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Published Sunday, June 01, 2008 in Opinion
Let kids talk and be kids
A 12-year-old stands facing the wall, lunch tray jammed between his stomach and wall so that he can eat. It's not lunch at a juvenile detention center or boot camp, but lunch at Lee Middle School.
According to the school, this punishment is the "consequence administered by teachers" for students in the silent lunch area who don't remain silent and are disruptive. Punishment? Or abuse?
As parent of a Lee student, someone who's regularly been a parent volunteer and an East Coweta High resource teacher, and as a long-time educator, I was shocked to learn students are regularly treated this way by educational professionals who should be able to manage behavior more appropriately.
Silent lunch? You're kidding. What offense is so heinous a student has to be silent during one of the rare times in the school day when social interaction is possible? What crime does standing against a wall fit?
Silent lunch? When did the noise of a lunchroom filled with happy kids interacting with one another become offensive?
Having lunch with my kids was always the highlight of the week. Kids are spontaneous, animated, outgoing social beings. I loved to listen to them, talk with them. I learned the most interesting things. Was enthralled by the constantly changing tapestry of evolving personalities. Saw the world through eyes that hadn't become jaded.
Students against the wall? This is middle school, not the Marine Corps.
When did teachers forget children are children? Look up the latest teen suicide and drop-out rates. Middle schoolers are dealing with some of the most dramatic life-altering transitions they'll face in life.
Lunch should be a time-out from the day's activities and pressures, a neutral zone where kids can socialize and be kids.
Nick De Bonis
Sharpsburg
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I don't work at a middle school but am employeed at an elementary school.Teaching assistant are forced to monitor the cafetria, when you have between 80 to 100 hundred students in on room sometimes the noise level gets to be too much Maybe you should try being a monitor and see how much the noise level bothers you.
Posted by anonymous at 5:03 PM
If parents would teach their children how to behave in school, students would not be assigned silent lunch. The problems seen in schools today have a direct correlation to lack of parenting. Parents don't want to set limits; they want to be their child's friend. There are rules and consequences in our society. Educators are trying to teach students that for every action, good or bad, there is direct consequence. The teachers of Lee are trying to prepare children for their futures as bright, productive citizens and I applaud them.
Posted by Anonymous at 12:19 PM
I totally agree. It's the one time of their school day when they are able to talk freely and be sociable. Glad I don't have children or grandchildren in public school.
Posted by Betty at 11:17 AM
Not only is this punishment ridiculous, it's also bad for digestion. Eating should be a relaxed time. Maybe we need to take up a collection to buy the adults earplugs.
Posted by Charlotte at 1:08 AM
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This is crazy
6/4/2008
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How can you not think back to when you were in middle school facing all the life changes that we all have to go through and beleive that this punishment is okay. Some of these kids act out because they want attention. Maybe teachers and parents should talk to kids about getting positive attention instead of them trying to gain all the negative attention.
Posted by anonymous at 7:40 PM