DISCIPLINE POLICY REVIEW IS A WORTHWHILE EFFORT

Schools are both cradle and mirror for our society. Just as they educate young people for the future, so do they reflect the times. The times, unfortunately, are violent, and that is shown back in the atmosphere of our educational institutions. The problem is not acute in Cape Girardeau, but an awareness of it is necessary among school administrators. We applaud the public school district's board of education for launching a review of its discipline policy.

It bears repeating that violence is not rampant in the schools here; there are no fires to put out in this regard, but a few sparks to be concerned about. At a board meeting Monday night, an instance was cited concerning a seventh grader who was caught with guns at school. While disturbing, this incident seemed to be nothing more than a young person showing off with some adult hardware. Yet, a violent atmosphere, allowed to perpetuate without response, is not conducive with good education. The mission of schools is provide a controlled environment for learning; violence is merely mayhem and confounds the main concern of the institution.

In recent cases, teachers have been struck by students, including some at the junior high school level. Administrators must send a clear signal that this is unacceptable deportment, both for the protection of the faculty and the well-being of the process. Superintendent Neyland Clark says the school district is going to toughen its "behavioral expectations" with the policy review, and that seems a worthwhile goal.

Schools teach a great many lessons, and one should be that actions have consequences. Our hope is that the district puts some teeth into its discipline policy, with provisions that will adequately discourage students from letting their actions get too far ahead of their brains.