FEEDBACK

There were two responses to the question: Should parents be held responsible for the criminal behavior of their underage children? Why or why not?

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Should the parents be held responsible for their children’s behavior? If not the parents, then WHO? Should we hold the Sunday school teacher, the minister or the church responsible? Oh yeah, the child did not attend church. Should we hold the public school teacher, the administrator or the school board responsible? Oh yeah, these people are not allowed to discipline a child. Should we hold the police or the public officials responsible for a child’s behavior? Oh yeah, these people can only arrest the child and return the child to the parent. Should we hold his peers responsible for his behavior? Oh yeah, the parent should know and control who the child associates with. Should we hold the television shows that teach a child to disrespect his parents and the law responsible? Oh yeah, the parent should control what the child watches on television. Should we blame poverty for the child’s behavior? Oh yeah, poverty has been around as long as there have been people on the planet. It does not give anyone the right to steal, kill, maim or disrespect people and property. Should we blame God? Oh yeah, God gave us the ability to choose our path, and to change our behavior, even as a child. Many places in the Bible give the parent the awesome responsibility to “raise up a child in the way he should walk.” If the parent does not teach a child to obey the law, and to respect other people and their property, then the parent should be held responsible.

Behavior is learned and the learning begins at birth, by examples set by the people around him, and from training and discipline. The child learns the moral behavior that will stay with him for the rest of his life from his parents. How that child sees the world and reacts to it, is taught to him by the people around him from birth. We have seen a moral decline in recent years. A lot of things may contribute to that fact, but none more than the failure of the parent to take responsibility and the accountability for the child that they brought into the world.

Change has to start somewhere. I admire and appreciate the stand that the new police chief has taken. Parents should be held accountable for the actions of their children, and in most cases, the parents need to start by correcting their own behavior. We have already lost too many businesses, jobs and people in this community due to crime and violence, in the schools and on the streets. It is not all due to the children, but that is a place to start. Children grow up and continue the criminal activity, violence and the disrespectful behavior. Let’s pull together and demand accountability and bring back pride and honor to ourselves and our community. My appreciation goes to the police chief for holding parents accountable for the actions of their children. Keep up the good work.

Dr. King said that he longed for the day that we would be  judged, not by the color or our skin, but by the content of our character. Unfortunately, we ARE being judged by the content of our character and are found sorely lacking.

– A concerned citizen

of Forrest City

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Should parents be held responsible for the criminal behavior of their underage children. First, I would like for everyone to read the question. Second, who is responable for the underage child, if not the parents then who? This question should not have to be asked. The parents are the only one that should be responsible for the children, unless there is a person that is over the age of 18 with the child at the time of the crime that the parent does not know. If parents think that their child does no wrong, you dont know your child as well as you think. We all know that peer presure is very influencing.  So believe me there is one thing  that we can do as parents, that is lead by example! There is not a perfect parent and there is not a perfect child. So we as parents need to keep the child in church, school and out of the street. We need to show that child that the police are not the bad guy that will take the child to jail at the age of two or three like they are told when that act up in public or where ever you see a police officer. The police are the one that will help the parents keep the child from get into serious trouble as they get older and can assist the parents to help with the child.

– Tim McMahon

Retired FCPD

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This week’s question: What are your thoughts on a 1-cent sales tax to support the Forrest City School District?