Are Judges Replacing School Principals?

 A recent article in the New York Times about the impact of school police officers, points out that “As school districts across the country consider placing more police officers in schools, youth advocates and judges are raising alarm about what they have seen in the schools where officers are already stationed: a surge in criminal charges against children for misbehavior that many believe is better handled in the principal’s office.” One could almost conclude that in lieu of going after the real criminals, gun abusers, we have chosen to revere the second amendment as equivalent to one of the Ten Commandments, even if it means turning some of our students into quasi criminals.


Looking at a picture of “school monitors” in a school hallway brought two things to my mind. Am I looking at a reform school? What ever happened to student hall monitors?

The answer to the first question is no, but if the NRA has its way, guns in schools will be as commonplace as blackboards (or is it whiteboards these days). In addition to reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmetic our precious ones will study Gun Rights.

As for the second question, I guess that student hall monitors have gone the way of the horse and buggy. The demise may have come when it became apparent that with many parents opting out of parenting responsibilities, it would be necessary to supply the monitors with bullet proof vests in addition to a cute white brownie belt.

Parents accepting parenting responsibilities - could that be the clue to regaining school safety. Children do not become bad and adopt fantasies of mass murder because of a genetic problem. It is not the responsibility of teachers to teach them civil behavior. Until parents and guardians take control of our children our schools will become a place to be dreaded. Parents opting for armed personnel in schools are essentially saying ‘it’s your job; I’m much to busy to be a parent’.

I realize that it is not as simple as I have inferred. Parenting is not an easy job nor is it easily accepted. I doubt that much will change when it comes to modern parenting. I just hope that the collateral damage from the path we have chosen will not be too great.