As we have moved into the 21st century, school have increasingly been charged with tasks formerly associated with the church and the family. In addition to teaching reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmatic, schools need to teach driver’s education, swimming, sex education. suicide and violence prevention, the evils of smoking, drugs and alcohol and an entire liturgy of other topics. Not only do educators not have the time to add these topics but, in some cases, they haven’t had the training to deal with them. Schools have become the nation’s emergency room dealing with situations that the rest of society doesn’t want to deal with nor does society have the answer to these problems.
During one of my workshops, a parent asked, “What should we do about guns in school?” After giving a variety of things that schools can do to protect children and adults, I replied, “I don’t have the data, but I believe that if we reduce the number of guns in society, we will cut down on the number of guns in schools.” According to the FBI’s School Shooter Report, most of the sch0ol shooters obtained their guns from their home.
Schools reflect society, not the reverse. When people complain that students lack positive values or they or they will ruin society, the correct response – I feel is to look at the negativity of campaign advertising or the recklessness of the financial and banking community.