'You can lead a horse to water but you can't make em' drink'
The last couple of weeks have brought reports on a variety of happenings from the nation, state and county.
The thoughtless shootings by what appears to be a very unstable gentleman. How can someone shoot and kill a 9 year old and not know it is wrong? For that matter, how can anyone not know that murder of another human being is evil.
Temporarily insane, under the influence of drugs, mistreated by others, perpetrators run the gamut of excuses. I believe that everyone has at least some measure of conscience. That inner conscience should rule every action throughout life.
To use an overused term, we have to make good choices. When we don't, the consequence must be punishable and fit the crime.
Gov. Mitch Daniel's State of the State speech has brought a landslide of positive and negative reactions. Monroe County School Corporation interim superintendent Tim Hylan, expressed his thoughts with one word, "Horrified."
Gov. Daniel has proposed that the state allows public dollars to follow students to private schools. Hyland stated, "That's a dumb idea and exactly what he's doing to public schools," and offered up an analogy that demonstrated diminishing resources to our schools.
Indiana University School of Education Dean Gerardo Gonzalez said that he was "impressed."
"I think recognizing the role of teacher effectiveness is critical to improved student achievement," he commented.
Pish tosh. You can employ the best trained and devoted teachers and still not show improved student achievement. From the old proverb, "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make em' drink" is applicable to the student population.
Every child is not going to learn just because we want them to become educated individuals.
Greene County Sheriff Terry Pierce has on more than one occasion informed the citizens of Greene County about the drain on county coffers for treatment of meth prisoners. Do taxpayers understand why prisoners are treated for this often deadly personal choice? When you choose to do meth, you generally end up in jail, in a treatment center, or in the ground. That is an individual choice. Should taxpayer's pay for addiction treatment?
As a working class person, I don't expect anyone to pay for or be responsible for the outcome of any of my health choices.
Another tragic outcome of meth use is the children. Not only are they exposed to the hazards but suffer with after-affects that may continue throughout their lives. I offer a solution. If a person uses meth or any other drug, why not abstain from producing offspring. The life they save may be the children they don't have.
Tawni is a former teacher at Linton-Stockton Elementary School. She can be reached by e-mail at tawniprudhomme@gmail.com .
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