VISITING
AUTHOR-ARTICLE
APRIL
2010
Things Sure Have Changed
Public Schools 1957 to 2010
By
Joseph Stein
President,
American Aid Society, Chicago
Forwarded
by American Aid Society, Chicago
This is truly a sad group of scenarios.
I'd
like to think it will get better, but...
Scenario
1:
Jack
goes quail hunting before school and then pulls into the
school parking
lot with his shotgun in his truck's gun rack.
1957
- Vice Principal comes
over, looks at Jack's shotgun, goes to his car
and gets his shotgun to show Jack.
2010
- School goes into lock down, FBI called,
Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his
truck or gun again. Counselors called in for
traumatized students and teachers. |
Scenario
2:
Johnny
and Mark get into a fist
fight after school.
1957
- Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands
and end up buddies.
2010
- Police called and SWAT team arrives - they
arrest both Johnny and Mark. They are both
charged with assault and both expelled even
though Johnny started it. |
Scenario
3:
Jeffrey
will not be still in class,
he disrupts other students.
1957
- Jeffrey sent to the Principal's office and
given a good paddling by the Principal. He
then returns to class, sits still and does not
disrupt class again.
2010
- Jeffrey is given huge doses of Ritalin. He
becomes a zombie. He is then tested for ADD.
The school gets extra money from the state
because Jeffrey has a disability. |
Scenario
4:
Billy
breaks a window in his neighbor's
car and his Dad gives him a whipping
with his belt.
1957
- Billy is more careful next time, grows up
normal, goes to college and becomes a successful
businessman.
2010
- Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy
is removed to foster care and joins a gang.
The state psychologist is told by Billy's sister
that she remembers being abused herself
and their dad goes to prison. Billy's mom
has
an affair with the psychologist. |
Scenario
5:
Mark
gets a
headache and takes
some aspirin to school.
1957
- Mark shares his aspirin with the Principal out on the
smoking deck.
2010
- The police are called and Mark is expelled
from school for drug violations. His car
is then searched for drugs and weapons. |
Scenario
6:
Pedro
fails high school English.
1957
- Pedro goes to summer school, passes English
and goes to college.
2010
- Pedro's cause is taken up by the ACLU.
Newspapers articles appear nationally contending that
teaching English as a requirement
for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action
lawsuit against the state school
system and Pedro's English teacher. English is
then banned from core curriculum.
Pedro is given his diploma anyway but ends
up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot
speak English.
|
Scenario
7:
Johnny
takes apart leftover firecrackers
from the Fourth of July, puts them in a model airplane
paint bottle and blows
up a red ant hill.
1957
- Ants die.
2010
- ATF, Homeland Security and the FBI
are all called. Johnny is charged with domestic
terrorism. The FBI investigates his parents,
all siblings are removed from their home,
and all computers are confiscated. Johnny's dad is
placed on a terror watch list and
is never allowed to fly again.
|
Scenario
8:
Johnny
falls while running during
recess and scrapes his knee He is found
crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary hugs him to comfort
him.
1957
- In a short time, Johnny feels better and
goes on playing.
2010
- Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses
her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny
undergoes 5 years of therapy. |
|