SCHOOL BULLYING

THE LAW OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES HAS REARED ITS UGLY HEAD TO WAG ABOUT WASTEFUL PUBLIC SCHOOL PROGRAMS, ONE OF WHICH I LEARNED ABOUT FROM AN EDUCATOR. SHE ENTHUSED OVER THIS NEW YEAR'S MANDATORY COURSE ON BULLYING FOR K-5 PUPILS. BULLYING AT HOME, IN SCHOOL AND ON-LINE ON THE COMPUTER. ENCOURAGING THE USE OF THE COMPUTER IN SCHOOL AND AT HOME CREATED THE UNEXPECTED RESULT OF LESS STUDYING, MORE SOCIALIZING AND PREDATORS AND BULLIES CRUISING THE INTERNET FOR 6 TO 12 YR. OLDS, OFTEN WITHOUT THEIR PARENTS' KNOWLEDGE. I CAUGHT SOME REFERENCE IN THIS INTERVIEW TO AN 'ISEEYOU' INTERNET SITE (FROM THE SCHOOL SYSTEM ?) WHICH WAS DESIGNED TO INFORM AND PROTECT OUR YOUTH ABOUT BULLYING. YEARS AGO A SMACK TO THE SIDE OF MY CHILDISH HEAD WOULD HAVE DETERRED ME FROM BULLYING, HAD THE URGE ARISEN. IN ADDITION TO THE BOXING EARS SOLUTION, I LIKE AL FRANKEN'S SIMPLE RULE. I CAN'T BELIEVE I AM QUOTING A LIBERAL FOR WHOM BUSH-BASHING IS CENTRAL TO HIS STAND-UP COMEDY. ANYWAY, AL SAID, "BE JUST AND GOOD." I BET THIS IS WHAT THE BULLYING COURSE IN GRADE SCHOOL IS TRYING TO TEACH. THE NEED FOR THIS COURSE SPEAKS WITH A PLANGENT VOICE ABOUT THE LOSS OF PARENTING. BECAUSE FAMILY RESPONSIBILITY HAS BEEN WASHED OUT TO SEA, SCHOOLS TRY TO SALVAGE WHATEVER DECENT BEHAVIOR THEY CAN FROM THE STUDENTS STRANDED ON SHORE. I AM EVER GRATEFUL THAT MY FORCED EDUCATIONAL INDOCTRINATION, BOTH MENTAL AND PHYSICAL, PRECEDED TODAY'S WISHY-WASHY WORLD.

A SECOND PROGRAM ANTICIPATED AT THIS LOCAL K-5 SCHOOL INVOLVED AFTER-SCHOOL ASSISTANCE. A MILLION DOLLAR GRANT (READ FREE MONEY STOLEN FROM YOU AND ME AS TAXPAYERS) FOR MATH AND READING WOULD IMPLEMENT AFTER SCHOOL CLASSES FROM 3:30 TO 6:00 P.M, FOUR DAYS A WEEK. WHAT I DIDN'T NEED TO HEAR WAS THAT THIS GRANT WAS SHARED BY A NUMBER OF LOCAL AGENCIES INCLUDING HEALTH CLINICS AND ART SEMINARS. WHY IS THIS PROGRAM NEEDED IF EFFECTIVE TEACHING ALREADY OCCURS BETWEEN 8 A.M. AND 3 P.M. EACH DAY? AFTERSCHOOL ACTIVITIES ( ART, MUSIC, TUTORING) AND EXTRA-CURRICULAR ATHLETIC PROGRAMS (ENCOURAGED, OF COURSE, TO DISCOURAGE OBESITY), TAKE AWAY FROM HOME STUDY TIME. I DID NOT FEEL REASSURED WHEN REMINDED THAT TEACHERS DID "NOTHING" BUT PREPARE FOR THE MANDATORY GRADE LEVEL TESTS. "YOU JUST CAN'T MAKE THIS STUFF UP," AS RUSH LIMBAUGH OFTEN OBSERVES OF LIBERALS' NON-SEQUITORS AND CONTRATEMPS.

THIS RADIO INFOMERCIAL FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL COMPETENCE CONCLUDED WITH ADVICE TO PARENTS AND STUDENTS ALIKE, "READ, READ, READ." READ AT HOME BEFORE BEDTIME, READ IN THE GROCERY LINES, READ AT THE DINNERTIME, READ EVERY CHANCE YOU GET, THIS PRINCIPAL ADVISED. TO REPHRASE AL FRANKEN , IT WOULD BE 'JUST GOOD' IF SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE, SOMETIME TODAY, TONIGHT OR TOMORROW WOULD HEED THIS MANTRA FOR SUCCESS. I KNOW THAT REALITY SHOUTS THE AWFUL TRUTH ABOUT PUBLIC EDUCATION. THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE OF SO MUCH GOVERNMENT-SPONSORED HELP IS HELPLESSNESS AT THE 'HANDS' OF BULLIES.