Book bag ban, dress codes are overreations

Book

bag ban, dress codes are overreations

With the ongoing

problem of violence in our nation's schools, the school

board in Fayette County decided to begin looking at ideas

to make our students safer. While it is wise for us to

take a look at our schools to make certain we have taken

steps to make them a safe place to learn, we must be

cautious not to overreact and take steps that would turn

our schools into boot camps.

Two of the

ideas under consideration definitely qualify as

overreaction; the move to impose a tighter dress code and

the move to ban backpacks. If either of these ideas are

utilitized, I believe we are punishing all students for

the actions of a small few.

Look at the

disciplinary numbers recently published. It is a very

small percentage of students that are creating problems,

and rather than impose tighter restrictions on the 99

percent of students who are obeying the rules, it would

be far better to more agressively punish those that do

break the rules.

Spend money

to hire more counselors to help students deal with their

problems in a non-violent way. Train teachers to be able

to better recognize potential problem students and act to

help those students before it is too late.

A dress

code or uniforms is not the answer. The problems of those

students who have acted violently at other schools have

nothing to do with the way they dress; their problems run

much deeper. Keeping them from wearing certain attire

will not make them any less violent.

Backpacks

are a needed item for today's students. With the large

number of books that they must have for each class it is

foolish to force them to find other ways to carry their

books. Again, punish those that are the problem not those

that are not. I doubt that not having a backpack would

have prevented the actions of the individuals who were

involved in violent acts elsewhere.

The world

as a whole is a violent place. Would we all be safer if

we were forced to dress alike and were unable to carry

any item that could conceal a weapon? Let's hope the

focus is on viable solutions that will work, not ideas

that have no merit.

Steve

Fodor

Peachtree City

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