Academic underachievers (Boys, discipline, dropouts, grades, medications, etc.)

The Washington Times ^ | January 22, 2006 | Joyce Howard Price

[xsmommy]

my oldest daughter is a junior at an all-girls Catholic HS in DC, and my son is an 8th grader, applying to the all male Catholic HS in DC for next year. i agree; single sex education works. and it doesn't diminish their social lives a bit.

[moog]

An old school administrator in my area used to push, and push hard for good high school vocational training. Contrary to what many people think, not everyone is cut out for college, and society desperately needs skilled blue collar workers. Plumbers, electricians, welders and auto mechanics, to name a few, are vital to society. Those have been on the increase around here and back home as well. I agree with you. And I would add, how many times do we take time to appreciate what some of these guys do? Not often enough. They are as important as anybody, that's for sure.

[JOE43270]

"There are many problems not mentioned such as the absence of a father in many households (and lack of an involved one in others),"

I agree with both the comments you came back to me with. There are a lot of things involved in this subject and I think the one you mentioned about the Father being in the household is one that is leading the list.

[Ninian Dryhope]

"PREFER some boys because they hold grudges like some girls do"

You seem to have left out "do not" between they and hold, in that sentence.

[xsmommy]

you are absolutely right, it takes a mother AND a father. my husband and i had this conversation last night. my 14 yo son, who is the capt of his travel ice hockey team, spent WAY too many minutes in the penalty box during a very impt game yesterday. my husband was furious and reaming him about it. i was glad i was there to temper that, and to try to inject some objectivity and love into the conversation. i think the combination worked well. IMHO my husband is too hard on my son, in his opinion, i am too soft (of course i disagree with that, i think i am the more balanced of the two of us ; )). in other words, you are correct, it takes 2 parents to do the BEST job of parenting.

[moog]

I agree with both the comments you came back to me with. There are a lot of things involved in this subject and I think the one you mentioned about the Father being in the household is one that is leading the list.

Thanks. Having a good father as an example myself, I sure do appreciate good ones. I remember one student I had that complained his dad wasn't spending enough time with him (though I KNOW that he did). His mom said that sometimes daddies have to work a few extra hours, especially if mommy stays home to take care of her children. The boy understood that. I tried to back up the mom too.

You can't imagine how much I appreciate good dads. They make a HUGE difference in a kid's life. My own used to even help us with homework even though he came from a generation that didn't (though I suspect that my Grandpa did too). I mentioned that in a church meeting one time and what a difference it made and there was silence. It was like it was foreign to some of the people there.

I've flirted with the idea of starting a community thing for dads here, but I'll wait and see. I do whatever I can though to promote and thank good fathers wherever I go. They deserve all the thanks and compliments they can get as do our wonderful mothers too.

[moog]

You seem to have left out "do not" between they and hold, in that sentence. Indeed. My grammar isn't the best. Then again, she's not her youthful self like she used to be. I does tries too dew thu bets me can on grammar thought, sometime it hardly does not make no differences.

[JOE43270]

I went and read it and I have seen this before. This is part of the enemy within that wants to destroy America. There are some Great women in this world and I've been married to one for over thirty five years. She has trained me well and I was lucky to find her. President Bush found a Great one too. I know that because I've know the one I have and I can see one when I see one. Men and women need to learn that one side does not run the world. We do that together because one has strenghts that the other doesn't. President Bush and I are two real lucky men and I believe he knows that just like I do.

[moog]

Behind every great man is a great woman. I congratulate you for your great choice and share the same thoughts about President Bush's choice too.

[normy]

I understand why moms always feel they have to protect their sons but what your husband was doing was right. I look back at the reaming my dad gave me over sports and other things I appreciate it. Thats the whole point. Mothers like to interfere because they think something is too harsh. Now if your husband isn't beating him senseless you just overstepped your bounds. Maybe later you take your son aside and say "you know he just wants you to do the right thing". As a man who was a boy, I appreciate my dads harshness with me, it taught me alot

I also look back on my moms actions sometimes, and though I understand why she would interfere I see she was wrong in doing it.

The whole point of what I am saying is that boys NEED the dad to treat them as rough men. Thats how you learn to be a man.

[moog]

There is at least one sensitivity that does need to be taught. Boys should respect their moms. My dad made sure that we did, something that it took me many sore backsides to learn. We still don't show any disrespect today.

[xsmommy]

i don't disagree with the reaming at all, but there are different ways to do it (and no, he wasn't beating him senseless). my husband himself feels that he was never able to please his father and i do not want my son and my husband to end up that same way. reaming can be constructive or destructive, and i will not permit the latter.

[normy]

You got that right! I see these kids at school smarting off to their teacher when I pick my son up. I think "wow! where do these little punks learn this stuff?" I have told my son, "you see that? Don't ever let me catch you or hear of you showing that kind of disrespect to you teachers".

Smarting off to mom goes without saying.

[normy]

Good thing you are wise enough to know which is which at the time it is happening.

[moog]

I see these kids at school smarting off to their teacher when I pick my son up. I think "wow! where do these little punks learn this stuff?" I have told my son, "you see that? Don't ever let me catch you or hear of you showing that kind of disrespect to you teachers". Smarting off to mom goes without saying.

GOOD FOR YOU. There are some parents that like to "smart off" to about anyone and then you have to wonder.

THIS teacher thanks you immensely for saying that. As for smarting off to a good mom, that DOES go without saying. My mom, as yours and others are, is a gem, and shouldn't be treated otherwise. One thing I tell my boy students is to tell their moms that they are the most beautiful girls around (at least until they get married:). I think teaching a boy to respect his mom (and dad of course) is one of the best things any parent can do.

[wintertime]

"Boys are suffering. They are sitting in classrooms where they can't perform at the same level as girls and so cannot compete with girls," he says. "As a result, they have lower self-esteem. The bottom line is that they are suffering both academically and emotionally." ( neverdem)

To neverdem and All:

So.....what are the parents on this board going to do about it? What about their sons? Are they going to send their boys to the local government school slop house, cross their fingers, and hope their son won't be affected?

Even if their son comes from an intact family with two functional parents he will be swimming in a sea of teachers, administrators, and other children who are set on destroying his life.

Solution: Do what ever you can to remove your child from government school cesspools of ignorance.

Solution: All should work for the complete privatization of universal K-12 education.

[wintertime]

This is part of the enemy within that wants to destroy America. ( Joe43270)

To Joe43270,

Finally! Someone who "gets" it!

Those running the government school show ( the NEA and educrats) hate America. They hate everything it stands for and want it destroyed. What better way to do that than educationally and emotionally crippling boys and turning out ineffectual men.

Solution: Destroy their weapon. Abolish government schooling. Put parents, teachers, and administrator back in charge. This can only be done if universal K-12 education is completely and totally privatized.

[neverdem]

"Boys are suffering. They are sitting in classrooms where they can't perform at the same level as girls and so cannot compete with girls," he says. "As a result, they have lower self-esteem. The bottom line is that they are suffering both academically and emotionally." ( neverdem)

IIRC, I only wrote the first comment.

"This was on the frontpage of the Washington Times. I think you can thank the feminazis and the AFT."

1 posted on 01/22/2006 2:25:46 AM EST by neverdem

Personally, if I had kids, I would give them the same education that I received. I went to the local Catholic grammar school, which had separate classes for girls and boys after the sixth grade, and an all boys, Catholic high school. Kids should rely on themselves for college and beyond.

[pookie18]

Now Mike Ramirez is gone.

He may be gone fron The LA Slimes, but his new cartoons are still on-line at multiple sites. I'm run several of them in my Today's Toons threads.

[derllak]

Do you think that maybe the lack of discipline has a role in this too? Teachers really can't do much to a kid that acts up or refuses to do school work (and trust me, kids KNOW that and some will take advantage of that fact!)
Expelling the unruly ones, to the student, is like giving them a free mini holiday. Just wondering what your thoughts are.