Do NOT get me started on testing and All Children Left Behind.

As a teacher, here's my thoughts.

First, the child was told he couldn't go out to play. What did he do to deserve this? Teachers don't just take away rewards indiscriminately.

Then he headbutted the teacher. In my state, all teachers are trained in crisis management and know how to physically and safely restrained children. I thought it was the same in all states but maybe not. Anywho, that's assult on a teacher, which is a felony in most states, I believe.

then he threw a chair at the principal. So now he's using weapons.

Understand if someone touches this child, they open themselves up to a mess of liability, personal and professional. Of course most teachers associations actually carry malpractice insureance for situations such as this (i.e. the teacher needs to defend herself and gets sued in the process).

That's alot to say a little, but I'm curious how much more teachers are going to be asked to take without any recourse available to them. In my school alone this year we ahve had $450 stolen from teachers, and three teachers wind up with injuries of some sort from breaking up fights. I do not work in an inner city school - it's in the burbs. We are kicked, hit, scratched, insulted, spit on, abused, lied to on a consistant basis. yet we are still required to educate these little darling not only in our subject matter but also in life skills, social skills, and family matters. And if it doesn't sink in, it could mean our jobs.

I'm not glad an eight year old had to get arrested, but it's high time for the kids to start being held accountable for their own actions. We are doing them no favors by making excuses and rationalizing their behavior. Maybe this will teach the kid that there are otehr ways to deal with problems. I hope he gets some counseling and I hope they get the whole family in on it.

Those of you still reading, thanks. I now officially step down off my soapbox, and leave it for someone else to pick up from here.