by Josh Guckert
A recent proposal by Republican State Representative Dan Flynn shows that both parties can bask in the glow of statism. Flynn’s so-called Teacher’s Protection Act states that teachers are justified in killing students at school, on a school bus or at a school-sponsored event when done in the act of self-defense or to protect school property.
While it is unclear how the bill would change the already existing right of the teachers as private actors to defend themselves, it begs the question as to why so-called “small government” Republicans are choosing to place more power in the hands of the state. Public schooling across the country has worsened year after year, yet, rather than addressing these problems, some would rather apparently move schools even closer to state penitentiaries.
This bill also shines light on the continuous growth of state punishment as opposed to rehabilitation. Children across the country face personal problems that may lead to them acting out in school, particularly when those children grow up in low-income households. When students act out in fits of rage, it is supposedly the goal of teachers, as mentors of youth in society, to tell them that what they’re doing is wrong and why it is.
This Texas proposal may seem extreme, but it appears to be nothing more than a continuation of other policies that have been enacted in schools across the country. It appears more and more that public schools teach pupils to accept authority and discipline any who choose to defy it. Students never learn why it is that certain policies are in place: they only learn that they had better obey.
These kinds of policies have aligned perfectly with the same development in the American criminal justice system. Crimes and those characteristics which so commonly cause them are no longer examined with a watchful eye; rather, perpetrators of crimes are seen as no more than numbers. With mandatory minimums and across the country, some crimes are not even able to be further dissected by judges.
These criminals are never really taught why their act was wrong, only that they had better never do it again. Some don’t even get to prove themselves, as they are faced with either the death penalty or life in prison. There is no doubt that there are some crimes that warrant harsh punishment, but they are far fewer than what the current system allows.
With the reality of what we know about the criminal justice system, we should be wary of what types of atmospheres we promote in our public schooling systems. As is, there are far too many similarities between the two. Creativity and individuality are suppressed. Conformity and obedience are lauded as most desirable. Those who choose to speak out against the status quo are punished and are made into an example.
As shocking as this may seem, it should be of no surprise. Government-run institutions have been the same throughout history. They are created for a benevolent purpose and applauded for advancing the common good. However, before long, they begin failing to do what they set out to do and move more toward the most historically common governmental goal…promoting and sustaining control.
If we are to live in a free society, we should do all that we can to move centralized power away from the hands of government and to never forget the values embodied in our founding documents. The United States was built on rebellious attitudes and distrustful feelings toward authority. Such values should be preserved and promoted as much as possible.
about the author: Josh Guckert is a 23-year-old law student at the University of Pittsburgh. He graduated cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh in 2013 and was born and raised in the Pittsburgh area. He is a 2013 graduate of Cato University, hosted by the Cato Institute, and was first drawn to the ideas of liberty by reading 1984, Brave New World and The Conscience of a Conservative.
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