Disrespecting Childhood

I generally agree with the authors’ view point from Disrespecting Childhood. Children in the United States face many disadvantages and feats that many other westernized countries do not. Working from beginning of life into adulthood, the first noticeable disregard a lack of sexual education among pre-pubescent/sexually maturing adolescence. Proper, more thorough, sex education along with high school pregnancy/childcare classes would likely lower teenage pregnancy in America (National Committee of State Legislatures [NCSL], 2016). Classes would also be creating more educated young adults in how to properly take care of child in the paternal role. We learn how to take care of infants/toddlers through babysitting siblings or babysitting as a high school job, its very unlikely that an individual have proper training in childcare. Another is the lack of laws for paid maternity leave for mothers. The only federal law in place is the Family and Medical Leave Act [FMLA] and only holds someone’s position for 12 weeks, unpaid (Ingraham, 2018). Lower class single mothers/families struggle financially and usually return to work as soon as possible, this in turn effects early development of a newborn through inadequate bonding time, an important piece of nurturing. 

Children then enter into an educational institution; most American’s go through the public education system. Education in America is far behind many other Countries based on IQ tests in all subjects. Extracurricular programs, and electives such as art, cooking, or band are being cut from local, state, and federal budgets annually. In high school I personally never had a class that explained how I was supposed to file my taxes (Thank you turbo tax!), and a majority of my books were the same ones my mom used (16-year difference in age). Although I received my high school diploma, I left the nest officially responsible for myself, a new adult in society! However, I had to learn many day-to-day adult life tasks through trial and error. Having high school classes that focus on “Adulting” such as budgeting, taxes, college university career services available to high school students, and programs focused on 11^th-12^thgraders being channeled into trade schools and colleges with more support/guidance (Karlitz, 2002). 

Even though BHS needed new books (still might now), revitalizing Naranche Stadium complete with artificial turf was prioritized, approved, then supported by a majority of the local community. After high school, one will either enter entry level jobs or seek an expensive higher education in hopes to make more income for a comfortable life. From government down to local communities all disregard alarming statistics and data that shows the country falling behind academically (DeSilver, 2018). This in turn, jeopardizes the United States future as a world leader and power. These are just few examples of the unnoticed/ignored actions current adults make towards future generations (I Avoided school shootings and mental health as they are very complex issues that I'm sure I'll talk about in discussions.). 

References

DeSilver, D. (2017, February 15). U.S. academic achievement lags that of many other countries. Retrieved from http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/02/15/u-s-students-internationally-math-science/

Ingraham, C. (2018, February 05). The world's richest countries guarantee mothers more than a year of paid maternity leave. The U.S. guarantees them nothing. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2018/02/05/the-worlds-richest-countries-guarantee-mothers-more-than-a-year-of-paid-maternity-leave-the-u-s-guarantees-them-nothing/?noredirect=on

Karlitz, K. (2002, November 09). High School Curriculum Should Be More Relevant. Retrieved from http://articles.latimes.com/2002/nov/09/news/vo-young9

 NCSL. (2016, December 21). State Policies On Sex Education in Schools. Retrieved from 

http://www.ncsl.org/research/health/state-policies-on-sex-education-in-schools.aspx

Disrespecting Children

After reading the article "Disrespecting Children", I disagree and agree that people are disrespecting children. I agree because a lot of the facts stated in the article about children are very true. For example, when the article talks about how there is an increasing amount of high school drop outs, a lot of teachers, board members, and faculty members in general don't listen to what children or young adults have to say about the school. There could be a large variety of reasons for someone to dropout, but nothing is changed or talked about once brought up. I feel like that could be viewed as disrespectful to the children and young adults. I disagree with the statement "the second standards-based reform sets up high expectations by requiring all students achieve the highest standards in all subjects" (Marling, Jackson, Stevens). I do not think that this is being disrespectful to children and young adults, but more being fair with everyone. There shouldn't have to be different standards for every student. that would not be fair. Also, why should schools have to set lower standards for children? How would that help in the long run? I feel like parents just want their children to try and strive for high standard things. They just want them to be the best that they can be. I don't feel as if this is disrespectful. Depending on the situation of the family, it seems to me that a lot of parents really care and love for their children and want the best for their future. Being a little "tough" on children instead of "babying" them doesn't seem disrespectful.

Disrespecting Childern

    I believe that kids aren't being disrespected, but are being neglected in a sense. I've worked with kids my whole life and I can tell the there is a growing problem. Children use to be more creative in finding a way to pass time. For example, painting, playing house, tag, puzzles, cops and robbers. Now I hear kids auguring with there parent about how being a YouTube star is an actually job. This is what I mean when I say kids are being neglected. I don't think that just putting a screen in your child's face for and hour is necessarily good for them. They are becoming more impatient and use to getting what they want, when they wont it. In other words, spoiled.

    Back to technology, kids are more exposed to new and inappropriate stuff and at a younger age. With young minds, what ever they see or hear will be repeated or mimicked. What ever they see as trendy, or cool, will most likely strike their curiosity and come up later in life. For example, juuling is everywhere. Its trendy on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Meme's, even on the radio sometimes. Now lets say you have a kid in Sixth grade and they are scrolling on Instagram and they see some famous person on there Vaping. They are most likely going to think its cool. They see some Eighth graders that are juuling and askes if he/she can join. Now you have a child who is addicted to nicotine at the age of 14. 63% of youths ( between the ages of 15-25) juul, that number is only going to get bigger.  Not saying the social media is terrible. I believe that it is a great way to stay in touch with old friends, and post a cute photo with your sister or dad ect. After Facebook launched in 2004, 14% of teens have suicidal thoughts and 7% acted on those thoughts.

    I have a point to all of this. Respect is not something that is just handed out (or it shouldn't be at least). How do parents expect kids to respect them when they give there child no bounders.

 I believe that parents should be involved in there child's life. Let them be who they are Discipline them when they need to be. Help them when they need help, but find their own way to do it. 

Disrespecting Childhood

         After reading the article, "Disrespecting Childhood", I realized that our community is the total opposite of what the article talks about.  The majority of our community is very loving and supportive towards our children. Therefore, I disagree with the article. In my opinion, it is near impossible to not love/support a child.  Around our community, I have seen a lot of support  and love shown by not only the parents of their child but a majority of adults.  Parents are always trying to help other children.  Whether its to volunteer to give rides, help in the classroom, or just always be there in time of need.  For example, I grew up in a way where other people, besides my family members, would volunteer in giving me rides if my parents weren't available at the time.  Coming from a very helpful/loving community, I completely disagree with the article.    

Local Community Loves Our Children

After reading this article I was intrigued by this question.  My first thought was to agree with the article, but after further thought, I believe the majority of Americans respect and value our children and childhood.   Therefore, I disagree with the article.  My examples below are a reflection of the Butte community (which I am familiar with), but I believe our community is representative of many communities across our country.

For example, many of us are involved in our schools, and we volunteer to help in both academic and sporting activities.   We give of our time not only for the benefit of our own children, but for other’s children too.  In our community, we continue to invest in the infrastructure to benefit our children.  An example of this would be the passage of the $65 million bond for renovations to the middle school and security updates to at all the elementary schools.  This bond passed by a 65 percent margin, proving that an overwhelming majority of our voters want to invest in providing a safe productive learning environment for our children.  Investing in the future of generations of children to come.

We also give our time and money to social programs that are specific to help children.   These include fundraisers to provide food, clothing, school supplies, and programs for the disadvantaged youth of our community.  Organizations like YMCA, Little Leagues,United Way, Butte Emergency Food Bank, and Big Brothers and Big Sisters are financially supported by the community, and they are serving many of the needs of the children of our community, regardless of the family’s ability to pay.  This includes after school programs, school supplies, food programs, summer camps, mentoring programs, all with the primary focus on the children’s well being.  I also see the business community stepping up with allowing their employees to volunteer (during work time) to coach, and to mentor at various clubs (science and engineering, reading, etc.).

In summary, I base my disagreement on first hand knowledge of being a parent, and being involved in our community.

Extrapolation on Minors charged as Adults (Dissrespecting Childhood)

The composite of different articles in Disrespecting Childhood have provided a number of examples
and legislation regarding the protection of children that in fact isolate and in some ways target other
populations of teens. Because there are so many topics to choose from I’ve decided to pick one that
stands out with me the most and extrapolate on a phenomenon and series of historical events that
have lead up to the phrase we hear as helicopter parenting. One of the articles sections talks about
minors being charged as an adult for specific crimes which in turn, has placed over 21,000 kids under
the age of 18 in adult correctional facilities (Dudley-Marling, Jackson, & Stevens, 2006 p.105).
Rather than taking an active approach to try and change, educate, or correct this behavior in a minor,
our judicial system has taken it upon themselves to simply “fix” the problem by isolating the behavior.

This section in particular is fascinating to me because it shows a radical shift from trying to protect our'
children from bad people to we must protect our children from the other children.
I personally believe this shift took place during the 1980s when “stranger danger” (Kutner, 2016)
became the new slogan in the news and media and made everything outside the home seem foreign
and dangerous. Because this was also the era where the internet and media began to really take
hold, news was able to reach all across the nation within seconds. I believe because of this instant
outreach, news across the country began to feel like news within one’s hometown.
Furthermore there were a few child abduction cases (i.e. Jacob wetterling, and a young
girl Megan Lewinsky which will be discussed further) who were kidnapped at the time and photos
of their missing child reports began to show up on milk cartons, cereal boxes etc. (Kutner, 2016)
This rapid outreach eventually lead to the 1994 - Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and
Sexually Violent Offender Registration Act (Office of Justice Program, n.d.) Which made it mandatory
that police had an updated registry of people who had committed some kind of violent sexual act.
In my personal opinion this act made a lot of sense because if a child went missing, authorities
could quickly check for alibis to ensure it wasn’t done by someone already convicted of a sexual crime.

However, shortly after this act was put in place the mother of Monica Lewinsky got involved and
pushed for these registries to be open to the public. This manifest itself into the second act which
was the 1996 - Megan's Law (Office of Justice Program, n.d.). Once these registries became open
to the public, parents everywhere started freaking out. Soon after this it seemed as though the
government was playing a game of who can emplace the strictest laws on sexual perpetrators.
In doing so, names of people who simply sent a nude photo, had sex with their girlfriend who was
only a year younger than them, or kids who streaked at a football game went on these registries.

Disclaimer: I am highlighting some con sides of these acts however it should be noted these have greatly improved
investigative strategies for finding criminals and that I am not some heartless human who disapproves of them.

Long story short, these registrees began targeting minors in the same way they would target a
pediofile who had raped and killed children thus isolating a population of teens and putting them in the
same category as adults who had actually committed sexually violent crimes. Similarly to my
statement earlier critiquing our system on not properly educating these teens who are being charged
as adults, (although that education is also just part of an entirely more complex problem that should
be dealt with way sooner in life) rather than fixing the problem of not having anymore victims,
we have in turn made everyone seem as though they are a predator. It is because of these laws
and cultural phenomena that I believe all the other sections of Disrespecting Childhood have
become such an obvious issue.

Anecdote

If anyone does decide to look more into this, it is quite staggering how these two laws alone have
forced homelessness onto people who are coming out of prison for being convicted of sexual crimes.
It is because of all this ^^ that it is so easy to get convicted for sending nude photos, not getting
consent, or having sex with a minor. Think about that… also look into the laws that were put in place
during the Obama administration that required a vision stamp to be put on anyone's passport who
has been convicted of (a more serious) sexual crime. It should be noted that this is not required for
any other kind of crime like murder, mass killing, nothing, zip nada. Yes, I understand this anecdote
is slightly tangential and controversial but food for thought!  

Refereces

Dudley-Marling, C., Jackson, J., & Stevens, L.P. (2006). Disrespecting childhood. Phi Delta Kappan.
23. (pp. 104-108) doi10.1177/003172170608701009.

Kutner, M. (2016). How ‘stranger things’ captures ’80s panic over missing kids. Newsweek Magazine.
Retrieved from https://www.newsweek.com/stranger-things-missing-children-netflix-488605

Office of Justice Program. (n.d.). Legislative history of federal sex offender registration and notification. Retrieved from https://www.smart.gov/legislation.htm

Disrespecting Childhood

            The authors of “Disrespecting Childhood” are covering a lot of the hard-hitting topics of how we treat children. Lots could be said about whether or not childhood is mishandled nowadays, but I have to say that I agree with Dudley-Marling, Jackson, and Stevens. I have seen it first-hand. The school that I grew up in recently took away the second recess session for the fourth through sixth graders so that we didn’t have to have more days of school than were absolutely necessary. The idea that administration would reduce an already limited amount of free time that those kids had so that everyone could get out of school a few days earlier deeply upsets me.

            People like to say that kids will be kids yet, they expect them to act like adults. How do people expect kids who can barely understand basic table manners to attend a professional setting and act perfect for hours? Something even more outrageous is the idea that kids who haven’t even graduated high school yet have to choose a career path that will supposedly last the rest of their lives, costing thousands of dollars. The more years that pass, the less I believe that childhood and what it means to be a child/adolescent is taken seriously. Kids seem to be either a deduction on taxes, a way for adults to prove that they aren’t useless to society (not good at their job, not members of society, might as well have a child), or a way to carry on the family name and everything associated with it. Kids aren’t allowed to simply exist, learn by trial and error, and grow anymore.

Disrespecting Childhood

            I believe children aren’t loved as much as everyone claims they are in our society.  The article states, “While these commonly held beliefs communicate a consistent and shared regard for children, we dig beneath the platitudes, we find a far messier and more complex set of assumptions, beliefs, and challenges to this inspiring image of the United States as a child-loving society” (Curt Dudley-Marling).  Letty Pogrebin said “America is a nation fundamentally ambivalent about its children, often afraid of its children, and frequently punitive towards its children.” Pogrebin mentions the cost of public education and child health and nutrition programs.  Children are spoken of as a responsibility, a legal liability, and an encumbrance (Curt Dudley-Marling).  I can agree with this statement because a lot of people talk down about their children and others’ children.  Society is too strict on children, and I believe we, as a society, need to look at how we treat children.

Do Americans Truly Value Children?

While it may be true that there are many programs, resources, and policies in place that protect and strive for the betterment of American children, it is difficult to say that Americans love children as much as we claim to. "Disrespecting Childhood" shows several policies or practices in America that demonstrate ways in which we are not respecting our children. I do not believe that we totally devalue and disrespect children as a society.  However, we often prioritize other areas of our own lives over the well-being of our children. This idea explains how we can allocate billions of dollars yearly to bolster education, yet still allocate hundreds of billions more to the Department of Defense. It also explains why we install metal detectors on the doors of schools, as opposed to implementing national restrictions on firearms. The American people do care about their youth, but they also care about their taxes and their right to bear arms. In what proportion they care determines how policies are written.

 When conflicting interests arrive between the well-being of children and well established American values, legislation must cater to one side more than the other. One specific example of this notion is displayed in the 2018 United States federal budget. The 2018 budget allocates 68.2 billion dollars to the Department of Education. With a budget that large we must be setting our children up for success, right? In all actuality, the 2018 federal budget allocated 9.2 billion dollars less than the 2017 federal budget for education.  The 2018 budget also allocates 574 billion dollars to the Department of Defense; A raise of 52 billion dollars from 2017. It is easy to see what we value more as a society.

Another great example of a policy that favors Americans today is the new reforms in the EPA (environmental protection agency). These reforms push towards the use of oil and coal in industry, and away from renewable energy sources and natural gas. Essentially, we are trading the wealth of our nation right now for the well-being of our future generations. These reforms were not passed in spite of our nation’s youth, but they will have a major impact.

Overall, we do care about our children in America. However, we often pass legislation that undermines our attempts at providing the best possible future for said children. It is in this way that we care deeply for our kids, but not as deeply as we claim to.

Disrespecting Childhood

               The country loves the idea of the perfect child, not children. The upcoming generations will one day replace all of us. They will become our political leaders, educators, and caregivers. If Americans neglect the upbringing of our youth, we neglect our future. The child that doesn’t act out, the one that is obedient and does well in school is what Americans love. The article discusses how schools are becoming more demanding, kids are being held to higher standards. Recess is being eliminated and music and art programs are no longer being funded. Children get to sit in a classroom for 7 or 8 hours, then go home and do their homework. If that’s the case we might as well dress our kids in a suit and tie, get them used to the 9 to 5 life that is America. Kids need to be inspired, they need creative outlets to be kids and enjoy their adolescence. Adults have built a system for kids without respecting the youth’s ideas or interests. Giving back some of that freedom may be what the system needs.

               Youth violence rates have increased in recent years according to the article. What used to end in a small scuffle is now turning into deadly weapons being pulled and maybe even death. In one of the deadliest school shootings in America. Video surveillance can be seen of the school resource officer, who was armed. Standing outside of the school refusing to engage the active shooter. Putting armed officers in schools is a step in the right direction to keep the youth safe. Hiring the right person for the job is even more vital than just giving somebody a gun.  Robbing a bank would be harder to do than committing mass murder at a school. Americans put more security around our money than we do our own children.  

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2018/03/15/parkland-surveillance-video-shows-officer-standing-outside-school-during-shooting/428147002/

Prompt for the week of January 14th (Disrespecting Childhood)

The authors of one of your readings from last week (Disrespecting Childhood) argue that whereas Americans claim to love children, many policies and practices demonstrate quite the opposite. What are you thoughts on this claim?  If you agree, then point out several additional examples from the last decade. If you disagree, provide a few examples that illustrate how Americans respect (and value) children and childhood. Make sure you explain your examples.