redferd wrote:This must be the brave new world that the teachers told us about so many years ago? I had a penknife in my pocket all thru school. Can't say I had a gun in the truck as I did not have a car or truck at all back then but I did have a nice Remington .22 rifle with a clip. We were afraid of some teachers and respected a lot of them. I really don't think I could be a student in school today. I'd probably be a dropout.
Believe me brother, it can be a challenge to be a teacher today, too!
I heard a great story one time at a teacher's meeting I went to. I will re-tell it as I remember it, though this is not a word-for-word re-creation.
It seems this big-time CEO of some ice cream company (ice cream, of all things!) was LECTURING teachers on quality control. One veteran teacher had heard quite enough, stood up, and asked "Mr. So-and-So, your ice cream company prides itself in only delivering the best product possible, correct? Well, what would you do if your suppliers sent you moldy strawberries, soured milk, and stale chocolate?"
"Well, ma'am," replied the well-meaning but totally unaware businessman, "we would immediately return those raw materials as unacceptable!"
The teacher smiled to herself and nodded with a sigh. "Mr. So-and-so, we don't have that luxury. We have to accept every damaged bit of raw material that is sent to us every day. They are called students. Some are damaged by their parents, some are damaged by their friends, some are damaged by the media, and some are just damaged in ways that you and I could never comprehend. And we can't turn them away. The best we can do for some of them is help them avoid further damage and try to heal the damage we can. And every once in a while, we get to teach them a few things."
The businessman cleared his throat and walked off the stage. The veteran teacher was applauded by her fellows.
I tell that story to illustrate a point. Our school systems have to teach down to the "lowest common denominator." Well, pretty soon the lowest common denominator is all we have. And we have to treat every student as if he were a part of the problem, EVEN IF he is an Eagle Scout! I know it is unfair to the good kids, but we have virtually no choice.
There is a kid here who walks down the hallway each and every day, carrying his moto-cross style motorcycle helmet. To me, that helmet is much more of a weapon than an Eagle Scout's camp knife, but nobody has been bashed with it yet. When that does happen, though, I am sure motorcycle helmets will be outlawed next!
I still love my job though ... I like seeing the lights go on above their heads when they learn something from me ...
I looked at that old bell a few years back and it still has white streaks on it from the round balls we smacked off of it. That was in the late 60's. 
