CAL THOMAS COMMENTARY MARCH 8, 2018
I AM OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER WHEN DISCIPLINE WAS TAUGHT – EVEN IMPOSED – AT HOME AND REINFORCED IN SCHOOL. YOU MAY BE, TOO. DID IT HURT YOU? IT DIDN’T HURT ME.
AN OBAMA ADMINISTRATION POLICY PERMITTED SCHOOLS TO ADOPT A MORE LENIENT DISCIPLINE POLICY IN HOPES THAT TRUANT AND MISBEHAVING STUDENTS WOULD NOT WALK THE FAST TRACK TO PRISON. IT HASN’T WORKED AS THE ILL-DISCIPLINED FLORIDA SCHOOL SHOOTER PROVES.
FLORIDA REPUBLICAN SENATOR MARCO RUBIO HAS ASKED EDUCATION SECRETARY BETSY DEVOS TO OVERHAUL THE POLICY, WHICH CONTAINED ELEMENTS OF RACIAL BIAS. BUT HOW IS IT BIASED WHEN THE MISBEHAVIOR OCCURS IN MINORITY MAJORITY SCHOOLS AND IN SOME CASES WHERE THERE ARE NOTHING BUT MINORITIES? WHAT ABOUT MINORITY CHILDREN WHO BEHAVE WELL AND DO WELL IN SCHOOL? ARE THEY TO SUFFER BECAUSE OF THE BAD BEHAVIOR OF A FEW? ISN’T IT A TYPE OF RACIAL BIAS NOT TO EXPECT GOOD BEHAVIOR AND GOOD GRADES FROM MINORITIES? AND DOESN’T THAT PUT THE MISBEHAVIORS ON THE FAST TRACK TO PRISON? REMEMBER THE LINE “THE SOFT BIGOTRY OF LOW EXPECTATIONS”? SECRETARY DEVOS SHOULD CHANGE THE POLICY. I’M CAL THOMAS IN WASHINGTON.
