In elementary school, if you got in trouble during class, you were sent to the principal’s office. But in Texas, you’ll get a Class C misdemeanor ticket from school police officers, even if you’re six years old. That means your family has to pay the fine and take the trip to court.
According to a nonprofit group report, “school police issued 1,000 tickets to elementary school children in 10 school districts.” The most common reasons for issuing the tickets are “disorderly conduct” and “leaving school without permission.” African-American students and special education students seem to be ticketed the most.
Though some may say that this kind of punishment is more effective discipline because it is much more serious than a trip to the principal’s office, I find it rather ridiculous that such young children are getting ticketed because they are still learning about how to behave properly. But rather than voicing all of my own opinions about this, I would like to hear everyone else’s thoughts – do you think this is too harsh? Do you think (like me) that this is just a moneymaking scheme? Or do you think this is a great idea?
9 comments:
I find this absolutely crazy. It's almost laughable. An elementary school student being FINED and having to go to COURT for misbehaving in class? I guess this is a way to scare children into behaving well and staying in school, but these punishments simply don't fit their "crimes." To me, this seems like stripping young ones of their childhood. What's next - suing babies for crying during a movie?
I see from the school's eyes that they are trying to invoke tremendous fear into the children so they learn that the actions they are getting in trouble for are bad; however, they have brought it to a whole new level. As a child i remember if i ever got sent to the principals i would become scared and worried of getting in trouble and that was enough to keep me from not doing what i got in trouble for. Giving children, ages ranging from 5-8, tickets for petty things, that they haven't learned yet is wrong is horrible. These children are being treated as if they committed a crime and in truth they didn't. This plan i feel will more than invoke fear in the children for a short period of time, i feel they will fear to live life because they will fear serious consequences for petty actions.
Also, why are black children and mentally disabled children the ones getting the most tickets? Mentally disabled children wouldn't even understand this and are not in control of their actions. They can treat them like they are committing these things on purpose because they aren't though.
Another thing to add is that i feel parents will be so fed p with their children receiving tickets for stupid things that they just may remove them from school because it is costing too much just to keep them there because they are being charged outrageous amounts for being kids.
Yes, I agree with you Sarah. I think that it is too harsh for young kids to be receiving any punishment from the police. To a child, the police are very scary and almost surreal/scary and they won't be able to cope with it. Psychologically we are still developing and though reinforcement/punishment techniques are useful (AP Psych!) this form of positive punishment might be the needle that "breaks the camel's back" in being too strict for such a young age! Now 8th graders and up...maybe...
I thought it was a joke when I first read the title! It definitely shouldn't be legal to fine six year olds. Kids at that age are still learning to control their behavior. Plus, elementary school children still have a healthy amount of respect for authority figures; police officers and court cases are really unnecessary.
Children in general should not have to worry about adult issues like misdemeanors and court. Childhood is suppose to be about learning boundaries in an environment where they are safe and having kids running in and out of courthouses before they really understand the ropes of society will only expose the kids to more danger. I know the kids will not die because they go to a court house but placing children in an environment where a parent or guardian has little control is not a good idea for a punishment, too many things can go wrong. If the school really wants to scare the children then they should take a field trip to the local police department and show the children the holding cells. When I realized that in jail the policemen watch you go pee I vowed never to get arrested and so far its worked. Anyway his system above all is a waste of time. Why make the children go to court when there are quicker and more effective ways to deal with disciplinary issues.
This is completely insane! I can't believe that this is the way they decide to punish kids for their misbehavior. They're only kids! Like Sarah mentioned on the post, they're still learning and growing, they should not be punished for learning even if they are misbehaving. If anything, I think the trip to the principal's office is the right type of punishment for young kids. And not only are the kids getting punished, but also the parents, because I'm sure that the kids are not the ones paying for the tickets. Truly unbelievable!
While I completley agree that it is wrong to punish children by giving them "tickets", I do not think that the point is to scare the kids. The point of issuing infractions to children is to force the parents to be more involved in their child's behavior.
Parents often rely on schools to discipline their children but it is really the parent's responsibility. Sometimes, even when parents know their children are getting in trouble at school, they completley ignore the problem because it "doesn't effect them". However, if parents are forced to pay a fine and take time out of their day to pay attention to their child, they might actually step up and discipline their children in an appropriate way.
Discipline should not be the schools problem. But, I do not think that issuing kids tickets is an appropriate way to deter negative behavior. Children (first of all) do not understand the meaning of a ticket and (second of all) cannot always control their behavior. A call home should be sufficient action on the schools part and if the behavior doesnt change, the school should speak directly with the parents about the seriousness of the situation.
This is actually a great idea! Turning a blind eye on misbehavior is what has lead to Los Angeles existing. Unless they are stopped at an early age, they grow up thinking that acting like clowns is ok and will grow up becoming gangsters AND thinking that it's cool to be a gangster. Now, if the parents actually learned from the first offense, they will not allow a second offense and will therefore teach their kids to behave. Robbing them of their childhood, some say? Wait until these future criminals rob others of their lives and then you'll wonder if it was worth giving them their "childhood." Discipline wasn't an issue in previous centuries. Why would people whine so much now?
Here I am a teacher in an ISS room with 13 students, all of which are repeat offenders. They curse you, threaten you and the sad part is when you call their parents you get the same thing. We have pretty much eliminated out of school suspension in our district, and to me that has given our parents less resposibility for their children. a fine may not necessarily be the first action I impose but for those students who repeatedly end up in ISS or are continous problems and parents are not working to help solve the problem then a fine should be imposed. Our children are becoming more and more beligerent and less likely to follow the directions of staff and teachers, or people in authority in general. These are my children only for 6 to 8 hours a day and i have to provide a curriculum that will get them thru state tests and prepare them for the world around them. I will teach boundaries and how to behave but support from parents is vital.
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