Working together

I read a short article in the newspaper today that I really enjoyed.  Apparently the superintendent of a Connecticut school district has banned cursing.  Any student who swears at an adult gets suspended for 10 days and sent home with a bar of soap.  :)  The reasoning is that quality learning can't occur in an environment where students think it's ok to swear.

"Did you hear what he said?!?!"

Yay for that superintendent!  It's about time someone in authority takes a stand against swearing.  It's become so prevalent in our society that it's not uncommon to hear little children yell and curse at each other and at their parents.  Apparently, kids are comfortable cursing at their teachers too.

As with any behavior problem, the solution begins at home.  You can't have a no swearing policy at home and expect your children to obey it if you or your spouse are guilty of using "colorful" language.  You can't expect your child's school to fix a problem that you contributed to.  Together, the school and the home can make a big difference in teaching children acceptable and civilized behavior.

Hopefully, a bar of soap won't be necessary to enforce appropriate language behavior but many a child has learned what soap tastes like after trying a new word out on Mom or Dad.  It's a pretty powerful lesson.  Good luck New Britain School District!