Hog,

I don't see your arguements as problems with the school system. I see them as problems with parenting. I am assuming from your posts that you support corporal punishment in schools. I do not. I attended a school that was heavy handed with the spankings, yet still well within the law. I complained for 2 months to my parents. It wasn't until I dropped my pencil during a lecture and said, "Oops, Crap!", and got smacked swiftly across the face for talking while the teacher was talking(in 3rd grade) that my parents finally pulled me out.

I'm not comfortable with school disciplinarians judging what is appropriate use of force. In other schools, school disciplinary actions never scared me. My parents did. I behaved because I knew what the consequences would be. A call from the principle was a cardinal sin in my house hold.

And, I don't think it's fair for the teachers to put this expectation on them. If a student is telling them to "F*** OFF", chances are this same student would respond to violence with more violence themselves. Parents are already being replaced by the internet and television. I don't think replacing parents with teachers will help anything.

So, perhaps the blame falls squarely on the shoulders of mom and dad instead of Mrs. Smith Teacher. Oh wait, I forgot, it's never the parents fault. If it's not music, movies, and/or video games, then their just a product of their environment.

So, if a student is repeatedly causing disturbances and the parents are not responding with proper discipline, what should happen? Simple, remove the student. Tell the parent that schools are educational institutes, not babysitters.

I whole heartily believe that a 'Christian Nation' would make the world a better place. In fact, I think a 'Spiritual Nation' would be Utopia. But, educational institutes are not responsible for the up-bringing of youth.

Hog, I have got to make my way over to the Land of Lincoln. We must discuss things over some smokes.

Hog, AVB, I think that the 40% number is the number that supported forming a new country. I think that most people in America at the time just wanted fair representation & taxation, but not a separate country.

I believe the point was that if the general people at the time (most who were still loyal to the king) knew what the drafters of the Declaration of Independence were doing they wouldn't have supported the document. Once England came down hard on America more support was gained for the forming of a new country and subsequently the war, etc...

At least that is what I recall from my civics’ class ;-}

Hog, I agree with you that it is a huge double standard to accommodate any religion over another. This, I feel, also holds true with atheism (which most Christians find just as offensive as atheist find Christianity offensive.)

I went to a catholic grade school and high school. That is what my parents wanted and I liked it (even if I don't agree with the religion anymore). Tuff luck for me. I wasn't an adult and my parents wanted that education for me. This was a coat and tie school were you were beaten (and I mean with closed fists) by the Xavierian Brothers if you steeped out of line. If you told one of them to F-off, they wouldn't kick you out of school they would handle it in house. By the time that they were finished with you, you wish they had kicked you out. Good point all around.

TJ ON

Buckwheat that is big time old school. Not sure where you went but I also attended Catholic grade school and 1 year of HS before I convinced my parents to let me go to public HS.

While paddling was allowed no one was every struck anywhere but the butt. Still Catholic and rasing my children to be the same. If they choose differently when they are grown so be it.

TJ OFF

I fail to see how separation of church and state has anything to do with displaying the 10 commandments in front of the court house. To me it means the govt will not tell you what to believe. Like it or not the country was founded on Christian values. No one is forcing you to become a Christian.

jdrabinski goes away and several take his place - but I doubt you guys will ever reach his level.

"Hog, I have got to make my way over to the Land of Lincoln. We must discuss things over some smokes"

Cexshun, we are on the same page with both accounts...

Buckwheat, I've heard the very same type schooling from other people I know about the Catholic Schools... I would run as far away from that type people as possible also....

Hog

"jdrabinski goes away and several take his place - but I doubt you guys will ever reach his level."

Yeah...whale $hi# is pretty low!