Dear O Sung Wu,

The point of this discussion is to teach youngsters
to learn to be considerate, tolerant, and respectful.
Parents, teachers and students need to be helping address
agression in schools. Aggression is behaviour intended
to injure another person - psychologically or physically.
And this leads to bullying which is agressive behaviour that
involves negative actions. It involves a pattern of
behaviour repeated over time.

Kids have to be taught that this type of behaviour is
totally unacceptable.

Hi FOXY I couldn't agree with you more. The only problem as I see it, a parent is responsible for teaching their child these important virtues, and that's fine, and as it should be.

The trouble being, the schools more often than not, do not insist on basic good manners, particularly proper standards of behaviour in the classroom, which can often resemble a war zone ? Not all teachers will try to implement or impose these standards, for one reason or another ? Consequently there's a state of confusion in the minds of the kids, as to what and when these standards are to apply ?

Which returns us to your Topic - Should manners be taught in school ? My opinion is still, not necessarily ? Manners should be first taught in the home, and 'encouraged' and 'broadened' in the school. There are some High Schools in Western Sydney where you're lucky if a student or a teacher makes it home from school in one piece ! Therein lies the problem ?

Dear O Sung Wu,

I don't buy that. It's the wrong attitude.

Nothing would have ever be achieved if everyone
felt that way. We should not look for reasons as to why
something can't be done. We should look for ways to do it.
Then at least we'll have the satisfaction that we
tried. Good manners should start in the family
that's where children learn not only good manners but
also core values and ethics, consideration, tolerance
and respect. However it should also continue at school,
because if kids aren't learning these basics at home
we need to be teaching them at school - otherwise as
I stated earlier - the kids without manners and social
skills will lose out and never know why. And kids need
good social skills in order to succeed - as we all know.

I suggest that you take out the DVD of the old classic
movie - "To Sir With Love," starring Sidney Poitier.
(If you haven't already seen it). It may clarify things
for you.

Foxy, "Now that folks, - is an example of good manners"

No it is not!

Where you copy and paste large slabs of someone else's original creative effort without acknowledging your source as you did Foxy, it is called plagiarism. That is immoral. Plagiarism has been rife since the the availability of information online. It is causing authors to limit what is available online.

Then to cover your butt you compound the wrong by acting the victim to divert attention, maligning the mere messenger and trying to make him the subject instead.

You imply that you are involved with pupils Foxy, so you should know what is expected of you and do better. Teachers should be model good ethics, first and foremost.

Dear otb,

Still attempting to divert this discussion.

Once again I shall politely set the example
of good manners.
You keep re-hashing old ground - I shall
repeat what I've told you in the past:

"If you steal from one author, it's plagiarism; if
you steal from many it's research."
(Wilson Mizner).

Cheers.

Dear O Sung Wu,

The following link may be of interest:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/8963074/School-hires-etiquette-coach-to-teach-pupils-manners.html

I remember when I was in between jobs and did a course
with the Suzan Johnston Training Organisation here in
Melbourne - (I got offered a job and met Suzan Johnston -
I declined her offer and went back to uni instead). However,
I remember noting how many of the students had no idea on
how to dress for job interviews, and some of them
had no concept of any social graces. I was pleased that
they at least had the sense to enrol in courses that
would help them.