in the footy season as I'm guilty of that because of the trust I place in my kids due to the way I brought them back but I may be a bit ignorant so am looking forward to discussing this further and learning something.

[locky801]

In 10 years of teaching, some concerns I've come across with are the large amount of parents who try to rescue their children when they have done the wrong thing (a child will never accept responsibility if their parents can't), the large amount of money that children are spending (I don't understand why parents are forking out big money so their children can text/ring their friends 24/7), the large amount of time children spend on the Internet unsupervised, the seemingly increasing amount of children who only do what they want, etc.

Interesting points you make there Mic, we'll have to have some chats in the footy season as I'm guilty of that because of the trust I place in my kids due to the way I brought them back but I may be a bit ignorant so am looking forward to discussing this further and learning something.

You make some good points Mic, and it does come back to what is available these days, mobile phones, computers, the list goes on. Go back 25 years when kids had none of this, so what did they do, did things with their families and commanded respect. If you were a kid back then and your parents told you to do something e.g. wash the dishes, you did it because if not u got a belting. You try and get some kids these days to do things, everything is about social networking, looking at stuff on the net etc etc, I also think peer group pressure in schools amongst the kids has a lot to do with it. Appears from what I have seen in the last few years alot more bullying in schools not only against other students but teachers as well. People said to me for years, I don't know how you can be a copper and put up with the crap you do, i say the same now about teachers in certain schools.

[bayman]

i remember when we'd all say ''only in america'' (for numerous things), sadly this is just another of the 'follow--on affect', obviously a disgraceful situation & if this type of thing isn't stamped out what will happen at schools in the future ? well we all know what has happened at various schools in america god forbid that happens here but i fear it will, off course i'll just add what happened in a school between 12 & 13 yo in brisbane (iirc) very recently ? soon they'll be saying ''only in australia''

[A Mum]

'good' parents will get around the whole technology thing still though.

You use the internet, mobile phone and game thing as the childs 'currency'

And you trade in that - if that makes sense at all !!

"If you want to go on the computer well then you have to do this, this or this"
"If you want credit for your mobile phone - then you need to do this"
"You got detention at school - right no internet for x amount of time"

Has worked (somewhat) for me.

Some of the kids though who do have these behavioural problems don't have those luxuries we mention.

At the same time - yes - you do have to monitor what games they are playing, videos they are watching etc, etc, make sure they are age appropriate.
My brother-in-law was letting his kids watch M movies and the like at the age of 10 FFS - this is very wrong in my opinion.

I think it still comes down to parenting skills.

I was doing the grocery shopping the other day and this probably 12 year old asked his mother if he could have something and she said no - his reaction "Screw you" her reaction "Don't you ******* talk to me like that" - and that was it No respect shown by child or parent.

Worst thing is - if this is the conduct in public, what's the conduct behind closed doors!

None of us are perfect parents (and I especially don't proclaim to be..lol) -
I think it probably would help to have 'parenting classes' some people just don't know how to be parents - make classes mandatory to get centrelink payments or something. Probably sounds extreme but something has got to be done.

And in saying this - I do know there are some schools that are really trying to help parents - with cooking classes etc - as some of these behaviours probably come down to food consumption too.

Anyway - sorry to go on and on and turn my post into a book!

[Mic]

In 10 years of teaching, some concerns I've come across with are the large amount of parents who try to rescue their children when they have done the wrong thing (a child will never accept responsibility if their parents can't), the large amount of money that children are spending (I don't understand why parents are forking out big money so their children can text/ring their friends 24/7), the large amount of time children spend on the Internet unsupervised, the seemingly increasing amount of children who only do what they want, etc.

Interesting points you make there Mic, we'll have to have some chats in the footy season as I'm guilty of that because of the trust I place in my kids due to the way I brought them back but I may be a bit ignorant so am looking forward to discussing this further and learning something.

You make some good points Mic, and it does come back to what is available these days, mobile phones, computers, the list goes on. Go back 25 years when kids had none of this, so what did they do, did things with their families and commanded respect. If you were a kid back then and your parents told you to do something e.g. wash the dishes, you did it because if not u got a belting. You try and get some kids these days to do things, everything is about social networking, looking at stuff on the net etc etc, I also think peer group pressure in schools amongst the kids has a lot to do with it. Appears from what I have seen in the last few years alot more bullying in schools not only against other students but teachers as well. People said to me for years, I don't know how you can be a copper and put up with the crap you do, i say the same now about teachers in certain schools.

Wedgie I probably didn't word that right, my concern with the internet stuff is that certain children are not being supervised, the kids that can't be trusted to use it 'appropriately'.

Locky, the days of (most) kids spending the majority of their time outdoors doing stuff are long gone, and due to technology will never return.