You might think that intimidation and harassment is just how kids play around, but these behaviors have very real consequences. Medical and developmental studies show that children who have been bullied and harassed suffer a slew of mental and physical ailments: lost self-esteem and confidence, increased anxiety, alienation from their environment, increased absenteeism, lowered aspirations […]

I applaud the Departments efforts to address educational environment issues through the enforcement of civil rights laws. These laws are not new, but their enforcement by the Department of Education is. This is a good first step, but it is just that: a first step. The guidance needs to be followed by aggressive investigation and […]

BULLYING AND CORPORAL PUNISHMENT: A CYCLE OF HOSTILITY IN AMERICAN CLASSROOMS   Last week the United States Department of Education issued a Dear Colleague letter to provide guidance to elementary and secondary schools, as well as colleges and universities, on their responses to bullying and harassment. The guidance is a good start; however, the real […]

I have been known to place my hand on the back of a chair that some sexist is attempting to move for me and say, “Hey, that’s my  chair, get your own!” That works best when I’m “tarted up” (as my husband would say) like the “little lady” I’m not. I don’t think most men […]

You said:I noticed the sir and ma’am, ( Jenny if you see this you might have a comment) that boys have to pull out chairs for the girls at lunch, and hold doors open for them . Not to do so is an OFFENSE! Clearly they believe the girls are too stupid too work out […]

I’ve noticed that Americans, particularly from the South, can be exceptionally polite. Is that due to their all carrying guns – “an armed society is a polite society”? Whenever I speak to Americans there are always a few “ma’am”s in the conversation somewhere. I think it’s a bit excessive in the military though. I remember […]

The  Paul S. Saenz code was a real eye opener. I didn’t get as far as San Antonio. Shame it looks an interesting place provided you go prepared……! But when you visit the school please remember Explosives, switchblades, knives, armour piercing ammunition , mace . Gun clips ammunition and clubs … are prohibited ! I […]

Addresing elders Sir/M’am is a must with the military and favored by many in the South. In the North if you yell across a distance at a stranger to get his or her attention you shout sir or m’am sometimes at the top of your lungs. Law enforcement officers (traffic stop) use sir and m’am […]

Would you recuse yourself irrespective of behavior for any student? We have no grandchildren and if I did that would be my children’s call. Our two were brought up in no paddling states but I’m sure my wife would be on the same page and would recuse unconditionally. In case of a school we sent […]

With Miss f , I did get the hang of Ma’am , but she got a mixture of Miss and Ma’am, from the school as a whole I remember once at her home being berated that we couldn’t get it right and it was thought at least I ought to have no excuse. So I […]