Posted on 01/15/2007 2:24:19 PM PST by blam
Mom, dad risk arrest if child misbehaves
Monday, January 15, 2007
By RENA HAVNER
Staff Reporter
Bayou La Batre parents can now be arrested and fined $100 if their children misbehave in school or have excessive unexcused absences, according to a recently passed city ordinance.
State education officials say Bayou La Batre is the only municipality in Alabama to have such a policy.
To that, Bayou La Batre Mayor Stan Wright said: "Shame on all the other cities."
In Bayou La Batre, if a student "comes to school and continues to beat the other children up, curses the teacher, mistreats his fellow classmates, then we're going to prosecute his parent or guardian," Wright said. "It's got to stop. Our teachers and our principals are not going to be punching bags in this community."
The ordinance applies to about 3,000 students enrolled at the four Mobile County public schools that are inside the city's limits: Booth Elementary, Dixon Elementary, Alba Middle and Alma Bryant High.
Though the city has not yet arrested any parents under the ordinance, Bryant High Principal Larry Mouton said he's used the threat of a fine to encourage some students to behave better.
"The biggest value of this is that it is one thing a parent can use to implore their children," Mouton said. Parents, he said, can tell their children, "I don't want to get in trouble, so you are going to school."
(Excerpt) Read more at al.com ...
Bayou La Batre is also the area filmed during the movie "Forrest Gump" relating to the Gump Shrimp part of that movie.
Bubba Gump Shrimp Co........?
Well, isn't that special. If a smart-mouthed snotty little brat didn't utterly control a household before... he/she does now. A kid with the power to send his parents to jail anytime he doesn't get his way...
Insanity.
I would opine that this is blatantly unconstitutional.
But if it remains only a threat and is never enforced, there's no way to find out.
How about having the courage to reinstitute corporal punishment for the misbehavior? Saves alot of tax $$ and teaches junior there are consequences for bad behavior. Parents aren't the adults in charge at school. Are they supposed to control the kids by ESP?
My Wife and I were in this same position when our son refused too attend class. We pleaded with the court systems too help us. Finally they realized we were pulling our hair out asking for help. After much grief, the Judge told our Son, miss one more day, your going too juvenile hall. After his 3rd time in Juvie, he realized he had no choice.
Why would kids that think nothing of beating up other students (or teachers) care if their parents are arrested? Instead of arresting the parents, how 'bout bringing in Chris Rock's "Tossed Salad Man"?
Little Girl: "Mommy, mommy, I want an outfit like Britney Spears"
Mom: "Sorry honey, but that is not the right clothing for you"
Little Girl hollering: "If you don't buy it from me, I will act up in school and get you thrown in jail!!"
Mom: "Honey, you wouldn't do that to me, would you?"
Little Girl: "Well, Toowannaboowanna down the street did it and got a whole new wardrobe so that is what I want"!!
Mom: "Let's go shopping"
I think the ideal here is for the parents to raise the kid not the school. Do you not support that?
I think the ideal here is for the parents to raise the kid not the school. Do you not support that?
Yes.
"How about having the courage to reinstitute corporal punishment for the misbehavior?"
Courage should not be needed. The reason it is needed is because we know what would happen if he did reinstitute it. The spanker would likely be sued and lose his/her job if not prosecuted criminally.
I support corporal punishment but only a fool would ruin his life and career because soembody's little Johnny won't shut up in class.
"I think the ideal here is for the parents to raise the kid not the school. Do you not support that?"
Lots of folks on here talk the talk but won't walk the walk. Threads where some kids act up get hundreds of posts blaming parents. Hold those parents to account and you get screams of "Insanity"! All carrot, no stick.
Some of these posts are hilarious. "Kids will have all the power now!" LOL!!! If your kid has the audacity to get you arrested because you won't buy her something, you should have been fined long ago! You have utterly failed as a parent and unleashed a beast of a human being on the rest of the world.
So... giving all of the power to the kid is the way to make this happen? This ~removes~ parental power. Do you support that?
Huh? So you see this as a good thing somehow?
"This ~removes~ parental power. Do you support that?"
It does no such thing. That is not even a logical argument. I'm responsible if my dog bites someone but not my kid? Are you saying my dog has the power in my family?
What this does is move the responsibilty of raising children from the school to the parents and it scares the hell out of people who question their own parenting skills because it could cost them money.
Why not make the kid accountable if he bites someone?
Time to move to a "free" state.
"Why not make the kid accountable if he bites someone?"
I'm sure the parents will after they have to pay that $100.
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