Well, boys and girls, it has happened again! Another school administrator has declared herself a demi-god, capable of overruling societal norms, commonly accepted behavior, the Constitution of the United States and just good old common sense!
Suzanne Lukas is the latest object of self-deification! She is the Superintendent of Bonny Eagle High School which held its commencement on June 12. One graduate (Yes, I called him a graduate, MS Lukas, because he should have graduated that day.) Justin Denney blew a kiss to his mother as he approached to receive his diploma. MS Lukas immediately ordered the young man back to his seat stating that "There's no fooling around up here". Really, MS Lukas? No fooling around at graduation? You seem to need to extract that stick from your backside and start looking around a little.
Every year, the news media brings us stories that show graduates of our service academies throwing their hats in the air at commencement. As an Air Force retiree, I can tell you for a fact that at any other time that would be considered conduct not becoming an officer. Are you saying that graduations are so hallowed, so sanctified that nothing should be allowed to interfere with your reverie? Wake up! It's a school, not a church. There is a big difference between celebrating and fooling around. Look that up in your Funk and Wagnalls!
Are you going to tell us that graduations are not cause for celebration? Should we get hold of some of your classmates on Facebook and Classmates and find out how you acted at your graduations? I'm sure it would make interesting reading!
This is just another instance of a school official who has totally forgotten what schools and especially graduations are all about. It's all about the kids. It's not about your rules or any phony sanctification you attach to the ceremony. It's supposed to be about those kids and what they have accomplished. They are passing from your institution into the world and this ceremony was to be their big, memorable send-off; the last thing you did for them. Too bad that you ruined it so that now all anybody is talking about is you! For shame! Anybody who can forget that a graduation is all about the kids ought not to be in charge of one, ever again.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
School Superintendent or Demi-god?
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3 comments:
Actually, sir, you speak about that which you know not. The pared down, falsified, mother making excuses for her disruptive undisciplined son is nothing but an overhyped game of telephone gone wrong. The school was upholding a code of conduct after numerous students, in retaliation for previous disciplinary action, disrupted the ceremony, made lewd gestures, and disrespected all present, including their fellow students. In fact, another student was almost arrested, which gives you an idea of the level of disruption and disobedience. As retired military yourself, I'd imagine you would stand for honor and dignity. The superintendent was simply doing her job - it was the delinquent student who violated school rules and deserves your condemnation.
And I notice your comment was anonymous which says something about your regard for honor. As for dignity, there is nothing wrong with a graduate celebrating, especially by blowing his mom a kiss. If there were other students getting more out of hand than this, then certainly steps should be taken. However, the acts of other students should have nothing to do with the Superintendent's reaction to Justin's actions.
It seems that there must be quite a bit of disharmony at that school to cause an entire graduating class to mess up their big day just to make a point like this. Kids don't come to decisions like that unless somebody is pushing back instead of leading a way out of the conflict.
By the way, were you there, anonymous? You talk like one who knows what truly transpired since you cite students acting "in retaliation for previous disciplinary action". I bet you're on the faculty of Bonny Eagle if not on the school board. Is this how you lead your student body, by making it an us versus them situation?
If the other students were the subjects of previous disciplinary actions, why were they afforded the opportunity to walk across the stage at graduation? In the military we weed out our bad actors before a ceremony. They are not allowed to take part. If they have earned a diploma or certificate, it is mailed to their assigned base, along with an explanation of why they were sent home before graduation. In most cases, such individuals are not even retained until graduation but are sent home early to attempt to explain their untimely return to their commanders.
According to the information I was able to gather, Justin did not retaliate for previous disciplinary actions, nor make lewd or obscene gestures, nor did he disrupt the proceedings. He blew his mom a kiss. If Justin had been the object of disciplinary actions in the past, then his attitude should have been dealt with at that time, not on graduation day for paying homage to his mother.
This type of discipline I have heard described as Dump Trucking. Every infraction, every misdeed is stored up and never forgotten until one little thing trips the trigger and then the whole load lands squarely on the startled miscreant who stepped the slightest bit out of line this time. The punish does not fit the crime, if indeed there was a crime.
I am reasonably certain of one thing. I am certainly in favor of stricter classrooms and higher standards. I think if we do the best job we can teaching our children all along the way, then we will be able to loosen up a bit when it comes time for them to graduate and messes like this will be a thing of the past. The bottom line is that these kids know that they are neither trusted nor respected. We definitely need to do better when it comes to our children. It's supposed to be a cooperative effort, not a battle.
Blog is interesting and funny me a lot!! Thanks
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