Gorden.

[Thomas]

It seems you and Jim I have somewhat of the same views on this issues.
There different areas one could point the finger of blame,but it does start at home with morals !!

Just watching the news or 60 mins,Dateline,20/20 etc...also in one community its not just todays children,for some adults set a pretty poor example.

How can someone show repect if they don't have repect for themselves.

The world is fast changing mostly for the good,but some of the old ways are being push to one side and thats a shame.

I work at Dartmouth College and if there was one coarse that could be offer,I will have to say common sence.

What a better person to get one view from than Bird.
I'm sure thru his years with the state police he has notice both sides of life.

With Jim being a teacher also with his hands tied to a certain degree (golden rule) he can also point out different area of changes from the years of teaching.

This problem from coast to coast so I hope you don't feel alone,and reading between the lines of your post sounds like your doing a fine job.

Hope the sun appears down there in Delware,and you have a safe weekend.

Thomas..NH

 

[Bird]

Thomas, you're right about me having seen a lot; more than I wanted to at times. And not that it matters much, but I was with the City of Dallas instead of the State Police.

And college was an interesting experience, too, since I decided to go to college after I'd been on the police department for a couple of years. Between my full time job and my part time jobs and trying to work out schedules where I could go to school part time, too, I didn't complete my bachelor's degree until I was 35 (same year I was promoted to Captain).

And when I attended Northwestern University Traffic Institute's Long Course (9 months) and the FBI National Academy (10 weeks) with officers from many foreign countries as all as from all over this country, I found that most of the same complaints and problems we have are not much different in other parts of the world.

Being a school teacher is the job that I figure would be too tough for me. And of course, I know most folks are sports fans, but one of the things that really burns me is when the football coach gets paid more than the men and women who are teaching the readin', writin', & 'rithmatic./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Bird

 

[gordon]

Well Thomas I'm by all means not the perfect parent but I always try to do what is best in the childs interest. They don't see it that way and neither did I when I was a child but you have to teach them right from wrong and just because the other kid has a pair of 120.00 tennis shoes doesn't mean that you need a pair too.
My brother went to Plymouth State for two years, my parents had a small weekend farm in Hillsbourgh on Pirce lake. Small world huh---
Well thanks for hoping for sun but its raining right now and I had three days of yard work planned it rained the better part of yesterday as well I'm hoping its going to clear off.
Gordon

 

[gordon]

You are right on the money there Bird a coach getting paid more that a teacher is Bull----. To me teachers are very much underpaid for what is expected of them. I've been lucky my childern have had some great teachers overall but I also drive them to our old school district every morning 20 miles away because it's a much better school system.

Bird next to a teacher a cop is another job where alot is expected with not of money in return. I envy you in that respect, but to me the chance of being shot by some knucklehead no money is enough.

 

[Thomas]

Re: Gorden.....Bird.

Bird, I do apologize for the error in which I made about your career,
and for some strange reason I thought you retired from the State Police.

Bird, your last statement can only ask one why & shake there head & roll there eyes and hope it will change for the good of the future,for the children are our future.

Thomas..NH

 

[Bird]

Gordon, I wouldn't want to minimize the dangers involved in being a police officer; however, I guess you're aware of the fact that statistically, farming is more dangerous. These tractors can't shoot you (or at least I don't think they can), but they can sure do some other terrible things to you if you get careless./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif And here lately, I'm beginning to think school teachers may be in as much danger of being shot as police officers./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif At least police officers can shoot back. I guess I was just lucky in never getting shot or having to shoot at anyone.

Bird

 

[JimBinMI]

Gordon,

Ditto on, no money is enough to get shot at!

JimBinMI

We boys and our toys!

 

[JimBinMI]

Bird,

This is year #16 as a public school teacher for me, in the first few years when the students would get out of hand (I teach mainly 11th & 12th graders) I would tell them that someday I was going to mount a 44 mag in a glass case over my desk and when they heard the glass break they better straighten up and get back on task! I think you can imagine they knew I was only joking and I haven't used that line for over a decade now!

We're looking at going to ID badges for everyone in the building just for safety's sake, we now have two security guards on duty whenever class is in session, they are unarmed, one is a former police officer. We also have a new Law Enforcement class down the hall from me, the teacher was a Michigan State Trooper and retired after 25 yrs. and decided he was too young to retire. He's a great guy...he even said maybe I could borrow his 9mm sometime! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Hoping for a dry day tomorrow!

JimBinMI

We boys and our toys!

 

[Bird]

I agree, but you know how us humans are; we always think it won't happen to me; that's something that happens to the other guy./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Bird

 

[Bird]

JimBinMI, that's a sad commentary on our society when law enforcement officers are needed in the schools, but I guess it's a fact of life everywhere now. I guess one of the big differences is that they quit allowing schools to discipline students. I'll bet if you paddled one on the rear now, you'd get sued, whereas, when I was in school everyone knew the teacher and/or principal might administer a little corporal punishment, and if we got into trouble with a teacher, we sure weren't going to go home and tell our parents, since my dad, like a lot of others said if we got whipped in school, we'd get another one when we got home.

Bird