No more socializing in My kids school.

Isn't that one of the reasons for sending Your child to a public school? Check this out. My youngest came home from school the other day (She's in 2nd grade) upset bcuz of the new rules implemented by Her principal. There are, of course, the 'no hitting,pushing,kicking' rules but also 'no hugging,holding hands(which My girl and Her best friend do all of the time),and no talking to each other upon arrival,dismissal or during changing of classrooms. When the rule's broken everyone has to write sentences like 'I will not talk in the halls'. Monday the class had to write 15 sentences concerning the matter and yesterday they had to write 20, adding more sentences each time someone spoke out. In addition to being ridiculous, they were made to write them during designated class time that's supposed to be used for Social Studies, hence, missing out on that lesson all together. On Monday the kids missed out on reading and computer lab bcuz of this stupidity. Grrr, waiting for the principal to return My call

Peace. K*

edit by me for grammar

[edit on 10/3/07 by Demetre]

It's interesting how little education and socializing mean in schools these days, seems to be more about staying in line, keeping quiet and doing what you are told. Give that principle hell.

I'm sorry but since when has our country taken a totalitarian approach. Why does society feel the need to subdue everything?
This enrages me.

Be careful how far you push the issue. Sooner or later the social workers will come and deem you an unfit parent and take your kids away. After all, not having the utmost faith in government school means you're delusional and as such abusive to your children's wellbeing.

If you can, get them in a private school of your choice or home school. It's only going to get worse. A lot worse.

wow, thats crazy. i would have been that one kid that just pushed it to the limit. Think breakfast club style...

unfortunately, "civil disobedience" by your child with this matter would probably reflect poorly on your parenting, which is ludicrous, but common.

Id be dissappointed if the majority of parents conform to this nonsense. talking and socializing is the last resort children have to not be totally eaten up by the brainwashing system we call "school". If that last straw is taken it would be completely unacceptable in my mind. Deny Apathy, become active.

So when are they changing the name of the school to Hermann Goering Elementary?

Ve haff vays of making joo learn!

School seems to be a daycare more and more and not a learning intuition. In Texas I have not seen anything like what you describe, and it sounds more like a principle pushing their agenda than a state wide issue.

"all in all, we're just another brick in the wall"

Well now, we don't want them to develop unproductive habits for when they become slav.. errr workers. Right?

If I were you I would be getting all the other pissed off parents organized and do something about it.

Of course its not enough to complain about it. Id love to hear what you are doing about it.

This is outrageous and a total violation of children's rights to play and socialize. There is a window of opportunity for kids to learn how to play and work well with others and when it closes, it's much harder for them to socialize well. I've heard this happening in other schools as well, so it's not just your school. Although the principal sounds as if he/she is on a major power play and control agenda. Kids learn by playing and socializing.
I would be organizing all the other parents to be at the school when the kids are changing classrooms, lunch time, before and/or after school and walking alongside the kids, talking to them, playing games with them and laughing and yelling as loudly as I could. The objective is to make so much noise, fuss and chaos that the school would be forced to change their ridiculous policy.
My husband, a high school teacher for 20 years once had such an uproar at his school's admin offices. Some substitute teacher went off on a power trip, can't rememeber what he did exactly, but it was really stupid. The parents of the kids in that class got together en masse and stormed the admin offices. THe school district admin hid in her office refusing to deal with the parents, but the parents got the idea across and that teacher was never brought back again.
There are probably alot of creative ways to address this issue, but organizing the parents and going down to the school would be a good way to start.
I wouldn't wait for any phone call from a principal, I'd go down there myself with possibly some other parents and read her/him the riot act for even thinking of doing such a horrendous thing to our kids. Keeping kids from socializing is CHILD ABUSE, pure and simple, where will they learn it if not at school? It's utterly destructive to a kid to do that. What is this, prison???
Keep us informed, if you will Demetre, I'm pulling for you. Good luck. And don't worry about CPS. I used to work with them for 15 years and this isn't the kind of thing CPS takes your kids away for. Not yet, at least.

Originally posted by Demetre
they were made to write them during designated class time that's supposed to be used for Social Studies, hence, missing out on that lesson all together.

Didn't you get the memo? this is social studies. Oh, my bad, Antisocial studies. They're teaching them to submit and conform while they're young so they wont have "issues" later in life.

Sad but true.

[edit on 4-10-2007 by Catfish]

Well, when I was in 4th Grade (I graduated in 2006 so I guess this was about 1997) my school district banned recess for all students because "it was cutting back on learning time". Basically lunch was a half hour and then the next half hour was set aside for whatever; go outside a play, go to the library/computer lab, go to the weightroom, play volleyball/basketball/whiffle ball in the gyms, etc.

Also, another school district in my area just banned cupcakes and the celebration of birthdays. I know school is for learning but come on, whats wrong with taking out 10 minutes to have some cupcakes and relax?

My oldest is in 1st grade with 2 brothers comin up behind him..
I've been thinking more and more about Home Schooling...

Our school systems are in trouble of becoming a bankrupt, politicly correct, trash can of bad philosophy..
lol theres my 2cents.. can I have my change back pls. :-]

I graduated highschool in 2004. Let me tell you this is no joke. Teachers are not as qualified as they used to be. They get paid a ridiculously large amount of money for the little work they do and they say they are not making enough! Demanding higher wages!! If you REALLY knew what they make to sit there and call YOUR kid a brat, you would spit on them for being so greedy.

The school systems are unjust and most of the faculty are on a power trip. They don't give a damn about your kids and most of them generally dont even like kids. I can say this because I have gone to 7 or 8 highschools in my highschool career and each system seemed to be more screwed up than the last. The ONLY thing they will listen to is the parents. It's only the parents that can march in there and complain and turn things around.

Originally posted by MajorMalfunction
Hermann Goering Elementary?

Ve haff vays of making joo learn!

bolded the obviously poor choice of phoenetics.

what? I found it funny.

Is this a private or public school?
has there been an issue with socializing?
are the hallways hard to clear when classes should be in session?

while I find this type of environment to be way too rigid and way too stifling for young minds, I do wonder if, perhaps, the situation was such that a crackdown was needed before things could slowly work their way back the normalcy.

This is just sick. I am actually shocked. They are not allowed to hold hands? Says who? What crime are they committing?

This has gone too far. We are individuals. We are not slaves to the government! They have no right to do this to young children! We are not their property! FFS, this has to STOP!

This is just a sick view of children. I would like to know who makes these rules. Even Hitler Jugend could hold hands.



[edit on 4-10-2007 by Copernicus]

okay, it's been a couple of days since I posted this and things have been resolved. After speaking to the principal He promised to talk to the teacher to find out why the children missed their lessons on these days. After He didn't return My phone call I contacted the teacher to see what was up. She told Me that it wasn't her idea that it was the other 2nd grade teachers idea for all students to write sentences bcuz of 2 misbehaving boys & 'like everyone else She had to follow the set rules too'-yeah, a cop-out. She told Me that s.s was done that day but not a full lessons worth. I asked her what time it was held She told Me 'at the end of the day'. I reminded her that My daughter was late for the dismissal bell due to the sentence writing and She said that she had to leave 10 min. early to make the afternoon announcements and someone else was in charge of the kids. Pass that buck! Catfish, You will enjoy this- The teacher told Me that the sentence writing WAS their s.s. lesson bcuz it teaches them to be aware of their surroundings and We're all responsible for one another(I told her what a sack of bull$h!$) Listen to this- it gets better. She said, actually said to Me- 'I told the children that sometimes innocent people have to pay the price for what others do-LIKE 9/11'. Yes people, You heard it here, LIKE 9/11. I freaked out on Her telling her what an imbecile she was for even comparing the 2 situations and since i paid her salary She'd want to keep her absolutely ridiculous statements to Herself, especially in regards to My daughter, who shouldn't have a care in the world right now, especially 9/11. She apologized profusely and decided to not follow the rules the other teacher implemented(See? Smarter already). I wound up that call by talking to the principal and the Dean of the school district. It's amazing how apologetic they became when I mentioned I was going to alert the other parents & the local paper of the situation(thanx forestlady) Whew! Dealing with stupid people makes Me tired.

Peace. K*

thats too far. no talking? i remember in junior high they wouldnt allow us to shake hands because gangs each have there own handshakes and it was a attempt to fight gang activity in the school. but we ignored that rule completely. acctually now that i think about it they tried to do that at the high school after i got kicked out but all the students at the high school were either gangsters and didnt care about the rules or were the kinds of kids that held a sit in. which resulted in the rule being taken out and a huge write up in the paper about how "our rights dont end at the schoolhouse doors". i wish i couldve been oat the highschool for the sit in that wouldve been great.