School Dictatorships and Setting Limits

February 15, 2004

Brian Micklethwait writes today on "school phobia" in some French pupils, as observed by Cécile Philippe:

Cécile, if memory serves correctly, said that this was probably because of [French] teachers becoming more fierce and authoritarian.

The equivalent stories here [in Britain], if there are any, are of pupils inflicting a reign of terror on a school, and terrorising both the teachers and the other pupils.

We don't support "fierce and authoritarian" teachers and schools, and we certainly don't support pupils terrorizing schools. There has to be a middle ground, but what it the cause of it all?

Yet, thinking about it a little, these different stories sound to me to be closely related. Both have their roots in a breakdown in the traditional authority of teaches, caused, I believe, by such things as television, rock and roll, and the Internet. Teachers can't compete with all that the way they merely competed with everyday life outside of their schools in former times.

This is a very interesting phenomena indeed, but we wouldn't place blame on TV, Rock and Roll (or is it Hip-Hop and Crap music?), and the Internet. They make for handy scapegoats, but the blame lies elsewhere.

The failure, in our view, lies squarely with schools. It is possible for the staff of a school to care very deeply about children, and always have their best interests in mind, and be in full control of the school. We call it a "benevolent dictatorship."

The phenomena Mr. Micklethwait points to seems to be because some French schools are run like Military Dictatorships, while some British schools are run more with Social Anarchism in mind.

And excellent (and practical) approach is that of setting firm limits. Robert MacKenzie has written three books for parents and teachers: Setting Limits, Setting Limits in the Classroom, and Setting Limits with your Strong-Willed Child.

He points out that many teachers, schools, and parents fall into the trap of being too authoritarian or too permissive, with both approaches leading to frustration and wild swings back toward the opposite approach. The authoritarian teacher may get frustrated that rules aren't followed and become permissive, while the permissive teacher may feel he's not taken seriously and become authoritarian.

The solution? Set firm and appropriate limits (with fair and reasonable consequences) and no matter what, stick to them. Children are like anyone else: they like to know where their limits are. Permissive parenting (and schooling) only leads children to conduct action research to find out exactly where these limits are (they've got to be around here somewhere)!

The flip side, authoritarianism, also leads to a breakdown of discipline in that the adults in the picture simply cannot be respected (such as with our inane "zero tolerance" policies spreading like fungus all over the U.S.).

It may sound like we're quoting more marvelous theories, which have little application in the real world, but the truth is, setting limits works. Robert MacKenzie's Setting Limits program was developed after long experience with schools, teachers, and disruptive children, and also in connection with his own children, one of whom is "strong willed."

And while there are many failing schools which fall under the description of permissive (with authoritarian zero-tolerance policies), there are legions of successful schools which are making wonderful things happen by simply setting firm limits and sticking to them. This includes our inner cities, home to most of the KIPP academies, which serve traditionally underserved youngsters.

At these schools, there is not only a high academic standard (their motto is "There are no shortcuts"), but also a high personal standard. KIPP schools traditionally have mirrors at each entrance, and students are expected to "check themselves" before entering. The schools cultivate pride in their students with not only attention to personal appearance, but behavior as well.

School disruptions are simply not tolerated, enforced not by overbearing administrators, but by the entire student body. Students who disrupt school are typically shunned, because that nonsense hurts the students trying to get an education.

Sounds like some snooty, exclusive private school? No, KIPP schools are open-enrollment public schools.

Yes, folks, it is possible to have decent standards of academics and behavior.

As we are wont to say, it isn't rocket science.