Wisdom_Lover's Blog

I wanted to compliment FOX6 for airing a story that I caught a little bit of yesterday on the news at noon.  It was about a program operating in the Waukesha Co. Court System, that directs teens into focussed learning programs, instead of jail, for first time offenders and those convicted of petty crime, who are at risk of gang involvement.  Apparently, this program teaches these kids the reality of how developing a criminal record, changes your life for the worse, and helps them to learn the education and skills to succeed in finding a legitimate, adult life-path. 

Instead of funneling kids deeper and deeper into the system, here is an example of stopping them, and giving them the tools to find their way out, and live productive lives, as responsible citizens.  In return for voluntary participation in the full program, the offense that got them to court is taken off their record... a real second chance!!  This is an encouraging sign of intelligent and compassionate focus on crime prevention, at work within the system.  I would like to see more of this.

The most powerful form of human revolution that can occur in our Country, is that of the heart and mind, turning away from the hurt and suffering that are the symptoms of our problems, and opening themselves to the opportunities and  resources available within us, and around us, to perfect our own ideal of being;

...when our nation turns away from only reacting to the crime and civil unrest which are the symptoms of its problems, and more fully and sincerely devotes its attention and resources, to alleviating the causes that underlie them, so that our nation may achieve the ideals of  the principals upon which it is founded.  

Please vote... everyone. 

Whether a greater police presence in the schools will be a positive or negative influence over-all, depends largely on what their primary role will be in the schools, and the attitude of the officers they send.  If they are placed in the role of  liason officers, helping to secure the school and become more familiar with and involved in the community, most people who responded to posts about this topic have stated that, where they have seen programs like this in place the effect is generally positive.  If however their primary role is one of being a secondary line of defense and punishment, against students misbehavior, with little or no community involvement, tensions in the schools will likely increase.

Instead of "cracking down" on our children, our schools and our parents should be building them up to be good citizens...  Instead of the only reaction from our schools being one of stepping up punishment for students who do not understand how they should behave, we should be finding more effective ways of TEACHING them that sense of understanding, and the appropriate self-discipline to express that understanding.

Punishment teaches only consequences, not good behavior. 

Many people are missing a subtle but relevant point in relation to what is happening at MPS. The police presence is something you see as a positive development, and one which should be greeted with open arms by all. You also remark that in suburban schools, it is common and people are comfortable with it. But you must consider the difference in perspective of different populations of student and parents, created by the role police have played in their own lives and in their own neighborhoods. The simple fact is that 80% of MPS students are black, and unless you care to ignore the reality that law enforcement has a long way to go in terms of PR within African American society, you can see how they would be treated with apprehension. Also the MPS system was not de-segregated until 1978. That means that the black students at MPS schools right now, are the children and grandchildren of our citizens who suffered the economic and social disparities of institutionalized racism and were treated like criminals, just for being black, through the 60's and 70's and into today. Do you really expect that they will be teaching their children that the COPS are the "good guys" now, after what they have been through?
In contrast, despite much gain in social equity over the last few decades, the majority of suburban school students are white, and as we know the role of police in suburban communities has always been to ensure that those citizens who pay the most in property taxes and contribute the most to our economy, are well protected from the criminal element created by the inner-city

In psychology we are taught that threats and punishments are the LEAST effective form of behavior modification, because they are reactive and negative.  Why have we not heard of any new initiatives by our schools, to reward students for GOOD behavior, as a proactive way to prevent violence, by demonstrating that peace and order have real value?  The response of calling in police, is representative of the failure of ingenuity, compassion and hope among our educators, (and ultimately our society)...very disappointing.
    

I have chosen the name Wisdom_Lover because that is what I am, a lover of wisdom. I am not alone in this, I am certain. I am equally certain that I am not alone in the anguish I feel at how our society has ignored that most valuable lessons learned from the greatest minds throughout the history of humanity, about the nature of ourselves as individual and social beings, and fail time and time again to apply these lessons to the organization of society. Through this blog, I shall engage in the "High-minded" pursuit of objectively analyzing the behavioral trends in society (as reported through the news) and attempt to point out the ideological flaws in our collective responses, as a society and as a group of individuals. This is not to be a ranting, angry blog; but a hopeful voice from a concerned citizen. I believe the negative spiral of our culture downward, into a Prison-State controlled by money and violence can be stopped. I don't think for a moment that I have all the answers, but this is my "two cents". Not only that, it is a challenge call to all spiritually-minded intellectuals, who it seems have either given up in dejection, or feel it is beneath them to point out the glaringly obvious...