When I was a school aged child I had the advantage of experiencing natural consequences. Three of my friends and I wet balls of toilet paper and threw them at the ceiling of the bathroom. I was caught and was able to spend some quality time with the janitor. He watched as I used a long handled broom to knock down the toilet paper off the ceiling. Then he watched as I swept them into a dust pan and empty them into the trashcan. Then, he watched as I mopped the floor. Finally, he asked, "Did you learn your lesson?" I responded with a contrite, "Yes, sir"
This week a first grade student of mine spit food through a straw at other students. He was suspended for a day. He was not required to clean up the mess. He didn't even have to apologize to the other children. He was just sent home for the day.
What lesson did he learn?
At least once a month some child at my school floods the bathroom, or knocks over a trashcan. They usually say, "I don't know why", when asked why they did it. Then they are "appropriately" punished. Either a lost recess or a short suspension, but never do they have to clean up the mess.
What lesson do they learn?
never do they have to clean up the mess
ReplyDelete...because Mommy & Daddy would be furious if poor little Junior had to actually endure the embarrassment of picking up garbage in front of his classmates and would file a lawsuit for current mental anguish and future lost wages.
Molytail, do you mean I can actually sue for all the times I was spanked at school. I am going to be so rich.
ReplyDeleteHey, it's 2009 ~ you can sue someone for looking at ya crooked... and win. Just get yourself one of those TV lawyers - you know, the ones who advertise late at night and have the big, booming voices: HAVE YOU BEEN INJURED BECAUSE YOU DID SOMETHING REALLY STUPID? [okay so it's a rough translation]
ReplyDelete>^..^<