Classroom battlegrounds
What's going on in our schools? We've got schools installing cameras to monitor kids, metal detectors at the front gates and now at Greenpoint High in East London they are considering body searches! I can't say I blame them, not after the recent incidents there where a pupil allegedly attacked a pregnant teacher with a knife.
But all these developments send cold shivers down my spine when I try to imagine what schools will be like in 10 years or so when my daughter goes to high school. Will pupils be manacled and attached to their desks? Will there be armed guards patrolling the corridors of learning?
When I was at school such things were pretty much unheard of. The worst you would come across would be a bunch of guys bust for smoking a joint or a couple of fags behind the toilets. Now we have kids getting drunk at school, entire classrooms of girls pregnant, police conducting classroom raids and so on.
What's going on here? Are our children turning feral or is something else at play?
June 26th, 2008 - 10:15
Come now…If they have nothing to hide, Why should they not be searched? It is for their own safty
June 26th, 2008 - 10:58
Why should any child display any discipline, any self respect when they see the examples set by their elders – without retribution!
June 26th, 2008 - 11:14
I would like to make just two few comments. First schools have always been the centre of nonsense for all my like, they have been the centre of the production of criminals for all my life, I am talking about the African or township schools which your daughter will never study in and this is all because of colonialism and apartheid and it is now perpetuated by the colonialism of a special-type which is very clear in back white economic ownership and inequalities. It would be rude and unjust for me to say I like it now that the things are happening in former white schools. But to give advise to the middle class and upper class who send their kids to these schools, they must first develop the township schools so that the problems don’t spread to their Childs schools and Trench if u do this now by the time your child go to high school we will be talking something deferent. The basic theme of my argument is that the former white schools gets this from the black schools which explains my second comment that the problems in the black schools are not reported and now that this is happening to the former white schools they are reported, is this not racism.
June 26th, 2008 - 11:16
Hear, hear Gandalf. I totally agree with you. Lead by example and looking at young people today you can see the type of example they have been getting. Young kids look at their parents and others and mimmic what they see. None the less – if drastic measure as mentioned is needed for our kids to be safe at school – then so be it.
Maybe homeschooling is the way to go these days.
June 26th, 2008 - 11:34
@jazzman, you seem to be a very angry person. You really do need to seek professional help to deal with your issues before you pass them down to the next generation in your family.
Apart from the unnecessary rage that you carry, you appear unable to argue with any kind of logic. How on earth can colonialism be blamed for the shortcomings of our public school system 15 years into our new democracy? Should you not blame the current rulers who appear unable to spend the money the taxpayers give them for schools, hospitals and roads?
The parents of these juvenile criminals have much to answer for.
June 26th, 2008 - 12:00
Funny how today’s SA leaders come from those “centre of the production of criminals” as Jazzie puts it. And another thing – a lot of time and money is being put into the so-called township schools today which puts them in the mainstream of attention and reporting.
Also – I was in a little farm school and it is what YOU make of it. It is not the school that forms you as a individual but you as a person and your loved ones around you. Jazzie – obviously you did not have that luxury. Also since shool has always been a “centre of nonsence” to you maybe you should to back to school, get a proper education and have uplifting comments in building a better SA for all instead of making these crap remarks.
June 26th, 2008 - 12:08
Jazzman obviously didn’t make the gravy train cut and is now blaming the past for failures of the present…
June 26th, 2008 - 12:30
I know they closed a lot of mental health clinics down and put the residents back on the street, surly someone knows a good therapists number that could help him through these issues or is it already to late?
June 26th, 2008 - 12:56
Whiteboy,
Jazzman do make some statements that i agree with. It is true that the media ignored the township previously and that it is only now under the guise of a caring media that they report on such. However, we township folks have that in-bred ability of solving such problems ourselve. As an example of how, i hereby invite you, Tania, Stentor and Sean to the United Cricket Ground in Buffalo Flats on 30 June 2008 to witness yourself such efforts. It is hoped that you then will testify that the community in association with the Government is tackling our problems head-on. Mayhaps, such visits will assist you all in your climb down your ivory towers and high morallity attitudes.
June 26th, 2008 - 12:57
Jazzman, you have the intellect of an Amoeba!
Oops, here comes another defamation lawsuit!
June 26th, 2008 - 13:09
So people are weak debaters and they have to admit it instead of debating the issues raised and what I have said in terms of those issues they use derogatory language. I dont know why i just want to say thanks to Tanya for reading my comments and understanding where I come from, but even her she is being co-opted by these conservative tendencies who instead use bad language because they dont have anything to say. On the issue of Schools not forming you but you being formed by your loved ones I dont quite follow, because psychology has tough me that the development of the ” self”, which includes self concepts such as self esteem, self actualisation, self confidence, self relieance and other’s, is caused by the family, the school,freinds and the church( if you go to it. The family ( your loved ones according to Tanya) are very im portant yes, but it is said that a child spends about 4 to five hours a day with his family the other time he or she is in school, so i dont quite get your comment at all.
My argument is that Society forms a family and is that society have been fragmented and teared apart by colonialism, apartheid and the colonialism of a speacial-type it will only produce useless but offending people.
June 26th, 2008 - 13:12
Give an Amoeba a book and he thinks he has a brain. Eish.
June 26th, 2008 - 13:18
Love to come take a look Patrick, however we are already booked in Grahamstown, taking in some local productions for the week of the 30th. Maybe Jan can put up a blog clip on your event.
June 26th, 2008 - 13:25
I dont know what to say to you Happy, but I just want to say your comment has offended me my brother or sister.
June 26th, 2008 - 13:58
Jazzman,
Do not feel offended when in the event of persons not being able to debate on a rational level, they then resort to insults.
Me and you are in the frontline in the battle of the ideology of ubuntu against the ideology of reactionaries. Aluta Continua.
June 26th, 2008 - 14:09
Jazzman you made a very valid point in your comments. The likes of Stentor, Happy Expat & some other hooligans that unfortunately dominate the DD blogs can not reason at your level even if they tried. I think they like their steak rare. Very rare. So was their schooling and upbringing. & i also suspect that they are gassy most of the time otherwise they would think more clearly before they wonder off the topic and start attacking the person. Any way, since they seem to like everything rare, they did not stay in school long enough to get to your level of intellect.
I am not saying there are no reasonable bloggers out there because there are.But they are few and far inbetween.
June 26th, 2008 - 14:17
Uthink,
Said like a true patriot.
June 26th, 2008 - 14:18
Aluta continua, indeed.
Rationality struggles against emotionalism.
Experience against naivete.
Realism against idealism.
Intelligence against stupidity.
Education against ignorance.
Progress against inertia.
Honesty against deceit.
Ideology against reality.
A hope and a future against increasing despair and despondency.
June 26th, 2008 - 14:24
Oh no … Its Uthink again… So whats the students working on this time… How to tell a persons underwear size by counting how many words he blogs ???
Hope you took whiteboys advice on the lastblog you made your name toti on. He had a valid task for your students. Question do they assign themselves marks as well… What Uthink… ?
June 26th, 2008 - 14:26
Stentor, Happy Expat & the other loosers in their group are in all the blogs, all the time, doing the same thing. One of their gang members by the name of Gadget admitted to being white. So I guess their abbrasive attitude comes from enjoying a life of privilege and advantaged in the past regime. What they lack in their understanding is the depth of some the social issues that continue plague our country. What I find very interesting about them is their tendency to attack others and not the issue. Well Bullies, more often than not were kids that did not do well at school and tried to be control in some other way. & I wonder if this is the case with our fellow bloggers here
June 26th, 2008 - 14:32
It is an obscene comparison – you know I am not sure I like it – but you know there was a time in South Africa that people would put flaming tires around people’s necks if they dissented. And in some ways the fear is that you will be necklaced here, you will have a flaming tire of lack of patriotism put around your neck,” he said. – Dan Rather
June 26th, 2008 - 14:33
Ooo here we go…. i knew it was just a question of time before he would try and get to me… Alas Uthink, me think you suffer from a split personality… When you started on the last blog you were making wind about how we are falsely accusing a granny for having a stash of arms… Then you go on telling us how you are actually a lecturer doing a “serious ” class project… Then later in the night… for all those who dont know… around 6 or 7 before I went for dinner , I get accused of urinating on peoples food… Talk about having double standards !
Hope you showed those to your imaginary students !
June 26th, 2008 - 14:39
Guys be easy on Uthink… He is a “highly” skilled
educator, who spends his time letting his students guess IQ, age and race by doing ” indepth analysis ” and racial profiles of bloggers. Bet you had a hard time guessing Whiteboy’s, What about Gandalf.. ?
Hello Expat my ole buddy howzya today
June 26th, 2008 - 14:45
Stentnor…. Um… I think you are wasting your time. He wont understand….((((((((whisper)))))))
he’s into statistics and research….
And what happened to you the otherday, I thought you were bringing petrol for the Shermon tank… I had sandwiches and coffee for the ride to city hall….
)
Hey have you seen that yet another ATM has been blown sky high in Transkei…
Wonder who will be arrested for this one. Police have got to be careful. Maybe this time they find an arms stash in a oldage home. We could have a mutiny on our hands…..
June 26th, 2008 - 14:47
So Jazzman, you see, here they are. I got them all crawling out the wood work for you. Take a guess at their IQ, and I will tell you if you anywhere close to what my class gave them.
Actually with the guestimates my class gave them, they would be so mentally retarded they would not know how to breath.
They are amusing in a way. I will soon be posting bloggers their full profiles. Do not hold your breaths, they r a bunch of prejudiced loosers!!
June 26th, 2008 - 14:48
“…it will only produce useless but offending people”
Jazzman, what are you trying to say? That you are useless, but offending?!?
Cut yourself some slack…
June 26th, 2008 - 14:52
Uthink spoken like a true ‘educated’ wannabe
June 26th, 2008 - 14:54
or should that be ‘educator’ wannabe
June 26th, 2008 - 14:57
Sorry, Gadget, but I can’t afford the petrol for my car, let alone your tank. Pity, though, I would have enjoyed the coffee and sarnies.
Anyway, must toddle off now. I’m afraid that my prejudices are so loose they are falling down, and I’m frightened of loosing my breaths.
I look forward to the promised profiles. It will be interesting to see what assumptions have been made by the nattering nabob of narcissism. I feel terribly sorry for his students though.
June 26th, 2008 - 15:08
Well we would be driving a tank we could just do affirmative petrol shopping. Ask the petrol guy to fill her up and then we batton down the hatches and drive off like everyone else. Who\’s gonna stop us… Were in a Sherman for heavensake !
Hey Stentnor, you must investigate in getting a MAC. Got this cool new BLOG RESTRICTOR. Not only does it allow you to redflag those people on a blog who really irritate u, you can filter the the annoying ones so you dont read their continuous whining.. Ah the joys of tech…. Takes out lifes little bumps
June 26th, 2008 - 15:09
Back to the question raised in the intro to this blog:
What’s going on out there?
Fathers forms a family. He lays with his wife, she falls pregnant and together they raise their child. He is the bearer of the seed. As a good farmer should, he should then tend the land while the seedling is growing, nurture it, keep the birds away, pull the weeds out and when harvest time comes, he should fetch it off the land etc. etc. etc.
Our problem is a LACK OF MORALITY, because men and women have sex outside of wedlock, they sleep around and the girl fall pregnant. Most of the time she can’t ever find the dad of her child because he is a backboneless loser (one ‘o’ -Uthink). The family is thus not even formed so that it can form the child, because the head of the home is out seducing the next willing girl. In the end the child is either aborted, born and given up for adoption or raised by the young mother. She in turn passes the child on the the grandparents and disappears. The ‘society’ thus has to raise the child.
If our ‘stats boff’ could spend his time researching what kids stab others or deal in drugs or disrupt vandalise schools, he’ll find that it is those raised by the’society’ because the biological parents last intimate moment was 3 seconds after ejaculation.
The reason why the man and woman have to be together to ‘make’ a child is because they have to be together to raise the child.
Come on MEN, be the man!
June 26th, 2008 - 15:17
Eye, you are so so so right… You get my vote.. Where do I sign up.
The problem is not the youth, its the lack of guidance from parents which is so crucial. Thats why the youth are so misguided. The parents of minors should be held accountable, but thats not likely to happen in a society where you cannot discipline your child.
June 26th, 2008 - 15:22
Im logging off now, I feel like a loser just reading the cr@p that you’ve all typed.
June 26th, 2008 - 15:34
@Eye, Gadget, I think very much the same point is made above on this blogg.
I think that in many cases we could substitute “un-guided” for “mis-guided”. I know a number of young friends and they are unable to say for sure who the father of their baby definitely is. They “think” its ….. and you can put your own Koos or Andile or Devan or Peter in there. In any event, the point is that as soon as the probable father hears the news, he’s gone like the proverbial wind. Even if he tries to hang around and be a man about his responsibility, he often has to find work away from the home of the child and so there’s no father-figure. The mother has to work, and so for large chunks of time, there’s no mother-figure either.
If we compound htat little scenario with the ever-present reality of HIV & AIDS, then the chances of the off-spring having any kind of guidance from a parental role model is depressingly slim.
I am very please to note, though, that the latest ad’s on SABC2 for an “HIV-free Generation” depict the hero resisting the blandishments of his homeies and returning the condom they pressed him to take. That would be the Abstinence of the “ABC” slogan, wouldn’t it?
Sometimes I get very depressed, but every now and again, I see a ray of hope. It’s that ray of hope that we live for.
June 26th, 2008 - 15:46
Eye you have hit the eye. I 100% agree with you it is the old saying of “lead by example” but what is happening now. To add on what Eye was saying is that the working class is poor and dipressed to the extent that the have shifted to alchololism. this means that their children will be alchoholic. If you look at it children start drinking from the ages of 12-13 years. I want to see me as a shopsteward of the masses here. The working class are alchoholics because life has not been favourable to them, first it was political and economic discrimination and now it is excreme economic discrimination. So they have given up on life and they see no hope and are making their children to be like this too. My main argument is tha people should not blame the working class please.
You can blame a racist Afrikaner bceause his child will be racist and will make vidoes or actions such as those done by the Univesrity of free-state “former” students. Or sometimes because their fathers are racists they can drive a backie and shoot people in the village. That is what lead by example means in the context of South Africa.
The Solution to our problems needs reconciliation first and reconciliation is not TRC, it is the transfer of land, capital and others to its sole owners, so people can live freely.
June 26th, 2008 - 16:17
Sorry JAzzman, as youre about to say something that sounds like it might make sense you go onto the racists tangent again !
What about the racist black school kids who spit in the faces of their white teachers ??
Or the Black school kids who disrespect the white teachers just cause they are black.. It works both ways, and please dont blame apartheid… Dude no-one is blaming the working class…. What the hell is the definition of working class anyway… Its everyone… We all work… We all suffer together. YOU make choices in life for yourself.. Apartheid didnt make you do it , you had a choice you chose it. If we were still living in the 1980′s I would agree with you, but is a bit of one sided view.
Kids know damm well what is wrong and right… You walk into a shop and there is no one in sight. There is a pie and coke standing at the front desk. You could take it and make a dash, or u could leave it. ITS YOUR CHOICE.
Why does everyone always look for a reason to justify their action. Its such a childish thing to do.
And for the rest I couldnt make it out ..sorry
June 26th, 2008 - 16:28
What the heck does this mean…..
” The Solution to our problems needs reconciliation first and reconciliation is not TRC, it is the transfer of land, capital and others to its sole owners, so people can live freely. ”
So what you are suggesting is lets go back prior to the 1600 and just erase the countries history and its past and ‘reconcile’ by giving everyone a slice. Ish dude…do you have brain or are acting stupid.. I dont know !
Mabey you are one of Uthink’s students !
Let me help you out here
reconcile means – creating a cause to coexist in harmony. It means forgiving… Learning to be tolerant.
I think you are confusing reconcile with these words – Pillage, Steal, Redistribution ! Are you a cousin of madbob mugabe.. Hey…. I know .. you are madbob but you dont want everyone to know hey !
June 26th, 2008 - 16:31
Yes we all work but you are a bugiousie not a working class citizen.Better blame aparhtied becaused 300 years of distrimination cannot be corrected by 14 years. i hope you know that.
June 26th, 2008 - 16:39
granpa ate my chicpeas and weed on my playstation.
now what am i going to do? stupid old people
June 26th, 2008 - 16:42
Huh what the hell is a ”bugiosie”
Please someone help me here I am trying really hard ! Is this guy speaking in some ancient extinct Language…. Not even babelfish can help here…. GANDALF !!!!!
I am starting to agree with Happy Expat about her comment regarding material brain matter
June 26th, 2008 - 16:43
Jazzman, I understand your concerns a little, but I’m not sure that I can agree with you conclusions.
A poor and depressed working class does not mean that they will fall into alcoholism. There are many people I know who would describe themselves as ‘working class’ who are poor, but are neither depressed nor alcoholic. I agree that the alcoholism may be a problem for some people, but it’s the alcohol rather than the social status that I would blame.
I am very sure from personal experience that the children of an alcoholic do not automatically become alcoholics themselves. I agree they might, but its by no means a given. Again, perhaps you should blame (if you need to blame anything) either the person themselves, or the alcohol producers. The point I am trying to make is that alcoholism is not limited nor caused by the social class of the alcoholic – ask AA, or AlAnon.
I do agree somewhat that the parents are responsible for the social outlooks and opinions of their children. But not entirely. My experience is that the child’s peers, their teachers, their spiritual leaders all have a part to play in forming that view. I know from my own family that we have four different political outlooks. (I’m not sure of their political affiliations because all my family is over 18 and has made their own choices.) I’d like to think that I’ve had some influence on their opinion, but ultimately, their outlooks are formed by many different influences.
I agree with you that our country needs, urgently needs, reconciliation but I’m not sure I agree with your means of achieving this. You seem to imply that the wealth can be achieved by redistributing what people have already whether that be valuta, enterprise or land. My view would be that lasting wealth would be better created by making it possible for all to earn wealth. Our government seemed to agree with the BEEE policies, but I’m watching as the BEEE thrust is being increasingly for the benefit of a very few who are becoming very rich, while the majority stay very poor.
I can’t remember who said itm bit if you want to feed a man for a day, give him a fish; if you want to feed him for a lifetime, teach him to fish. I subscribe wholeheartedly to that policy.
Everything my family has, we worked for. We know the value of hard work and sacrifice. We understand the rationale behind starting early, finishing late and working on public holidays. We understand that if we wish to be wealthy (an increasingly unlikely scenario) we will have to create that wealth. It is becoming unlikely to the point of certainty that no-one will give us our piece of land. So – we will have to work and earn it. There are others on this blogg who feel the same way.
Does that make me a capitalist? Probably, and it’s a label that I can live with if you feel that you need to attach a label.
June 26th, 2008 - 16:48
Oh Dammn sorry there you are… Sorry for shouting.
No No Gandalf you got that wrong… Its pronounced
” capitaleeeezt ‘
By the way the hell is ” bugiousie ”
I have tried it all even Googled it ??????
:-/
June 26th, 2008 - 16:50
wait a minute. 300 years of discrimination has been corrected. look around.
you are harboring your own hate and trying to pass it off as what everyone else is thinking. you are living in a dark and terrible past friend, let it go, there is nothing we can do to change all that, though we all wish we could.
June 26th, 2008 - 16:54
Hey its the Hoff….
Dude can you help… What the heck is ” bugiousie ”
I am been accused being one, It gonna drive me crazee if I dont find out.
Jazzman draw me picture here please…
Small round.. Big… can I eat it.. CAn I buy it in a shop.. gimme a hint please
June 26th, 2008 - 16:54
bougouise is french i know that, and it may mean upper class? i cant remember, history class was a long time ago
June 26th, 2008 - 17:03
Well is the wrong spelling….
Nope I speak the French and its not a french word… This dude is good.. His invented his own way of communicating.
Jazzman ceci ce que je suggère que vous ! Obtenez votre tête hors de votre derrière, allez de nouveau à l’école, apprenez comment vous orthographier alors peut avoir toute la terre que vous voulez.
Mais vous obtiendrez nulle part si les gens ne peuvent pas vous comprendre. Je vous souhaite une soirée infestée par moustique
June 26th, 2008 - 17:07
the Court decision recognising the Chinese as a previously disadvantaged group warms the sense of justice bequeathed to us by our Constitution.
It sad that this has been met negatively in some quarters by people devoid of the knowledge of SA history.
Mr Mdladlana belongs to the zoo with the remarks that he made. Sounded a bit like an unreconstructed racists of the HNP.
What is more, SA needs more people, not just naturally, but artificially, by deliberately luring skilled people to find permanent homes and prosperity in SA. That is new South Africans!
Most economically successful and socially dynamic societies of the world are built on the back of of former immigrants making a new country their home.
In fact, we need to deliberately increase the population of South Africa to 60 million, by getting 10 million more skilled immigrants into this country. Then you will see a a growing economy that creates jobs!!
June 26th, 2008 - 17:11
Hey Gadgie, Stent & the rest of the pack. I am thrilled that you guyz now seem to at least try to be civic.
Yes Stentor, I am still around and aint goin nowhere soon!.Do not even try to talk split personalities bcoz that topic is out of your league. & so is a cibilized conversation.
I think you guys are better off in a smoky bar singing rock n roll to some rowdy stoned crowds. How about if you start a band, and call your selves the Amazing-S- Holes?I am sure Gandalf would be more than happy to be your producer & manager.
June 26th, 2008 - 17:12
Jazzman
Can I help you before you make a toti of yourself..
If your trying to say that I am ‘upper’ class in French..
It would be “classe aristocratique”
And in France it is seen as a major compliment when you say that to someone… Please get the spelling right if you want to insult someone. Or use the correct words
June 26th, 2008 - 19:05
Gadget your French is very fluent – and comprehensive!
In the meantime, I think the word that someone is looking for is “bourgeoisie” which is a classification used in analyzing human societies to describe a social class of people who are in the upper or merchant class, whose status or power comes from employment, education, and wealth as opposed to aristocratic origin. Petite bourgeoisie (also petty bourgeoisie) is used to describe the class below the bourgeoisie but above the proletariat (usually independent operators with a small number of employees).
That’s straight from Wikepedia, so I won’t vouch for it’s accuracy. It’s usually used as a term of opprobrium by thoe Marxist-Leninist claque.
Now watch someone too idle to find out for themselves ask who the proletariat are?
UThink So, thanks for the invite to be a rock and roll group’s manager. Some of the independently wealthiest people around started playing in smokey bars to stoned rowdy crowds. Some still do.
I’m sure it would be a lot of fun because the stuff some of those guys come up with is very sharp. Not always polite, sometimes plain unkind, but they can be sharp, as in cutting.
I’d change the name though.