Understanding the American Police State in Schools
This piece was written by John and Nisha Whitehead and was shared through The Rutherford Institute. The authors discuss the challenges faced by children in the American police state. They argue that the threat of danger is omnipresent, whether it's from trigger-happy police officers on the streets or the Nanny State's network of busybodies in neighborhoods that report parents for allowing their children to walk to school or play alone.
Government Intrusion in Family Life
The authors argue that the government's reach extends into the home, with the state believing it knows what's best for children, even more than their own parents. They cite examples of parents being arrested for trying to walk their kids home from school or being threatened with fines and jail time for their children's misbehavior or tardiness at school.
The School Environment
The authors then turn their attention to what happens to children at school, particularly public schools. They argue that parents have little control over what their children are taught, how they are disciplined, and how much they are indoctrinated to conform to the government's authoritarian playbook. They suggest that the message to parents is clear: children are not their own but are wards of the state.
Police Presence in Schools
The authors express concern about the increasing presence of police in schools, leading to school resource officers tasering teenagers and handcuffing kindergartners, school officials criminalizing childhood behavior, and school lockdowns and terror drills that teach children to fear and comply. They argue that instead of learning the basics of education, children are being indoctrinated, intimidated, and taught intolerance.
Impact on the Future of Freedom
The authors question what it means for the future of freedom when these young people, trained to be mindless automatons, are someday running the government. They point to the increasing presence of police in schools, resulting in greater police involvement in routine discipline matters that used to be handled by principals and parents.
The Legalization of Harsh Tactics
The authors point out that harsh methods used to punish children for minor infractions are legal when employed by school officials or school resource officers. They argue that introducing police and police tactics into schools has not made the schools safer. Instead, they claim, it has created an environment where children are so traumatized they suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, nightmares, anxiety, and other negative emotions.
The Tyranny of the Nanny State
The authors argue that the Nanny State, which believes it knows what is best for citizens and can manage their lives better than they can, is a form of tyranny. They suggest that this mindset is reflected in the treatment of young people as government property, to be used as the state sees fit, in defiance of the children's constitutional rights and those of their parents.
Bottom Line
The authors conclude by asking how we can convince a child who has been routinely handcuffed, shackled, tied down, locked up, and immobilized by government officials that he has any rights at all. They suggest that if we want to raise a generation of freedom fighters, we must start by running the schools like freedom forums. What are your thoughts on this matter? Do you agree with the authors' perspective? Share this article with your friends and engage in a conversation about the state of our schools. Remember, you can sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is delivered every day at 6pm.
