Thursday 23 November 2006

The difference 33 years make

Then and Now...It's going to get worse before it gets better!

Scenario: Jack pulls into his high school parking lot with shotgun in gunrack.

1973 - Vice Principal comes over, takes a look at Jack's shotgun, goes tohis car and gets his to show Jack.  They discuss hunting and the shootingsports and agree to hunt Jack's dad's farm for pheasant later in the week.

2006 - School goes into lockdown, local police and the FBI called, Jackhauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again.  Counselorscalled in for traumatized students and teachers.

Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.

1973 - Crowd gathers.  Mark wins.  Johnny and Mark shake hands and end upbest friends.  Nobody goes to jail, nobody arrested, nobody expelled.

2006 - Police called, SWAT team arrives, arrests Johnny and Mark.  Chargethem with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it.  Bothstudents forced to attend mandatory counseling for "bullying" and "conflictresolution."

Scenario: Jeffrey won't be still in class, disrupts other students.

1973 - Jeffrey sent to office and given a good paddling by Principal.Sits still in class.

2006 - Jeffrey given huge doses of Ritalin.  Becomes a zombie.  Schoolgets xtra money from state because Jeffrey has a disability.

Scenario: Willy breaks a window in his father's car and his Dad gives him a whipping.

1973 - Willy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college,and becomes a successful businessman.

2006 - Willy's Dad is arrested for child abuse.  Willy removed to fostercare and joins a gang.  Willy's sister is told by state psychologist thatshe remembers being abused herself and their Dad goes to prison.  Willy'smom goes on Welfare.

Scenario: Mark gets a headache and takes some headache medicine to school.

1973 - Mark shares headache medicine with Principal out on the smoking dock.
2006 - Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug violations.  Car searched for drugs and weapons.

Scenario:Bonnie turns up pregnant.

1973 - 5 High School Boys leave town.  Bonnie does her senior year at aspecial school for expectant mothers.

2006 - Middle School Counselor calls Planned Parenthood, who notifies theACLU.  Bonnie is driven to the next state over and gets an abortionwithout her parent's consent or knowledge.  Bonnie given condoms and toldto be more careful next time.

Scenario:Juan fails high school English.
1973: Juan goes to summer school, passes English, goes to college.

2006: Juan's cause is taken up by state Democrat Party.  Newspaperarticles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as arequirement for graduation is racist.  ACLU files class action lawsuitagainst state school system and Juan's English teacher.  English bannedfrom core curriculum.  Juan given diploma anyway but ends up selling drugs for a living because he can't speak English.

Scenario: Kevin takes apart leftover firecrackers from the 4th of July,puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, blows up a red ant bed.
1973 - Ants die.

2006 - BATF, Homeland Security, FBI called.  Kevin charged with domesticterrorism, FBI investigates parents, siblings removed from home, computersconfiscated, Kevin's Dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowedto fly again.


Scenario: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee.He is found crying by his teacher, Mary.  Mary, hugs him to comfort himand cleans and bandages his scrape.

1973 - In a short time Johnny feels better and goes on playing.

2006 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job.  She faces 3 years in State Prison.  School reassesses studies the "problem"and decides children might get hurt during recess.  School cancels allrecess in the future because children may take part in "harmfulactivities" during recess.

7 comments:

  1. Lessons to be learned .not all changes have been for the best ...love Jan xx

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  2. Interesting entry. Very true, also.

    I hope you're having a good day, and I also want to thank you for keeping mein Herz in mind and leaving those supportive comments for me. It means a lot.

    Morgan
    xx
    http://journals.aol.com/Sneezy7125/RandomThoughts

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  3. My friend's sons came home from school one day saying that they had been to a seminar, & been given various #'s of different agencies to report 'wayward adults'. I told them that this did not bode well for me since many considered me to be a  'wayward adult'. ~Mary

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  4. I was just starting high school in 1973.  That's exactly how it was.  Now it's just insane, huh?
    Pam

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  5. All very much true, I'm afraid.  I know when we were in High school, so many boys deer hunted and squirrel hunted.  Many up before dawn to go two hours before school.   When boys would get in fights, the principal would take them to the gym and put them in boxing gloves.  Let them get their anger out, and yes they'd walk away friends.  I see so much tension building up in children and teens these days.  I think it is primarily because the adults all around them are making such a fuss over every item of life.  -  Barbara
    http://journals.aol.com/bhbner2him/LifeFaithinCaneyhead/  

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  6. My how things have changed...I was shocked and amazed by the changes at my high school when I visited there a month or so ago.  I've been out of high school since 1960 so we are talking about some very BIG changes.  Linda in Washington state            

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  7. Ah the signs of the times.  As someone said earlier in your comments, not all change is good.  What a sad sad statement.
    Barb  

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