I'm a teacher -- students are "joking" about assassinations.

[Catshrink]

This is really shocking. I emailed our principal and told him what I was hearing and how disturbing it was -- especially for those who lived through the JFK, RFK, and MLK assassinations, not to mention Reagan and John Lennon.

He agreed and sent an email to the staff suggesting that we make this a "teachable moment" and intervene in these conversations and talk about what a national tragedy it would be if one of our leaders were to be assassinated. I was impressed by this.

I've had several conversations with classes already about this. I don't know if I had an impact but at least the assassination talk has stopped.

The kids think it's a joke. It is not a joke.

[Bonn1997]

1. Good for you...It's definitely not a joke!

[ailsagirl]

2. That's terrible-- like the kids who laughed during "Schindler's List"

Good luck to you.

[hedgehog]

3. Kids are little savages. When I rode the school bus in the 60's, the

really daring kids drew swastikas on the windows. No one really knew what it meant, just that it was bad. We also traded Helen Keller jokes.

[Ian David]

4. They're too young to "get it" yet. n/t

[Chorophyll]

6. Agreed.

Even for kids who are ultimately decent, certain things don't seem "real" until they reach a certain age. Even so, it's DEFINITELY a teachable moment.

[AndyA]

5. No, this kind of talk is never a joke.

Even if you don't like the person the remark is being directed toward, it's still not acceptable.

There is a legal process for dealing with everything, and the rule of law will win out in the long run.

You were wise to intervene and put a stop to it.

[RagAss]

7. Re-education is coming !

[LeftinOH]

8. Show them the Zapruder film in slow-mo..nothing funny about that.

On second thought- maybe kids would just think thats funny, too

[apnu]

17. After you spend about two weeks talking about how totally awesome JFK was.

Then, hopefully, they'll the the tragedy for what it was.

In the interest of full discloser, no I do not know where I was when JFK was shot, I wasn't born yet.

[BlooInBloo]

9. Kids are assholes - and to dumb to realize what they're saying...

Do your best, but let it get you down.

[LisaM]

10. Just how old are these kids?

The OP didn't say, but it would make a difference if they were (and were acting like) fifth-graders, or if they were seniors in high school.

[Catshrink]

21. they are mostly juniors in hs

They know better.

[Beregond2]

11. As an explanation, there's also this:

humor is a way of diffusing fear. Teens in particular are not comfortable with confronting emotions openly, so joking about it can be a way of "dealing."

Or, they could just be a-holes. Probably some of both.

[Doctor_J]

12. The childen of modern Repukes are being raised on hate

there was a thread with pics of little kids in GA holding up signs calling Obama a murderer and so forth. I don't think we'll know how much damage Hate Radio has done to the country for another several years.

[anigbrowl]

13. Kids (and some adults) laugh about what scares them

as a 'shrink', I'm surprised you don't know this. I'm not going to be backseat teacher, but my interpretation is that what most of them want is not an assassination, but reassurance it won't happen.

[bdamomma]

14. that is no joke.

[gkhouston]

15. How would they feel if the "joking" were about a popular student or teacher?

Sometimes it's not so funny when you make the situation more personal (i.e., "real") to them.

[apnu]

16. Kids always make light of that stuff.

I'm not so old (yet) to forget all the insensitive and hateful things I said as a teenager at the time because I thought it was funny or cool.

As you know better than I, they are kids and have not grown, fully to maturity. I'm not excusing the behavior, just mentioning that this comes as no surprise to me at all.

I do agree with the principle that these jokes are good "teachable moments" Very good, very wise.

I applaud you for being a teacher, no more respectable profession in the world, IMO. I applaud your principle for their wisdom and understanding. And I applaud your sensitivity and caring for helping to care for the next generation.

[ratherunique]

18. 17 year old rapper soulja boy gave a shout out to slave masters

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2008-10-30/a-rapper-salutes-the-slave-trade/

its idiots like this that are dumbing down this generation

[barack the house]

19. Education is always the best remedy to ignorance. Good story.

[AngryAmish]

20. or Tupac and Biggie

[bridgit]

26. or Medgar or Malcolm...

[Bubbha Jo]

22. Video game mentality...................

[question everything]

23. Reaping what we sow

We have eliminated any sense of decency and shame from our society. Everything goes, and more outrageous the better.

Even here, on DU. Someone complained about profanity and was attacked and mocked.

People post outrageous videos on YouTube. We've heard enough about words of rappers.

So if anything goes, why not "joke" about political assassination? Even on DU, there have been insulting posts about Pelosi and Hillary (women and minority will always be the first target) so why not "joke" about assassination?

We cannot have it both ways. Either we demand decency in all stages of life, or we live with the consequences. No doubt, were it not for the rules of DU, we would read here "jokes" about other targets for political assassination.

[izzybeans]

24. My mother turned a kid in at her school and the Secret Service has

ordered that he turn over his guns. They still let him in the marines though.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

25. Were the jokes funny?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA-oVrg74WI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4Uf9rsBbhc&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PF-JwUnK49U

[paparush]

27. My son, 8th grader, has heard these kind of remarks at his school too.

We called the school guidance office and didn't get much of a response other than "no teacher has reported hearing such remarks.."

[AngryOldDem]

28. Two words: Secret Service.

My high school freshman has also heard such "jokes" and I have told him to tell his dimwit classmates that someone could report them seriously for making threats against the president, or candidate.

I for one would not cut ANYONE a break if they even bring this up, let alone "joke" about it. Make it a "teachable moment," all right, by calling your local Secret Service office.

[BamaTideFan83]

30. "local Secret Service office"?

I had no idea they were nationwide.

[Catshrink]

31. Me either.

FBI office maybe. But we have Sheriff Joe!

[kenziemom06]

29. In the inner city high school I used to teach in...

the students used to joke about assassinating Bush, and I would say "No, don't even joke about that -- we don't want anyone to get killed" so they should definitely be told to stop that kind of talk. Of course, I also told them that assassinating Bush meant having Cheney as President (officially) but, hey, at least I was setting a good example.