So what is the lesson here? - Reader comments at The New York Sun

Submitted by Michael, Aug 14, 2007 09:30

What is the lesson here? Am I to understand that if you repremand, of decipline a student you are likely to lose your job as a teacher? Or is it that, a teacher should not send his or her child to the same school of which he teaches? Or a teacher should not embezzel the children's lunch money, or you will be caught two years later, when something goes wirery in your life.

In the interest of being the so called "good citizen" we must be mindful of what we percieved as good. It seems clear our standards are constantly fluctuating. What is "good" today turns out to be not so good after all. We ride on fragile emotions and unstable sentiments at the expense of the collective "good" and invariably to the peril of our bigger picture as a nation.

It would seem there is no protocol for dealing with the wayward students, but there is plenty for dealing with those who try to make a difference. Maybe a good flogging is not such a bad thing after all, and would be enough to keep one of our own from ratching up their wayward behaviour up to the next level.

There is value in giving our children responsibility for their actions. Instead we do the exact opposite. We treat these young men and women as we do babies, allowing them no responsibility for their actions. We pretend they are little angels, until they put the gun to our heads. By no means am I asserting that all our children deserve harsh treatment, and this is certainly not the point. I believe we a

The point is, we lead astray, and we have no idea who has the other end of that rope, as we are lead down the slippery path of no return. Our children are dying at an alarming rate, opportunities are drying up. Our children's voices are crying out from the future, why didn't you tell us, why didn't you take action? What is our response, Oh we love you so much,...and we can't bear to see you in pain. WAKE UP!, life is a mixture of pleasure and pain, Life is a conglomorate of success and failure, why are we denying our children such values.

Our reality have been twarted, and now it is increasingly difficult to determine the "good" anymore. Take a second look, we have become so entangled by goods that are supposedly free, which incidentally was "good". Beware of he who bears gifts. Saying oh it's "FREE", don't worry, we'll take care of you. Beware my friends, for there is no greater gift that the one you give yourself, the gift of self determination. Let us pass this on to our children as the only tangible gift of any real value. Teach them responsibility, ..even if it means a good whacking every now and then. They will appreciate it in the long run.

And what about our goodly principal? As far as I am concerned it is certainly not a good thing to steal your children's lunch money. My question is why wait until now to make this and issue? would this story come to light if not for the altercation with the student? I question the grand motive and timing.

Note: Comments are screened, and in some cases edited, before posting. We reserve the right to reject anything we find objectionable.

Other reader comments on this article

Comment	By	Date
I must admit the main reason I sent my child to IS 109 is because of Mr. Blake. He changed... [MORE]	a concerned parent	Sep 3, 2007 18:50
blake's misuse of money, his alledged beating of a child - just one of many incidents of physical and mental... [MORE]	john smith	Sep 20, 2007 09:23
well, well, well, im disapointed in mr. blake. he used to be someone i looked up to. now to... [MORE]	brace	Aug 27, 2007 17:12
hey- check out the full 34 page investigation publicly posted. this wasn't some random individual pick on. the investigation went... [MORE]	ZA	Aug 22, 2007 22:29
In response to, what is the lesson here? First of all, I DON'T BELIEVE he touched the student. He does... [MORE]	Alicia Plain	Aug 21, 2007 14:12
I think Mr Blake will do something like that to kids because,he always suspending kids n kicking them out of... [MORE]	unkown	Aug 19, 2007 15:21
Stories like these is way good people like Mr. Blake do not want to take a principalship. Sun you are... [MORE]	Fellow Principal	Aug 15, 2007 18:16
Good People like Mr. Blake?? You have got to be kidding. Good Principals follow the rules. Good Principals do not... [MORE]	Diana	Aug 19, 2007 18:46
ummm... fellow principal- hello!!! your posting is grammatically incorrect! it's more like incompetent principals like you and he that are... [MORE]	flower	Aug 21, 2007 10:46
Mr Blake sounds like he is concerned with his students and school. We must suppport him in this time.If he... [MORE]	Eric	Feb 12, 2008 11:01
i go to this school and i heard rumors about mr. blake that he was stealing money but it turned... [MORE]	student	Aug 14, 2007 20:43
this year I will be entering the 8th grade and i know mr. blake and he is not a... [MORE]	student	Aug 16, 2007 12:27
I am the parent of a student who attend IS 109, id don't beleive Mr Blake stole monies from the... [MORE]	Verna Trappier	Aug 22, 2007 13:46
i am a student at i.s.109 and wat they about mr.blake is so not true and i hope he comes... [MORE]	dr	Nov 28, 2007 19:02
This principal has been under scrutny for over a year. With comments of removing him from the system, yada yada... [MORE]	joan arc	Aug 14, 2007 10:20
How many other principals and people in power in the school system are doing this. (Stealing money and hurting kids).... [MORE]	Prince	Aug 15, 2007 19:13
i mean come on just because this kid said something about your son (by the way the comment was NOT... [MORE]	JOE SCHMO	Aug 17, 2007 12:36
What is the lesson here? Am I to understand that if you repremand, of decipline a student you are likely...	Michael	Aug 14, 2007 09:30
Unfortunately this principal lost his cool and will have to pay the price! There are countless NYC teachers who are... [MORE]	Theresa Massaro	Aug 13, 2007 20:25
The DOE has failed the students again. There is no system in place where all the schools financial records are... [MORE]	Diana	Aug 14, 2007 19:53
School Leadership Teams are supposed to have full access to all finacial budgets in a given school. In theory this... [MORE]	Terry	Aug 15, 2007 10:10
After all the horrific stories I heard in the past and some of which I had seen first hand, my... [MORE]	mrs. P.	Aug 22, 2007 01:15
My children currently attend IS 109. I am very upset and outraged regarding everything that the Department of Education has... [MORE]	Mrs Arnoux	Aug 23, 2007 10:45
In response to Fact #1- Just because Mr. Blake did not use any money for his personal use, there are... [MORE]	D	Aug 24, 2007 22:04
#1 Where did the money paid back come from? The next year's budget? Check your own facts before throwing your... [MORE]	UNKNOWN	Aug 25, 2007 19:19
I am outraged & hurt by how the Chancellor & Bloomberg treat us!!! I don't think many of us realize... [MORE]	A parent who went through it already!	Sep 5, 2007 10:53