Monday's Soapbox Topic

I have always hated it when someone started a converstaion with , "I remember when...", or "back when I was a kid." I knew that it meant some antiquated thought pattern was about to bombard my space....but then I turned 55 and became a veteran high school teacher with over 20 years under my belt...and I cannot sit silent anymore. I am going to soapbox just a bit today....As I have told you before...I am a digital emmigrant. My own high school began using computers when I was in the 10th grade. Classes did not have one...there was a huge machine in the office that spit out key punch cards that assigned classes for students and that was pretty much it. In my classroom right now I have four computers, three lap tops, an Elmo(document camera), a LCD projector...times have definitely changed. I remember...if you misbehaved in class....you were sent to the office and one of the Deans would take their humongous paddle off the wall and use it....on you. If that happened to you at school...you knew it was going to be worse at home. Back in the day when parents actually spanked children and it was called just that...a spanking...I am not a product of the "Time Out" generation....and I turned out ok. I cannot image ever talking back to a teacher or any other adult. I remember once...speaking back to one of my parent's friends and before I could draw a breath my father had me and we were going to the shed. I cannot imagine my parents ever asking a teacher, "Well, what did you do to make her act this way?" There was no question about it. If I was to sick to go to school...I was to sick to do anything else. I can't tell you how many times kids don't come to school and I run into them later...at Wal-Mart, the movies, etc. It amazes me when Mommas and daddies write notes that are not true. I can't imagine missing school and my momma writing a note saying I was sick...if I wasn't. It was not going to happen. I promise you, if my mom wrote a note saying I was sick...I had a temperature of 104, was convulsing, and out of my head. Kids used to respect their parents, show it and mean it...now they don't. What is this world coming to? My other problem is the sexual activity of these youngsters. When I was in high school if a girl got pregnant....she was whipped into night school. They were not allowed to go to school with the general population...if they did not go to night school then they went to stay with some aunty....or they were sent to a home for unwed mothers. Do those places still exist? Today...I have students who have multiple children before they graduate. How? I could barely afford raising my own in a two income family setting. But then...I also did not get a slew of government encouragers either. I knew if I had a child...I had to pay for it. Babies having babies don't...they just get a check...and someone else raises it. When Kat was born, I had no insurance because my husband had changed jobs...we had to pay for everything up front...not today's kids...they are covered by state/federal programs...something is not right with this picture. So, right now it is 8:40 and I am sitting here in a class of tenth and eleventh graders and they are being so rude to the intern....who, by the way, is trying to teach them about present tense verbs. Do they think they are going to gain this knowledge through osmosis? When she gives them their next test I can hear it now...there will be whininig, gnashing of teeth, and complaining from the peanut gallery. I don't knwo what else to do....I have contacted parents, I have contacted coaches, I have blogged about their behavior on my school blog...and still the disrespect continues...parents...can you help us out here? I think it is time for you to take back your rightful place as the parent. Whew...ok...I have vented and feel much better. Thanks for letting me sound off. I may actually survive Monday now. Sigh!