VALDOSTA —
Extinction! There are public outcries to save animals, bugs and reptiles while our own children are being lost to a new world order. In the past two weeks, I have seen two students, one high school, one middle school, with their parents blessing bring to the public area all the details of their student-teacher antics. Each student had been suspended from school and one was making his way to court.
The high school student, according to the teacher, disrupted her class by wearing a shirt with the logo of a rival high school. She asked the shirt be turned inside out. The student refused because he believes he has a right to freedom of expression.
Here’s my thought about that. I guess somewhere since I was in public school a student has been given all kinds of new rights. My school years included privileges but, except for a right to an education, I was pretty much under the control of others. A classroom teacher had management responsibilities of his or her class. The teacher always had the support of the administration and the parents.
The middle school student who we reported was convicted in juvenile court for disrupting his class received the public support of his parents and others.
There is no way my mother or father would have wanted our next-door neighbors knowing I had done something like this student was accused of. For sure, they would have NEVER told the newspaper.
These two cases drew public attention because they wanted it, but they are in no way unique or beyond the norm. Occurrences like these involving students and teachers are becoming all too common, as these kinds of activities move from the school into our neighborhoods where people are dying. We are losing any semblance of respect for each other. Do we have a chance of saving the students and the classroom teacher? I have heard it said when you pass a generation there is no return. I think we do need to try.
We are all wrong in saying “that happens on the other side of town,” “those people always cause trouble,” “stay away from people like that …”
When we believe we can separate ourselves from problems by separating ourselves from the people we think are the problem then guess who is the problem — US!
Classroom teachers need our help. Classroom teachers need our respect.
They can be the saviors of public education but they cannot do it by themselves. They do not need more “save-the-education-world” programs. They do not need more testing.
They need to be given back the sovereignty of their classrooms. If a student wants freedom of expression then graduate and go to college. There you pay your own way and, because of that, you gain some of the rights of adults. If a student feels a need to disrupt a class then remove the student from the class.
All Americans, all races and all income levels pay for public education, which means everyone who goes to school is to have an equal opportunity to obtain that education. No one should be allowed to lessen that opportunity in anyway.
Sandy Sanders
We are losing our children and we are blaming ‘others’
- Sandy Sanders
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Think before you answer
I got an email this week where a writer of an online column tells the story of a young child in Sunday School. The writer says the little boy’s teacher asked his class ‘What’s the animal with a long, bushy tail that lives in trees?’ One child quickly answers while probably thinking about the usual answer to questions in his church Sunday School, ‘Jesus. Though it sure sounds like a squirrel to me.’
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Forgiveness, redemption go together
The news story on Friday read: “WASHINGTON — The House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly Thursday to censure once-powerful New York Rep. Charles Rangel for multiple ethical misdeeds — the first time in nearly three decades that House members have publicly rebuked a colleague.
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South Georgia roots run deep for these execs
David Ratcliffe and Mike Garrett, two highly respected executives with Valdosta and South Georgia ties, will be stepping down as leaders of two of the largest power companies in the nation by yearend.
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VDT ready with all-new digital edition
You can now go to the home page of our website (www.valdostadailytimes.com) and click on the link for our digital e-edition. You can sign up for a seven-day trial or, if you currently subscribe to the print edition, we will be glad to add the e-edition just by calling our office for details.
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We are losing our children and we are blaming ‘others’
Extinction! There are public outcries to save animals, bugs and reptiles while our own children are being lost to a new world order. In the past two weeks, I have seen two students, one high school, one middle school, with their parents blessing bring to the public area all the details of their student-teacher antics. Each student had been suspended from school and one was making his way to court.
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Do we want tax or football braggin’ rights?
A drop in our property digest seems evident and to maintain we will need a tax increase. We can recruit higher-paying jobs to the county and get more taxes that way but is that practical thinking for a quick adjustment in this economy?
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Blazer Zone moving into Drexel Park
Next Saturday, Blazer fan families will have a great opportunity for some pre-game tailgating fun. The university is turning Drexel Park into a mini carnival so families can spread out to enjoy an afternoon under the trees, as they get ready for the Blazers’ season opener.
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Maggots with your steak
Today, with online journalism on newspaper websites, readers are able to go online, read the story, post a comment and, within minutes, their comment (thread) is answered by another reader. The bantering can follow a positive line or it can quickly move to having all the attributes of a barroom brawl.
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Why do some children live in abusive houses?
As I have written many times in this column, I grew up in a small town. My father worked at Moody Air Force Base for 30 years and as he would recollect while laughing, “I ate a fried egg sandwich for lunch every day of those 30 years.”
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Turning 18 before the election board
When I turned 18 my father took me down to the courthouse one evening to go before the Board of Registrars so I could be qualified to vote. I was called into the room before three men. I remember being nervous. They asked me questions about residency and being an American before I was given their stamp of approval.
- More Sandy Sanders Headlines
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Think before you answer
