I wanted to get some opinions here because it has caused a parent disagreement in my neighboring community.
I don't have a newspaper article on the one here but it was on last night's news on the tube.
The one below is in Texas and describes exactly what the children were told to do here.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/10/13/de...m.ap/index.html
Teaching kids to fight back against classroom invaders
POSTED: 9:42 p.m. EDT, October 13, 2006
BURLESON, Texas (AP) -- Youngsters in a suburban Fort Worth, Texas, school district are being taught not to sit there like good boys and girls with their hands folded if a gunman invades the classroom, but to rush him and hit him with everything they've got -- books, pencils, legs and arms.
(more to this article. click on link for rest...)
Full Version: Is this okay?
QUOTE(kindergarten teacher @ Oct 19 2006, 02:09 PM)
I wanted to get some opinions here because it has caused a parent disagreement in my neighboring community.
I don't have a newspaper article on the one here but it was on last night's news on the tube.
The one below is in Texas and describes exactly what the children were told to do here.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/10/13/de...m.ap/index.html
Teaching kids to fight back against classroom invaders
POSTED: 9:42 p.m. EDT, October 13, 2006
BURLESON, Texas (AP) -- Youngsters in a suburban Fort Worth, Texas, school district are being taught not to sit there like good boys and girls with their hands folded if a gunman invades the classroom, but to rush him and hit him with everything they've got -- books, pencils, legs and arms.
(more to this article. click on link for rest...)
I don't have a newspaper article on the one here but it was on last night's news on the tube.
The one below is in Texas and describes exactly what the children were told to do here.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/10/13/de...m.ap/index.html
Teaching kids to fight back against classroom invaders
POSTED: 9:42 p.m. EDT, October 13, 2006
BURLESON, Texas (AP) -- Youngsters in a suburban Fort Worth, Texas, school district are being taught not to sit there like good boys and girls with their hands folded if a gunman invades the classroom, but to rush him and hit him with everything they've got -- books, pencils, legs and arms.
(more to this article. click on link for rest...)
QUOTE
"If kids are saved, then this is the most wonderful thing in the world. If kids are killed, people are going to wonder who's to blame," she said. "How much common sense will a student have in a time of panic?"
This is my concern. I feel like I don't have enough information on this to make a statement about how this would turn out if large numbers of US school children were taught this method. Maybe it would backfire and more children would end up being killed. It sure sounds better than being herded like sheep to the blackboard and executed one by one.
I'd rather my child be taught to fight back so at least they were fighting back and not just sitting there helplessly while executed. But I'd like to hear what professionals in this area think about this before I would sign my child up for one of these programs.
QUOTE(Gabrielle @ Oct 19 2006, 12:18 PM)
This is my concern. I feel like I don't have enough information on this to make a statement about how this would turn out if large numbers of US school children were taught this method. Maybe it would backfire and more children would end up being killed. It sure sounds better than being herded like sheep to the blackboard and executed one by one.
I'd rather my child be taught to fight back so at least they were fighting back and not just sitting there helplessly while executed. But I'd like to hear what professionals in this area think about this before I would sign my child up for one of these programs.
I'd rather my child be taught to fight back so at least they were fighting back and not just sitting there helplessly while executed. But I'd like to hear what professionals in this area think about this before I would sign my child up for one of these programs.
I think the approach needs more study, but with certain qualifiers I would be willing to consider it.
Depends on the age of the kids...
Older than 12, perhaps... and increasingly as they grow older...
younger than that, and I don't think they're brains are emotionally mature enough...
Would suggest sound training in a martial arts based awareness discipline... my favorite would be aikido...
not so much for technique --- hai-ah! ---
but for mental awareness, coolness under pressure, and making the right choice.
Would suggest serious involvement by a mature cop.
I don't think this kind of thing should be approached lightly...
but if it is going to be done, it can be done correctly.
Older than 12, perhaps... and increasingly as they grow older...
younger than that, and I don't think they're brains are emotionally mature enough...
Would suggest sound training in a martial arts based awareness discipline... my favorite would be aikido...
not so much for technique --- hai-ah! ---
but for mental awareness, coolness under pressure, and making the right choice.
Would suggest serious involvement by a mature cop.
I don't think this kind of thing should be approached lightly...
but if it is going to be done, it can be done correctly.
This is a topic of major importance to me that caused quite a bit of ranker in our family and extended family. My kids were raised in an environment where they were a minority and subject to racial, cultural, a economic prejudice. Kids of our background were routinely bullied, intimidated, and physically harassed. As early as 5 years old... that's right... kindergardeners.
In preschool, the children were not yet able to differentiate between races or socio economic, or cultural differences so the battles on the playground had more to do with possession of toys or accidents.
As early as kindergarden, though, my kids came home and confided with us that had been attacked by other kids because they were a different race, or because they had different clothes or spoke differently. I went to the school and told the teachers that I gave permission to my kids to defend themselves. That they should never start a fight but that if they were physically attacked by anyone, they had my permission to do what ever was necessary to stop the attack. That I had taught my kids how to punch, kick, bite, and scratch and where to apply those techniques. I told my kids they had nothing to fear from me, that I would defend them no matter what the school said or did. The teacher said that was not acceptable. I said that was the way it was going to be as far as I am concerned and walked out.
Funny thing, after that, my kids had very few problems with the other kids at school... sure there were the occasional incidents... but for the most part, parents of the other kid with a bloody nose or a bruised lip met with us in the principals office and it became clear where the prejudice had originated from.
I am not saying this is the solution for all circumstances and that it could have turned out differently... but for me and our situation, it worked out ok. My kids were pretty easy going... I couldn't get them interested in martial arts... one is now an actor the other an artist... But I did not want them to be intimidated or broken down by ignorance or prejudice... that chain must be broken... and I think they did a great job of it.
In preschool, the children were not yet able to differentiate between races or socio economic, or cultural differences so the battles on the playground had more to do with possession of toys or accidents.
As early as kindergarden, though, my kids came home and confided with us that had been attacked by other kids because they were a different race, or because they had different clothes or spoke differently. I went to the school and told the teachers that I gave permission to my kids to defend themselves. That they should never start a fight but that if they were physically attacked by anyone, they had my permission to do what ever was necessary to stop the attack. That I had taught my kids how to punch, kick, bite, and scratch and where to apply those techniques. I told my kids they had nothing to fear from me, that I would defend them no matter what the school said or did. The teacher said that was not acceptable. I said that was the way it was going to be as far as I am concerned and walked out.
Funny thing, after that, my kids had very few problems with the other kids at school... sure there were the occasional incidents... but for the most part, parents of the other kid with a bloody nose or a bruised lip met with us in the principals office and it became clear where the prejudice had originated from.
I am not saying this is the solution for all circumstances and that it could have turned out differently... but for me and our situation, it worked out ok. My kids were pretty easy going... I couldn't get them interested in martial arts... one is now an actor the other an artist... But I did not want them to be intimidated or broken down by ignorance or prejudice... that chain must be broken... and I think they did a great job of it.
QUOTE(wundermaus @ Nov 25 2006, 11:20 AM)
This is a topic of major importance to me that caused quite a bit of ranker in our family and extended family. My kids were raised in an environment where they were a minority and subject to racial, cultural, a economic prejudice. Kids of our background were routinely bullied, intimidated, and physically harassed. As early as 5 years old... that's right... kindergardeners.
In preschool, the children were not yet able to differentiate between races or socio economic, or cultural differences so the battles on the playground had more to do with possession of toys or accidents.
As early as kindergarden, though, my kids came home and confided with us that had been attacked by other kids because they were a different race, or because they had different clothes or spoke differently. I went to the school and told the teachers that I gave permission to my kids to defend themselves. That they should never start a fight but that if they were physically attacked by anyone, they had my permission to do what ever was necessary to stop the attack. That I had taught my kids how to punch, kick, bite, and scratch and where to apply those techniques. I told my kids they had nothing to fear from me, that I would defend them no matter what the school said or did. The teacher said that was not acceptable. I said that was the way it was going to be as far as I am concerned and walked out.
Funny thing, after that, my kids had very few problems with the other kids at school... sure there were the occasional incidents... but for the most part, parents of the other kid with a bloody nose or a bruised lip met with us in the principals office and it became clear where the prejudice had originated from.
I am not saying this is the solution for all circumstances and that it could have turned out differently... but for me and our situation, it worked out ok. My kids were pretty easy going... I couldn't get them interested in martial arts... one is now an actor the other an artist... But I did not want them to be intimidated or broken down by ignorance or prejudice... that chain must be broken... and I think they did a great job of it.
In preschool, the children were not yet able to differentiate between races or socio economic, or cultural differences so the battles on the playground had more to do with possession of toys or accidents.
As early as kindergarden, though, my kids came home and confided with us that had been attacked by other kids because they were a different race, or because they had different clothes or spoke differently. I went to the school and told the teachers that I gave permission to my kids to defend themselves. That they should never start a fight but that if they were physically attacked by anyone, they had my permission to do what ever was necessary to stop the attack. That I had taught my kids how to punch, kick, bite, and scratch and where to apply those techniques. I told my kids they had nothing to fear from me, that I would defend them no matter what the school said or did. The teacher said that was not acceptable. I said that was the way it was going to be as far as I am concerned and walked out.
Funny thing, after that, my kids had very few problems with the other kids at school... sure there were the occasional incidents... but for the most part, parents of the other kid with a bloody nose or a bruised lip met with us in the principals office and it became clear where the prejudice had originated from.
I am not saying this is the solution for all circumstances and that it could have turned out differently... but for me and our situation, it worked out ok. My kids were pretty easy going... I couldn't get them interested in martial arts... one is now an actor the other an artist... But I did not want them to be intimidated or broken down by ignorance or prejudice... that chain must be broken... and I think they did a great job of it.
"I couldn't get them interested in martial arts... one is now an actor, the other an artist..."
Cool... there are many paths...
Being an actor is gotta be a cool way to learn about self, and others, and empathy... and kinesthetics, and movement, and the power of the voice....
(the whole thing about aikido is not the fighting, but the understanding you find about how one carries one's self sends a message to the potential attacker... an art one could learn on the stage, as well... aikido is often spoken of as a dance)
and the artist... well, I'm out of my league talking about that... but buy them both "The Everyday Work of Art" by Eric Booth... [Having been recognized by many educators as an outstanding book, it has been re-published by Authors’ Guild Back-in-Print (iUniverse.com) (ISBN 0-595-19380-3) with the new subtitle “Awakening the Extraordinary in Your Daily Life”.]
Cool... there are many paths...
Being an actor is gotta be a cool way to learn about self, and others, and empathy... and kinesthetics, and movement, and the power of the voice....
(the whole thing about aikido is not the fighting, but the understanding you find about how one carries one's self sends a message to the potential attacker... an art one could learn on the stage, as well... aikido is often spoken of as a dance)
and the artist... well, I'm out of my league talking about that... but buy them both "The Everyday Work of Art" by Eric Booth... [Having been recognized by many educators as an outstanding book, it has been re-published by Authors’ Guild Back-in-Print (iUniverse.com) (ISBN 0-595-19380-3) with the new subtitle “Awakening the Extraordinary in Your Daily Life”.]
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