October 27, 2015
By Matt Pearce and Dexter Thomas
...The girl, (click here) who was not identified, was charged under the state's disturbing schools law, a misdemeanor that allows police to arrest a student for disrupting class or school functions. She was released to her parents.
The law needs to be reviewed. Disturbing a class is not a crime. These are young people and the system is setting them up for failure.
Another student not shown on video, Niya Kenny, 18, said she was also charged with disturbing the school.
Niya Kennedy is a hero. If she didn't come forward to temper the situation, it is debateable how much more abuse would have been leveled against the young lade that sustained the action by the cop.
I realize cell phones are a big problem with young people. I had my share of ridiculous among of minutes and the doubt no awake person could possibly be on the phone that much. That is an exaggeration, but, not much of a one. Cell phones are a status symbol, sometimes they are a safety measure for parents and their young person, but, they are here to stay. How parents and school deal with them should be a joint effort. The authorities cannot be working against the parents and vise versa.
That said, our young people are under too much legal scrutiny, but, this is South Carolina and every person is a criminal if the cops say so.
And I am unapologetic about those statements. If everyone recalls there was a very fatal shooting earlier this year whereby magnificent people were assassinated in a church. There is some very thick racism in the south. This is somewhat an extension of it. The laws are too oppressive.
People should not be tripping over laws simply because they breath the air and that is exactly what happened today in that South Carolina classroom. Those young people remind me of my sons at that age, they are simply so full of life and the future they are beautiful. They are naive enough to believe they are as important to everyone in their lives as they are to their families.
None of those young people deserve to be traumatized at any time in their lives. They don't deserve to have oppressive laws in their early life that will permanently scar them with a criminal record. I have had my share of young men bumping their heads up against authority, but, teachers and administrators were always reasonable. I think I have a story on this blog about an episode with my youngest son. The administrator actually thanked me for coming in to his office and upholding his authority to call my young man along with three others into question. All to often parents blame the administrators. They are people, too. BUT, laws that make young people into criminals are completely wrong.
My young men were issued detention or some other benign method of impressing on them they acted foolishly and against school rules. I stood with them and told them this was all about growing up and accepting responsibility for their behavior. They accepted their punishment issued by the school and carried it out without wanting to have it reoccur. That is what growing up is all about and yes, even Juniors and Seniors have their issues. I probably should say, especially Juniors and Seniors have their issues.
South Carolina has not done the right thing for their young people. Both these young ladies are wonderful people. They are going to grow up to be productive people with families and children of their own. Marriages and all the emotional highs and lows that go along with that. That is being an American.
The South Carolina legislature can reflect on these harsh school laws and act appropriately to repeal them and stop the State from raising those young ladies and allow their parents that complete privilege. No child should be facing a criminal charge because they glanced at their cell phones. I think the teacher is a real idiot for even making an issue of it. If it were a cheating issue, it should be brought up with the parents in a phone call. Even the incident today would be solved as simply as calling parents and begin to bring them into what is perceived as an academic problem. If the parents aren't responsive then the Principal gets involved and persists to have them come to the school to speak to the teacher and the Principal.
And I have a reality check for the administrators at that school. I am quite sure the teacher and the Principal have cars. I betcha they run well. I am sure the teacher and Principal can find a map that will lead them to the door of that family.
There are many, many ways of bringing parents into the picture and act for the best interest of the student. Sometimes when administrators go out of their way to understand a problem with a student they find something they don't expect and Social Workers are referred into the circumstances.
The attack today on that young woman is way out of line with NORMAL interventions of schools in the lives of their students.
South Carolina has got it wrong.
A friend, a gay woman worked in education all her life and eventually became a Superintendent of the schools she had her career. It was in North Carolina. Everyone loved her and she is retired today. She has a son and a life partner.
But, she was magnificent with children. She would pay visits to some Hispanic families, probably Undocumented, and find out how the food supply was coming and did they have enough clothing for the children to attend school. If children were absent and she had knowledge of poverty, she would travel to the house to pick up the kids because for whatever reason they missed the bus.
So, don't tell me about teachers and dedication, I know about teachers and their dedication. I think the teachers, principals and all administrators in South Carolina need to get their heads screwed on straight and stop victimizing their young people.
By Matt Pearce and Dexter Thomas
...The girl, (click here) who was not identified, was charged under the state's disturbing schools law, a misdemeanor that allows police to arrest a student for disrupting class or school functions. She was released to her parents.
The law needs to be reviewed. Disturbing a class is not a crime. These are young people and the system is setting them up for failure.
Another student not shown on video, Niya Kenny, 18, said she was also charged with disturbing the school.
Niya Kennedy is a hero. If she didn't come forward to temper the situation, it is debateable how much more abuse would have been leveled against the young lade that sustained the action by the cop.
I realize cell phones are a big problem with young people. I had my share of ridiculous among of minutes and the doubt no awake person could possibly be on the phone that much. That is an exaggeration, but, not much of a one. Cell phones are a status symbol, sometimes they are a safety measure for parents and their young person, but, they are here to stay. How parents and school deal with them should be a joint effort. The authorities cannot be working against the parents and vise versa.
That said, our young people are under too much legal scrutiny, but, this is South Carolina and every person is a criminal if the cops say so.
And I am unapologetic about those statements. If everyone recalls there was a very fatal shooting earlier this year whereby magnificent people were assassinated in a church. There is some very thick racism in the south. This is somewhat an extension of it. The laws are too oppressive.
People should not be tripping over laws simply because they breath the air and that is exactly what happened today in that South Carolina classroom. Those young people remind me of my sons at that age, they are simply so full of life and the future they are beautiful. They are naive enough to believe they are as important to everyone in their lives as they are to their families.
None of those young people deserve to be traumatized at any time in their lives. They don't deserve to have oppressive laws in their early life that will permanently scar them with a criminal record. I have had my share of young men bumping their heads up against authority, but, teachers and administrators were always reasonable. I think I have a story on this blog about an episode with my youngest son. The administrator actually thanked me for coming in to his office and upholding his authority to call my young man along with three others into question. All to often parents blame the administrators. They are people, too. BUT, laws that make young people into criminals are completely wrong.
My young men were issued detention or some other benign method of impressing on them they acted foolishly and against school rules. I stood with them and told them this was all about growing up and accepting responsibility for their behavior. They accepted their punishment issued by the school and carried it out without wanting to have it reoccur. That is what growing up is all about and yes, even Juniors and Seniors have their issues. I probably should say, especially Juniors and Seniors have their issues.
South Carolina has not done the right thing for their young people. Both these young ladies are wonderful people. They are going to grow up to be productive people with families and children of their own. Marriages and all the emotional highs and lows that go along with that. That is being an American.
The South Carolina legislature can reflect on these harsh school laws and act appropriately to repeal them and stop the State from raising those young ladies and allow their parents that complete privilege. No child should be facing a criminal charge because they glanced at their cell phones. I think the teacher is a real idiot for even making an issue of it. If it were a cheating issue, it should be brought up with the parents in a phone call. Even the incident today would be solved as simply as calling parents and begin to bring them into what is perceived as an academic problem. If the parents aren't responsive then the Principal gets involved and persists to have them come to the school to speak to the teacher and the Principal.
And I have a reality check for the administrators at that school. I am quite sure the teacher and the Principal have cars. I betcha they run well. I am sure the teacher and Principal can find a map that will lead them to the door of that family.
There are many, many ways of bringing parents into the picture and act for the best interest of the student. Sometimes when administrators go out of their way to understand a problem with a student they find something they don't expect and Social Workers are referred into the circumstances.
The attack today on that young woman is way out of line with NORMAL interventions of schools in the lives of their students.
South Carolina has got it wrong.
A friend, a gay woman worked in education all her life and eventually became a Superintendent of the schools she had her career. It was in North Carolina. Everyone loved her and she is retired today. She has a son and a life partner.
But, she was magnificent with children. She would pay visits to some Hispanic families, probably Undocumented, and find out how the food supply was coming and did they have enough clothing for the children to attend school. If children were absent and she had knowledge of poverty, she would travel to the house to pick up the kids because for whatever reason they missed the bus.
So, don't tell me about teachers and dedication, I know about teachers and their dedication. I think the teachers, principals and all administrators in South Carolina need to get their heads screwed on straight and stop victimizing their young people.
