1993-1994 Harry Singer Foundation National Essay Contest

Doesn't Anyone Care About The Children?
Teacher: Debra Blunier

Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois

1st Michael Gammon   2nd Darrell   Stoller  3rd Jerry Schreck

"These types of irresponsible behavior are also present in common, everyday places, like school. A teacher described one such instance to me. He had a student who consistently came to him after receiving her graded test to point out an error in which he marked problems wrong that were in fact correct. After three or four times, the teacher began to suspect the student of changing her answers after getting her tests back. To see if his assumption was correct, the teacher made a photocopy of her test before giving it back to her. Sure enough, he found a mistake. This time, however, the teacher pulled out his photocopy and found that she had indeed changed her answer. The student was not embarrassed, as one might suspect. She was upset, saying that the teacher did not trust her. This may seem ironic to us, but she felt that her cheating, or getting caught cheating, was the teacher's fault."
Ellen Walles, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois

  "The idea of getting off and passing the blame must be changed to punishing and learning a lesson."
Julie Irion, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois

"There is no real education about racism and gangs."
Christie Brady, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois

  "It is like just one big circle; kids getting drunk, shooting up, and having sex. Some kids do it just to be 'cool'. Others do it to run away from family or friend problems. Since these kids are high when they engage in these activities, they feel wrong or 'dirty' afterwards, if they even remember it, and some get saddled with a bigger problem-- unplanned pregnancy or a serious sexually transmitted disease, like Aids."
JoEllyn Cordes, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois

"A lot of kids are also afraid to go into a store and buy them [condoms]: getting them at school is much more reassuring to them. ... I wish the generations before would understand a little better. Teenagers are going to do what they want. They just need the guidance to do it right. A lot of teenagers have a problem talking to their parents about the responsibility of having sex, and in some cases, parents don't care. This sense of not having anyone to turn to is sometimes what drives teenagers to have 'irresponsible' sex."
JoEllyn Cordes, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois

  "There was a robbery a few years back in a small town. The thief was running out of the bank, and dropped his bag of money. The money went all over the place. All of the money, which was in denominations of twenty-dollar bills, was returned except for one twenty-dollar bill. Just that one example proves that some people do take the responsibility of being a citizen and carry out all of the duties that go with it."
Kara Babrowski, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois

"Today it is a surprise to hear of a couple celebrating their twenty- fifth wedding anniversary. Fifty years ago it was a shock to hear of someone getting a divorce."
Christie Brady, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois

"The decline of morals in this world is directly related to how much time the parents spend raising their children and teaching them the difference between right and wrong. By taking this time when children are young, you can help eliminate the chance of crime and violence later on in their lives."
Allecia Finley, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois

"When people go to court for crimes they committed and are acquitted, it is sending a message to Americans that they can commit a crime and get out of it fairly easily. We should not be surprised about the rising crime rates!"
Katie Wettstein, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois

  "A judge by the name of Robert Schillberg released Leroy Kelley who is a convicted thief, violent offender and rapist, with a $ 1.00 fine which the good judge paid himself. Kelley was caught stealing cigarettes from a grocery store. The judge said that the store was more at fault, for providing the cigarettes, than was poor Leroy. The officer who arrested Kelley was obviously upset and felt that the judge's reasoning was unfair. This judge is sending a message to society that if you commit a crime against those who do legal but somewhat socially unacceptable things, you do not have to pay for it."
Michael Gammon, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois

The rate of teenage pregnancy is rapidly increasing, and yet society says that giving out contraceptives in schools is irresponsible."
Jo Ellyn Cordes, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois

  "Even though [condoms are] popular, statistics show they are not really ensuring safe sex...and often lead to the spread of disease." Sara Knoblich, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois

"After seeing an irresponsible action, many people will repeat it. They think that it is okay since someone else is doing it. Youth are the main victims of irresponsible behavior.”
Scott Knapp, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois

  "We seem to have a culture that has lost its moral base. Without this base, politicians no longer do what they think is right, only what will get them the most votes. Lawyers no longer protect the rights of individuals; they only milk innocent victims of their money in ridiculous lawsuits. You have heard the advertisements, the ones stating that no money will be charged until your case is settled or won. There is nothing to lose, so why don't you jump in with all the other people out there and take a share of the spoils. This is one of the main reasons so many Americans are so irresponsible. It stems from the replacement of solid morals with greed, laziness, and self-righteousness."
John Sander, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois

"Alcee Hastings, a federal judge, was charged but never indicted on bribery charges and later impeached by Congress. Hastings is now a U.S. Representative, and on the public payroll is his friend and former lawyer, Patricia Williams. She represented Hastings during his bribery trial and impeachment proceedings that mean he owes her more than $500,000. Although Williams was disbarred in June of 1992 for mishandling client funds and other improper behavior, she makes $43,000 a year as office liaison and staff assistant in Hastings' district office. As a judge, Hastings was responsible for upholding the law, which he broke. As a State Representative, he is responsible for making laws, which he seems to find his way around. As a lawyer, Patricia Williams was responsible for upholding the ethical codes of lawyers, but she didn't, and now she makes $43,000 a year."
Michael Gammon, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois

"Also, sex education teaches the students how to protect themselves when in a bad situation. This, in return, increases self-esteem. I do not think that society really sees the importance in these sexual education classes."
JoEllyn Cordes, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois

  "The child's parents should take responsibility for their actions because the best inheritance a father can leave his child is a good example."
Anne Purfield, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois

"The media can play a positive role, I think people need to start by bringing good moral values back into things such as television, magazines, etc. I also think that there should be something such as a magazine that rewards...heroes of today. They should try to push the importance of good moral values in society."
Jeff Hershberger, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois

"By conveying ideas of responsibility through the actions and situations which are portrayed on television and by the media, it is possible to produce very positive results. This is a phenomenal task, but avoiding a change now will only create an even larger task in the future."
Jerry Schreck, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois

"I believe before a couple decides to have children, they should be responsible enough to raise that child and teach him morals and discipline. Discipline must be enforced on children to teach them to be responsible for their actions."
Anne Purfield, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois

  "The only way we can make a change in our country is if everyone gets involved, and the most influential place to start is the schools. Here, the teachers should show the importance of responsibility and how it has such a great effect on society. Hopefully in this way the upcoming generations will take responsibility in everything they do."
Katie Wettstein, Eureka, High School, Eureka, Illinois

"The first step needs to be the education of parents. In order to accomplish this, [incentives] may have to be used. For example if the parents attend an educational meeting and promote abstinence, then they receive a reduction on school fees. In educating the parents, show them statistics, tell them the effect it [teen pregnancy] has on children, and tell them what they need to do about it. The second step should be the education of children. Tell them the problem and show them the statistics in a tactful, but friendly manner. Use their language and get them involved and excited about changing towards abstinence. Use examples, music, acting, and language to get through to them. Finally have TV promote abstinence through programs and commercials."
Sara Knobloch, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois

  "I believe [the job of] teachers is to make their subject interesting and intriguing to the students in their classes. ... How a teacher teaches can determine whether a child continues his/her education and the field or career they choose."
Allecia Finley, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois

"I think we should establish a small hospital system that would be controlled by the separate state governments. It would be federal law that each state would have to have the system. Any claims brought into court would be sent to that hospital and would be paid by the state.... [Only bills from the state designated hospital could be submitted] by the person making the insurance claim. If the injuries could be [healed] ...the hospital would get paid and the victim would [submit a bill for wages lost]. We would have to stop all these mental suffering claims. If a person were affected mentally by something, money would not fix it anyway. If we do away with all the foolishness and games we should be able to deter people from fraud."
Andrew R. Schertz, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois

"Another good aspect is the decrease in the usage of drugs by teenagers. Many black teens have seen first hand the effects of drugs, causing them to quit or [better still] never start. Also, drug prevention classes are often found in schools and kids attend regularly. Likewise, they warn against the effects of drugs at a younger age."
Sara Knobloch, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois

"In the Lincoln Projects, in Harlem, New York, there lived a family of twelve. They were relatively poor, but their father was able to put his nine children through a community college. They graduated and landed good jobs. Then they were able to afford better living conditions in a nicer neighborhood. When they were young, their father always told them to 'give something back.' Now each year, they give scholarships to high school students from their old neighborhood."
Jerry Schreck, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois

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