By Judy Reiss

When I was in school I think the word that we all had to learn was RESPECT. Now the young people of today don’t have any idea what that word means. I wish I could blamee it all on the kids and the young people but no matter how hard I try, I just can’t blame it on any of them. Why you ask? Well, althouugh the blame started quite a long while ago, it also is very easy to put the blame right on the ti me these days. Our President uses language which makes those who teach English cringe and wonder if and where he to school and who taught him how to speak English. Which makes me wonder what the children who hear him speak believe that if the President can fumble through our language itr must be O.K. for those to speak that way too. Well, folks, it isn’t

Not only does it show lack of respect, it really shows lack of education, it also shows a lack of caring! I know that back when I was in school and I had teachers who were amazingly strict and who would have fainted right on the floor of their classroom if anyone spoke like an uneducated boob! And what doI think> Well, I for one do not want anyone who graduates from our schools should learn to speak correctly and demonstrate to the rest of the world that American children ( and their President) are educated and have the best schools and educational system in the world.

And what about RESPECT? I don’tr know how respect is demonstrated by the children of today or if it can be. When most of us older folk were in school think about most of your teachers. Did you ever or even dare to call yur teachers by their firt name? And when I was practice teaching, during a huge snow storm, I wore my snow boots to school and forgot my dress shoes. Of course my superintendent came to watch me teach and when she noticed my bootsd, instead of getting an A for my day, I got a B because I wasn’t dressed apropriately!

If you go in a classroom today you will see many of the younger teachers dressed like they were going to a dog fight! and not only that these teachers allow or even encourage their children to call them by their first names! I can’t even conceive doing that. Most of my tea;chers would either kill us or at least send us home with a note encouraging our parents to put us n chains! Now comes the question again. I spoke to a friend who watchtes an after school program and is in tears almost every day. The chilcren are dissrespectful and she has no idea how to get and keep control.And what is worse they act the same way when their parents ome to pick them up. No respect to their parents and their parents show no respect for their vcchildren either.aded? Are we just going to let our childrenrun amoke? Or are we going to bring back teaching our children to show respect and even more important good behavior. And that includes proper English Language. And maybe all of the thnigs we want to teach our chidren will be easier if their teacher is called Mr. Mrs. or Mss and instead of wearing ripped jeans andstrange footwear, they dressed appropiately for a professional teacher!

And before I make everyone angry think about attrempting to help your kids to be well behaved while at home And, of courese, have a few strict rulles about their telephones, especially at the dinner table! It can be done, you know. It just takes a little time and effort but the ressssults will be wort eery bit of effort that you have to put into it.