As the parent of one “and an almost” teenagers, I find myself wrestling almost daily with disciplinary issues. When, for example are my little adolescent bundles of hormones simply spreading their wings a bit, engaging in normal teen behavior, and when have they really crossed the line and earned some form of punishment? How much is too much, or, too little?
Today’s subject is a situation that still leaves me baffled. Back in April, my oldest daughter went on a long-anticipted high school trip. This particuar trip has been going on for years, and due in part to the respect the students have for the teachers who run it and in part to the nature of the type of student who goes on the trip, there has NEVER been a problem. In the months leading up to the trip, parents are expected to attend a couple of manadatory meetings that explain things like trip security, itineraries, and of course, student behavioral expectations and consequences for those who don’t meet those expectations. It is stressed to parents and students alike that if students do not follow the rules, they will be sent home from the trip, at the parents’ expense, no ifs, and or buts. Clear, right? Evidently, not so much.
Without going into detail, a group of students violated these expectations in a very big way. Their actions impacted the 125 or so other students on the trip, costing them valuable time at the destination, and damaging the group’s reputation and that of our school and our town. I’m sure you can see where I’m going with this, but the offenders were not sent home, and in fact, after the trip thought it was all in great fun to post their escapades on Facebook. On top of that, it appeared, anyway, that disciplinary action taken once they returned home was nonexistent to minimal. When questioned, the school principal cites “student confidentiality” as the reason why she cannot let anyone know how these children were (or were not) punished and why the rules were not upheld.
What this lack of follow-through has done is undermine the authority of the teachers responsible for the trip as well as the school administration and taught 135-ish high school students that the rules don’t apply to them. Great, just great. What’s a parent to do when those charged with disciplining students don’t do it? What would you do?
Until Next Time,
Joan
(c) 2009 Joan McCue All Rights Reserved
