School's Tough-Love Policy Raises a Ruckus

Others think Arkansas school is spot-on
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 18, 2016 10:02 AM CDT
Updated Aug 21, 2016 7:03 AM CDT
Parents Are Fuming Over School's Tough-Love Policy
A sign posted to the door of Little Rock's Catholic High School for Boys.   (Facebook)

A long-held school policy is suddenly getting a lot of attention after it was posted to Facebook this week—and parents are fuming. "If you are dropping off your son's forgotten lunch, books, homework, equipment, etc., please turn around and exit the building. Your son will learn to problem-solve," reads a sign on the door of Catholic High School for Boys in Little Rock, Ark., per KARK. Posted to the school's Facebook page on Tuesday, it's been shared more than 116,000 times, with some parents complaining that students shouldn't go hungry simply to be taught a lesson. However, there's plenty of supportive comments as well. "The school is correct," says one, per the Atlanta Journal Constitution. "If someone cannot remember their lunch, it will only happen once. They will learn to be a responsible adult..."

A sample from the other side: "I'm an adult who forgets things because life is hectic and chaotic. I can't expect my kids to remember." Principal Steve Straessle confirms it is indeed a rule—in place for decades, in fact, reports WCSC—and it's for the students' own benefit. "It's not to be mean or cruel," he says. "It's simply to help boys avoid the default switch of calling mom and dad when things don't go right to bail them out." Straessle adds the school is "glad" for the "healthy debate" the Facebook post has caused. Meanwhile, a senior at the school says he was "kinda shocked" by the rule initially, but "it makes me think for myself and not rely on other people to do things for me." (This school blamed girls for boys' bad grades.)

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