Fighting. What a pleasant topic for a newspaper column! I recently read a column in another newspaper by a gentleman who advocated allowing boys to fight in school. Boys will be boys, he implied. How irresponsible! I was so infuriated by his article, I considered finding him and teaching him a thing or two! Hee Hee.

There are some things worth fighting for to be sure. But combat, whether between ten-year-olds, or between nations of the world, should be reserved for situations for which there is no other remedy. Name-calling, teasing, and taunting are NOT reasons. If we accept the rationale of "boys-will-be-boys", doesn’t that naturally extend to our world, forcing us to believe that war is a normal condition?

In years past, I remember enjoying the Roadrunner cartoons. I thought they were funny, but to me they were nothing but humor. As a teacher these past 13 years, I strongly believe our children’s entertainment offerings have taken a major turn for the worse. Specifically, there have been two fads, or cartoons, or whatever you want to call them, that come to mind. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Power Rangers. These fads, along with recent popular martial-arts movies are teaching our children that violence is the answer to any problem. You can add Big Time Wrasslin’ to the list too!

These aren’t just philosophic observations either. I see it weekly in my classroom. Not fights, but "posturing" complete with untrained kicks, arm movements, and "wrasslin" holds. I’ve seen real fights begin when one of these antics goes wrong. I’ve seen other fights begin where the combatants adopt these postures, sometimes almost humorously.

Solutions? First off, parents need to exercise much greater control over what their children "get into." Too many parents can’t seem to say "no" often enough. They give in through guilt, inattention, or just weariness to their children’s unceasing demands. Teaching your children the true meaning of "no" should be a major priority!

Another solution to harness your children’s boundless energy is to enroll them in a real martial arts class. Whether Tai Chi, karate, jujitsu, or one of the many others, the long term effects might surprise you. True masters of these arts are very disciplined, self-confident, non-violent people.

As to solutions for our schools, at least at the high school level, I am one of those who believe that the fighters should immediately be turned over to the police, and charged with battery. Somehow we’ve go to make a strong statement that fighting in school in totally unacceptable. Where else to begin? Administrators would probably be quick to point out that most "fighters" are not first time offenders. A few days of suspension obviously didn’t work. Let’s work together and show our children that the price of violence is swift and severe!

Until next time, peace. And I really mean it. tomiswho@mindspring.com