Support Educator Lori Thomas' Campaign To Teach Our Children Respect For Themselves And Others

In March of 2004, the Rochester City School District (Rochester, New York) suspended an Elementary
teacher named Lori Thomas for engaging in what I believe was totally appropriate and caring action that was
designed to teach one of her students the importance of respecting himself, his class mates and people in
general.

Ms Thomas' suspension inspired her to wage an ongoing campaign that focuses on the dire need for us to
instill within our children (at an early age) the importance of respectful behavior. As part of her ongoing
campaign, she organized a "Save Our Children Rally," which took place at the Liberty Pole in downtown
Rochester on July 25, 2004. I feel honored to have been among numerous individuals invited to speak at the
July 25th Rally. My comments were as follows:

Good afternoon Brothers and Sisters:

I think that it's important for us to be clear about why we're out here this afternoon. We are here because a bold, courageous, caring sister --- Ms. Lori Thomas --- who also happens to be employed in one of the most important positions in this community, or in any community --- that is, the position of educator --- had the courage, the insight, and cared enough to stand up to an entire, corrupt system and declare openly that she would not participate in the madness that's being perpetuated by those who are supposedly in charge of supervising and overseeing Rochester's public education system. Ms. Thomas made it clear that she is not willing to go along with the status quo. There is no position, no job that's more important than helping to shape and mold young minds and personalities. People who profess to be educators have got to stop acting like robots --- have got to stop going along to get along --- have got to stop supporting policies, procedures and initiatives that they know, or should know --- are not in the best interests of our children. An authentic, an effective, a serious educator is also a thinker, a shaker, a mover, a change agent. Certainly, Lori Thomas has demonstrated these qualities, and that's what brings us here this afternoon. Exactly what is it that those who are supposedly in charge at school #22 wanted Ms. Thomas to do? Well, they wanted her to condone the suspension of a third-grader (9-years-old) for using inappropriate, lewd language in school (not that it's acceptable any other place), but Ms. Thomas made it clear that she doesn't support the "revolving door" suspension policy, and neither do I, and nor should you. It is a policy that calls for the suspension of children (most often for five days or less), but when the children return to school, often they engage in behavior that is worse than that which they were originally suspended for. Thus they get suspended again (and round-and-round we go, like a revolving door). In fact, many of the children want to be suspended. They intentionally engage in the types of behavior that they know will lead to suspension.  For many, suspension is viewed as a "holiday."  We know that while on suspension --- is the time when many young people end up getting into deep trouble relative to the criminal justice system. These are reasons why we have to move beyond the "revolving-door" suspension policy. There is a very serious need to develop and implement well thought out, effective alternatives to suspension. Ms Thomas has pointed out, and we know that when you ban children from their schools --- that sends a wrong message. The message becomes: 'we don't want you; we don't care about you; we don't love you.'  So Brothers and Sisters (once again) --- one of the main points that we're attempting to make is that, as it relates to inappropriate behavior and appropriate disciplinary measures --- we have got to go beyond the "revolving door" suspension policy. We have got to develop alternatives to suspension. We have got to find ways to keep the children in school. When we see children constantly displaying inappropriate behavior and disrupting the educational process --- that ought to be a clue that there might be some serious underlying issues and problems that need to be dealt with. To the extent that we can --- we need to support and help children and their families deal with these underlying issues and problems. We don't want to give the impression that we support harboring or pampering, or making excuses for inappropriate behavior --- because we don't. If we make sure that alternatives are in place --- then in some extreme cases --- suspension might become necessary, but that's exactly how suspension should be viewed --- as an extreme, last-ditch measure --- as opposed to something that happens routinely, on a daily basis. It's important to mention that some people are trying to claim that this whole situation is about so-called corporal punishment, which of course raises in people's minds --- the issue of child abuse. It is absolutely not about that. On the contrary --- it is about helping to shape, mold and protect the children. It is about developing and institutionalizing alternatives to suspension, and it is about developing and institutionalizing adequate, appropriate and effective support systems for our children and their families. We must point out (because it's important) that with regard to appropriately disciplining our children --- there is a cultural issue at work. What large numbers of people from some cultures view as so-called corporal punishment --- is viewed by large numbers of people within other cultures as representing appropriate discipline. Government agents and others have pushed and advocated, and legislated children's rights to the extent that legitimate parental authority is being systematically undermined. So that today, if parents (like myself) still believe in that old-time disciplinary way, which requires, if necessary, applying the board of education to a child's seat of  knowledge --- many children are quick to threaten their parents that they (the children) will pick up the phone and dial so-called child-protective services. What's so hypocritical is that many of these so-called children rights advocates and agents, and so-called child protectors are the first to open their mouths and blast or blame parents when children display inappropriate behavior. How hypocritical. How should today's event (the Rally) be viewed? Should it be viewed as a solution? Of course not. But it should be viewed as another concrete step in an ongoing process to produce a solution. Thank you for listening. The struggle continues...............For more information regarding Ms. Thomas, and the ongoing Teach To Respect Campaign, visit her Website: www.teachtorespect.com. Also, please feel free to visit my Website: www.howardeagle.com.