...I wonder what in the hell goes on in the minds of kids these days.  I mean, I see at least one thing everyday that makes me think about that.  In a typical day at my school, I will get less than eight homework assignments turned in per class.  My smallest class has 28 kids in it.  Baseball players wouldn't even be happy with that percentage!!!  Not to mention, usually, 3 or more of those 8 appear to have been done in the hallway or at lunch.  I feel like I've been broken.  If I get three kids in one day who show me a stong effort, I feel like a success.  And then when I leave that environment and repeat that sentiment, I realize how bad it sucks.

I've been teaching for eight years.  I've had more pregnant students than pregnant friends and family!  Where is the self-respect?

Remember when you were growing up, and you did something in front of company that you normally MIGHT get away wit, but because you did it in front of company, you got "disciplined" for it?  I never imagined that's how it would be in the school system.  I mean, it seems like kids only get in trouble when there are outsiders in the school to see it.  What does that teach them?  There is no discipline in schools anymore.  I see kids fight and go unpunished.  I see kids threaten and rob other kids and go unpunished.  I see kids skip school to get laid and go unpunished.  I see a lotta foul stuff.  What I don't see is the discipline. 

This comes to mind when I see things like the man who was shot in my neighborhood the other night.  I think about his killer.  I feel like I know him already because everyday, I see a child who is waiting for someone to show him/her where the line is that is not to be crossed, but no one does.  We just let them "get away with murder" to the point that they actually begin to commit crimes... sometimes violent ones... sometimes actually murder.  Can you blame 'em?  If they can jump people, assualt people with weapons, beat on people, harass people, say whatever you want to people, etc... then why do they have any reason to think they cant get away with murder?

We blame music, movies and television for showing kids the wrong way.  But what way are we showing them?  Everyone knows that kids like discipline.  Kids respect the one who draws the line and tells 'em that if they cross it, that's their asses.  Somehow, we have gotten to a point where we punish the authority and reward the miscreant.  I don't know how we got here, but somebody needs to turn this bus around an fast. 

I recall one year having to assist a coworker in evacuating the building because someone decided to run around emptying a bottle of pepper-spray into the air.  We knew the boy who was responsible, but we did nothng about it.  We sent 5 kids to the hospital that day... and one adult.  We taught him that there would never be consequences for his actions.  Later on, I saw that kid on the news for stabbing a girl to death in Baltimore.  You know who I blamed for that???