Just One Voice

Katelyn came home tonight disgusted and frustrated, as she often does, over her day at school. She loves education, loves her teachers and craves to learn. She just doesn't like the other kids at school. She has complained about this since her first day of high school. And you know it's pretty bad when a kid complains about how other kids treat both teachers and peers.

Tonight I listened to her vent again and tell stories of behaviors that would have gotten any of us paddled or at the least sent to the principal which would then mean trouble when we got home. She's not talking about Columbine-type events...at least not yet! She's complaining about vulgar mouths, chaos and disrespect. Then she commented, "Oh Mom, I wish they would just put discipline back in school! And if I talked like some of these kids or acted like some of these kids, I'd expect to get whacked BIG TIME. That's what we need...a few whacks. I wish there was something I could do to change my school."

So we talked for a while. I asked her if she felt that strongly about it, had she ever considered talking to someone else about it at school. She said "Yes, every day! I'm the only one in class who will speak up for the teachers. There's so much more I could learn if the other kids would just sit down and shut up and stop arguing with the teachers, stop distracting others, and stop throwing things. The whole place is out of control! Why don't they just grab these kids up by the shirt and march them outside and call a parent?!?" I explained because there have been too many parents who would sue, blaming the teachers and every other adult along the way for their "perfect child" getting a wrinkled shirt in school.

Katelyn: Well, let me tell you if one of my teachers called MY parents, it would be an ugly sight! And I sure wouldn't do it again!
Me: But YOUR parents hold YOU responsible for behaving in school as we expect you to behave at home. Some of these kids act the same way at home; and it's "ok" with their parents. And some of the kids act out at school and the parents would never believe it even if they were called. So what's a teacher to do?
Katelyn: Then the school should be whacking parents too! I'm tired of going in everyday and spending most of my day defending teachers from disrespectful, mean teenagers when I could be learning.
Me: Why are YOU defending teachers? The teachers should be coming down on these kids, NOT YOU!
Katelyn: They TRY. But the kids buck right back up and start mouthing off, even daring the teacher to do something about it. When I can't take no more, I stand up and get up in their faces and say "Maybe the teacher can't do nothing about it, but I sure as heck will, now sit down and shut up!"
Me: Awww, Katelyn, you can't be doing that!
Katelyn: Well, somebody has to do it!

After some more discussion about my concerns about her trying to be the classroom disciplinarian, I finally asked, "What else could you do to get the word out, as a teenager, that "this ain't cool" without trying to be the adult?" She hem-hawed around for a while and finally stood up and exclaimed, "I GOT IT! I know what I'm going to do!" And off she ran to the laptop.

She started a letter "To All Local Adults." She plans to send it to the principal, school board and the local paper. This could get interesting!?! I'll keep you posted.