Peggy

you wrote:

> I think our society would be infinitely better off if we shut down the jr highs and found a way to give every pubescent kid a real job with real responsibilities (not necessarily a paid job) where he can be really needed, a job where he interacts with older and younger people much more than with other pubescent people. And then a few years later, all those who need to be in highschool because that's what our society does will be able to handle it better because they'll be walking in much less scarred.

Terrific idea Deb. But, it would scare the hell out of our child
hating culture. Teenagers out on the streets? Working? Not caged up
where they can keep an eye on them?

Even the teachers admit that junior high is a waste land.

>
> Not that I'm opinionated or anything. :)

LOL. ;)

> Deborah in IL

Peggy

"Some who support more coercive strategies assume that children will
run wild if they are not controlled. However, the children for whom
this is true typically turn out to be those accustomed to being
controlled--those who are not trusted, given explanations,
encouraged to think for themselves, helped to develop and
internalize good values, and so on. Control breeds the need for more
control, which is then used to justify the use of control."
--Alfie Kohn from _Punished by
Rewards_