S/O of inappropriate school thread.

[KidsHappen]

In regards to the slavery simulation situation; as middle schoolers, how many of you would have said, "I don't think so!"? Am I the only trouble maker? There were a few times in school when I made it perfectly clear, in no uncertain terms that I would not be participating in an activity or that school personel were not to lay a hand on me. My three oldest went to school at least some and they were all instructed that they could do the same and I have no doubt that they would have done so should the situation have warrented it. My current sixth grader has received the same instructions but I am not so confident that she would not just go with the flow.

[swellmomma]

I would have said no way. Back in middle school we marked each other's papers then had to call out the grade to the teacher when he called our name. One day several students were talking too much for him to hear the grades being called out so he gave anyone a zero. This irked me as I received 100% on that assignment. SO he went on to assign the next lesson, and I simply closed my books, put them on the floor and put my head down on my desk. When the teacher asked why I wasn't doing my work I simply said "What is the point if you will just give it a zero even if I do it?" End of discussion.

 

I was typically very very quiet, and a goody-two shoes but if I thought something was unfair I would speak up and would have done so if someone tried to tie me up etc. I know by highschool I would have done more than just speak up and likely would have fought back physically. As a middle schooler I wasn't that confident yet.

[Aggie]

Unfortunately, I would have gone along with the entire project.:sad:

[sassenach]

Unfortunately, I would have gone along with the entire project.:sad:

 

Me too.

[Colleen]

Am I the only trouble maker?

 

Do you even need to ask?;)

[Ria]

 

Do you even need to ask?;)

 

LOL.

 

Ricola

[Chelle in MO]

In 9th grade, my physical science teacher decided to demonstrate something by jerking my desk (w/attached chair) forward. I stood up after he first did it and he said, "Sit down, Lastname!" I said, "As soon as you finish doing whatever you're doing with my desk, I'll sit back down." He said, "Oh, I'm finished. Sit down." I did.

 

It was kind of funny because I was a "good girl", but I just couldn't take that!

 

Chelle

[Alicia64]

I can't seem to find the original thread on this subject.

 

If this really happened with two hours of listening to whipping recordings the media would be all over it and it would likely go onto a national site.

 

Where did this happen? Has the media been contacted?

 

Alicia

[Desert Rat]

I don't know if I would have or not.

My high school world history teachers (it was a double class) did an experiment. We had daily logs we turned in once a week. It was a long piece of paper. One day 5 of 60 students had a small yellow square stapled to theirs. If you were caught talking to a person with a yellow square, you received one and they received a blue. A yellow square meant you only got 8 of 10 possible points for each day. Blue only 6. And so forth. It escalated with a final result of a black square and zero points. The parents were informed beforehand and the grades weren't truly affected. We thought they were and were very upset but we said nothing. After 3 weeks the experiment ended with the teachers explaining that this is why the Nazis were so powerful in WWII Europe. To successfully win the experiment, every single person would have had to stand up and denounce what we thought was unfair. This pair of teachers had done this experiment every 4 years (so kids didn't catch wind of it-it was a 3 year high school) for 20 years and only once did the class win.

It did teach me a valuable lesson and have since never said "I would never let that happen." It was just too easy to go with the flow and try to save myself. I do understand that this experiment in no way compares to the atrocities under the Nazi regime only to state that this was a simple example of how easily we could get ourselves into a big, big mess.

I would love to say that I would be the one to stand up and declare that what's going on was wrong but at that age I was a follower and too concerned with pleasing adults. I've since gotten better at that.

If I had been in the class with the slave reenactment, I would have felt awful but I would have probably gone along with it for fear of making my teachers mad or getting a bad grade.

[Colleen]

Ricola

 

Ahh, the memories!:D

[C_l_e_0..Q_c]

I know I would not have protested the re-enactment, but I did talk back to a teacher once..

 

Grade 10, physics teacher, the only male in the Catholic school for girls. First time in my life I had a male teacher. First exam comes. I feel very confident I have everything right. I'm expecting a 100%. When he hands out the papers the following week, I have one exercise completely wrong. I'm flabbergasted, deflated, depressed.

 

He spends the class going over the exam. He finally gets to the one I got wrong. His explanations don't make sense to me. I go to the front of the class without raising my hand first. I take the chalk from his hand without asking. I do the problem my way, and ask him quite boldly why is my way wrong. He explains. It still doesn't make sense to me. I stomp my foot in frustration... on his foot.. He howls. The class laughs... the bell rings... ooops.. I then realise how carried away I had been, and I want to disappear...

 

The next day he came to me and apologized. I was right, he was wrong. YEAH me!

[KristenS]

I honestly don't know what I would've done. There were times in school where I did speak out ... but there were also many more times where I didn't. I was an easily intimidated student, too afraid of being a 'troublemaker'.

 

I will say, I would be more likely to have spoken out on behalf of someone else than on my own behalf.

[HRAAB]

No, I would not have gone along with it. I have real issues with being touched by people without my permission. I have one dd who would probably go along with it and another who would be screaming, kicking and scratching.

 

And my dad would have backed me up 100%, just as we'd back up our dd.

 

Janet

Edited March 2, 2009 by Ishki

[KidsHappen]

 

Do you even need to ask?;)

 

Nope. :tongue_smilie:

[AuntieM]

Yes, I would have obeyed the teachers. But I would have had a veeeeerrrry bad feeling about the whole thing.

 

As a tenth grader, or thereafter? No way. I seemed to find my voice and a real level of confidence somewhere in my freshman year. But as a new middle schooler, I would have conformed. But the trust, respect, and any affection I felt for those teachers would have been utterly destroyed.

[AndyJoy]

When I told my dh about this situation, his first question was, "So how many teachers got hurt?" He couldn't believe that a large group of them didn't fight it! Both he and I would have resisted at that age--heck, I probably would have called the police!

[Tree House Academy]

When I was in Middle School, I was wrongly accused by a substitute of hiding her keys and was sent to the principal for detention. Being the little sprite I was at the time, I told her, as I was being led away to detention (for the crime I didn't commit!) ...and I quote here... "I will track you down...don't let me catch you out somewhere..." So yes, I am sure I would have had no problem saying "oh, hell no!" if that is how I felt. I was a total trouble maker. My best friend in middle school, however, would have said not one word. I think that is how we became best friends, I was the big mouth...she was the quiet one. ;)

 

Of course, there was also the time I threw my best friend's ex boyfriend's class ring in the lunch room trash can, the time I cursed at my teacher about 3 inches from her face, the time I skipped detention and left the school premesis with a boy...gosh, I could go on here, but I will stop now. Don't even get me started on highschool. Man, I was NOT a good kid...at....all. My poor mother!

 

Hehe...reading through some of the other threads, I just have to share this. My junior year, my Principal (private school) was also my English teacher. Well, I was the top student in English, hands down and most everyone knew it. My boyfriend, at the time, was good at EVERYTHING. He never made a *B* in his life. So, my teacher assigns some paper, we all hand it in, and the next day she hands all of the papers back, except mine. Even my straight A boyfriend got his paper back. We all sit there and wait for her to explain. She explains that she wanted something something done and that I was the ONLY one who did it correctly and everyone in the class other than me has to re-do the entire paper. There was mass chos and groaning. But what do I do? Do I keep my mouth shut and thank God I didn't have to re-do the paper? Oh heck no! I start ranting and raving on behalf of the class and my little boyfriend and I get myself some time in the office. The principal (whom I still talk to even now) knew what a total trouble maker I was, but as we sat in her office she said, "Becky...I am sorry, but this latest tirade even has ME confused! You were the only one who did NOT have to re-do your paper! Why the protest?" I looked up at her with a little grin and said, "and you think I am going to sit there and be the goody-two-shoes perfect one while the whole class gets mad at me? Ha! Think again. I would much rather they stay mad at YOU." Her response? And to this day, I just love her level-headedness. "Detention, tomorrow." I get up to leave, she says, "oh, and Becky...good point."

 

LOL

Edited March 2, 2009 by Tree House Academy

[AuntieM]

affect our willingness to conform... just wondering if there's any correlation.

 

I was a 6th grader in 1974-75.

 

If someone wants to set up a poll, we may see interesting results. Or maybe not, just speculating...

[Tree House Academy]

affect our willingness to conform... just wondering if there's any correlation.

 

I was a 6th grader in 1974-75.

 

If someone wants to set up a poll, we may see interesting results. Or maybe not, just speculating...

 

I think you could be right. I was 11 (6th grade) in 1990-1991.

[peachskittles]

I really don't know...My school was ALL about putting things up close and personal though and I just got used to it...Ya know, the smoking presentation showing the good lungs/bad lungs...Or maybe the presentation showing people getting scraped off of whatever because of drunk driving or the mutilated bodies on roads/in cars/etc...Or even the play to show us all about date rape (it was considered educational and I totally disagreed)...This one always threw me for a loop...Obviously it was a group that went to the schools and performed this not just random 7th/8th graders doing it BUT it was very, very disturbing to say the least...

 

And yes all this took place within a two year period (7th/8th grade)...Parents were notified AFTER the event...Of course the school didn't want any parents disrupting their presentations...Imagine 9-12th grade at that school...I kinda just went and sat through whatever it was for the next 3 years (I had issues that made me unable to finish my senior year there)...I didn't really pay attention anymore...What they thought was educational was extremely disturbing/gross/etc...

 

I remember they even did a few mock things in the parking lot as well for a more visual effect (one for drunk driving and I think another was a mock bombing scenario)...

[Suzanne in ABQ]

Hey! We're the same age! I would definitely have gone along with whatever I was told I was "supposed" to do. I probably would have been traumatized, but I wouldn't have told anyone. It was probably no worse that what I witnessed at home (sad to say). 30 years later, something probably would have happened to trigger the memory, and I would have ended up in therapy. :)

[Guest Katia]

I am wondering if perhaps our inability to conform to our own school experiences is why we make such good homeschoolers?

 

Ok, for the poll: I was 6-8 grades in 1972-1974 (12yo-14yo)

 

Would I have resisted? Oh yeah. Loudly, long and unrelenting. And I assure you I would have kicked or bitten any teacher that tried to stop me. With NO hesitation.

 

Even as young as a 9yo 3rd grader, I stood up to my teacher when she was giving out inappropriate (to my 9yo mind) discipline. Someone had taken a crayon out of the crayon box she kept on her desk. One of those really nice large boxes with all the color, kwim? Teacher wanted to know who had taken it and not replaced it, but no one in the class would own-up to it.....so teacher got her ruler and went down the each aisle of desks slapping each child's hands with the ruler because "someone in this room took the crayon and so everyone gets punished".

 

When she got to me, I grabbed the ruler out of her hands before she could slap me.....and quick as a wink smacked her hands a good one. She was shocked beyond belief. I wouldn't give her the ruler back...but told her "if everyone is guilty, you are too."

 

She walked back to her desk, sat down and moved on to the next thing without another word. The kids that were after my desk were SO happy with me.

 

I did tell my mom as soon as I got home. She told me I had done the right thing and not to worry, so I didn't. My mom never heard from the school or the teacher....guess the teacher knew she was wrong as well.

 

This is just one early example. I never, ever thought that teachers were absolute authority. I still don't. I had to respect the power they had, but I questioned it every step of the way. And I have taught my dc to do the same.

 

Nope. I'd never have taken that without a good fight. Several of those teachers would have been missing hair, had black eyes, swollen crotches, and bleeding teeth. For sure.

 

And if it had been my CHILD that a teacher had done this to......I'd have pressed charges the same day/evening. Yep.

[swellmomma]

I am wondering if perhaps our inability to conform to our own school experiences is why we make such good homeschoolers?

 

Ok, for the poll: I was 6-8 grades in 1972-1974 (12yo-14yo)

 

Would I have resisted? Oh yeah. Loudly, long and unrelenting. And I assure you I would have kicked or bitten any teacher that tried to stop me. With NO hesitation.

 

Even as young as a 9yo 3rd grader, I stood up to my teacher when she was giving out inappropriate (to my 9yo mind) discipline. Someone had taken a crayon out of the crayon box she kept on her desk. One of those really nice large boxes with all the color, kwim? Teacher wanted to know who had taken it and not replaced it, but no one in the class would own-up to it.....so teacher got her ruler and went down the each aisle of desks slapping each child's hands with the ruler because "someone in this room took the crayon and so everyone gets punished".

 

When she got to me, I grabbed the ruler out of her hands before she could slap me.....and quick as a wink smacked her hands a good one. She was shocked beyond belief. I wouldn't give her the ruler back...but told her "if everyone is guilty, you are too."

 

She walked back to her desk, sat down and moved on to the next thing without another word. The kids that were after my desk were SO happy with me.

 

I did tell my mom as soon as I got home. She told me I had done the right thing and not to worry, so I didn't. My mom never heard from the school or the teacher....guess the teacher knew she was wrong as well.

 

This is just one early example. I never, ever thought that teachers were absolute authority. I still don't. I had to respect the power they had, but I questioned it every step of the way. And I have taught my dc to do the same.

 

Nope. I'd never have taken that without a good fight. Several of those teachers would have been missing hair, had black eyes, swollen crotches, and bleeding teeth. For sure.

 

And if it had been my CHILD that a teacher had done this to......I'd have pressed charges the same day/evening. Yep.

 

Well as far as a poll goes I was in middle school(which around here is grades 7-9) from 1989-1992. In my case I was in the same school from gr 2-9 and had A LOT of teachers that were down right bullies to the students. My mom came in and tore into my 4th grade teacher in front of the whole class, 6th grade she had it out with my teacher again, so by 7th grade I had learned to not put up with their games.

 

As for my own kids, my ds would have gone along with it but would have had to be hospitalized afterwards, he was tied to a chair everyday for 2 weeks in daycare when he was 3 because they couldn't cope with his special needs (he was virtually non-verbal so it took 2 weeks to find out), an exercise like this would have brought back that time for him, coupled with his anxiety disorder and such I would have had a very broken boy on my hands. My dd on the other hand would likely have caused serious damage to anyone who tried to tie her up. In K her kindy teacher dragged her down the hall by the wrists, my dd put up such a fight the teacher threw out her back and had to take the rest of the school year off. If she can cause that much damage at the age of 5, I can only imagine what she would have done in middle school. There is times when I am happy she has the mouth on her she does. She has also avoided an attempted kidnapping 2 years ago thanks to her refusal to see adults as authority figures, again one of those times I am so grateful she is who she is.

 

I think you are right that for some of us the refusal to conform (or for our chldren's refusal to do so) is what makes us good homeschoolers.

[mazakaal]

I'm sorry to say that I probably would not have fought back. I only remember 2 instances of talking back to teachers in my entire schooling.

 

I had to go through a similar, though not nearly so bad, simulation when I was in middle school. They were trying to make people realize what it was like for blacks in the civil rights era. They set up certain bathrooms and water fountains that were 'brown eyes only' - no one with blue eyes could use them. Those of us with blue eyes couldn't sit in most parts of the cafeteria - we were segregated. Of course, I had blue eyes and was one of the ones who got 'discriminated against'. It was totally unfair and really stupid because only those of us with blue eyes (what maybe 10% of the kids) actually got to feel what it was like to be discriminated against. The rest got nothing out of the experiment other than a feeling of superiority.

 

Anyway, I never spoke out against it. Of course, it wasn't nearly as bad as the 'tied up and left to lie under the stairs for 2 hours' simulation. But I doubt I would have said anything to that either. I was way too quiet and shy.

[TeacherZee]

I would have protested. I was well known at all my schools for speaking up when I thought someone was being mistreated.

 

Oh and I was in grades 6-8 in 1993-1996.

Edited March 2, 2009 by TeacherZee

[Dooley]

Someone mentioned a Nazi lesson.

 

I remember a movie, based on a true story, in which a large group of "not quite" prisoners had to watch the torture and eventual death of a man. In the audience was his son. His son later said that there were only 3 guards and about 150 "prisoners". He could not understand why he sat and watched them slowly kill his own father because their numbers far outweighed their captors. It was a horrible group mentality that allowed it, fear-that froze people into inaction. All it would have taken was one or two people to turn the tables - alas, so many times it is not the case. Fear, in its many forms can freeze people.

[Pamela H in Texas]

I am one that would have just cried. (middle school aged in 1986-1989)

 

In fact, I went ice skating with a group when I was 13. A man came up to me, hanging on me. I said something to him but I was definitely mousy. I did tell the adults that were with me, but mostly I was just traumatized.

 

My own daughter would make him sorry he ever considered messing with her. SHe's EXTREMELY quiet and generally very shy. But she would never put up with someone manhandling her.

 

So there CAN be a balance I guess :)

 

BTW, though generally I am STILL a wimp, I would have spoken up IMMEDIATELY in the situation given. No child of mine would be victimized in any way and something not done about it.

Edited March 2, 2009 by 2J5M9K

[elegantlion]

I would have gone along with the even as a middle school student, junior high back in the day. By high school we would have made it a joke and frustrated the teachers too badly. I'm a follower, not someone who likes to stand out. I was also spineless back then, but that's another post. 6th grade was 1978-79 for me.

[MamaT]

I was in 6th-9th grade in 1975-1977. I grew up in a small town and knew well or was related to most of my teachers. I definitely would have fought back, and my parents would have been in someone's living room that evening. The only policeman in town when I was growing up was my bil's brother.

[Kim in Appalachia]

I was not a strong enough person to defy authority. I would have went along, cried the whole time, had nightmares for weeks, if not months, and been angry and bitter for a very long time.

 

 

I still can't believe they do those "reenactments" with kids.

[HRAAB]

I also would think a lot of a student's ability to stand up for him/herself would depend on whether their parents would support them. I would have known, absolutely, without a doubt, in this kind of case that my father would have been 100% be hind me. If I was just mouthing off and being rude, I would not have had his support.

 

In dh's case, his parents were the type 'the teachers are the authority, you do whatever they say, they know better.....'. He would have been in trouble at home for defying authority. His parent might very well not have approved of the exercise, but they would expect their son to do what the teachers told him.

 

I was in 6th gr in 1971/72; dh in 1969/1970.

 

Janet

[dirty ethel rackham]

Me, too. I would have been too scared to buck authority.

[dirty ethel rackham]

Same here. Conformist in the 70's. Older siblings, however, were not, but they were products of the 60's.

[mo2]

Unfortunately, I would have gone along with the entire project.:sad:

 

Me too. I went through most of my life thinking that I should not make waves.

[Gretchen in NJ]

I can't seem to find the original thread on this subject.

 

If this really happened with two hours of listening to whipping recordings the media would be all over it and it would likely go onto a national site.

 

Where did this happen? Has the media been contacted?

 

Alicia

:iagree: Good Point. Fox News would have been all over a story like this.

[FO4UR]

I would have peed my pants in defiance!!!:tongue_smilie:

[catalinakel]

When I was in Middle School, I was wrongly accused by a substitute of hiding her keys and was sent to the principal for detention. Being the little sprite I was at the time, I told her, as I was being led away to detention (for the crime I didn't commit!) ...and I quote here... "I will track you down...don't let me catch you out somewhere..." So yes, I am sure I would have had no problem saying "oh, hell no!" if that is how I felt. I was a total trouble maker. My best friend in middle school, however, would have said not one word. I think that is how we became best friends, I was the big mouth...she was the quiet one. ;)

 

Of course, there was also the time I threw my best friend's ex boyfriend's class ring in the lunch room trash can, the time I cursed at my teacher about 3 inches from her face, the time I skipped detention and left the school premesis with a boy...gosh, I could go on here, but I will stop now. Don't even get me started on highschool. Man, I was NOT a good kid...at....all. My poor mother!

 

Hehe...reading through some of the other threads, I just have to share this. My junior year, my Principal (private school) was also my English teacher. Well, I was the top student in English, hands down and most everyone knew it. My boyfriend, at the time, was good at EVERYTHING. He never made a *B* in his life. So, my teacher assigns some paper, we all hand it in, and the next day she hands all of the papers back, except mine. Even my straight A boyfriend got his paper back. We all sit there and wait for her to explain. She explains that she wanted something something done and that I was the ONLY one who did it correctly and everyone in the class other than me has to re-do the entire paper. There was mass chos and groaning. But what do I do? Do I keep my mouth shut and thank God I didn't have to re-do the paper? Oh heck no! I start ranting and raving on behalf of the class and my little boyfriend and I get myself some time in the office. The principal (whom I still talk to even now) knew what a total trouble maker I was, but as we sat in her office she said, "Becky...I am sorry, but this latest tirade even has ME confused! You were the only one who did NOT have to re-do your paper! Why the protest?" I looked up at her with a little grin and said, "and you think I am going to sit there and be the goody-two-shoes perfect one while the whole class gets mad at me? Ha! Think again. I would much rather they stay mad at YOU." Her response? And to this day, I just love her level-headedness. "Detention, tomorrow." I get up to leave, she says, "oh, and Becky...good point."

 

LOL

 

Reminds me of the time I refuted Camus using the Bible in my Philosophy class...all the teacher could say(what she wrote for comment and grade) was, A...well said.

[mommaduck]

Yep, I stood up for myself on more than one occasion, didn't have parents who would, and in the end of 4yrs had to get my GED because of a teacher getting back at me. She also was the same teacher that slapped me and got away with it, but not the only teacher that I protested. This was the same school the suspended me because I socked a guy that got physically aggressive with me in Art class. The principal was out, so the "good ole boy's club" was in charge. How dare a female stand up for herself (in a school where a previous MALE principal hit on underpriviledged girls, watching Cheers was a daily event in business management amoungst rumours of the teacher and female students, english and shop turned into explanations on the Kuma Sutra, and everything except the Science classes were a joke....is it no wonder I homeschool my kids?).

[Murphy101]

and I would have been ostracised for it.

but probably wouldn't have cared.

most likely you would have found me:

a. in a corner with a book

b. off to the side, tripping them in the dark

c. near the door ready to bolt if they went power nuts on me - seriously there's always one kid who just loves that kind of thing, kwim?

d. people watching and laughing to myself about what I saw/heard

e. telling off a teacher who was trying to make me conform while annoying her with my points about what was inaccurate about the whole thing.

[mommaduck]

and I would have been ostracised for it.

but probably wouldn't have cared.

most likely you would have found me:

a. in a corner with a book

b. off to the side, tripping them in the dark

c. near the door ready to bolt if they went power nuts on me - seriously there's always one kid who just loves that kind of thing, kwim?

d. people watching and laughing to myself about what I saw/heard

e. telling off a teacher who was trying to make me conform while annoying her with my points about what was inaccurate about the whole thing.

My long lost Twin! (Minus the tripping people bit...would that make us good twin/bad twin?) :lol:

[Pamela H in Texas]

(note: I do not remember who the original poster was and cannot find the thread. Obviously that could make me feel bad for posting the following. I'm just asking since it's practically anonymous to me at this point).

 

so is it possible it's a hoax?

 

Yesterday, I did find a site about it but saying CPS said they couldn't do anything about it <huh?>. But I REALLY think that out of 40 students and their parents that SOMEONE has the sense to contact the authorities and WHOEVER else to make sure it is dealt with.

 

I'm surprised this isn't on EVERY news channel and news website by now.

[Murphy101]

so is it possible it's a hoax?

 

Yesterday, I did find a site about it but saying CPS said they couldn't do anything about it <huh?>. But I REALLY think that out of 40 students and their parents that SOMEONE has the sense to contact the authorities and WHOEVER else to make sure it is dealt with.

 

I'm surprised this isn't on EVERY news channel and news website by now.

 

sure it's possible...

 

but it wouldn't surprise me if it wasn't either...

 

when I think of all the things I didn't even think to tell adults when I was a kid...

 

yikes.

 

and it has nothing to do with kids trusting their parents or feeling free to speak up either.

 

kids just have a very different perspective on what is worthy of worry than adults.

 

to a kid if they lived through it and no blood was shed (heck I wouldn't have even noticed the blood loss!) then it's not worthy of making a fuss over. Just another day in the rat race...

[Murphy101]

My long lost Twin! (Minus the tripping people bit...would that make us good twin/bad twin?) :lol:

 

maybe it just makes me the more "in your face" twin and you the quiet twin?:lol:

 

you know they say it's the quiet ones you have to watch out for more...;)

[Snickerdoodle]

so is it possible it's a hoax?

 

I'm surprised this isn't on EVERY news channel and news website by now.

 

I think this is the key point. These are recently pubescent age kids who are very vulnerable. Many of them probably did not even tell their parents because of conflicting feelings of trying to maintain a sense of independence and "I can handle it" to "that can't be right!".

 

They are at an age of heightened peer dependence and I guessing by reading the previous replies to this thread that many of the kids don't feel like being the one to cause a ruckus.

 

The OP of the original thread did say that when she called the mother of her child's friend the next day that this parent still had not heard of it.

[katemary63]

I know for a fact that I would never have let anyone tie my hands and feet and neither would my kids. I find that aspect of the story a little hard to believe and am anxious for some sort of confirmation that that actually happened.

 

My oldest 2 spent 2 years at an Assemblies Of God Christian high school. We are not charismatics, but that was the only Christian high school available to us and it was a VERY good school. During some worship times, it was expected that the students get down on their knees or even lay prone on the floor. Other times, it was expected that the students lift their hands or move in some other way. We have no problem with this type of worship. It is just not how MY kids worship. My DD and DS did not participate and you would not believe the flack they got from teachers. Dirty looks, threats etc. But everytime, they simply sat in their chair and ignored it. One teacher even walked up to my DS and with an angry look on his face, pointed to the floor as if to say, "Get down!" My DS ignored him and stared steight ahead. At one event, while ALL other students were on the floor and mine were sitting in their seats, the guest speaker even piped in and vocalized that if you were NOT "on the floor before the Lord" you were NOT worshiping him properly. At another gathering, a leader tried to intimidate my daughter into speaking in toungues, even though she stated clearly that she was not interested in that. She did not participate.

 

My kids were not trying to cause trouble or even make a point. They simply worship in a different way and refused to do what other's insisted they do when it wasn't right for them. It didn't really bother them too much, although it made them angry with and loose respect for the teachers who targeted them. Actually, they loved this school in spite of this experience.

 

Disclaimer! This is in no way a comment about the Assembies of God denomination or those who worship in a charismatic style. This is ONLY an example of how my children rejected inaproptiate intimidation by school leaders and did not participate. I have lots of AOG friends!

Edited March 2, 2009 by katemary63

[mommaduck]

maybe it just makes me the more "in your face" twin and you the quiet twin?:lol:

 

you know they say it's the quiet ones you have to watch out for more...;)

 

Like that better...and very true *wiggles eyebrows*

[mommaduck]

I think this is the key point. These are recently pubescent age kids who are very vulnerable. Many of them probably did not even tell their parents because of conflicting feelings of trying to maintain a sense of independence and "I can handle it" to "that can't be right!".

 

They are at an age of heightened peer dependence and I guessing by reading the previous replies to this thread that many of the kids don't feel like being the one to cause a ruckus.

 

The OP of the original thread did say that when she called the mother of her child's friend the next day that this parent still had not heard of it.

My mama and stepdad would have just told me I was lying (and no, I wasn't a liar as a kid...they just had this idea that since I wasn't "his" kid that anything that happened to me must have been because of "something you did to deserve it").

[Snickerdoodle]

My mama and stepdad would have just told me I was lying (and no, I wasn't a liar as a kid...they just had this idea that since I wasn't "his" kid that anything that happened to me must have been because of "something you did to deserve it").

:grouphug:

 

Yes, I didn't even consider the group of kids who had extenuating circumstances at home which would make them not tell their parents.

 

This is why the whole thing is so infuriating to me.

[Peek a Boo]

But I REALLY think that out of 40 students and their parents that SOMEONE has the sense to contact the authorities and WHOEVER else to make sure it is dealt with.

 

I'm surprised this isn't on EVERY news channel and news website by now.

 

...says the parent who is independent enough to homeschool ;)

 

Remember --most parents who send their students to a school have a few things at stake, and I can see any one or several of these situations applying to every family:

 

1. they don't want their student catching flak from the teachers or other students since they know their kid will have to keep attending;

 

2. they are really trying to TRUST that the adults watching their kids aren't complete wackos, and calling them to the carpet on this undermines that. For them, "contacting the authorities" means talking w/ the school itself, not the media or police. i see that as talking to the fox about guarding the henhouse, but that's just me;

 

3. the kids don't want to make an issue out of it, and since we already know how many child-centric parents are out there, they would actually refuse to do anything and "let the kids handle it their way" out of some twisted form of "respect."

 

4. Like the OP, there might be specific issues and concerns about the individual child, and parents might not want to subject their child to the interviewing that would be necessary.

 

After a situation like this, i expect there's quite a few kids freaked out or in denial about it.

Freaked out = don't subject child to more trauma.

In denial = parents aren't told.

 

There's is a HUGE realm of control when it comes to group-think. There are articles, cases, and entire psychological books written exploring the pitfalls and dangers of group mentality. Homeschoolers tend to be more aware of that than others, which is why we avoid the group-think atmosphere ;)

[Bee]

I might have gone home and said something but I grew up in the 70's.I thought all adults could be trusted to do what was right for children. I thought all adults were wise because, well, most of the adults I knew at home were. It wasn't until I got to middle school (5th grade through 8th) that I started seeing adults, mostly teachers, do and say things that were unfair and unjust and started to put those little seeds of rebellion in me that made me decide not to send my children to school. I never really realized that I could sasy no to a teacher. Now Dh, on the other hand, would have fought it all just because he could.