Warm embrace for kids, or merely a psycho cry fest

The Seattle Times ^ | Wednesday, April 10, 2002 - | Keith Ervin

[scholar]

Now I can focus on my career and get more stuff.

Your comments are only TOO true. I really don't understand why these "parents" just don't get a cat. A cat will live quite happily with food, water and an occasional scratch behind its ear with none of the other odious responsibilities.

[Libertina]

a psycho cry fest A student quote...
first joint venture involving Resource Realizations
Washington Principal Marilyn Day said.. didn't know.. about partnership with Challenge Day
but did not view the workshops as attempts to recruit students to seminars

Well now, isn't this interesting. I'd say a THOROUGH investigations is warranted. I do not believe the schools should be Opera-ized. Sounds like brain-washing techniques. Tear down, insert something new. I haven't seen this yet, we're on Spring Break this week. But you can be certain I'll report if I catch any of this live.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

What's wrong with Opera

[Teacher317]

If you need '80 pounds lifted off' your shoulders, and you think this program will work for you, then by all means, go... after school, on your own time. Don't take even more of the students' in-class time away.

[Teacher317]

Schools, eager to find antidotes to the damaging effects of cliques, bullying, and [substance] abuse, have embraced Challenge Day in growing numbers. St. Joseph School in Seattle offered the program to sixth- through eighth-graders in February.
I prefer the antidotes called homeschooling and parental responsibility.

You also forgot to mention that your two antidotes actually work in the long-term, unlike emotional releases which are forgotten within days. Does anyone seriously believe that after a 3-day session, a school will efffectively eliminate cliques, bullying, illegal substances, adult beverages, and their effects?!? I don't know if you've seen the inner-city gang culture products out there, but a 3-day hug-fest certainly won't keep them from their business-as-usual activities... heck, even JAIL TIME and getting SHOT rarely accomplish that!

[A. Pole]

Great! Group grope on school time and it's actually encouraged. And I bet the girls won't file harassment charges because it's part of challenge day!

Really? It goes against the instruction one Bulgarian man gave me about American women: "You can look, but you cannot touch!"

[Malacoda]

Meanwhile, most of the bullies -- male and female alike -- are using these sob sessions to gather more information and inflict more psychological abuse as soon as the touchy-feely teachers aren't looking. THEN the teachers and bulklies will be surprised when there's another Columbine.

"But we had Challenge Day! Why was Little Jake so angry and unhappy?"

Why is this even happening? Kids should be learning the three frickin' "R's," with a good dose of civics and history tossed in.

[A. Pole]

Kids should be learning the three frickin' "R's," with a good dose of civics and history tossed in.

I guess this is supposed to be civics. :(

[aculeus]

Clinton held one of these psychobabble sessions at Camp David at the beginning of his admininstration complete with (ugh) a "facilitator".

[NewHampshireDuo]

Meany Middle School Principal Christi Clark could not be reached for comment.

Need to change that from meany to Touchy Feely Middle School

[Libertina]

What's wrong with Opera?
Oops, Thanks big Ern, a spell-check is needed. Just make that Oprah. I actually enjoy opera!

BTW, did you hear that lawyer on the John Carlson show today who is representing the guy with the stolen gun whose dad got shot? All I can say is he needs to go back to Lawyers Liar School. First he says they were just lost and sitting in the car. Then he says they were lost and the father wanted his son to "listen to a blues song." Yeah, uh huh... Whenever I get lost I drive to a back street, turn off the motor and listen to a blues song. And I also carry a stolen gun. Uh huh...every day. NOT!

[Motherhood IS a career]

Ugghhh... I can't even begin to tell you how disturbing I find this.

If these were my kids being subjected to this psycho manipulative crap (can I say 'crap' here?), I don't think I'd be able to restrain myself from going ballistic on the teachers and administrators of the school. But then, I didn't get this kinds of "sensitivity training" when I was a kid.

Yet another reason to get your kids out of the public school system.

[Carolina]

Education ping))))

[riley1992]

Okay, this just gave me hives.

[xsmommy]

i had trouble with the FIRST paragraph! with the day i am having, i just feel ready to start slapping those people at that school! just for grins!

[hobbes1]

ritics have accused Resource Realizations' seminars, like the better-known est and Lifespring trainings of the 1970s, of "brainwashing" participants. Gilcrease was a Lifespring facilitator for five years before starting his own company in 1986.

Let'em do whatever they want, they will never ever, in one day, or 12 years, undo my Fascist Extreme Right Wing Caveman style brainwashing, that I have given the boys since birth.

MY 4 year old already asks to be taken to Hooters on a regular basis...And his little brother is following in his footsteps.

P.S. There are no new scams...Just new suckers.

[Lazamataz]

Dude, you should WELCOME this trend!!!

Think of all the money you will get from all the sexual harassment lawsuits that will follow any given HugFest!!!

(G-d I wish these existed back when I was in school with pretty little Penny Sapor).

[Dog Gone]

Uh, thanks for the ping? Urp...