quote:
Originally posted by Buttercup:
Yes, as long as the school is run by competent and caring staff. And I'm sure the mom of the little girl - the subject of many of these threads - thought her daughter was in a good school, one that was going to follow a clear directive not to paddle. Of course, that didn't happen.
If you believe the draft should have never been done away with then it's pointless to debate you on that, but I'll give it a shot. You're assuming that imposing military service on lost youth is the best option for them all - a blanket approach don't you think? Maybe so-called "troublemakers" share many of the same qualities, but they are all individuals and are driven by different motivations.
Can you honestly say that every kid who was forced to go to Vietnam came back all the better for it? It's clearly not for everyone, especially when forced. And even since the military has been voluntary, we hear all the time about the lasting mental and physical issues the veterans from the Gulf War and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have experienced.
I respect all of our veterans and would enlist myself if we were attacked inside our borders, but I wouldn't force military service on anyone, troublemaker or not.[/QUOTE]
I do not think paddling a student negates competence or caring in any way.
As for the reinstating the draft idea, I do not think that only the troublemakers should be drafted, I think it should be a blanket thing with a few exemptions such as continuing education after high school. You are correct that it's pointless to debate the subject as compulsory military service will never happen anyway.
I think the smaller classrooms would help a lot.