Monday, October 15, 2007

My opinion

When I was a kid, I was shy. I didn't speak up at all. When I didn't agree with something, especially in high school, I just shut my mouth and kept my opinion to myself. My son is the exact opposite. When something is wrong (in his opinion) he can't seem to NOT speak out about it. He has been suspended twice in this, his senior year of high school. He is not a bad kid, in fact he is a good son (OK, that's my opinion). He just seems to want to argue with authority. I introduced him to John Cougar Mellencamp's song. "I fought authority - authority always wins!" This still didn't help. He reads a lot about varying political views. He is always espousing different views on socialism, Communism, etc. He brings this rhetoric to school and it gets him in trouble. I have tried to tell him that contrary to popular opinion, there is NO FREE SPEECH in high school. He recently had to attend a MANDATORY pep rally for the high school football team. He and his like minded friend decided to protest this. They yelled to the crowd and called them a bunch of followers - much like those who followed Hitler. He was asked to leave the pep rally (what he wanted in the first place) and later suspended for disrupting a school function. I just want him to get through high school. When he attends college he will have a little more room to express his opinions, a little more free speech. I have tried to explain to him that he won't be going to college unless he avoids getting kicked out of high school! I have been to the Principal's office so many times this year. I never went to the office when I was in high school! Every morning if the phone rings I am nervous that it is the school calling. What next????? Teens are dangerous to your health!

7 comments:

Paradise Driver said...

I bet he becomes a lawyer.

:)

TUFFENUF said...

Ha-Ha P.D. - that would be my luck!!! :o

Jellyhead said...

You know, even though he is causing you lots of worry (and I'm really sorry that he's been making you stressed) .... he sounds like an incredible person. I mean, to be thinking for himself in such a way, when most other kids are desperately following the crowd, trying to conform and fit in.... it's unusual and shows real character.

He may cause you concern now, but he sounds like he will do big things one day.

In the meantime, whinge as much as you need to! - we all empathise (and I'm mentally preparing for whatever brand of grief MY kids plan to give me when they hit their teens!)

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

I say it's better that he's protesting and speaking his mind than doing other things. I believe you when you say he's a good kid and I think he's going to be someone who changes things for the better someday. I wish I was that out-spoken when I was his age. He just needs to learn to control his speech sometimes so he won't get suspended from school.

Has he ever been on a debating team?

doubleknot said...

Sounds like my daughter when she was in high school though she never went so far as to get kicked out for a while.
I would rather my child be out spoken then into a lot of things the kids are into these days.
Hope for your stress that he learns to curb his opinions in situations were it will get him in trouble.
Hang in there - this too shall pass.

Anonymous said...

This country needs more people willing to speak their minds... heck...it needs more people who USE their minds! Your son sounds like he does both. I agree with jellyhead's assessment. Hope you can last through the stage.

Kerri said...

You're right about that...teens are dangerous to your health :) Hang in there Tuff. I hope Preston reaches a happy medium with his opinions..somewhere between where you were and where he is now. A position that will hopefully keep him out of trouble.
He needs to learn that all authority isn't bad..just some of it here and there, and figure out what's worth speaking up about..and do it respectfully.
But, as you're finding out, reasoning with teens isn't the easiest thing :) Good luck with that.
At least he's using his mind!