Certainly some of the crisis in confidence that we face as educators is due to the fact that our parents are fearful of their children's safety when they send them off to us. Therefore, it is important that we do everything in our power to see to it that order is maintained and discipline observed. It is difficult for children to learn in an environment that is unsafe and where they feel at risk. It is hard to keep staff on task when they fear for their own safety. Therefore, schools should be places where a high standard of behavior is expected, where rules are clear and enforced, and where everyone takes their role seriously.
School administrators are the first line of defense.
They must have the courage to do all that they can to see that students are behaving acceptably, that staff members are supported in their efforts at maintaining order, and that parents are made an integral part of the action whose responsibilities are also seen clearly. There are two other things that must be done. We must get a more consistent standard out of the federal government on the enforcement of rules. We can no longer allow a double standard to exist for those who are classified under IDEA and those who are not. Clearly, we must make exceptions for those who are incapable of knowing right from wrong.