Punishment: Agree or disagree?

Tasha Henderson is a mom who lives in Oklahoma. She got tired of her 14-year-old daughter's poor grades, chronic school tardiness, and classroom back-talk. So she decided to teach her daughter a lesson. She made Coretha stand at a busy Oklahoma City intersection holding a cardboard sign that read: "I don't do my homework and I act up in school, so my parents are preparing me for my future. Will work for food." The mother said, "This may not work, I'm not a professional."  There has been a lot of public response to this incident. Some have cheered the mom and felt she cared another to do something that might change her daughter's behavior. Others have felt that the punishment was psychologically damaging to the daughter. One passing motorist called the police and an Oklahoma City police officer took a report. The police asked the mother and daughter to leave but no citation was issued.

Tasha Henderson said her daughter's attendance has been perfect and her behavior has been better since the incident. The daughter said the punishment was humiliating but said it got her attention. Coretha had already been forced by her parents to give up basketball and track because of slipping grades. She said she hopes to improve in school so she can play again. Read more details in the article, "Wayward student stuck on corner."

So what do you think?  If you agree with the punishment give your reasons. If you don't agree, propose an alternate solution.

Comments

[Ryan]

I agree because now her daughter will not get in any more trouble and to me that is the type of punishment I would want besides getting on punishment or a whoopin.

[Kristen]

good idea! really taught her a lesson.

[jordana**]

i think that its not the most sufficient idea because public humiliation doesn't change anything .. at east in my opinion. instead, what i would do is 'adopt' her ways. for example, the mother might be 'late' to cook dinner, or burn the dinner, or ruin the laundry, or back talk to her daughter, or SOMETHING.

but, on the other hand, her daughter's grades aren't really her concern. i mean i guess they are but in a way if the daughter is happy with whatever she's getting then thats fine. the taridness and back talk should be improved, however.

[mcnasty]

this is pretty hardcore stuff!

[Jess]

Personally, I agree that it would be very humiliating and I would probably be mad at my parent. But, it is very hard to judge because I'm not in her position. Since it worked, I guess it was very good. One thing, though, I think that taking away sports and activities outside of school is a good idea. A child needs excerise. But, that wasn't very important.

Yes, this is very cruel and appaling. Personally, I probably would've thought of it as horrible if it was me. But, it wasn't so it would be hard to judge.

[Danny Smithersinasticalousapa]

I don't think that someone should publically HUMILIATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! some young gun in the hood fo shizzle

[Mike]

this is pretty bad and should be used in extreme circumstances

[Alewyn]

I believe that this is a good idea. After so much time of the daughter not doing well this idea really throws it in her face: this is what will happen if you don't get better. As we have been told, the daughter got better after this. So obviously, it worked.

[Paul A]

I think that this punishment is cruel yet effective..........right on to the mom and Corenthia (or whatever her name is)

[BIG BOY12345678912345789]

pretty good idea it would put me in place but it is a little too harsh

[????]

Personally, I would be scarred if I were forced to stand on a street corner by my mom and show something horribly degrading.
How many people might think to keep this student out of college, just from seeing that message?

[fool]

I wouldn't want to be put on a street corner. That's pretty disturbing! And the fact that this girl's parents called her a failure, is sickening because being called a failure makes you feel bad about yourself

[fool]

I wouldn't want to be put on a street corner. That's pretty disturbing! And the fact that this girl's parents called her a failure, is sickening because being called a failure makes you feel bad about yourself

[Taylor]

I completely disagree with this method of punishment! Humiliaing and traumatizing a child absolutely does NOT help anything .. it only scars a child. If it were me, I'd cry hysterically. I'd be totally mortified, and it wouldn't teach me a lesson - I'd just be even more annoyed.
I noticed that the parents already took away track and basketball - maybe THEY should try a new method. Instead of punishing a child, maybe they should talk to her. I have a funny feeling that this girl is a reflection of her parents, so they aren't completely innocent either.

[why do u want to know my name?]

well nobody would want to go on a corner and hold a sign up, but many people will agree that it would be effective

[NY hot pastrami]

i think that if the family thought this was ok, and it wasn't against the law, then it was fine.

I would personally hat to have this done to me, but it is a good way to get a struggling child on track.

As a parrent, i would never do this to my child, but it coould be a last resort for some families.

[Isa]

I hope the girl learned her lesson, but I still don't think anyone should be put on a street crner, especially by their parents. Her parents should try taking something else away, rather than taking away her food and putting her on a street corner.

The sign itself would humiliate me. I can't believe that someone would make their child hold up a sign that says "I am a failure"

[why do u want to know my name?]

well nobody would want to go on a corner and hold a sign up, but many people will agree that it would be effective

[and meatballs foo]

I think that it wasn't too bad that the mother did this since that the daughter was alright with this. If I was the one with the cardboard box... i probably would have been pretty embarrissed. YO MAMA SHOULD HAVE SLAPPED YOU IF YOU GOT BAD GRADES

[eMac]

Half the parents in the US wouldn't do this though because they don't discipline their children. They'd just continue to fail in school and the parents wouldn't be doing their job as a parent.

[Allie]

I think that this would be very humiliating and i would definitely be mad at my parents for making me do this. If I were a parent, this would be my last resort, only if the kid was horrible and nothing else worked.
In the end, when the parents took away basketball and track, i though that was horrible. She was already humiliated and then they take away sports also.
Instead of making the girl stand on the corner with the sign, they should have taken away sports first, and then if that didn't work, they could've tried something else.

[Hannah]

In my opinion I don't think that this is such a dramatic experience. Even though this is public humiliation, I personally don't think this is the worst possible option. Where my parents were growing up, everything was related to grades and they were beaten if they didn't get good grades. Also, the society they were in, made them feel if they didn't become a doctor (required good grades) you were a failure in life.

[Summer]

I could not agree with this mother more. I have seen parents neglect their children which is by all means worse than caring for them. She had enough of her daughters grades, I think more parents should take account for their childrens grades. I am not a parent, I am a high school senior.. even in my school you see kids' lack of commitment in the academics. It's sad.

[Summer]

I would also like to add.. that here we go again in America, it's not our business but here we are talking about it anyhow.
Who are we to say that mother is right not not? AHjh! It just upsets me!