"Some parents tell me that Guido does not promote a truly Christian environment through a lack of decisive ... disciplinary action..." (February 1998, quoting from a PTA speaker at a local feeder school).

"The Board does take decisive and far­reaching disciplinary action..." (from the chairman's report, March 1998 issue of the Guido magazine).

"The school does not do enough to stop kids from smoking" (communication with a parent, February 1998).

"The school enforces the no-smoking rule too rigidly, and is not being fair with the students who have a smoking habit" (communication with a parent, March 1998).

"The students in the lower hall are out of control; their language and boisterous behaviour is intolerable" (from a recent staff meeting).

"The students' behaviour is fine; they just need a gentle reminder once in a while" (from the same staff meeting).

These quotes are a small sample of the conflicting reports about the state of students' behaviour and the application of discipline at Guido de Bres Christian High School. So why is there such a wide spectrum of opinions? I believe it is due in part to the following factors.

1. Poor sampling⤒🔗

The sins of a few are often viewed as the norm for everyone in the school. Good behaviour is expected, and there­fore is rarely acknowledged. Bad behav­iour generates emotional reactions and often results in passionate state-of-the-union addresses. Unfortunately the community's rumour mill is not filled with juicy gossip like, "Psssst. Did you hear that several students were raising their own funds in school for their Ap­palachian mission trip?"

2. View of sin←⤒🔗

There is a growing concern about the state of regeneration and spiritual commitment of our students. Misbehav­iour is seen as evidence of lack of a per­sonal commitment to Christ. This view may create a feeling of perpetual de­spair that there is not sufficient evidence of personal regeneration. There is an­other camp that excuses all misbehav­iour as being the result of youthful pranks; innocent sin, if you will. Sup­porters of this view react with a shrug and an acknowledgement that "we were young once; they'll grow out of it."

Obviously sin must not be trivial­ized or used as an excuse. Our school discipline must first focus on obedience to accepted rules and norms. In our role of supporting the home and church, we challenge students' moral obligation to live a life of obedience. While we can de­spair about the evidence of sin in our lives and the lives of our students, we can also rejoice because "...we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us" (Romans 8:37).

3. View of discipline←⤒🔗

The Biblical view of discipline re­quires the loving application of true Biblical knowledge; it is a matter of sus­taining, restraining, guiding, and giving direction over a long period of time. The students develop self-discipline by small increments that need to be recognized, and in this process they need to be sup­ported. Too often discipline is viewed as a power struggle between student and adult. If there is no immediate and per­manent radical change in a student after he has been rebuked, the adult may feel challenged and escalate the hostility of the encounter exponentially. Ephesians 6:4, "...do not exasperate your chil­dren," also applies to teachers.

I am often asked if I think students behave more poorly now than when I started teaching. My answer is a quick and definite no. However, I have heard more parents state that the school needs to take a greater responsibility in disci­plining students. By implication this means that the homes need to do less. This trend is not right. If respect for others, good manners, suitable lan­guage, and a desire to reflect the fruit of the Spirit are not taught and modelled at home, the school will not be able to do it either. Therefore I believe that stu­dents do not misbehave more than be­fore, but they are more confused as to whom they should expect to have the greatest influence on their development of self-discipline.

As teachers we need to support each other constantly in those moments when student misbehaviour presses heavily on our hearts. Support does not mean telling a story that is worse than the one you just heard, but requires good listening and practical suggestions. Positive deeds need to be acknowledged publicly and frequently. The misbehav­iour of the few needs to be dealt with firmly, and quietly.

Students appreciate timely discus­sions about their Christian duty to lead holy lives. A basis for this discussion could be the school's philosophy about discipline as described the school hand­book. Try to time this discussion so that it does not coincide with a specific inci­dent; otherwise the discussion will be too limited.

The homes and our churches need to continue to support each other in the nurture of our young people, and must not abdicate this role to the school. They need to be careful about whitewashing newly-founded schools as models of moral excellence, while our long-stand­ing schools are treated with increasing cynicism based on false rumours. This difference in attitude has less to do with what happens in the schools than with the extent of parents' involvement with and commitment to the schools. Hope­fully today's parents are not losing the focus and commitment of our educa­tional pioneers.

Psssst. You want to hear a good one? The parent of a "loner" called to express thanks for students that are at­tempting to involve her child. You want to hear another one...?