Sunday, December 19, 2010

THE END OF OUR TETHER

You all knew the day was coming. You knew GE&P would not be able to remain silent forever. We exercised all measure of control but there is a limit to how much can be tolerated without response.

Over the past months, we have read with interest, and some gritting of teeth, the accounts posted on Face Book about how unrealistic and unfair it is to our little Darlings of today to have the foreboding presence of uniformed policemen on our public school campuses. "The presence of these law enforcement officers only bring out aggression in the adolescent." GE&P has a one word reply, "BULL".

It would appear that the experts are constantly struggling to find a solution to the lack of discipline in our public school systems. Well, fear not. GE&P has come to the rescue. Here you go.

Let's rewind to the early 1950's. You are entering the main hallway of St. Patrick's elementary school which contains grades 1 through 8. On your right as you pass the front door is the office. In this doorway stands Sister Mary Thelma. She is an imposing woman dressed from head to toe in black. Her only adornment is an oversized rosary with wooden beads which drapes from her waistband almost to the floor. As you look down the hall, you see doors on either side which lead to classrooms. Each of these doorways contains another woman dressed exactly like Sister Thelma. There is only one BIG difference between these 8 other women and the one standing at the office door. Securely gripped in her right hand, Sister Thelma holds an 18 inch steel ruler. The other 8 have no need for this accessory. They have Sister Thelma.

Sister Thelma never smiles, as this action may lull some unfortunate soul into thinking, mistakenly, that she just might be human. She isn't. She is a discipline machine and she performs this function very well. Whistle in the hall?.....WHACK. Get caught chewing gum?....WHACK. Don't have your homework?.....WHACK. Find yourself accidentally standing in the wrong place at the wrong time?.....sorry 'bout that...WHACK.

In Sister Thelma's world, and St. Patrick School IS her world, it is extremely rare that a parent is called in to resolve a problem with a student. A situation is NEVER serious enough to require police presence. 99.9% of discipline problems are handled by Sister Thelma's tool of correction. God forbid you should create a problem large enough to warrant a visit from the priest at the church just across the corner. This action could earn you constant surveillance for months by Sister Thelma. You'll be watched in the lunchroom; you'll be watched on the playground; you'll have your bathroom visits timed; and you'll be escorted on and off the school grounds. Not good, but effective. And never once did it cross your mind to consult a lawyer.

Granted, accounts like this cause Liberal everywhere to cringe. But, if you will, look at the outcome. None of us suffered abuse. None of us ended up in the hospital. None of us carry any permanent scars. None of us ended up on drugs or in jail. The one thing that we DO have is a sincere respect for law and order. We possess an indelible awareness of what kind of behavior is acceptable in civilized society. When we compare what is being done now and the outcome, with what was done then and the outcome, was Sister Thelma's methods all that bad? We think not.

2 comments:

Capt Elaine Magliacane said...

I didn't attend Catholic schools... we had a big surly assistant principal (I think he was an x football couch)... he had a paddle and would take you out to the play ground to run laps till all you wanted to do was sit down and catch your breath, talking in class or smarting off to a teacher would be the last thing on your mind after Mr. Adams was done with you. Yep different times indeed.

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately, liberals have managed to change all of society probably beyond recovery!! We can only hope to change one elected official, one law, one principal, one teacher, one parent, and one child at a time!! Only God can and will help us!!