Walkouts Have No Place in Our Schools: Leave the Values Training to Parents

Last week I heard a current school board member casually mention the upcoming "walkout" at a school board meeting. I had no idea what it was about; I never would have imagined the school district would accommodate students disrupting the school day by literally walking out of class.

I looked into it and discussed it with my husband, a former conservative school board member. His first comment to me was, "I want my money back for those 17 minutes of lost clss time."

I also talked to  local business owner who told me that if his employees walked out from the job at his workplace they would not be walking back in.

I'd like to share some of my thoughts and questions with regard to this "walkout" the current school administration is accommodating during the school day paid for with our hard-earned tax dollars as I simply do not believe anything useful will be accomplished by this "walkout."

First of all, the school's mission is education. What is the education brought forth by a protest/walkout during the school day? It seems to me that kids will be learning that if they don't like something, then their reaction should be one of protest and throwing a fit - not one of critical thinking and problem solving for solutions to issues in society. These schoolchildren will soon be adults. I wish the adults working for the school district, who are paid very well, would do their jobs and lead the students in real problem-solving activities.

I would like to ask the protesting students and supportive administration some questions, such as:

Do you understand that you are being used by people who have a political agenda?

Have you been taught the reasons why our Founding Fathers included the right to bear arms in the Constituton was not only for self-defense, but also for protection against oppression?

Are you aware that there are already laws against killing people? And that in Wisconsin there are gun-free zones around schools, yet people still break laws?

Are you aware of the cost taxpayers bear to pay for your education, and that it is offensive to many that their hard-earned money is being ill used in this manner?

Do you have any concern for the disruption of learning for those students who do not wish to be involved in this protest during the course of a school day?

Would the administration accommodate a "walkout" in protest of the daily killing of 5,000 preborn babies by abortion?

Have you taken the time to analyze the characteristics of mass shooters?

There are more questions....

I will say it over and over again -

Schools should not be places for creating little community organizers.

Schools should be places where teachers teach the curriculum approved by the school board.

Leave the values training to the parents.

Mary