Monday, October 30, 2006

More of life in the "real world"

When it comes to the question of socialization, often homeschoolers are criticized for not preparing their children for the "real world."

So, here's a glimpse of the "real world" through the eyes of child at school.


Videos Of Assaults Found On Middle School Student's Phone


This lovely story decribes how groups of middle school children are beating up classmates and taping the assaults on their cell phones.


Police have launched an investigation into a series of attacks being carried out by middle school students after videos of the assaults were found inside a cell phone confiscated from a 13-year-old Portola Middle School girl last week, El Cerrito police Detective Cpl. Donald Horgan said.

From looking at the videos on the phone, Horgan said that it appeared that middle school students had been sneaking up to other students and slamming into them while other students filmed the attacks on their video cell phones, Horgan said.


The article states that none of the attacks had been reported. None of the victims told their parents. I can understand that. When I was in school, I never told my parents about the things that happened to me either.

Many parents see articles like this and say, "Well, that doesn't happen at my school or to my kid."

My response is this. How would you know?



Anger management class ordered for student


Assault charges against a Roseville elementary school girl who beat up a classmate on a school bus for getting "all A's" will be dismissed if she attends anger management courses, a judge has ruled.


Besides attending anger management classes, the 11-year-old from Alumni Memorial Elementary School was ordered to stay out of trouble in the future. If she does, court officials expect the assault charge to be wiped off her record.

"Like most people, before this hearing I didn't even know this was offered. I thought anger management was something for adults," said St. Pierre, the girl's attorney in the juvenile case. "But it's offered through public libraries, and we were told there have been successful cases in treating even 5-year-olds for anger problems."


This article continues with details of another student assualt.


So, when was the last time you were beaten up at work? Or a bunch of mom's at the park decide to assualt another mother so they can record it on their cell phones for later viewing entertainment?

Yet, this is the abuse that some insist that children need to experience as an integral part of childhood. I want strong, capably children, but is leaving them in bad company unprotected the way to achieve that end? I don't think so.

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3 comments:

Grizzly Mama said...

No it absolutely is not the thing to do to make them strong. Horrifying what is happening these days.

Anonymous said...

At a homeschool group meeting last night, a mother who decided to send one child back to public school recounted story after story of the horrors of the place. Later, some of us wondered what could have been so bad at home that she would send her child there. Interestly, one of the reasons for sending the child back to school was... attitude problems. And she thinks it's going to be fixed there???

Janine Cate said...

I think many send their children to school because they don't know what else to do. Also, it is easier to pretend you don't have a problem if you only see your child a few minutes every day.