MEMO: FAILURE–AND CONSEQUENCES
BY MIKE RAMEY

When you get down to the problems in American education, forget needing more school days.  Throw out more money per student, as we are in a recession.  Yes, you can even chuck the race card.

It is simply called, “let ‘em fail!”

While working as a probation officer within my county juvenile court a few years back, I discovered this secret to success for those who don’t want to ‘get with the program.’  It was amazing how much ‘respect’ that teens had for education and their parents once they spent a few weeks or months in state custody, deprived of many of the comforts that they enjoyed.

Chores didn’t seem so ‘bad’ from the inside of a detention facility.  Getting to class on time (without razor wire and corrections officers) looked pretty good outside of a 12 x 12 cell.  Cruel?  Yep.  Real life?  It most certainly is!

Why should schools sugar coat what is coming down the track?  A lot of those who have decided to spend more of their school days suspended rather than successful need to get a wake up call a lot earlier than age 18.

Let them get a taste of failure–and its consequences.

Consequences for one’s actions is a sure fire way to bring one’s shortcomings up close and personal.  It also marks the need for a man or woman to make true and lasting change.

END NEGOTIATING WITH HINDERERS TO EDUCATION:

Any young person who will not participate in–or listen to any teacher in any classroom–is the SAME as a thief.  They are willing participants in the STEALING of future success from YOUR child or teen.

Hear me out on this point.  Many parents would like to see their child get into college, the military, or a great job.  Unfortunately, there are some parents content to let their teens fail.  It is up to parents–single or married–to train their children to LET the unrepentant trouble maker who may be in their classes to THROW AWAY their education.

Does this sound cruel?  On the contrary!  This is real life in action.

Actions have consequences.  Delaying those consequences is not fair to those who are living life on the right side of the street.  We need to stop allowing those who are fooling themselves with sub-standard performances that their antics are ‘acceptable’.

Want to see the education system get better?  Forget sending children to better schools.  Make schools better by letting students fail!  You will be amazed at how schools will improve their education services to all children, once they are freed from caring for academic ‘dead weight’.

SOCIAL PROMOTIONS HARM MORE THAN HELP:

The crushing reality in many corners of American education is that students are not allowed to fail.  You may call this a tragedy.  I call this a reaction by the education structure to the lack of discipline teachers are allowed to practice during the school day.  Social promotion is not dead, but repackaged.  Students don’t do their homework–and are allowed to pass.  Students don’t show up to class prepared–and are allowed to pass, even IF the teachers bring the pens, pencils, paper and study notes.  In some school districts, students don’t even have to dress and participate in gym classes–and are allowed to pass and even play on some sports teams!

Who gets it in the neck IF the hinderers are stopped along the way with disciplinary action, failing marks, or school suspensions because of tardies, poor attitudes or refusal to behave?

Why the teacher, of course!  How DARE they attempt to train all children to be successful members of society.

But, I digress.

Now, in my neck of the woods, we have a host of programs in existence for ‘at risk’ students.  All aimed at rescue, not reality. The latest one is a ‘Graduation Counselor.’  There may be something similar in your school district.  The ‘intent’ is to get hinderers to graduate from high school by having yet another adult offering ‘realistic’ advice.  IF a teen–going on adult–will not listen to their parents, teachers, etc., concerning the need to get an education in today’s economic downturn, what good will yet ‘another’ pair of lips do to ‘explain’ reality?

It’s time we let the hinderers in our schools find out the that the wake up alarm won’t be pleasant in an unemployment line for those who choose to hit the ‘snooze’ button on their brains, day after day.  A hungry stomach will surprisingly motivate a non-engaged mind.

RAMEY is the Pastor of The Forward Church, Indianapolis, Indiana. THE MANHOOD LINE appears on fine websites and gracious blogs around the world.  To correspond, email  manhoodline@yahoo.com.  © 2009 Mike Ramey/Barnstorm Communications.

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