Ratting Out Your Peers

“I found an interesting article in yesterday's Staten Island Advance, although I can't find an on line copy to post. The gist of it is this:

There is a growing method being used of getting kids to inform authorities on their classmates who are involved with guns, violence, drugs and anything that breaks school rules, including more minor offenses. In return, they are being offered cash and other such incentives. In one school in Houston County, Georgia, students were being offered 100 dollars for information on minor crimes like theft and vandalism and 500 dollars for the more serious ones. About 2,000 schools from Honolulu to Palm Beach county have adopted these 'Snitch' programs. Most schools are offering up an anonymous phone line or school drop box for tips. So, how does this sound? Proponents say that it will head up these problems before they happen and clean up the schools.

Some of the down sides of this could be: students planting items on other kids, using false claims as a means to collect or pitting kids up against each other (possibly inciting retaliation) if the other gets wind of who did it.

As for myself, my gut reaction is that it is absolutely pitiful that a supposedly civilized society has come to this. But, that aside, I have trouble with the idea of teaching young minds that, in order to do the right thing, you should be rewarded monetarily. Are things so far gone that we can't, in this day and age, instill right and wrong in our young people without resorting to this. Now, I have a son who has been victimized by other students and would love nothing more than to see some "justice" done on some of these "questionable" type young personalities (to put it mildly). But, what about the methodology of this? I think this is a topic that will generate some good viewpoints. How do you feel about it, people?
last edited: 4/28/05 8:44:14 AM”

“BTW, the above post is not to be quoted as coming from the Advance. The wording is all my interpretation of what I read. The stats, and places are as I read them in the article, though...
last edited: 4/28/05 8:43:13 AM”

“It will create a new generation of Teacher's pets and Brown-nosers.”

“Our school system has had a phone line for such concerns for years. No monetary rewards though. I think it's a good thing if not abused and not rewarded.”

“I think encouraging, even rewarding, informing is justified in some cases... but the cost can be very high. People should be very selective in terms of what kind of thing they want reported, even more so if there are rewards involved.

There are a lot of ill thought out, hysterical, rules that school systems have adopted. For example, school weapons policies have resulted in automatic suspensions, even expulsions, for kids with scizzors... kids who get up early before school to work at a Supermarket stocking shelves before opening have been suspended and expelled for forgetting to leave their box cutters at the Supermarket.”

“I agree it's good for kids to show that they know right from wrong and (if significant enough) are willing to do something about it, Sass. I think the one gray area that I have trouble accepting is the monetary reward.

Ped's also right when he says:

People should be very selective in terms of what kind of thing they want reported, even more so if there are rewards involved.

Like I said before, what you really want to avoid is the temptation for some stupid kid to plant something on another kid or something of that nature...”

“If you have to be paid or rewarded to do the right thing then you are not by default a good person.

You are simply for hire.”

“For $500 I'd plant a bag in treebeard's car.”

“I'll do it for $499.”

“Do I hear 400?”

“If I find it before the cops do, I may have to consume it to protect myself...”

“Yall' hear that? Make sure you give it the "special treatment" first.”

“paraquat?”