SmackDown: Would You Publicly Punish Your Child?

I can certainly understand taking extreme measures, however humiliation is not the solution either after all the murders of parents/fellow students/strangers at the hands of kids/teenagers and college students who have much deeper rooted emotional and mental/social issues already within them for whatever reason in today's world and unfortunately, they've since been acting out upon those feelings with horrific violence in recent decades. That was the first thought that went through my mind, is what if he takes revenge on someone else due to the extreme humiliation and frustration he is feeling over this? I feel just as helpless as a lot of others do over today's youth and the paths each chooses. It seems like only yesterday that I was receiving my diploma so I'm not that out of touch with my own mind set back then even though it has been a couple decades ago. There has become such little respect for others and one's self - even in adults, not just kids today, and it seems to be more wide spread than ever. Just reading some of the postings here is a prime example of the hatred people extend towards others who are simply expressing their own opinion. Yes, there are grammatical mistakes and errors contained in a lot of postings but, is it any reason to attack that person too? And, not all parents have the answers... What if she was not exposed to exemplary parenting herself? Some people naturally understand how to be a parent and others do not. It is not as if our schools offer parenting classes and these parents have taken the teachings into the real world and failed at it. I've always thought they should offer this through education having been an abused child myself. I've turned out to be a very respectable and balanced person despite it all but I honestly don't know the first thing about parenting. I marvel at one of my friends and wonder how she does and knows the right thing to say and when to say it or how to properly interact with her child depending on the matter at hand; because her childhood was far from perfect either. Furthermore, I simply read the "educator's" remarks as internet short hand... How about **everyone** making wise use of the time they are spending here and instead offering some suggestions that you have found worked for you or those you know and let's help each other out as human beings who are each having struggles of our own on any given day instead of attacking each other. It is no wonder this world has gone to $h%t! That is what reading a lot of these postings has done to my immediate attitude in that last sentence. Now, what has it accomplished? Nothing, but more frustration and negativity being spewed into the universe. Just what we all need, as if there isn't enough of it already ~

thank you very much kids don't care about much these days all they want to do is be pluged into the tv, computer or video games

I am an educator and as a teacher it is the parents who do NOTHING whos children are the most difficult to keep on track and motivate. If this mother felt that putting her son on the corner with a sign to give him a message was the best than so be it, at least she is doing something. Besides isn't that what this kid would be doing anyways if education isn't important to him, it is the same as putting a kid in lockdown for the night to give him a message that crime doesn't pay.

I had a child that acted up at a sporting event many years ago. He was being "harrassing" from the bleachers. I got the call and took action. I marched him into the principal's office, handed him her intercom mike, and he publicly apologized to the entire school for his behavior. Guess what? He didn't hate me for it! The problem with today's youth is the deterioration of discipline. Ask my kids about corporal punishment, but look at where they are today - unlike what will be leading this great nation in the years to come. Greed has overtaken the households of today. Two incomes (or more) and let the children fend for themselves. Or pawn them off on someone else. Educators should do just that - EDUCATE! They should not be babysitters or disciplinarians. If you don't want the responsibility, then don't reproduce.

You've been doing a bit of "canting"—which can be defined as talking hypocritically—yourself. If you're going to criticize students, at least demonstrate an understanding of what a contraction is.

Wow... this is beyond pathetic. YOU'RE a teacher? They let YOU teach? For 43 years? Yeah, I'm thinking maybe it's the educators, and not the students, with the "Lack of Basic Education" knowledge. Because your word usage, punctuation, and CAPS LOCK overkill shows how pathetically undereducated you, yourself, are. And it isn't the internet, or cellphones, or gadgets, or whatever that's making these kids do so poorly in school. It's the INDIVIDUAL STUDENT.

Most students who perform poorly in school do so because of their lack of teacher support, parental support, understanding of subject, learning disability, home life, or their own personal lack of caring.

And the problem with educators such as yourself? You take all of these kids doing dismally in school and lump them all into one little category.

You don't understand that Jessica, who has a mother working three jobs and a no-show father has to take care of her three-month-old baby brother before doing her Algebra homework. And that her case is different from Jessica's case. Where Jessica would rather play Guitar Hero than do her Algebra homework.

Where Eric's case is different than Bobby's. Where Eric's dad spends more time being drunk and sleeping on the couch than supporting the family, and his mother cares more about her next tanning appointment than helping out around the house. So Eric has to get the job after school and on the weekends, and take care of his kid siblings before studying for his History test. Whereas Bobby's dad has money and he's too much of a big shot to care about his stupid little History test.

There's Robbie with dyslexia trying his best to pass English class and then there's Josh who just doesn't care to learn the material.

There's Hannah who happens to be dyscalculate, and Becky who just doesn't like doing her math homework and paying attention in class.

What's wrong with the educational system is the refusal to see that these students aren't in the same category, nor on the same boat.

You help the one's that want to be helped, who obviously need it. You help the one's who don't want to be helped, who don't seem to care. Because that's YOUR JOB as an educator. To help these kids learn. And teachers today seem to have lost that insight. That if the teachers don't care enough to help their students learn, then the students themselves aren't going to care enough to learn.

And it's not JUST students who act like their work isn't important. You must have seen it in the workforce plenty of times. Lazy workers on the phone with friends, e-mailing their friends, family, lovers. It's nothing new, and it isn't selective. People just prefer putting the blame on the younger class because we're easier to blame. What you forget, though, is what you do to us now (like putting a homeless-man's sign on a 15-year-old boy that practically screams "My Mother thinks I suck.") will dictate what we do with you once you start having to wear diapers again...

i am a high school student and to me the most appalling thing (evidenced on this thread and at school) is the way people throw the term "grammar" around without seeming to recognize the meaning of the term. grammar is the mechanics of language, i.e. saying "i am" instead of "i is". it has nothing to do with spelling, the use of caps lock, etc. this post, for instance, is grammatically correct despite the lack of capitalization; it can be read and understood without difficulty. that's all grammar is.

I tried everything and anything to get my kids do their homework. I ran out energy and very tired everyday just get them to do their homework. Now I use Tiger Mom by Amy Chu method on my kids and I am telling you. It works. Tiger your kids up for grades at school.

@WHAT IF.....

You wrote:
"...Some kids do great in school, some don't. Usually it's the ones who don't that are the genius' . Einstein only got to the 3rd grade!!"

The ignorance and stupidity in that one sentence is unbelievable.

Einstein was a top student in elementary school. He attended the Luitpold Gymnasium until his family left Germany for Switzerland. He finished secondary school at Aarau, in northern Switzerland.
He thenattended the Eidgenössische Polytechnische Schule (ETH) in Zurich, Switzerland where he earned a teaching diploma.

Geniuses aren't born, a priori, with knowledge - they still have to learn...
The facts are there, stop spreading lies and and misinformation.

Anyone complaining about gramar just needs to shut it!!!! I don't use correct gramar when I'm commenting online or IMing. Just because they didn't use correct gramar online doesn't mean they don;t know it. I use correct gramar when I'm writing a paper. Also it depends on what they teach, I've had math teachers who suck at english and the other way around. Also technology is not the problem. You just have to adapt and learn to live with it. My teachers have and I'm in high school. We have a facebook page for my class, we do projects using glogster (online poster), we do our note cards for our research paper all online. My teachers make class interesting and fun, which helps keep me motivated, Maybe you should try it....

Thank you!! Finally someone has the guts to speak freely about the demise of our education system. And people want to give this woman the boot because she put her foot down! Way to go, Mom! At least she knows his "feelings" will not pay bills when he is an adult!!!!!

There are degrees of things like this. For instance when my thirteen year old son didn’t do the work on his assignments and nearly failed his classes despite having two very involved parents I took away his ability to choose clothing. For the last quarter at school he has worn a suit and tie to school every day. His teachers supported the choice and each of them noted the rather dramatic impact it has had upon him. Every child is different. If this tactic had been employed on his cousin who is a month older it would of failed. I recognize that just as my brother does.

Every night we sit and talk about his schooling, what he needs to focus on, what kind of problems he’s having. We ask if needs help in his classes. I work full time, as does my wife, she’s pursuing a Masters Degree in history and I’m taking classes at the university to prepare for a career change myself. We don’t have a lot of extra time but this is something we work to make sure happens. The parent above took action and that’s more than those who throw up their hands and say ‘what can we do, kids will be kids’ and the other catch phrases of those who don’t have the gumption to actually do something. I am not sure a sandwich board is the best option but I’m not in their shoes. If it improved that kid’s focus to avoid embarrassment then more power to them.

I know that's right! Another thing to add is that parents nowadays are 16years old and don't have any idea how to bring up a child. The kids these days have no respect and parents are not disciplining the children. My kids would without a doubt be on the corner like that, if I had the same problem.

I think you should stop yelling and get a spanking!!!!!

If you won't be your children's best friend, you have no business being a parent. My child had her first computer before kinder garden and her first cell phone in the third grade. When she started school she already knew the ABC's, numbers and could write her name by herself. She graduated valedictorian from her High School. Thanks God she didn't have you as a teacher or worse as a parent.

As someone that just got out of college...I'd say that this punishment although it may be humiliating shows that the kids mother cares which unfortunately you don't see alot these days. Also yes the kid will definitely will remember that day I mean heck that was a creative punishment but hell the entire point of a punishment is so the punisher can get their point across and her son can remember the day. Finally to the educator...why are you yelling?

The gov't needs to back off just a little and let parents raise their children. It's not emotionally abusive to make your child learn humility. I'm so sick of parents that won't see that my kid is not like your kid. Oh, and maybe stop pushing God out of public school, hmmmmmm, there's a thought.

It's called Homeschooling.

I agree with you. We have the same problem with the kids in southern CO to.