| Many public schools not only fail to educate our | | | | teachers are out of luck. Those 'disabled' children who |
| children, they can also be dangerous places. These | | | | are socially impaired, can't get along with other kids, or |
| schools are a natural breeding ground for drugs and | | | | sometimes turn violent, therefore fall under this |
| violence. Children are packed into classrooms with | | | | category. Of course, this adds yet another layer of |
| twenty or more other immature children or teenagers, | | | | potentially violent children who teachers can't remove |
| all the same age. Here, peer pressure becomes | | | | from class. |
| socialization, pushing many children into using drugs and | | | | Violence in public schools can literally kill your child. In |
| alcohol. | | | | the 2000-2001 school year, students were victims of |
| Put twenty teenagers in the same room, or hundreds | | | | about 1.9 million nonfatal violent crimes such as rape, |
| of teenagers in the same school, and you have a | | | | assault, and robbery. This figure equals about 9,000 |
| breeding ground for violence. Young boys and girls | | | | violent incidents every school day throughout America, |
| have raging hormones and budding sexuality, and male | | | | or about one every three seconds. |
| teenage testosterone levels are high. Teenagers are in | | | | Public schools are also a drug pusher's heaven. |
| the half-child, half-adult stage of life and often lack | | | | Thousands of teenagers, pushed by intense |
| judgment and are emotionally immature. | | | | peer-pressure, smoke, drink beer, and try marijuana or |
| Pack these teenagers together into cramped little | | | | hard drugs. Schools put hundreds of children together |
| classrooms, six to eight hours a day, and you have a | | | | in one big building or courtyard. Mix in overworked or |
| mixture that can lead to trouble. It's inevitable that | | | | indifferent teachers who have little time or desire to |
| violence will break out-it's built into the system. | | | | supervise extracurricular activities. That's why drug |
| Also, even the most conscientious teacher is usually | | | | pushers circle schoolyards like vultures. Where else |
| too busy and overworked to give children the individual | | | | can they find groups of vulnerable victims all herded |
| attention they need. Critics of home-schooling often | | | | together for their convenience? Is it any wonder that |
| say that home-schoolers don't get proper socialization. | | | | drug and alcohol use is a major problem in public |
| However, so-called socialization in public schools is | | | | schools? |
| often cruel and violent. Bullying, peer pressure, racial | | | | In the 2001-2002 school year, 34.9 percent of |
| cliques, sexual tensions, and competition for the | | | | tenth-grade students surveyed said they had smoked |
| teacher's approval all create a stressful, sometimes | | | | cigarettes within the past year. Fifty-one and two |
| violent environment. | | | | tenths percent said they had drunk beer, and 33.4 |
| Compulsory-attendance laws also contribute to | | | | percent said they got bombed on that beer. Also, 29.8 |
| violence in the schools. In most states, these laws | | | | percent of the same tenth-grade students said they |
| force children to stay in school until they are sixteen | | | | had smoked marijuana within the past year, and 78.7 |
| years old or graduate high school. Teenagers who | | | | percent of these marijuana users said they got |
| hate school, or are aggressive or potentially violent | | | | "bombed or very high" on it. |
| sociopaths, can't leave. As a result, they often take out | | | | When children are home-schooled, parents can advise |
| their hatred and aggression on other students. Those | | | | and watch over their kids. At home, there is no peer |
| children want to learn are forced to endure bullying and | | | | pressure to try drugs, as there is in public schools. Drug |
| violence by these troubled teens. | | | | pushers don't hover around private residences. |
| Also, the law is on the side of violent or disruptive | | | | Parents should therefore ask themselves: Do my |
| students who are classified as "disabled." In 1975, | | | | children belong in violent, drug-infested public schools? |
| Congress passed the Individuals with Disabilities | | | | Are there other education options for my children? In |
| Education Act (IDEA). Based on this legislation, in 1988 | | | | "Public Schools, Public Menace," I discuss many quality, |
| the Supreme Court ruled that schools could not | | | | low-cost education options parents can use right now |
| remove disruptive disabled children from classrooms | | | | if they decide to take their children out of public school. |
| without a parent's consent. If parents don't consent, | | | | Article Copyrighted © 2005 by Joel Turtel. |