I don't believe kids are getting any meaner, they just have more of a forum to harass others in, such as facebook. Also, schools and parents have ignored the problem for so long, it's as if they can't conceive of a way to fix it. Parent's are not only lazy, but when it comes to their kid behaving badly, they are in denial. Even when school officials approach parents with an issue, they rarely believe it. In view of that, why should educators waste their time trying to police the problem during the school day if there will be no support coming from the home?
J. C. - 13 years ago
Yes, it starts with the parents not teaching discipline. But, it surrounds us in the medial. Until parents start refusing to allow their children to watch or listen to programing that advocates meanness, bullying, and disrespect the media will continue to portray these values as acceptable, because it SELLS. Turn off the tv, stop buying the DVDs and CDs, and boycott products which sponser them is the only way to bring about a change in what is offered. We need to not only tell our students what sort of behavior we expect from them, but also make clear to them that this behavior will not be tolerated in our homes - even by the proxy of media. Of course, this might require that we actually spend time with our kids, playing games, talking to them, and reading to them instead of letting the tv be the babysitter.
Vin - 13 years ago
This is because parents don't teach discipline. And I'm not talking about beating a child. Children are coddled and/or left to their own devices because of laziness on the part of the parents. Yes, it's true and you know who you are. Mean - Bully - Disrespect - starts in the home.
I don't believe kids are getting any meaner, they just have more of a forum to harass others in, such as facebook. Also, schools and parents have ignored the problem for so long, it's as if they can't conceive of a way to fix it. Parent's are not only lazy, but when it comes to their kid behaving badly, they are in denial. Even when school officials approach parents with an issue, they rarely believe it. In view of that, why should educators waste their time trying to police the problem during the school day if there will be no support coming from the home?
Yes, it starts with the parents not teaching discipline. But, it surrounds us in the medial. Until parents start refusing to allow their children to watch or listen to programing that advocates meanness, bullying, and disrespect the media will continue to portray these values as acceptable, because it SELLS. Turn off the tv, stop buying the DVDs and CDs, and boycott products which sponser them is the only way to bring about a change in what is offered. We need to not only tell our students what sort of behavior we expect from them, but also make clear to them that this behavior will not be tolerated in our homes - even by the proxy of media. Of course, this might require that we actually spend time with our kids, playing games, talking to them, and reading to them instead of letting the tv be the babysitter.
This is because parents don't teach discipline. And I'm not talking about beating a child. Children are coddled and/or left to their own devices because of laziness on the part of the parents. Yes, it's true and you know who you are. Mean - Bully - Disrespect - starts in the home.