Parents send us the best they have

I read with interest and amusement Dan Valenti's piece on PHS students All of us on the faculty are going to have quite a time correcting and tightening the "lax" Mr.

[JIMMY G PITTSFIELD MA]

As I have said before, people like this gentleman, who are with these young adults every day, are the ones who knowthe particulars and inside story on these issues. People like Mr. Valenti should spend some time in the schols he writes about before giving his opinion, whicj is read and, sadly, believed by many people in town.

[Bingo]

Talk about hitting the nail on the head. Here's a teacher on the front lines telling it like it is. "...Take it up with the adults involved" is the tough but truthful answer to the dress code and many other problems.

[Matthew Freming]

Bravo, Mr. Barsanti, bravo.

Not only this, but we as a city should be focusing on the achievements of the PHS students, such as Laurence Bird mentioned in his letter.
It is a shame things have to happen like this.

[Mink Frog]

I totally agree with this writer(Mr. Barsanti). Rest assured, the young woman who wrote the letter (Ms. Sibner) is not one of the problem children. Mr. Valenti should not have been so condescending. He is, at best, an armchair athlete when it comes to dealing with young adults. Those of us who parent, teach or volunteer with teens today recognize that they have pressures on them that are unbelievable.
Kids need supportive adults in their lives. Many adults today have abdicated that responsibility, or think that a "just say no" mentality will work. You need kids to understand they have a future, and that if they stay engaged in school, sports, and other activities their future is better. Apathy is the worst attitude problem.

[Religion Kills]

I'm never one to defend Mr. Valenti and his totally out of touch with reality stance (usually) but I seem to remember he and this teacher are basically saying similar things.

He said suck it up, too bad, get with the program....dress better as you need to learn how, and stay on campus as you need to be there to learn. Something like that.

This teacher is saying similar things, but offering the obvious point that we need to have it enforced by the parents. Not too far off, really.

I didn't know parents approve of someone dropping out. I thought after a certain age it is up to the kid. It is very sad that any parent would approve a drop out.

We have a real problem in this city and our society when parents aren't trying to raise kids..which is what this teacher is saying. Not that they can't, that they are not trying.

But I do disagree with the comment about writing big checks causes parental control in the educational process. I doubt a bad parent writes a check and then says, "well, I'm paying, I better get a good education for my kid out of it". Rather, they pay because they want the kid to have the best chance. Similar parents that couldn't afford it would be just as involved. Its not the writing of the check, it is the caring in the first place (and likely parents who are better at parenting have a higher chance of being able to pay as they are probably better at working as well)

[Sarah C]

Dear BOB BARSANTI, Lyndon Baines Johnson Jr. created the current welfare system in America today; The War on Poverty, which only perpetuated the problem, some of the parents of which you speak are products of that welfare system. If you are truly an educator, vote against unions, welfare, mediocrity, and stop blaming everyone else for your failure. Sincerely, Sara Cohen

[Geeze Louise]

Mink Frog wrote:

I totally agree with this writer(Mr. Barsanti). Rest assured, the young woman who wrote the letter (Ms. Sibner) is not one of the problem children. Mr. Valenti should not have been so condescending. He is, at best, an armchair athlete when it comes to dealing with young adults. Those of us who parent, teach or volunteer with teens today recognize that they have pressures on them that are unbelievable.
Kids need supportive adults in their lives. Many adults today have abdicated that responsibility, or think that a "just say no" mentality will work. You need kids to understand they have a future, and that if they stay engaged in school, sports, and other activities their future is better. Apathy is the worst attitude problem.

I can agree with almost all of what you and others have said until you start claiming how tough kids have it today. They have it no tougher than kids of 20, 30, 40, etc. years ago. If anything, they have been coddled so much and have such a sense of entitlement, they are without or lacking in some of the basic fundamentals of human interaction. Manners, social skills, etc. etc. are lacking. First tell them no once in awhile. Discipline them. Not abuse. Just down to earth good discipline and stop trying to GIVE them self esteem. They must earn it and, when they do, they will feel this great sense of accomplishment. Technology, in the excess that they use it, is making many of them inept and apathetic. Ang guess who is responsible for that. Bingo!!!! The adults in their lives. Also, lets stop making teen parents look like heroes. They are a drain on society. I know that this is not popular but it is the truth. There are a few that make it but the ones who do with the help of only their family or themselves is so miniscule.

[Religion Kills]

Geeze Louise wrote:

<quoted text>
I can agree with almost all of what you and others have said until you start claiming how tough kids have it today. They have it no tougher than kids of 20, 30, 40, etc. years ago. If anything, they have been coddled so much and have such a sense of entitlement, they are without or lacking in some of the basic fundamentals of human interaction. Manners, social skills, etc. etc. are lacking. First tell them no once in awhile. Discipline them. Not abuse. Just down to earth good discipline and stop trying to GIVE them self esteem. They must earn it and, when they do, they will feel this great sense of accomplishment. Technology, in the excess that they use it, is making many of them inept and apathetic. Ang guess who is responsible for that. Bingo!!!! The adults in their lives. Also, lets stop making teen parents look like heroes. They are a drain on society. I know that this is not popular but it is the truth. There are a few that make it but the ones who do with the help of only their family or themselves is so miniscule.

Right on. stop coddling children. However, in one aspect they do have it harder...the last young generation, the current young parents (gen x?), was extremely overly protected, coddled and allowed to "act out" (oops I mean express themselves....i.e. Waldorf education et all) to the point they don't have a moral compass and don't know how to behave in public. These people are now raising kids, who have the added burden of trying to figure out how to relate to society at the same time their parents are also trying.

But in general kids today have it way too easy. Even affluent parents used to make their kids work...to learn the value of earning. Now, not even poor kids are required to work. What a shame.