Child Violence
April 3rd, 2008
There is a great streak of violence in every human being. If it is not channeled and understood, it will break out in war or in madness. ~Sam Peckinpah
He who fights with monsters should be careful lest he thereby become a monster. ~Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil
Have you read the headlines lately? Did you see the story about the nine-year-olds in Georgia who plotted to “tie up their teacher, put tape over her mouth, hit her over the head with a paperweight, and then possibly cut her”? According to the news report, they were caught on the day they were to implement their plans. The surprising thing (or maybe not that surprising?) is that a lot of the students were in on the plans, as evidenced by the fact that some tried to explain that the broken steak knife was for cutting the tape, not to hurt the teacher.
I can remember a lot from my days as a nine-year-old (it was an awkward time for me), but taking a steak knife to school to hurt my teacher never crossed my mind. I’m sure I had some grievances with a few of my teachers (most likely with my math teacher – I still dislike math to this day), but to purposely plan to tie her up and harm her? Wow. What in the world?
A lot of people may read the article and think, “What’s happening to society?” Others may think, “Where were the parents in all of this? Why were they not teaching morals to these kids?” Still others may ask, “How could the school’s security be so lax to allow the knife on to the grounds?” I secretly ask, “What in the world did that teacher do to incite several nine-year-olds to plot her harm?” But, whatever questions are asked, as Home Economists/Family & Consumer Scientists, where do we fall in all of this? Were these children to cross our paths, what would we do? What would we teach them? What would we say?
Did you read the other article in the news about the twelve-year-old boy who killed a man who was attacking his mother? According to the news article, he was playing a video game in the adjacent room when he heard his mother scream. Running into the kitchen, he found his mother on the floor, “straddled by a fellow resident who was choking her.” After yelling at the man to stop, the boy then took a knife and swung at the man.
Stamp [the mother] said she didn’t fully realize at first what her son had done. “He didn’t say anything,” she said. “But I knew when I looked in his eyes. I said, ‘Oh, Lord.’ ” – L.A. Times
Authorities are still trying to figure out whether the boy will be charged with anything.
Both stories involve children and violence. One story may seem stupid, while the other may seem justified. What if…you claimed the nine-year-olds were justified and the twelve-year-old was stupid? Feels wrong, doesn’t it? But no one is applauding the twelve-year-old as a hero to save his mother. I even get the feeling that the mother isn’t too sure her son is a hero who saved her life.
Personally, between the two stories, I appreciate the twelve-year-old, not because of what may be labeled a heroic act but because of his attitude:
The boy said he was not happy with what happened but felt he had no choice.
“I told God that I had stabbed him because he was killing my mother. I know he understands, and I think he will keep us safe now.” – L.A. Times
As teachers (and other professionals), what will we teach our students? Can we impact them in such a way that they will save our lives and the lives of others instead of plot our destruction? I guess that’s a choice we make everyday…
Well said.