There was a video of a student getting beat in a classroom. You can watch it on my blog.

What prompts a teacher to go off and beat a child like a piñata? Maybe he mouthed off after an assignment, or maybe he was texting during a test, or maybe the teacher had told him "i" before "e" except after "c" for the 100th time and was fed up. Apparently the child and others were laughing at a mentally challenged classmate --sad.

I am not excusing the teacher’s actions, but until you have been in a classroom with 20 or more unruly, disrespectful and off-the-chain kids, you don't know the pain. This is why I teach at the college level, so that if anything pops off, I can at least say they were adults.

There was a similar story in the news where a student attacks a teacher. I love covering current events with my students. So my students, who are always trying to test me, jokingly asked: "What would you do if a student attacked you?"

I responded that, as a seasoned educator, I would handle the situation in a nurturing, respectful and professional manner. I would use me years of classroom management to neutralize the situation, that and the nun chucks I keep in my bag ... smile. I would also be the first person that student saw when he regained consciousness, and to show my sensitive side, I would hold his hand until paramedics showed up … laugh.

My students got a kick out of that response.

Seriously, we are at a critical time in our culture where bullying, aggressive behavior, and general attitudes of disrespect are rampant in our schools – hell, in society in general.

I grew up in a time where it truly was a community effort to watch and raise children.

My Mother was a working Mom, so our neighbor, Mrs. Griffin across the street, both fed us and sometimes spanked that butt if we got out of line. My Mother instructed her to discipline us and had similar conversations with the school, the bus driver, Sunday school teachers, and even the fruit stand vendor. It was open season on our butts.

The constant specter of a butt beating contributed to me self-editing my behavior.

The point is, there were consequences if I acted out. Many of our youth today do not fear anything. We have got to get back into the game. Get in their business.

Don’t be your child’s friend, but definitely "friend" them on FaceBook. I am friends with all of nieces and nephews on Facebook, and I monitor their pages, much to my nieces’ horror. I randomly post things like, "Hey what about Ushers new video?” and “Does this young man know that you have a crazy uncle who periodically does background checks and has friends in the judicial system?"

They gag and tell me I can't do that, but it lets them know I am watching.

How is your child going to purchase and assemble enough material and explosives to blow up downtown Detroit and you don’t know anything? Forget this mess about privacy. My Mom told us that every room in the house was her room. Until we paid rent we did not have a room or the right to privacy.

We should start a campaign of taking our kids back. Scream at them from your car to pull up their pants. You see a Mom struggling with an out of control child in the grocery store; offer to hold the kid down while she takes it to the butt.

If you are in public and see unruly children, start yelling random stuff like "Did you do your homework?" "Who left these lights on?” or "Eat your vegetables." This crazy act of "parental turrets" will confuse the kids until you get to safety.

If we hit them hard, fast and consistently, eventually kids will be too paranoid to act up. If you are cornered or if one of the unruly youths breaks from the pack and charges, do not panic – remember your Mutual of Omaha training; bear spray is not just for bears.
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Professor Locs describes himself as an African American, gay, Southern male who has had an extensive career in higher education. His column appears each Wednesday. Click here to read his blog.
 

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