TEACHERS AND PARENTS SHOULD NOT TREAT CHILDREN AS FRIENDS By Domenick J. Maglio PhD. Traditional Realist The line between parents and children has been blurred. Permissive, psychological nonsense has devastated our adult discipline in our homes and schools. Instead of being adult role models for the children, currently they are supposed to be best of friends. You hear parents say “hey Bud, ” to their child and teachers say, “you go girl” to a student in their class. Many parents are no longer in charge in their own homes mostly believing that their children will resent them for not treating them as equals. The problem is that they are NOT equals. Parents have many years of life experience that the children do not have. Teachers are in the same situation. They are usually older and more experienced than their students. The higher education they have provides them more academic and general intellectual knowledge than their younger students. These are only some important differences that make parents and teachers more prepared to lead. Students are immature in many ways even though they may be brilliant in a particular subject. They are still inexperienced in many areas that eventually have to be filled in. Once a teacher attempts to be equal or make friends with students, they elevate the students and lower their authority. In order to help students learn as much as possible, teachers have to be worthy role models. They deserve to be emulated for their knowledge and the dignified way they carry themselves. When a teacher lowers herself to the level of the students, it opens the floodgates of unnecessary trouble. Many students become emboldened to test the relationship with their teacher. They might test whether they can be treated as an equal or even control the relationship. This can be disastrous not only to the teacher maintaining respect but control in the classroom. Furthermore, the reputation as a knowledgeable person to teach the coursework might be undermined. The most qualified person should teach the course. Any teacher must earn the right to teach any course by demonstrating the knowledge and ability in subject manner. Attempting to make friends with students can only undermine the teacher’s knowledge and professionalism. Eventually the respect given a new teacher erodes as the teacher welcomes too much friendship which washes away deference of a dedicated academic teacher. Once a teacher sacrifices the special status given to a professional teacher it is virtually possible to regain the respect. A teacher, parent, or other dignified adult should not belittle their status as an adult by trading it to become a mere “cool” friend. Friends are far below the respected adult who everyone views as a successful human being. Respected adults should preserve their accolades and not trade them in by pretending to be friends with children instead of projecting their well earned dignity. Domenick Maglio, PhD. is a columnist carried by various newspapers and blogs, an author of several books and owner/director of Wider Horizons School, a college prep program. Dr. Maglio is an author of weekly newspaper articles, INVASION WITHIN and the latest book entitled, IN CHARGE PARENTING In a PC World. You can see many of Dr. Maglio’s articles at www.drmaglioblogspot.com.

INTEGRITY: GUIDE TO A RIGHTEOUS LIFE By Domenick J. Maglio PhD. Traditional Realist Most people understand that a compulsive liar will not have a great future. Lying might be successful initially until the web of lies entangles the person into knots. This strangles their reputation as one whose word cannot be taken seriously. They live their lack of credibility and suffer the fate of being considered just another con. Once the label it attached to a person, it is difficult to erase as it becomes part of the person’s reputation. On the other side of this equation, a person who consistently attempts to be honest to himself as well as to others may be viewed as offensive. An example of this is pointing out behavior that could be true but not currently in vogue. A person might express negative feelings when asked about a popular political figure. His description might be valid but not politically correct. He is probably not going to be invited back to any event, social, or political as his opinion might expose others with questionable thoughts and behaviors making them uncomfortable. The razor-sharp observations might be spot-on and insightful but often unveil an aspect that others do not want known about their feelings or political views. A person who says what they actually see, and think can be considered dangerous especially to people who are attempting to portray themselves as less opinionated than they are. The person with integrity unconsciously can be very problematic to someone playing a role as a sophisticated intellectual who knows and understands both sides of a political issue. The sophisticated intellectuals have well thought out opinions that should be shared with others, but they are afraid to for fear of offending someone. Deceitful statements lead to more false statements until the person is living many lies. The opposite approach is that the person with integrity only has to tell the truth. There is no reason for lies and deceptions. Following a road of integrity sets the person on a path of truth, knowledge, and stability. The shortcoming of following a policy of integrity is always sticking to the facts, which many be considered boring. It is difficult to be silent when a person sees the inevitable result of a series of acts. The policy of maintaining one’s integrity is a difficult path but in the long run leads to an honorable life. Everyone, including yourself, knows you should maintain your honesty. This guiding principle keeps one on the straight and narrow path that leads to a righteous life. Domenick Maglio, PhD. is a columnist carried by various newspapers and blogs, an author of several books and owner/director of Wider Horizons School, a college prep program. Dr. Maglio is an author of weekly newspaper articles, INVASION WITHIN and the latest book entitled, IN CHARGE PARENTING In a PC World. You can see many of Dr. Maglio’s articles at www.drmaglioblogspot.com.

BE SMART AND ACCEPT CORRECTION By Domenick J. Maglio PhD. Traditional Realist Arrogance is everywhere in our culture. Most people do not like to be corrected. Even a kindergartener who easily corrects his mistakes is an unusual child in our always correct culture. Most often the teacher finds the child will object when asked to make necessary corrections on a piece of work. Modern parents read one or two parenting books and immediately become experts on how to raise theirs and everyone else’s child. Our culture is producing too many self-made, all-knowing experts, not only the parents but also the children are overly arrogant. Almost every teacher who studies and learns some educational ideas and concepts for their degree may think they are going to revolutionize education. However, they quickly learn that the actual students have methods, behaviors, and techniques to thwart the best laid plans of a well-meaning teacher. As every professional or trades person learns most of the significant job training comes while actually working on the job through practical feedback from a master of his craft or profession. Hardly anyone who starts a new area of study realizes how much they will be learning from those who are competent and experienced. They learn to be more productive by approaching their work in a more open, correct, questioning manner instead of attempting to be an instant expert. The student should accept the more experienced teacher’s advice at the beginning without comment. Accepting the professional assessment may or may not work depending on many variables such as personality and the teacher’s specific professional knowledge requiring them to perform the position well. However, by rejecting a unique approach before even trying it is a poor policy. The novice student should follow the teacher’s instructions carefully. A student learning a complicated field of study should ask questions with respect without trying to demean the teacher’s status and knowledge. If a young student is learning a well-established discipline that has specific “black and white” rules such as mathematics, there is no reason to argue. The correction is done specifically one way. The more specific the teacher’s rules are, the less arguments and debate will take place. Students need to comply with the rules and follow the corrections of the professional teacher without a wasteful, impractical debate. Once students learn to follow the teacher’s corrections without a waste-of-time argument to prove they are better and smarter than their teacher they can focus on their fields of study. Too many young children in elementary grades confront their experienced teachers through challenging them by acting as if their answers are always right and the teacher’s assessment is always incorrect. Many of today’s students are told at home how smart they are by their parents and refuse to accept they could be wrong and not as competent as the authority figures. These overinflated egos and over indulged youngsters are being taught the falsehood that they are smarter than they really are. When the parents actively review their child’s sloppy and incorrect assignments, they realize the child must listen to the teachers and even them more carefully. Learning is a lifelong activity that cannot succeed if the individual is “too smart for their britches.” Domenick Maglio, PhD. is a columnist carried by various newspapers and blogs, an author of several books and owner/director of Wider Horizons School, a college prep program. Dr. Maglio is an author of weekly newspaper articles, INVASION WITHIN and the latest book entitled, IN CHARGE PARENTING In a PC World. You can see many of Dr. Maglio’s articles at www.drmaglioblogspot.com.

DEMANDING JUSTICE FROM OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM By Domenick J. Maglio PhD. Traditional Realist Our justice system has become more permissive as our culture has gone full force in that direction. As the age of juveniles who have committed serious crimes such as murder, rape, and assault has decreased, the usual consequences for their transgressions should have become more severe. It has not. Just like public school where a student strikes another student or even a teacher, the punishment is no longer compulsory expulsion from the school or even receiving criminal charges. More common in today’s woke culture no one wants to be seen as the “bad person” but rather as a nice person who gives infinite chances to obnoxious or physically destructive behavior. This was the beginning of permissiveness that overlooked the crime. When modern parents stopped being strong parents it led to this near elimination of significant punishment. Discipline should have prevented children from going down the road to future arrogance and justifying indefensible behavior. Permissiveness has even invaded our court system. A person sentenced to prison for nine years for attempted murder of a police officer often is released on the streets after serving less than a year. When this criminal commits the same violence against another victim he could be released again back on the street to probably commit yet another similar crime. The “in-jail-quickly-released policy” has shown itself not to be an effective deterrent. It is a procedure that increases not discourages acting out. It has been an utter policy failure. Just like parents who talk tough but do not follow through on their punishment, the child’s behavior worsens. Instead, the child realizes the parents are “full of hot air” and disregards their pronouncements of punishment. The child is encouraged to “push the envelope” because they know they will not receive a significant consequence. The child is emboldened to do greater episodes of misbehavior. Lenient district attorneys and judges are going down the same path as modern parents. The malpractice by both needs to be reversed. DAs and/or judges need to receive negative consequences if they release a criminal with a long history of committing crimes such as murder, rape, or other serious crimes. The DAs and judges who release criminals prematurely without punishment should be fined or be dismissed from their position. This would discourage the legal official from only considering the perpetrators future life but also have concern for their own careers. The DAs or judges need to consider the criminal less and the community more because that is what they are elected to do. A Texas school shooter shot two students, was not arrested but released and not charged. He went home to a party that his family threw for him. He has reason to believe he was not going to be punished for his outrageous behavior and had every right to celebrate living in a totally permissive criminal system. The present pathetic justice system is terrific for law breaking criminals but has become a disaster for law abiding citizens. Our justice system is broken, and law-abiding citizens are the ones to suffer. There is no justice in ignoring the criminals who harm, abuse, or even kill someone who is in the wrong place at the wrong time. Without fear of serious consequences, the criminals will be more brazen, causing more grief to innocent bystanders. Our protection of innocent people is collapsing. Our justice system will only improve when citizens stand up “en masse” to demand the protection of our citizens, police, and court system to provide strong leadership. This will only occur when citizens stand up together with one single voice to demand justice from our entire justice system. Things will only change for the better when we unite and challenge what is happening. Domenick Maglio, PhD. is a columnist carried by various newspapers and blogs, an author of several books and owner/director of Wider Horizons School, a college prep program. Dr. Maglio is an author of weekly newspaper articles, INVASION WITHIN and the latest book entitled, IN CHARGE PARENTING In a PC World. You can see many of Dr. Maglio’s articles at www.drmaglioblogspot.com.