Is This Really What We Want To Teach Our Kids?

[Kennedy 0]

http://www.cnn.com/2005/EDUCATION/04/26/school.tattling.ap/index.html

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ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) -- For a growing number of students, the easiest way to make a couple of hundred dollars has nothing to do with chores or after-school jobs, and everything to do with informing on classmates.

Tragedies like last month's deadly shooting at a Red Lake, Minnesota, school have prompted more schools to offer cash and other prizes -- including pizza and premium parking spots -- to students reporting classmates who carry guns, drugs or alcohol, commit vandalism or otherwise break school rules.

"For kids of that age, it's hard for them to tell on their peers. This gives them an opportunity to step up if they know something that will help us make an arrest," said James Kinchen, an assistant school superintendent in Houston County, Georgia, which earlier this month started offering rewards of up to $100 for reporting relatively minor crimes like vandalism or theft and $500 for information about a crime, or plans for a crime, involving a gun.

Critics call them "snitch" programs, saying they are a knee-jerk reaction to student violence. Some education professionals fear such policies could create a climate of distrust in schools and turn students against each other.

"There are very few things that I can think of that would be more effective at destroying that sense of community," said Bruce Marlowe, an education psychology professor at Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island.

About 2,000 schools and colleges, from Honolulu to Palm Beach County, Florida, have adopted Student Crime Stoppers programs like Houston County, according to the nonprofit Crime Stoppers U.S.A., which began helping schools set up such programs in 1983.

Most schools offer an anonymous phone line or a school drop box for tips. Rewards range from cash to gift certificates to free parking passes.

Elsewhere in Georgia, Model High School in Rome uses the proceeds from its candy and soda sales to pay students up to $100 for tips about drugs or weapons on campus or other crimes.

The goal: "Heading off some problems rather than waiting until they happen and responding afterward," said Tim Hensley, a school system spokesman.

Some students fear classmates with a grudge or those set on making some quick money may level false accusations or plant drugs or weapons in their lockers.

But Houston County's Kinchen said: "That will sort itself out. Our officers deal with these kind of things everyday; they can find out which kid is being set up and which kid is telling the truth."

At Model High, some of the 650 students complain that the program wrongly implies their school is dangerous. In a Rome News-Tribune cartoon, the school's official mascot was mockingly changed from the Blue Devils to the "Tattlers."

No one has received a reward yet at Model High.

"Everyone just thinks it's a joke. No one is going to tell on their friends for cash," said senior Katie Burnes, president of the school's National Honor Society chapter. "If someone brings a gun to school or is doing drugs in the bathroom, no one has to pay me to let the teachers know."

Frank Farley, an educational psychology professor at Temple University in Philadelphia, said students should be taught to speak up without being offered a reward.

"This idea of surveillance -- there's something unsavory there," Farley said. "We're familiar with the history of that in the former Soviet Union and Nazi Germany." He added: "I think it's bad civics."

witty subliminal message
Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards.
1*

[mr2mk1g 10]

Hitler Capitalist Youth.

A tongue in cheek comment perhaps, but the parallels are there. Besides, what ever happened to reporting crime as part of your civic duty?

[UntamedDOG 0]

Our public schools are such ratholes these days, I don't think anything would suprise me. The students are the ones who make the school a dump and the teachers facilitate it.

[RoadRash 0]

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Critics call them "snitch" programs, saying they are a knee-jerk reaction to student violence. Some education professionals fear such policies could create a climate of distrust in schools and turn students against each other.

No duh......You throw "cash prizes" and pizza into a deal that says snitch on whoever makes fun of you or who you don't like...Good grief, this program relies on high schoolers whose judgment is usually described as subpar...Just another example of how fear has driven this society to grasp at straws...

~R+R...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Fly the friendly skies...^_^...})ii({...^_~...

[jumpjunkie2004 0]

This is a fine example of one of the problems in our country. We've taught our children to expect a tangible benefit for doing what they should do.

Jump, Land, Pack, Repeat...

[kallend 1,683]

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Our public schools are such ratholes these days, I don't think anything would suprise me. The students are the ones who make the school a dump and the teachers facilitate it.

Teachers follow school board policy, and school boards are elected by their communities.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[aerohaga 0]

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This is a fine example of one of the problems in our country. We've taught our children to expect a tangible benefit for doing what they should do.

Exactly-we aren't teaching them the right thing to do, just the most profitable thing. [sighing]

For my part, I know nothing with any certainty,
But the sight of the stars makes me dream.
-Vincent Van Gogh

[lawrocket 3]

***to offer cash and other prizes -- including ... premium parking spots -- to students"

Haha! The primo parking spots do to snitches? How's that for creating more opportunities for vandalism. The snitches will say, "Dude, put me as far back from there as possible." Anyone parkign close to the school is gonna be sure his/her car insurance is paid up.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[Vallerina 2]

If someone is scared to turn in someone carrying a gun to school, pizza should do the trick.

There's a thin line between Saturday night and Sunday morning

[pajarito 0]

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Besides, what ever happened to reporting crime as part of your civic duty?

I agree. There's a line between being a snitch for lesser things and reporting a crime or something that may endanger people. I would expect my children to report an unauthorized person carrying a weapon at school. I would also expect them to report someone who turned on the gas valve (and left it on) in the chemistry room. I would also expect them to report a "private" conversation with another child who was contemplating suicide. With lesser things, I'd expect them to work it out amongst themselves and to maintain the trust of their peers.

Added: However, I'd expect them to do it without the pizza and prizes.

[rehmwa 2]

Kid's should do what's right because they are raised that way.

This is pure indoctrination. Soon, they'll be turning in their parents for non-PC speech and not recycling.

I am not paranoid. You are.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[steve1 5]

I doubt if pizza or a small amount of cash is going to be very effective, and I doubt if it will cause anyone to suddenly become a "Snitch".

A few weeks ago I gave a talk to kids in our high school and middle school on the importance of telling someone if they suspect anyone is thinking of bringing a weapon to school, or if they know of anyone that is packing a weapon.

Many kids know in advance that an act of violence is about to occur and the school staff often relies on this information to prevent something awful from happening.

In Bethel, Alaska a student brought a shotgun into the school and killed several people. Many students knew this was going to happen in advance, but noone was willing to rat on this guy. Many stayed home that day because they knew a shooting was going to happen. All this could have been prevented if only one of those kids had spoke up....Steve1

[jumpjunkie2004 0]

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any students knew this was going to happen in advance, but noone was willing to rat on this guy.

What does that say about this country and how the children are being raised?

Jump, Land, Pack, Repeat...

[steve1 5]

What does that say about this country and how the children are being raised?

[lawrocket 3]

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This is pure indoctrination. Soon, they'll be turning in their parents for non-PC speech and not recycling.

I understand this. How many teachers assign kids to write journals? How much private information do teachers get from these "reports on my family" - aka journals?

If any teacher wants my kid to write journals for grading, I'm gonna have a little chat with that teacher about another assignment he could do instead...

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[Nightingale 0]

I don't think programs like that will make a bit of difference.

Kids aren't going to rat out their friends. They will, however, rat out kids they don't like, most times regardless of whether they get rewarded or not, just for the thrill of watching someone they don't like get into trouble.

At my high school, if someone had brought a gun or drugs and was flashing them around, you bet someone would've snitched. If they weren't flashing them around, nobody would know except close friends, who wouldn't rat, reward or not. If a reward was offered, I don't think many kids would take it, because it would make their ratting public knowledge, which is the last thing a kid wants.

[beefytweezers 0]

I wish they had a program like that when I was in school. I could've retired by graduation by turning in all the people that gave me shit.

"You can't fly an airplane drunk, it's not like driving a car."

[flyangel2 2]

Once again, people expecting the schools to be parents.

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey