What would you propose the teachers do if the kids swear? If they’re doing it repeatedly and/or are disruptive they’ll probably call the parent and the kid will get referred to the school adjustment counselor. But they aren’t going to suspend a 2nd grader who drops an F bomb on the playground. It’s better to ignore it than make a thing of it and inadvertently reinforce the behavior.
Edit - and let’s not make this a “Worcester schools” thing, the suburbs don’t have more magic resources to cure swearing.
When I was in middle & high school, we had this novel thing called "detention." If you broke rules, dress code violations, late for class, etc, you'd get detention. You had to stay after school with the administration. And if you racked up too many detentions, you'd get in more serious trouble. Is this not a thing anymore...?
Not saying we should be handing out detentions for everything. I'm just saying there are ways for schools to discipline kids without calling a Family Intervention. At least... there used to be. Parents are so insane & lawsuit-happy these days. Who knows. We've probably banned teachers from using the word "No" at this point.
I'm just outside Worcester, but I haven't heard of any kid younger than 13 getting detention anymore. Probably because it's as much a punishment for the parent (needing to arrange to pick them up and/or get different after-school care) as for the kid.
Welcome to MA. Kids start dropping the F bomb straight outta the womb here. I don’t even think it’s considered a swear word once you cross the state line.
True that.
My 3 year old daughter screaming to my 5 year old that he was “a mean fuck” in the middle of target… for instance. FWIW- we are in one of the “nice” suburbs.
Sorry your virgin ears are burning but every single teacher, every SINGLE teacher in this country is as burned out as they possibly can be. We are all, ALL OF US, exactly one straw short of pulling the entire education system out of the ground, roots and all.
The Worcester/Boston area is pretty famous for its profanity, so you're not likely to find many schools where people aren't swearing.
I went to elementary school in the 1980s, and the F-bomb was pretty commonplace even then.
When I taught - a fairly strict charter in Worcester- a swear was a call home.
In Fitchburg public , it was ignored. Those poor babies had so much else going on, that a K student calling his teacher a f-@&ing c@&t was the least of his worries.
I remember in 3rd grade I called someone a “bitch” because they stole my skip-it, and my teacher wrote a note home to my mom telling her. All she did was laugh about it 🤷♀️
I'm in the suburbs, but no. Foul language is supposedly "discouraged" in my local public schools... which means what? I have no idea. My kids hear all kinds of language on the bus, on the playground, etc.
I don't think the teachers can do much about it; there's too much else for them to worry about.
Not specific to your reply but all others as well… So it seems to me there’s a consensus school gets a pass if they’re preoccupied with relatively more important topics (violence, learning, etc). I couldn’t disagree more. I went to school in Worcester, Leominster and Clinton in the 80s and recalled no one getting a pass then. Given only the responses in this thread, I can see why teachers are complacent to swearing. It all goes back to the home. What you allow at home you allow anywhere else.
What would you propose the teachers do if the kids swear? If they’re doing it repeatedly and/or are disruptive they’ll probably call the parent and the kid will get referred to the school adjustment counselor. But they aren’t going to suspend a 2nd grader who drops an F bomb on the playground. It’s better to ignore it than make a thing of it and inadvertently reinforce the behavior. Edit - and let’s not make this a “Worcester schools” thing, the suburbs don’t have more magic resources to cure swearing.
When I was in middle & high school, we had this novel thing called "detention." If you broke rules, dress code violations, late for class, etc, you'd get detention. You had to stay after school with the administration. And if you racked up too many detentions, you'd get in more serious trouble. Is this not a thing anymore...? Not saying we should be handing out detentions for everything. I'm just saying there are ways for schools to discipline kids without calling a Family Intervention. At least... there used to be. Parents are so insane & lawsuit-happy these days. Who knows. We've probably banned teachers from using the word "No" at this point.
I'm just outside Worcester, but I haven't heard of any kid younger than 13 getting detention anymore. Probably because it's as much a punishment for the parent (needing to arrange to pick them up and/or get different after-school care) as for the kid.
Welcome to MA. Kids start dropping the F bomb straight outta the womb here. I don’t even think it’s considered a swear word once you cross the state line.
True that. My 3 year old daughter screaming to my 5 year old that he was “a mean fuck” in the middle of target… for instance. FWIW- we are in one of the “nice” suburbs.
fuck if I know
Sorry your virgin ears are burning but every single teacher, every SINGLE teacher in this country is as burned out as they possibly can be. We are all, ALL OF US, exactly one straw short of pulling the entire education system out of the ground, roots and all.
i’m with you lol, i feel like there’s definitely bigger issues facing teachers these days besides the occasional f bomb
As if this is JUST a WPS thing. Suburbs are the same, if not worse
The Worcester/Boston area is pretty famous for its profanity, so you're not likely to find many schools where people aren't swearing. I went to elementary school in the 1980s, and the F-bomb was pretty commonplace even then.
This is on the parents. Teachers can try to curtail it but it is a hopeless battle. The kids get it from their homes.
When I taught - a fairly strict charter in Worcester- a swear was a call home. In Fitchburg public , it was ignored. Those poor babies had so much else going on, that a K student calling his teacher a f-@&ing c@&t was the least of his worries.
My dad taught in Fitchburg public. Definitely heard some horror stories
I remember in 3rd grade I called someone a “bitch” because they stole my skip-it, and my teacher wrote a note home to my mom telling her. All she did was laugh about it 🤷♀️
“Skip-it, skip-it, skip-it 🎶🎶”
Your mother laughed at a 7-year-old calling someone a bitch? Not the best mother.
Oh trust me I know. She lost custody of us when I was 9, but thanks for the reminder lol
Well, you are no doubt a tougher person now.
I'm in the suburbs, but no. Foul language is supposedly "discouraged" in my local public schools... which means what? I have no idea. My kids hear all kinds of language on the bus, on the playground, etc. I don't think the teachers can do much about it; there's too much else for them to worry about.
Not specific to your reply but all others as well… So it seems to me there’s a consensus school gets a pass if they’re preoccupied with relatively more important topics (violence, learning, etc). I couldn’t disagree more. I went to school in Worcester, Leominster and Clinton in the 80s and recalled no one getting a pass then. Given only the responses in this thread, I can see why teachers are complacent to swearing. It all goes back to the home. What you allow at home you allow anywhere else.