Threats and Promises or abuse of Power by the School Boards?

I really hate it when kids are manipulated by authority figures (parents or any one else) with what I call "The Empty Threats and Promises Regimen". It is a path to having a messed up kid. The authority figure should teach that their words mean something. When authority figures threaten a consequence or promise a consequence (negative or positive) and do not follow through, they are teaching kids to disrespect authority.

It happens all the time, everyday. Kids never know when the authority figure "really means it" because the threat or promise is seldom honored.

Then we have authority figures who expect kids to simply respect authority "because I said so". For kids who have been taught correctly that "because I said so" means something, it works. For kids who have been taught that "because I said so" usually doesn't mean anything, it doesn't work.

To be clear, we should all practice to say what we mean and mean what we say, especially with our kids. The more we practice, the less chance we will make empty threats or promises. And, when it comes to our kids, if and when we write a check we can't cash, we should acknowledge to the kid we made a wrong decision and restate it. Doesn't mean the kid gets away with it. It's not like in court where the kid gets off on a technicality. But to just throw parental power around abusively does not teach respect for authority.

Having said all of that, I wonder what the intent of the below School Board's action of threatening to file suit on the blogger was. An Empty Threat or a Promise.


One can follow the links on this blog that provides the original charge by the District for the blogger to remove certain items.

The blogger decided to retain legal council and fight.

The Supt. dropped the cause, not because of the blogger's response, but for the children of the District.

www.gisdwatch.com