On My Education Soapbox Again

Here I go again on my soapbox.  Feel free to skip this post if you do not want my rant.

Yesterday during my quiet time, I came across this principal called the "broken window theory." This take on it was new to me, but it reflected a conversation I had just had with Andy.  It comes from law enforcement, and the basic premise is that if windows are broken/vandalized on a vacant building, and nobody fixes them, the invitation is open for more vandalism and crime in the area.  "The driving philosophy behind this theory is that quick prosecution of minor crime decreases major crime."

Shirer, Priscilla. "Week Four: Total Recall." Breathe. Nashville: LifeWay, 2014. 100. Print.

This reflects exactly a conversation I just had with Andy.  We are discussing school options for Julia, and I mentioned that one of our choices for high school lets small discipline issues such as dress code violations slide.  Recently, they let a small theft situation slide. (I don't even want to get into the argument that ensued because one staff member thought the item should have just been given to the student.) I pointed out that when the small things are no longer addressed, big offenses follow, and the school is headed quickly in the wrong direction.  This creates a school setting that puts every student in jeopardy of danger at worst or trying to learn in an environment that is not conducive to learning at best.  It starts a slippery slope, and I have seen this in action.  As a result that high school option is obviously off the table at this point.  Granted that can change in the three years we have before making a high school choice for her.  Wyatt is closer to high school, and we originally thought this would possibly work for him though we had other concerns that have to do with Wyatt more than the school itself, but this changes the discussion for him too.

We live in a time where school discipline, particularly in the public school system, is dictated by the parents and the press, and this is exactly why these seemingly small offenses go unchecked. They become a paperwork and conferencing nightmare for school staff.  I am absolutely not advocating some police state within the schools or lack of reason such as disciplining a kid if his peanut butter sandwich looks like a gun. I agree that is ridiculous.  I am, however, talking to the parent who is shaking her head over a kid missing class per school policy because he did not wear his belt as required by the dress code.  I get that some mornings are crazy, and sometimes things are innocently forgotten.  I get that sometimes grace should be applied in these situations.  However, more often than not the dress code violation has nothing to do with a challenging morning, and it has everything to do with a rebellious heart.  Left unchecked, that seed of rebellion can grow into something really ugly for the school, parents, and the community.

So when you are that frustrated parent because the detention falls on Saturday morning, and your kid can't drive, and you are saying, "who is being punished here?"  Remember that we discipline because we love, and minor offenses left unchecked become big problems. Remember also, that you likely chose this environment because it is a disciplined place.  It's kind of like the cute two-year-old who claims everything he wants is his.  Even if he can't understand sharing and ownership, you start the conversation and discipline the actions because that kind of selfishness isn't cute at sixteen, and stopping that behavior at sixteen is nearly impossible.

Okay, now I will do what I should be doing and clean the house...well, maybe :)
First, I must indulge in a salted caramel turtle.  I thought my love language was acts of service.  Maybe I was wrong, it might be salted caramel turtles.  They do make me feel loved.