Capitol Hill Blue Forums Life and Moral Issues Matters of culture Finding alternatives to violence

Just a few days ago the was a story and video of a school cop dealing with a 16 year old girl, who was acting up by refusing to quit playing on her phone during class, by tipping her over in her chair and physically throwing her across the room.

The cop was fired, but many support his "corrective" action.

Myself, I cannot imagine how such an escalation of a juvenile action of passive disobedience into physical violence against the child could be condoned as appropriate or "corrective".

Here is another course of action that is being developed around the country:

A justice program instead of a cop

During every school period I can remember, and during long gone eras recounted by people much older than I, it is impossible to imagine a class without disruptive students (although not wanting to pay attention and looking at your phone does not seem particularly disruptive) and teachers have dealt with it. There was never a need for cops unless there was actually something criminal happening.
This insane reaction to kids being kids is just another manifestation of the desire to control on the part of those who hold some modicum of power. The school shootings, while abhorrent, do not justify putting thugs in charge (the Stones concert at Altamont should have taught everyone that lesson).
Teachers need to be better trained to deal with de-escalation (especially when the students are just being their normal pain-in-the-ass selves) and the school administration should be actively involved in helping the teachers to deal with classroom issues.
Calling in a cop with a history of excessive force drives home the point that we have created a generation (or two) of wusses and dullards.

Good point.we have become lazy and unwilling to apply reason and simple compassion.
One of my boys was threatened with suspension for twisting open a soda can in the cafeteria. He was accused of making a weapon. His friend was suspended for popping a milk carton, creating a loud noise. Both of these kids are top students with no history of behavior problems yet the go to is suspension? They are 12 for God's sake.

It seems that there is over-reaction on both sides. And we are lazy. Proper discipline when children are very young would be the key in a lot of school problems, and maybe even later as they go into the adult world. But we also must listen to the problems young children have and try and work them out in a peaceful way.

's nice to see you here again, 2wins!

Thank you. It took me a while to remember my log in info. LOL

There is little question that this was an overreaction. But, the teacher was not to blame. He/she did the right thing, and contacted the administrator. As I understood it, the student was not just using her phone, but was talking on it, disrupting the class. She should have been disciplined.

OMG!!! Talking on the phone! They should have convened the firing squad.
It wasn't just an overreaction. It's a system that does not work. Why couldn't the teacher deescalate the situation without tossing the girl across the room? Why do they need cops for something as banal as that? Why are the overwhelming majority of these cops white, no matter what the ethnic composition of the school? Why have similar abuses been recorded across the country and they always seem to follow the same pattern (racially and socially)?
I'm sorry there is no amount of logic that justifies having a cop deal with a student who doesn't obey the teacher, unless there is something criminal in the student's behavior.

I agree that some discipline was in order.

I like the idea of using such incidents to teach respect, process, and justice. Not enforcement through physical violence and fear.

I agree. I was painting with a broad brush.