I can't believe what I had to do today.

[Venus Pax]

As many of you know, I'm a middle school teacher.
An emotionally disturbed (real title, not being rude) child came to class today wearing a shirt with a machine gun in the hand of a drug thug.
I sent him to the office.
I told my assistant later that I felt weird sending the kid to the office with a gun on his shirt, but just couldn't stomach a drug thug holding it so proudly.
After he left, I gave the kids a talk about what kinds of things drug lords do to people that cross them. I have a real problem with criminal behavior, and let the kids know that many of these people are worse than the terrorists that we're fighting.

[longtooth]

You did very well. The distinction between the drug thug having the gun & a law abiding citizen is the good & right part of that. It was not the gun on his shirt that was wrong but the criminal use of the gun. I am prowd of teachers that are influiencing our younger generation for right thinking.

[Mithras61]

The important thing wasn't the gun, it was that it was wielded by a drug thug, and I think you made that point to the children. From what you said, it wouldn't have mattered what the weapon was, so you weren't being "anti-machine gun" in any way, just anti-drug thug & drug lord (which is a GOOD thing! ).

[Venus Pax]

I try to teach them right from wrong in the short time I have them.

The ones that have had me in previous years know that I'm not an anti-gun freak; when we discuss our hobbies, I let them hear me say that I go to the range and target shoot. I want them all to see that their teacher, a law-abiding citizen, uses guns and doesn't harm people with them.
Sometimes, my students will tell me about deer, boar or wild turkey that they've shot. I'm not into hunting personally, but I let them know it's an accomplishment.
We have a lot of discussions on responsibility for one's own behavior. Middle schoolers often have an innate lack of this understanding. (Anyone that has raised a teen knows this.) We talk constantly about it. I'm always happy when I see it starting to get through. Moral developement is just as important as knowledge in a child's development.
I can't remember who said it, but a famous person once said, "To educate a child in mind and not morals is to educate a menace to society." I believe that fully.

[longtooth]

Moral developement is just as important as knowledge in a child's development.
I can't remember who said it, but a famous person once said, "To educate a child in mind and not morals is to educate a menace to society." I believe that fully.

Truth.
LT.

[Boma]

Very Good! You set a good example for all teachers. I like that quote.

[Diode]

God Bless you teachers, you will have a major impact on their little skulls full of mush! You should be very proud1

[UNBLVR]

I'm curious...what's a drug thug? Is it one of these?










Joe

[jbirds1210]

To me it looks like a fellow having a cold beer on a beautiful day.

Put a machine gun in your hand and the stereotypes begin.

I understand your point. Someone in a business suit and tie can be just as dangerous as someone we assume is a violent drug dealer. It is tough to overcome some of these stereotypes that society introduces us to. I am no stranger to the tattoo parlor myself-people often tell me in shock that they had no idea I had all of those tattoos. Does that make me dangerous? Absolutely not!

BTW, some of the most kind-hearted people I have ever met look much like the picture you posted.

[KBCraig]

Someone in a business suit and tie can be just as dangerous as someone we assume is a violent drug dealer.

"Yo, homie! Is that my briefcase?"

[Venus Pax]

The individual on his shirt was some singer dressed in a 1920s gangster outfit throwing popular gang hand signals. It was not the bald gentleman with a contented look on his face in the picture you posted.

[Roger Howard]

I want to know what kind of parents let their child wear something like that. My 10yo daughter would not be ALLOWED to buy or wear something like that. This goes back to the thread on children mis-behaving. It's the parents fault not yours. Good move on your part. As far as the Biker looking type. Some of the best people I know look like that.

[Venus Pax]

You would be surprised what some people let their children do. Some people think these ways themselves. After teaching, you start to believe that some people should get fixed.
Most of my students do come from good homes, where parents would never allow that mess.
Motorcycles are very popular around here, so I see biker stuff all the time. It doesn't bother me. Biker items don't carry the gang connotation that they did in former times. Most bikers are people like my dad & uncles that just like to get wind in their faces.
Heck, my pastor is even a biker.

[HighVelocity]

I live 2 blocks from my son's elementary school. One day I was out in the garage with the big door open and a kid no older than 10 is walking by on the sidewalk rapping' like he's trying to one-up 50cent. The language coming out of this kids mouth was some of the worst I've heard (from an adult). Violent, racist, sexually degrading, you name it. He was spewing it like a fountain.
After he went by I stepped out into the yard and watched what house he went into. I then walked over and knocked on the door. His father answered, I introduced myself, told him where I lived and laid it out for him exactly as written above. He shook my hand, thanked me for taking the time to come over, said goodbye and closed the door.
2-3 weeks later, the same kid walks by but he has a much cleaner look. Tight haircut, khaki pants and a polo shirt instead of the shaggy mop, baggy jeans falling off his butt and t-shirt 3 sizes too big. AND, his mouth was SHUT.
I'm thinking Dad had no idea what was going on with his own kid but from the changes I saw he took action when his eyes were opened.

Parents need to pay more attention and be more concerned about what where who their kids are doing going seeing.

[CoveRuger]

My kids at school know that I love to hunt. I have several sets of antlers mounted on the wall in my office. I'm a choir director and work hard against the stereo-type of choir not being "manly". On the other hand, I am offended my the t-shirts that you talk about and have often taken kids in for dress code violations when wearing these shirts. The difference is that these shirts depict "illegal" and "immoral" use of firearms. That is were I draw the line.