Responsibility

Who Has It and Who Doesn't and
What That Means To The Nation

"In school, I constantly hear 'Be responsible.' Every year the principal gives a speech on responsibility. As government students we are told to be responsible American citizens. Responsibility must be important if it is stressed so much."
Craig Booth, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

"While researching for this essay, I interviewed and discussed both responsibility and irresponsibility with several people. One of my most prominent subjects, in reply to the questions 'Give me some specific examples of responsibility in society.', and 'What are some irresponsible acts that are occurring in America?' answered, 'People are credited with many good things like sacrificing for their children, enduring trials and tribulations because they know what they are doing is right, showing up to work or school on time, holding true to one's own values and morals, and not weakening standards in the face of adversity. However', he added, 'individuals make many irresponsible decisions everyday such as littering, allowing someone else to take the blame for something that they did, living for the moment without thinking of the consequences, destroying personal property and not admitting to it, driving recklessly, drinking and driving, playing with firearms, cheating, and knowingly giving false information and/or advice.' He continued to say that, 'The justice system all to often assigns inadequate punishment to criminals, and the government is giving foreign aid when people here in America are homeless and starving.'…When I asked [another] individual for, 'Examples of irresponsibility in society' he responded with the statement, 'Man, I could write a book!' and he [proceeded to list many irresponsible acts. But, when confronted with the question, 'What are a few acts of responsibility individuals make?' he responded, after a minute in thought, 'It's hard to think of any.' and gave up. This at first surprised me; but after thinking about it, I decided I should not be surprised. After all we spend so much time talking and complaining about the bad things that we forget the good things around us. That is truly ir-responsible."
Bill White, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma

Definitions
"Responsibility is the act of caring for others when you don't have to care."
Leah McCann, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin

"The act of being responsible is being able to make moral and rational decisions…and being able to answer for your behavior."
Ben Goodnight, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"Responsible is being able to fill various important roles as occasion demands."
Jeremiah Privett, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri

"The real meaning of responsibility is being answerable for one's actionsóin charge!"
Jill Daniel, Newell-Fonda Community High School, Newell, Iowa

"Responsibility means the state or quality of being responsible. Responsibility is when you say you are going to do something and you do it. If you are going to watch a house for a neighbor for a whole week, you are responsible for what ever happens to the house…When you take responsibility it makes you feel better about yourself. Knowing that you're a responsible adult leaves you with a sense of pride. Whenever you use responsible judgment, there is usually a good outcome."
Raymond Bailey, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma

"Taking responsibility, means the ability to meet obligations…Most everything in this world works based on this one word, responsibility. When you are young, your parents are responsible for you, and soon you become responsible for yourself."
Terra Mayfield, Crockett High School, Austin, Texas

"This concept requires self-confidence to cope with life's challenges and individualism to fulfill our needs without creating problems for others. Self-responsibility is necessary to create a community."
Kelli Countryman, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

"Responsibility is a like a contagious disease. If everyone is exposed to it. it will spread."
Kari Barrett, Hereford High School, Hereford, Texas

"Whether it be patriotic or personal, every working man is subject to a responsibility of some kind. Most of us think of responsibility as being able to care for oneself and loved ones, hold down a job, and basically do what needs to be done. Not many consider other forms of responsibility, such as being liable to be called upon to answer for one's actions or decisions, or being trustworthy, or even being able to choose between what is right and what is wrong."
Heather Weingartner, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma

"Deciding who has responsibility and who does not, is a question worth pondering. Some Americans realize that they are responsible for something, and take full responsibility, while others do not, and could care less whether or not they do have responsibility."
Nicole Skinnell, Crockett High School, Austin, Texas

"As we grow older we are faced with the coming of independence, which in turn brings responsibility."
Nichole Mooneyham, Crockett High School, Austin, Texas

"About a month ago a student who played on the junior high baseball team had money stolen from his wallet during a practice. The coach first confronted the team by asking the one who did it to please fess up to what he had done. No one responded. He then said the whole team would run until someone [confessed]. A student then stepped forward. This anecdote shows, at first, an irresponsible action from the student. However, the student also showed a responsible compensation for his stunt by sparing the whole team from suffering for his wrong doing. This shows that hope still remains."
Bill White, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma

"I believe that a more responsible world begins with each individual. It's kind of like building blocks. Each responsible person helps to build a more secure and caring structure."
Meghann Lynn Downey, Rockridge High, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"What is responsibility and who has it? Many people see responsibility as taking care of your personal tasks, but it involves a lot more than that. Responsibility is also accepting the consequences for the actions that we make and not trying to blame them on someone else. That leads to the answer to the second part of the question which is who has responsibility? People who take on not only their own personal tasks but also tasks that will help others and can accept the consequences for the actions they commit are classified as being responsible."
Tonya Goodfellow, Jefferson High School, Edgewater, Colorado

"Responsible people look to the long-term goals, and not always what is easy and provides immediate satisfaction."
Ben Sachs, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri

"Responsibility isn't something to fear, but something to work hard at.…the differences responsible people have made can be seen, not only in other people's lives, but in their own. Many more lives could be impacted if more Americans would again return to a tried and true personal responsibility rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
Jill L. Kier, Newell-Fonda Community School, Newell, Iowa

"To the nation, responsibility means different things. To some it means taking care of, and raising a family, to others it means being active in political campaigns and voting, and to some it means taking responsibility for their own actions."
Nicole Skinnell, Crockett High School, Austin, Texas

"A responsible person takes care of themselves, but an irresponsible person doesn't. Healthy people are responsible."
Ryan Day, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri

"Responsibility is not just worrying about your own problems, but helping others in society who are in need."
Josh Dunnett, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"Responsibility is taking the blame for one's actions. Deciding who has responsibility and who does not, is a question worth pondering. Some Americans realize that they are responsible for something, and take full responsibility, while others do not, and could care less."
Nicole Skinnell, Crockett High School, Austin, Texas

"Finally, ethical responsibility can best be taken by following the Golden Rule; Treat others as you would have them treat you. If [people] would put themselves in another's shoes, the responsible decision would be easy to make."
Justin Miltner, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

Changing
"[Over the years] the definition of responsibility has changed drastically… Responsibility used to be knowing that everyone is in charge of more than just themselves…everyone had a responsibility to be aware of common sense and of circumstances. Now days people sense they may have a responsibility toward themselves, but take every opportunity to push fault and/or responsibility off onto someone else."
Carisa Johnson, Jefferson High School, Edgewater, Colorado

"As young children we were very quick to judge others; we thought we were superior…As we grew up…we graduated from that stage of extreme self-centeredness and discovered that we were not perfect. We understood that we all had problems and it was our own responsibility to correct them. In each of us there is a sense of understanding that must be reached…that sense of understanding is reached through responsibility.…Without responsibility things would not function smoothly. With no goal in sight, values disappear and fall by the wayside. We should all be responsible for our actions and not be afraid to get involved with problems."
Joseph W. Dziadyk, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

Some students suggest that today there are no longer community values or a common moral code:
"The desecration of human life does not hurt society as much as the desecration of morality because without morality, that life did not mean much anyway. Without a moral code, without ethics and without taking responsibility for our actions, we have destroyed more than we can ever build."
Christopher Frere, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"The morals and values of America seem to be going down the drain. As each generation grows up they discover the lack of morals in society and develop their own lack of values."
Gina Walejko, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin

"It seems like we have lost a sense of purpose in the way we live."
Brent Wilson, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"Why has our society lost its values? I will tell you why. The majority of our so called adults do not care, so the children will not either. It is like a rusting chain and soon that entire chain will be ruined if someone does not do something about it."
Elisa Tomich, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

Can anything be done about declining values? Some students think so:
"In order to begin rebuilding the moral standards in society, I believe that programs such as D.A.R.E. and Adopt-A-Cop need more emphasis. Teaching children at a very young age how responsibility and effort provide for happier and safer lives is a key ingredient in helping society return to a higher moral standard. More comfortable settings for discussing problems [might] help teens and younger kids feel they have somewhere safe and reliable to turn in a time of need."
Molly Petersen, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

"The Church of Scientology has issued a moral guide, The Way to Happiness, in order to help restore traditional values."
Stan Dohm, Medicine Lodge High School, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

"Sixty five years ago Herbert Hover recognized the necessity of responsibility in American Life when he said, 'No governmental action, no economic doctrine, no economic plan or project can replace that God-imposed responsibility of the individual man and woman to their neighbors.'"
Tamara Diller, Hereford High School, Hereford, Texas

"[Let's] start teaching our children to put back what they get out, clean up what they spill Responsibility can begin at a young age remember that each [American] is told he is freeófree to make his own choices, free to think for himself, free to be responsible. [Responsibility] is what being free truly means."
Laura Nichols, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

Deseri describes what she believes is a responsible action in the excerpt below:
"An armored car crashed in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Miami, Florida spilling one-half million dollars onto the streets. People near by, including Faye McFadden, mother of six who works for five dollars an hour, immediately began to scoop up the money. However Faye McFadden [was] one of only two people who returned the money. She said, 'I teach my children that if they take something that doesn't belong to them then it's wrong'."
Deseri Herrmann, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

Students presented a variety of responsible actions:
"Driving the speed limit and obeying all traffic signs is also an example of responsibility."
Annie Hoffmann, Hereford High School, Hereford, Texas

"Many people with the HIV infection are becoming more and more responsible by telling their sexual partners they are infected with the disease."
John Sievers, Newell-Fonda Community School, Newell, Iowa

"Being punctual is not only a common courtesy; it is a statement of responsibility."
Annie Hoffmann, Hereford High School, Hereford, Texas

"I had a friend who was on drugs. He was irresponsible enough to take the drugs; I was responsible enough to help him get off the drugs. He is now drug free. The more time we spend blaming our mistakes on others, the more time we waste. While we were blaming, we could have been doing something."
Raymond Bailey, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma

"Because one of the best deeds a person can do is help out a person in a new environment, I think the next example of positive action is special. I knew an upperclassman, once, Angie, who recognized how much one freshman looked up to her. She took time out of her busy schedule to get to know this freshman and help her through her questions about her new high school life. She made sure that this freshman was comfortable in the activities they were both involved in, and encouraged her to stay with these activities because she was gifted at them. I was that freshman."
Laura Nichols, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"Some television stations show good examples of taking responsibility for their programs. HBO, for instance, helps parents use discretion in what they allow their children to watch by presenting an outline of the film's contents. This way the parents can protect their children from violence, nudity and adult language."
Heather Weingartner, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma

"Sportsmen have been helping with the conservation of nature for over a century. Every time a license is sold, money goes to protect and to manage the environment. Sportsmen also volunteer to clean and build protections that benefit the environment they use for their sport. Sportsmen probably have more love for the environment and for the animals they harvest than most animal rights activists."
Landon Van Nahmen, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

"A 21-year-old male was on drugs for eight years. He admitted that he would take anything, to 'have fun with my friends. It was a blast. I just liked it.' But today he is drug-free. He realized that he had long-range goals that just weren't happening. He had tried changing jobs, friends, love relationships, and still wasn't gaining any ground. He admits…the constant in the equation was that [he] was using drugs. He finally decided to confront a bad habit and kick it. He wasn't diseased. He wasn't a victim."
Heather Weingartner, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma

"Many examples exist concerning responsibility for farm safety. One example is knowing how dangerous pesticides can be and becoming familiar with all the pesticides one uses. Another example of responsibility is to always wear safety gear when working around chemicals. This can help one avoid rashes and skin burns. A third example is to know first aid and CPR because one never knows when he will have to use it. A fourth example of responsibility is to always have a safety rope if one goes inside a grain bin and to always have someone outside to help you if emergency circumstances should occur. My last example of responsibility is that one should only operate equipment that he is trained and qualified to operate."
Josheua J. Schmidt, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

"The best example, however, of accepting responsibility for actions is the story of a high school junior. His teacher confronted his class one day and asked who had egged her house the night before. Though he had a small part in the operation, he stood up and took responsibility for the actions of the entire class."
Cory Schumacher, Hereford High School, Hereford, Texas

"Immunizations are an important part of health care. Once people have had the proper shots, it is impossible for an epidemic to take hold. Parents and the government work together to mandate immunizations for babies and small children.…This act of responsibility is important in saving the lives of children and adults."
Heather Weingartner, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma

"In a tiny town in Maine, the need had never arisen for a fire truck. However, an eighty-one year old man took it upon himself to obtain one. After spending $4800 on an old engine and a water-tank truck at an auction he built a garage to keep it fueled and ready to go. This caution paid off when a neighbor's house caught fire, and the man and his daughter were the only ones around to control the flames until the regular fire-fighters from a neighboring town could arrive."
Tiffany Salyer, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri

"At a local college students are having a banquet to emphasize hunger awareness. The students will serve 60 percent of the people beans and rice, 25 percent will be served a sandwich, and 15 percent of the people will be served a turkey meal. The purpose of the banquet is to raise awareness about global hunger. The percentages are based on high, middle, and low income groups across the world. This allows the students to be responsible and express to the people that we need to be grateful for all the opportunities we have to live for in this country."
Rachel Bezner, Hereford High School, Hereford, Texas

"The last example of responsibility applies to very few people it seems. It is living your own dream. Often times, we try to please one another by trying to make everyone happy. The people who deserve the most respect are those who dedicate themselves to what they like to do. In order to obtain what we love, we must sometimes stray from the pack…. Too many times I hear people saying they are going to a college or they are getting a job because that is what their parents want. Live your life how you want it. Even though it might seem like such a small decision now, you may look back and regret living your life to another persons standards."
Brent Wilson, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"One Christmas vacation my parents and I were driving to Iowa to see my grandparents and my mom told me a story. One time a newly wed couple was driving to see their parents. The roads were icy and the car slid off the road. The two were injured very badly. A man that lived right down the road saw the headlights in the ditch. The man called 911 and then ran out to check on the car. The car had slid off a bridge and landed in the creek. By the time the man got there, the water had almost reached the inside. The man dragged them out.

Another story I heard was [about] a sixth grader. The family was driving on the highway about 65 mph behind a truck. Suddenly a piece of metal flew out of the truck and came crushing right into the windshield, hitting his mother in the face and knocking her out. Little Andy unbuckled his seat belt, crawled up front and pressed on the brake, slowing down the car to a safe stop. He got out, flagged down a car, and called for help. Not many sixth graders would know what to do in a situation like that."
Josh Ory, Hereford High School, Hereford, Texas

"Mark Basker, a Republican running for U.S. representative from the 17th District in Illinois, showed our community a unique example. While preparing to speak in an inner-city part of my area, no one showed up for the speech. Instead of giving up, he went door-to-door discussing issues with residents. By giving this extraordinary effort in a not so Republican community, Baker took on a responsibility to get his goal accomplished."
Karl J. Strosche, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

Some students offered personal examples:
"From the time I was in preschool, I was taught that if I took something out, I should be the one to put it back in its spot. Learning this was one of my first lessons in responsibility. This sounds like a small lesson that would not seem to impact the whole nation, but this small lesson is impacting the nation. When children do not receive this lesson early, they grow up without a sense of responsibility. Responsibility means looking at yourself as an individual and taking care of yourself and your commitments. This comes into play many times in our lives, and sometimes we either misjudge what we are getting ourselves into or we just leave the responsibility for another."
Laura Nichols, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"I burned my arm with hot grease a few months ago. The owner of McDonald's thought I might sue him. My response was that I would not sue anybody else for something I did to myself. One of the women I work with cut her hand with a box knife. The cut required five stitches; one beneath the skin and four on the surface. Her boss was concerned that she would sue him. Of course, she told him that she would not sue for something she did to herself. She told him that it was her fault for not being more careful and that it was not his fault in any way."
Amy Southerland, Paoli High School, Paoli Oklahoma

"About two years ago my dad was driving to Iowa. Suddenly a man driving a Jeep Cherokee had a heart attack. The people on the road were terrified because the man was unconscious and all over the road. He drove through the median and onto the oncoming traffic lane. My dad saw the vehicle swerving but by that time the car had come to almost a complete stop. So he got out of his pickup and chased after the car on foot. He finally caught up with the car, opened the door and put the car in neutral. The man was leaned over the wheel and blood was dripping out of his eyes. My dad and another man picked the victim up and out of the car. Then a lady ran up; she said she was a nurse. While she looked at the victim my dad called 911 on the car phone. Fifteen minutes later the ambulance arrived and took the man to the hospital. They…said that if it wasn't for my dad the man would [have] died."
Josh Ory, Hereford High School, Hereford, Texas

"I dated a young man for two weeks when I found out he wanted a lover instead of a girlfriend. I spent three weeks away from him and realized that was all he really intended while we dated. The next time I heard from him, I told him I did not want to see him again and we should just be friends. In my search for a responsible person, I have found very few that actually are responsible. Many people just want to have a good time in life. They don't care about the consequences to them or anyone else. These people need to wake up. Life is not just fun and games. It's full of responsibility."
Amy Southerland, Paoli High School, Paoli Oklahoma

"I, as a senior in high-school, have many responsibilities. My life is about to change drastically. I am starting out on a new venture, one of living on my own and not having mom and dad by my side telling me to do this and do that, get this form in and do your homework. These, of course, were all my responsibilities before, but now I am faced with a whole new set of responsibilities. Going to college is a big step, and with that comes responsibilities such as buying my own food, making sure that I am up on time, and eventually paying my own bills."
Terra Mayfield, Crockett High School, Austin, Texas

"In my personal experiences, I've always found that by doing the right thing, you tend to get further in life. Case in point, let's look at, well, my life for a minute. I can be described as an over-achiever and a perfectionist. I have always tried to do the right thing. I have always been involved at school and I have always tried to respect my parents. I feel that this has paid off. Next fall, I well be attending a wonderful university where I will be a pre-medical scholar. I feel that without all my conscious efforts to be good, I would not be standing where I am today."
Kristy Davidson, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri

Irresponsibility defined
"Irresponsibility. Not being able to answer for one's conduct and obligations. There is so much of that in our society, from political super powers to the common person. Not just the little bit of irresponsibility that everyone is entitled to, but excessive irresponsibility."
Michele Mueller, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin

Students had no trouble finding irresponsible acts:
"People are not born with a sense of responsibility…[it] must be taught…If this is not a part of growing up, the signs of irresponsibility show up even before we are adults. I recognized this as early as fifth grade when a student in my class turned to a student next to him and asked for the answers to the homework assignment. I knew it was wrong as I listened to the student who had worked all night long working out solutions to the questions give away all her hard work to someone who did not even know what he was taking from her. He took the pride away from the kids who worked hard because he got the same recognition from the teacher for getting the same grade as all the kids who took responsibility for their own homework."
Laura Nichols, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"A friend of mine has an uncle who is an alcoholic. He has told me about some fits he throws when he is drunk. Some of these result in people around him being physically harmed. About ten years ago, just a few miles from my house three young men were killed in a drunk driving accident. The three men killed in the accident were sober."
Jeremiah Privett, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri

"To make a story more real to audiences, journalists often include statistics. However, they often simply use the statistics of some agency or another without bothering to check on [the integrity of the numbers.]The amount of breast cancer victims has become a matter of much concern since the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the American Cancer Society frightened the world with the declaration that American women face a one-in-eight chance of contracting the disease. That scary figure, though, applies only to women who already have managed to live to the age of 95; one out of eight of them most likely will contract breast cancer. According to the NCI's own figures, a twenty-five-year-old woman runs only a 1-in-19,608 risk. While statistics like these make stories more real, they make them much less truthful.…People depend on the news as information to help them make important decisions such as how to vote, which career to pursue, and how to manage finances. For such important information to be inaccurate so often is unacceptable."
Jennifer Swain, Bondurant-Farrar, Bondurant, Iowa

"Irresponsibility not only effects the federal government, but also effects local government as it has in Latham, a small town in Kansas. Nobody wants to be mayor in the little town. In fact, nobody even ran. The newly elected mayor was a write-in. 'I was hoping somebody else would do it, but nobody wants to', Latham Mayor Brett Calvin said. The job was described as a headache with no pay. 'Nobody wants to take responsibility for Latham anymore,' Calvin's father said. 'It's sad.' What happens if nobody runs for mayor in 1999? 'I am moving,' Calvin said. People don't want to take the time to get involved in their community government."
Craig Booth, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

"Our nation is full of irresponsible voters. We don't watch the debates. We don't do our homework on the candidates. We just don't get involved enough."
Bill White, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma

"On April 2, 1996 at the county election the question 'Should the county hospital located in Kinsley, Kansas be closed and terminated?' was placed on the ballet.…People voted yes for the hospital, but yes was against the hospital. The negative wording of the question caused much confusion among the voters."
Joel Lovesee, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

"In Milwaukee, Westside Conservation Corporation, a nonprofit organization that rebuilds houses in low-income neighborhoods, is shutting down. The home renovation group continued to get city funds while it accumulated $217,000 in fines for penalties, building code fines, and unpaid taxes. The organization is being forced to close, but only after having received about $3.8 million from the city."
Gina Walejko, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin

"In the Hazelton-St. Joseph Medical Center, 12 patients could feel scalpels slicing into their flesh during surgery. Anesthesiologist Dr. Frank Ruhl Peterson 45, pleaded no-contest to diluting surgical anesthetics of 12 patients to feed his own drug addiction."
Tanda M. Brown, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

"Although he does not ask for money, a high school teacher in Paris, France, acts very irresponsibly as he instructs his students. In his philosophy class, the students challenge him with riddles. For each puzzle that he can not answer, he takes off an article of clothing. When he did not know the solutions to many of the students' riddles, he was left standing naked before the class. I believe this is not appropriate role model behavior for a teacher. His job is to teach philosophy, not riddles and definitely, not anatomy."
Ruth Martens, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"Irresponsibility can show up in many forms from acting in lawsuits for more money to not taking the consequences for one's actions."
Jillian Davenport, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma

"Our society is overrun with people who disobey orders, defy logic and have questionable integrity.…Whether it is right or wrong, legal or illegal, people do it. It's not responsible to get pregnant, then get an abortion. Giving up on a marriage without working at it is irresponsible, and hard on the children. Not thinking about others, that is irresponsible. Suing someone else for your own stupidity is irresponsible. Stealing money is irresponsible. Driving while under the influence is irresponsible. Taking responsibility is the first step to adulthood, so our country is made up of a lot of kids. Their minds are on things other than responsibility. Money is one of them. People are always looking for the easiest way out. A lot of times the easy way out isn't the most responsible."
Josh Peschang, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"Irresponsible actions include using drugs, stealing, littering, and drinking and driving. To try to prevent this type of behavior from occurring we have made laws prohibiting it, but these restrictions have not had the affect we anticipated. People will have to want to act more responsibly, and make it a top priority, for our society to change."
Ben Sachs, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri

"Many cases of irresponsible driving stem from stupidity, plain and simple. One incident took place in Los Angeles, California, involving a couple driving on the freeway. 'A man persuaded his wife to ride under the hood of the car and pull the accelerator cable after it snapped. The car was pulled over by California Highway Patrol officers after they noticed the woman's legs dangling from underneath the hood of the vehicle moving at a speed of 45 mph.' The way in which this couple dealt with their problem could be considered…extreme, unnecessary, and irresponsible. The wife could've been seriously injured or easily killed because of their irresponsibility."
Blake McClung, Bondurant-Farrar, Bondurant, Iowa

"Irresponsible acts such as littering affects everyone in one way or another.…Many people think if they just throw out one can or bottle it won't hurt anything, but when everyone just throws out one can or bottle, it adds up rather quickly."
Jeremiah Privett, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri

"A major problem is providing simplified information to the public…the public [is too often given] inaccurate as well as incomplete information."
Joel R. Lovesee, Kinsley High School, Kinsley Kansas

"The evening news and daily papers are full of hate, violence, and issues that tear people apart, not unite them.…Simple, basic societal values continue to deteriorate."
Sidni Van Allen, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

"When the media stops worrying about ratings…the world will realize how great [things] really are for once."
Joel Langfoss, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin

"Some people do not admit to themselves when they make a mistake. The problem is that they do not admit this to others involved, either. A good example of this is when school kids receive tests after they have been graded, many times the response is, 'What'd you give me?' In my opinion, the question out of their mouth should be 'What'd I get?' if they have to ask a question at all."
Laura Nichols, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"Society has also been irresponsible when basing the foundation of major industries on activities that destroy plant and animal life.…Iron and steel manufacturing and limestone and coal removal from the earth are all dependent on the Great Lakes for power and transportation. This constant use along with heavy pollution from factories has endangered some species….Area for fish to swim has been overtaken by chemicals, and food supplies are either poisoned or dead."
Rochelle M. Wells, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

"The media makes plenty of errors. 'Pollster George Gallup, Jr., found in 1980 that when people were asked what their own experience had been with newspaper reports of things that they knew about personally, about one in three (34 percent) said the paper had gotten the facts wrong.' Official news sources should be a bit more accurate than this, I think we would all agree."
Jennifer Swain, Bondurant-Farrar, Bondurant, Iowa

"Another case of irresponsibility…is the death of the six-year-old-pageant star, JonBonet Ramsey. Her death alone was confusing and tragic for her family and those who knew her. What adds greatly to her family's suffering is seeing her autopsy photographs in a tabloid magazine. This shows some of the most irresponsible journalism displayed by any publication ever. The magazine wanted the fame from publishing the photographs and thought not once of the family involved. Although the negatives of the photographs were recovered, the magazines were not recalled. No respect was shown, no decency, nor any semblance of responsibility. Why?"
Jason Dunnett, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"Sometimes a good story takes precedence over honesty, and journalists simply deceive people. Dateline NBC rigged a GM pickup to explode helpfully on camera. USA Today suspended a reporter for staging a front-page photo of ominous gun-bearing gang members. The young men had been sent home to get their guns for the picture 'NBC itself went back on air with another admission of error, this time for using footage of fish supposedly killed during clear-cutting of timber on government land. In reality, one shot depicted a different forest while another showed fish that were not dead, only stunned by researchers for testing.'"
Jennifer Swain, Bondurant-Farrar, Bondurant, Iowa

"Between 1965 and 1969, a company in Pennsylvania extracted copper from industrial wastes, storing the resulting liquids in eleven cement lagoons. Three lagoons developed open leaks and seams, contaminating an adjacent creek which feeds into the Delaware River, turning it into a lifeless sewer. The company abandoned the site rather than pay the expense of correcting the leaks. Ultimately, the state paid for the cost of neutralizing and disposing of the 3.5 million gallons of industrial wastes."
Forrest Guest, Jefferson High School, Edgewater, Colorado

"In Polk County there were 30 deer killed just for fun."
Alyssa A. Hrubes, Iowa-Grant High, Livingston, Wisconsin

"Irresponsibility is literally as old as mankind. When God asked Adam, 'Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?' Adam answered, 'The woman you put here with meóshe gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.' Adam shows his irresponsibility by putting blame on Eve and on God for putting her with him. Irresponsibility is not only old as mankind but also as old as womankind. After God heard Adam's rational lies, he turned to Eve and asked, 'What is this you have done?' And Eve responded, 'The serpent deceived me, and I ate.' Since the beginning, both man and woman have shown irresponsibility."
Darren Thornton, Medicine Lodge High Medicine Lodge, Kansas

Denise, and others showed an indignation that should shame readers who belong to older generations:
"Although there is a margin of people who are trying to make a difference and take responsibility, there is still a greater number who aren't…we are a nation of apathy and tolerance…our justice system is very defective in reprimanding the irresponsible. The same wrongful acts are occurring repeatedly, yet nothing has been done to change that fact. Our nation just stands by while innocent children are being hurt…we are sending a message to the world that injustice is acceptable and our nation is satisfied with negligence."
Denise Gard, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin

The easy way out
"Citizens of today probably have a higher vocabulary of excuses than of words. If anything happens, it's not their fault. We need to stop worrying about what is easiest, and do what is right."
Josh Peschang, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"Ir-re-spon-si-ble: lacking a sense of responsibility; unreliable, shiftless…Our country is full of people who are looking for the easy road."
Joel Langfoss, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin

"Anywhere you look, you can find people acting in an irresponsible manner. The irresponsibility in today's society is not always in the extreme, although people even today are looking for a shortcut to get what they want, and they see no boundaries; [there seems to be nothing] they won't do to get it. Suppose that you are a single American female in your twenties; you graduated high school and didn't know where to go from there. You never had a job and do not see a need in having one now. You finally get the nerve to move out on your own where you will need a job, only you find an easier way to live. You get pregnant and draw a check from the government every month."
Tommy Norman, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma

"Unfortunately in our society, many people shirk…responsibility. It is a bad habit that starts when we are little kids and sticks clear till the day we die. As little kids, we find excuses not to walk the dog, or find someone else to blame for the broken vase in the hall. In high school, we seem to find excuses for everything, like not having enough time to finish homework when two weeks were given to work on the assignment. Even as adults, we find someone else to blame for our shortcomings. This is the problem in our society today. No one wants to be responsible for their own actions."
Eryn Christensen, Medicine Lodge High , Medicine Lodge, Kansas

Where does it all lead?
"Responsibility and irresponsibility are two very different issues. One leads to success, the other to failure. Being responsible for something is very demanding while irresponsibility is easy to obtain. Dependable people advance in life and unreliable people are left behind. It is much easier to be irresponsible than to take on responsibility."
Erik Etheridge, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

"A problem facing our youth today is that many feel they are not smart enough to succeed in school. This causes excessive stress, and poorly managed time. They begin to put other activities ahead of their schoolwork. Their irresponsibility leads them to ultimately stop doing homework and begin finding easier shortcuts to getting good grades. They will cheat to get the grades they want. They do not seem to care if they learn the material; they just want to pass the class. In the October 1995 issue of Reader's Digest, a poll revealed that eight out of ten high-school students said they have either cheated at one time or do presently cheat. Students will go to any length to gain an edge and get the grades they want. Programmable calculators, cheat sheets; both written on paper or the [human] body, equations written on the bills of baseball caps, and the old method of looking off of someone else's paper are all ways students have successfully cheated. Also, having an unobservant teacher helps to enable students to get away with their cheating much more often. Somehow, we need to put a stop to this irresponsible behavior. Students need to learn that they will not be able to cheat their way through life. Ultimately, they will reach a point of accountability where they lack necessary skills to advance."
Ben Sachs, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri

"If one teen commits a crime then friends feel obligated to follow along. I know about peer pressure from personal experience. In my experience, peer pressure ranges from the color of lipstick I wear to the actions I take outside of my home. Many other teens are influenced by their friends' decisions and actions."
Alicia Trevizo, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

"Teenagers are still at the age of searching for who they are and what they stand for. Most people think peer pressure occurs at parties with alcohol and drugs, but it exists every second. Teenagers want to fit in with the latest styles, therefore, they steal to get their way. In the city of Lubbock, Texas, an estimated one third of all Teen Court cases are related to theft. Shoplifting not only has a lasting impact on the offenders, but it also hurts all consumers. Dillards catches about three hundred minors shoplifting each year. Teenagers know stealing is wrong but do it [anyway]."
Kari Barrett, Hereford High School, Hereford, Texas

Humor
"The church, along with many other groups, believes the restoration of morals and a more traditional approach to life will improve crime."
Stan Dohm, Medicine Lodge High School, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

We sincerely hope not, Stan, but…see below:
"During a recent church service, several cars were broken into, stripped of valuables, and vandalized. There have also been increasing cases of car theft and homes have been burglarized in our community.…tire slashings have become more prominent. Someone's tire was slashed just last Friday night at the basketball game. Another frequent type of vandalism is destroying or damaging school property, private property, or public property. Many teenage boys in our community enjoy drinking while driving up and down country roads out of control, and they shoot anything that moves or that they can see from the road. This form of violence, called poaching, is generally accepted by our community.…If disagreements arise between two people at school their solution is to fight it out; they turn to violence. Sometimes those who do not even want to fight get beat up because they are not aggressors. This continues because too many times the aggressor does not receive just punishment for his or her actions."
Eli Jones, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri

"Students drink for a variety of reasons. Some drink to feel the relief of an emotion; others are rebelling or trying to imitate the behavior of adults; most of them drink because they are bored or because they want to feel high. Alcohol use is the only drug use that has not recently dropped. There are four reasons this is so: (1) Parents are pleased that their children are not doing other drugs. (2) Alcohol is easy to come by. (3) Many of these students have parents that drink, so they feel it is acceptable for them to do so. (4) Alcohol is widely accepted in today's society."
Ty Dale Troutman, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

"Honor student Michelle Cabrera, 15 was shot to death last December 21, apparently in a Russian Roulette incident. A 14-year-old boy was indicted. These kinds of brutal killings should never happen."
Betty Pina, Medicine Lodge High School, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

The young feel invulnerable
"Every year, some 5,500 teenagers die in auto accidents. That is equivalent to more than fifteen jumbo jets crashing without a single survivor. In two thirds of the fatalities, the main factor is not drinking. Rather it is an equally lethal mix of irresponsibility, carelessness, and the absolute certainty that it can't happen to me. Responsibility could save your life."
Annie Hoffmann, Hereford High School, Hereford, Texas

"Probably the single largest threat facing America today is many Americans are not responsible for their actions. America has become a feel-good society and many Americans believe that they are not responsible for anything or anybody except themselves…some Americans believe that they are not responsible for even themselves. Drugs are only one example; teenage pregnancy and violent crime is another. The list could go on forever. These problems are a huge burden on our society and could greatly affect our future."
Justin Betzen, Hereford High School, Hereford, Texas

Blame played a part in almost every student paper:
"Some people say Why should I take it upon myself to do what is right? Who really wants to take the blame when a person can pass their faults or shortcomings on to someone else? I had a bad childhood! It's my parents fault.…Responsibility is defined as, moral, legal, or mental accountability."
Jason Schluenz, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"Sometimes life seems an obstacle course, even a bad joke with you as the subject. I don't believe for a minute that everything that happens to you is your doing or your fault. But I do believe the quality of your life and your happiness is determined by your choices and your overall attitude. The more time we spend blaming our circumstances on others, the more time we waste, because while we were blaming, we could have been doing."
Heather Weingartner, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma

"Everyone needs to stop wasting time making excuses for themselves and spend time fixing the problems. It is hard, and many times embarrassing to admit a mistake, but that is our responsibility."
Shala Broce, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

"People either do not want to take responsibility for their actions, blame others for silly things, or only take responsibility when something goes right."
Shyla Reither, Jefferson High School, Edgewater, Colorado

"People have decided themselves that they should relinquish their hold of all responsibility somewhere down the road. They have decided that what happens to them is not their fault. People want to blame somebody for their own actions, but they don't blame themselves like they should."
Amy Southerland, Paoli High School, Paoli Oklahoma

"There once was a time when gentlemen thrived on helping others, not blaming them, when women would bend over backwards for their children, instead of sitting them down in front of the television with a cookie in hand and a blankie for comfort, a time when youths did household chores willingly for survival, not to buy a $60 pair of shoes at Contempo Casuals. True, times have changed, but has the word responsibility simply lost it's meaning or has its purpose just changed a little?

Some might say our nation is that of irresponsibility, but it really just seems like a nation of cry babies. Remember going home in first grade and crying, 'Mommy! Jimmy put gum in my hair but I was the one who got in trouble for calling him names. It's not fair!? Now it seems like we're saying, 'But Your Honor, it wasn't my fault I hit the tree, nobody stopped me from leaving the bar drunk. It's not fair!'"
Amber Horan, Jefferson High School, Edgewater, Colorado

Lawsuits
"Americans have become increasingly aware of the opportunity to sue other members of society. Startled individuals receive law suits because their neighbors have had to endure their dogs' barking. Restaurants are constantly being sued for their customer's naiveté and negligence. In one case, a man and his friend were trespassing on government property. They climbed to the top of a 40-foot utility pole to steal the power lines. The two had incorrectly assumed that the lines would not be turned on. The man filed suit against the utility, saying the company should have known he would attempt to steal the wire.

In another case, both parties demonstrated a lack of responsibility. A customer ordered a flaming, 190 proof grenade cocktail. He chugged the first two with no problem, but the third time, he became too close to the flames. The customer suffered first and second degree burns. Of course, like every true-blue American, he sued. Howard Seftel sums up this case nicely by stating: 'It's hard to choose the dumber party in this caseóthe tavern, for devising flaming, 190-proof drinks and delivering three of them to a guy who was already lit; or the customer, who did not have enough sense to realize that if you play with fire, you may get burned.'"
Beth Ann Stickney, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

"Nowadays lawsuits have become more prevalent than common decency. Business owners will shovel their side walk, not because it is the right thing to do, but because they are afraid of what will happen if someone slips and falls. Until we realize that we are the ones at fault, we will never be able to consciously see both the problem and the solution."
Christopher Frere, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"So what can responsible citizens do to improve conditions? If a truly effective change is really going to occur, it must start in the court rooms. When the courts stop ruling in favor of frivolous law cases…then people will realize they must be personally responsible for their actions and choices. Sending letters to authoritative people and giving speeches…may help get the process of change started…Americans must stop feeling sorry for themselves and [stop] being so greedy."
Jill L. Kier, Newell-Fonda Community High School, Newell, Iowa

"A woman claimed to have gotten carpal tunnel syndrome from scrubbing floors at a restaurant. She went to many different doctors and got treatments ranging from pain pills to wrist braces. She decided to sue the restaurant for long-term suffering, only she didn't suffer. In fact, she only wore the braces when she was in court or her lawyers were present.… In the carpal tunnel lawsuit, the woman found a way to get more money by acting hurt. More and more people are getting away with this kind of fraud, causing insurance rates to sky rocket. To stop insurance fraud, several steps need to be taken. First, if it is suspected that a person isn't hurt, he or she should be under constant supervision. Since a brace of any kind isn't comfortable, no one would want to wear one if it wasn't absolutely necessary. Therefore, the impostor would eventually give in. Second, a caseworker should be assigned to each case to periodically check in on the hurt individual and record his or her progress. The threat of being subject to monitoring would lessen the number of fraudulent cases. Finally, the court system needs to be changed. Laws need to be passed making it harder to prove carpal tunnel, whip-lash, and other similar ailments. Our problems with insurance fraud won't go away on their own. Until something is done, it will continue and the good will still pay for the bad."
Jillian Davenport, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma

"Isn't it a shame to know that the society we live in will do almost anything to capitalize off their own mistakes. Whatever happened to taking responsibility for one's actions…The issue of responsibility hit home to me a few years ago when a cousin of mine was involved in a swimming accident. A municipal pool was rented for a swim party after a wedding reception. All the legal papers had been read and signed relieving the city of any responsibility in case of an accident. As with most accidents, it happened very fast and the events are somewhat blurred, but a dive into shallow water left my cousin paralyzed from the waist down. Although he has risen above his disability and has maintained a positive attitude, he still felt the need to hold someone responsible other than himself and lodged a lawsuit against the city. The bottom line here is he was swimming in a pool that he was familiar with since he was a child and there was no excuse for diving in shallow water. This was indeed a tragic accident as most accidents are, however, it was just a case of one man not using common sense."
Kelly Gruntorad, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

"In Lexington, North Carolina, six-year-old Jonathan Prevette was suspended from school for kissing a girl on the cheek. 'A feminist group commented that if he wasn't stopped now he'd grow up to be just like the pigs involved in a harassment suit filed against Mitsubishi Motors'. When did a six-year-old become capable of sexual harassment? With their accusations, the women's rights activists are spoiling the purity of childhood."
Hilary Gray, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

"I have personally seen a lawsuit that is unjust. My cousin is being charged with sexual harassment. Being a kindergartner, he has no understanding of what sexual harassment is, so it is absurd for someone to put a lawsuit against him. He supposedly participated with a little girl in a wonderful childhood game called doctor. Now the parents of the little girl are suing his parents. The parents of that little girl are trying to get something from someone else who has hardly anything to give. If a jury goes against my cousin and his family, most of their earnings would be taken in the lawsuit."
Reif Faulkner, Jefferson High School, Edgewater, Colorado

"A man was awarded $12.4 million, most of it in punitive damages, because he fractured his neck playing on a Slip 'n Slide lawn toy whose wrapper, he charges, did not warn him that adults could be injured by playing with such a thing. Lawsuit abuse has become a relatively new problem in America. In 1973 there were only 18 lawsuits exceeding $1 million. In 1991 there were 750 of them. A burglar with a rap sheet going back five decades, claimed that New York owes him $10 million because of faulty medical treatment that caused him to suffer from amnesia. As a result of his amnesia, he left his work release job and forgot to return to prison. Another example is a convicted killer who claims second-hand cigarette smoke from other inmates is causing him medical problems. Yet he buys cigarettes from the prison commissary. The courts dismiss 95 percent of the inmate lawsuits, but they cost the state approximately $80 million a year. When people find out just how much money they could receive from these lawsuits, it's no wonder there's so many out there.

All of these lawsuits cause the citizens of America to pay in one way or another. For example, higher insurance premiums, higher consumer prices, and lower stock values in personal or pension portfolios cost $140 million annually…Wrongful termination lawsuits alone have reduced hiring levels, which cost over 650,000 jobs. Insurance premiums have risen because of phony or exaggerated medical claims from auto accidents…the personal injury lawyers contributed.…$6.9 million to candidates for state and local offices. Nationally, trial lawyers gave an additional $31 million to Federal office candidates.

Lawsuits are causing problems…Until people take responsibility for their actions instead of placing the blame on someone else America's situation will grow increasingly worse."
Lisa Grote, Newell-Fonda Community High School, Newell, Iowa

"A refrigerator company was sued for not putting a warning label on the refrigerator stating that carrying on ones back could be harmful. How stupid is that? This person will one day have to answer to himself, and what will he have to say? 'Gee, I guess that was kind of stupid, but I got a lot of money!' It's a shame when a company has to put a label on something when a little common sense would take care of it."
Walt O'Dell, Jefferson High School, Edgewater, Colorado

"Just look at all of the ridiculous lawsuits that we see today. A kid sued his parents because they wouldn't let him have a peanut butter and marshmallow sandwich for lunch. There was a prisoner who claimed that the Department of Corrections planted an electronic device in his brain. It's lawsuits like these that cost our nation some $81 million annually and continue to tie up our legal system. [On the other hand,] the amount of the settlements and awards involving Wayne County employees, roads, and buildings have been cut nearly in half. County attorney, Nathan Pardi, credits the slowdown in litigation and resulting awards to favorable high court rulings that limit the kinds of cases in which governments can be sued and legislative reform of state insurance laws."
Kelly Tucker, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin

"A man was stabbed to death outside a New York City McDonald's and the suspect is the restaurant's manager. The brother of the murdered man has in turn sued the fast-food chain for 116 million dollars."
Amber Horan, Jefferson High School, Edgewater, Colorado

"A boy was walking down to his local grocery store when he witnessed two dogs breeding in a neighbor's yard. He reportedly became nervous and scared and ran home. The boy's parents sued the neighbor for exposing the child to a sexually explicit situation. His parents wanted compensation for the emotional problems caused to the boy by the exposure. The family was awarded $25,000 in damages. The parents claimed the money was for psychological damages caused to the boy.

An 80 year-old woman was arrested and is awaiting sentencing for doing what she thought would be her daily good deed. The woman spotted a couple of parking meters on which the time had expired. She had some extra loose change that she didn't need, so she decided to help the owners of the cars out and feed the meters. The woman was immediately arrested for preventing an officer from completing his job. She faces up to ten years in prison and a fine of $5,000. I think if the woman wanted to help another person out that is her business.…

While outside in his garden, a man spotted a fire in his neighbor's kitchen. He ran to the window with his garden hose and extinguished the flames. The neighbor then sued the man for $2,500 for water damages."
Sam Marcum, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin

"The Ashland, Wisconsin School District agreed to pay $900,000 in damages to a gay former student. Jamie Nabozny charged that the administrators in the schools he attended did little to stop years of abuse against him by classmates.…The administrators denied Nabozny's claims that they were aware he was gay and argued that because of this lack of information, they could not be guilty of refusing protection based on his sexual orientation."
Shannon Small, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin

"A Geneseo man sued the owner of a faulty ladder after he had fallen off it. The owner of the ladder happened to be his elderly mother. Mr. Glawe stated that his mother should have provided him with safer equipment. He also missed seven days of work and claimed the injury [to his heel] caused him to retire eleven years early. Mr. Glawe sued for $1.45 million of his mothers estate. His wife also asked for $350,000 for her losses from his injuries. They were rewarded $60,000 all together. Mrs. Glawe was ninety years old when she received a summons in the case. She died August 11, 1996 before the case ended."
Emily Hughes, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"A man allowed his picture to be used on a billboard sign for commercial use. When the billboard was completed, the man claimed that the eyebrows on the sign were not pictured correctly and that they made him look evil. He then sued the billboard company and received money for damages."
Gina Gilliland, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"As with the Virginia special education teacher, victimization has taken a toll. The teacher sued in federal court after she repeatedly failed to achieve a minimum acceptable score on a standardized national test. This teacher claimed she was discriminated against because she had a handicap of not accommodating her slowness in understanding written and spoken information."
Christopher Parchert, Rockridge High, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"It seems as if everyone in this world is becoming a victim. There is an addiction for almost everything conceivable.…One of today's most popular addiction is sex. There are now sex-addict support groups, and Sexaholics Anonymous. One man pleaded innocent to the charge of sexually molesting his daughter, on the grounds he was addicted to sex. I think responsibility was thrown out the door on this one. Sex addiction does not even exist according to marriage counselor Marty Klein. These two incidents show how our judicial system makes society more irresponsible. Until our judges view people for who they really are, irresponsibility will linger throughout the court systems."
Mark Freyermuth, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"A [neighbor] is trying to sue a sporting goods company, because they sold him a hammock that wouldn't fit in the space between his…trees. This hammock cost a great deal of money, so any normal person would take it back…or at least try to make it fit. But I think that he is driven for the money, and that is too bad because, because I know this person is better than that. Maybe this irresponsibility thing is a plague or some contagious disease. If it is, then I am moving to Canada, because it is already spreading into my neighborhood."
Walt O'Dell, Jefferson High School, Edgewater, Colorado

"In Greeley County, Colorado, Herbert Walsh was riding his bicycle in the middle of Interstate 25 at night while intoxicated. Mr. Walsh was hit by a car but only suffered minor bumps and bruises. Mr. Walsh then sued the driver of the car for emotional distress and he also sued the company that made his bicycle for the lack of warning received upon purchasing his bike. The warning he was looking for was 'Don't ride while intoxicated'. One year later, Mr. Walsh was awarded over $200,000 for his emotional problems along with a little more than $100,000 for his attorney [fees]. The company that made the bicycle settled for $50,000 for not giving proper warning.

In Moffat County, Colorado a 31 year old man was skiing illegally when he fell down and slammed into a tree. The land belonged to the State of Colorado, but the skiers excuse was he didn't know. He sued the State of Colorado for not giving him proper warning about whose land it was.…[He] was only written a ticket for trespassing. The court awarded this man $125,000 for the damages done to him."
Steve Kastiuk, Jefferson High School, Edgewater, Colorado

"For example, a man and his wife had been fighting and he pulled a butcher knife from the kitchen drawer. After he had threatened his wife a few times he decided that he had enough and he stabbed her. The man then turned around and sued the company that made the knife because the blade was too sharp. The man won his case and was awarded 1.5 million dollars. It's cases like this one that give people the idea that irresponsibility can offer great rewards."
Tonya Goodfellow, Jefferson High School, Edgewater, Colorado

"A boy decided to take on the responsibility of bringing his friends home safely as their designated driver. He and four of his friends where all in his car when suddenly one of them opened the door and fell out of the car while it was going at least 50 mph. The mother of that person later sued [the driver] for not locking the doors of his car. The poor guy was simply trying to be a responsible friend but ended up paying for it. A similar case happened in San Jose, California when a store clerk who was mopping up a spill, put down his mop to help an old man with poor eye sight read the expiration date on a milk carton. After getting his milk, the old man walked away thanking the clerk but later slipped on a wet spot, which was designated by bright yellow caution sign, … the old man sued the grocery store because he claimed that the sign was not visible to him. Apparently not all good deeds [have] rewards, and these unfortunate people found this out the hard way."
MacClain Figueroa, Jefferson High School, Edgewater, Colorado

"[My uncle] owned a parasail, and one Sunday took his high school Sunday school class out for a fun afternoon. He made sure that all of the parents understood the dangers of parasailing before taking the kids out. Everything was going fine until one of the hooks on a sail broke, and a kid crashed. The family of the boy sued my uncle saying that their son was suffering from severe back problems. This boy was a friend of mine, and as long as I had known him he had always had problems with his back. His parents were just looking for a way to gain money."
Eryn Christensen, Medicine Lodge High , Medicine Lodge, Kansas

"When choosing candidates it is…good for the public to individually think for themselves without being bothered by the media and what's been said. Once a person hears or reads something about a candidate, good or bad, it is not just forgotten.…If the media stayed with the facts without being so involved with telling gossip, people could make up their minds more easily."
Angela Ferguson, Camden High School, Camden, Tennessee

"A drunk driver was speeding recklessly through detour signs and crashed. The blood level of the driver was .09 percent eight hours after the crash. He sued the engineering firm that designed the road, the contractor, four subcontractors and the state highway department which owned both sides of the road."
Scott Mullins, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

"Just recently, a woman sued Hy-Vee because she slipped and fell on a grape in the produce section."
Amanda J. Nelson, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

"A New Jersey McDonald's was sued by a man who collided with one of the restaurants customers when he spilled a shake on himself. The court ruled in favor of the restaurant, yet refused to grant [the restaurant] payment of their legal fees, on the grounds that the plaintiff's attorney should not be punished because he was creative. Being creative is exactly what is most destructive about these kinds of lawyers. If something must be created to win a case, the case shouldn't be won."
Justin Ricke, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

"In one incident a woman was golfing and hit a shot that ricocheted off some railroad tracks that run through the golf course. The ball came back and hit her in the nose. She won $40,000 because the golf course has a rule that allows golfers to toss the balls that land near the rails to the other side. The woman claimed that because the course knew about the hazards of the railroad tracks the course was liable."
Ana Davis, Newell-Fonda Community High School, Newell, Iowa

"In Idaho a prisoner wanted the guards to pick up his cell after a search. The inmate took the prison to court and lost, but …it was just a waste of taxpayer's money on another stupid lawsuit."
John Sievers, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

"Take my dad's golf shop, for instance. He's always scared around winter time because he has a ramp that tends to get a little icy, …Billy is always deicing the ramp and he has a sign in his office saying 'Careful-ramp is ICY'. Well, everyone knows what that sign is telling people, it's telling them that he knows that the ramp is slick and that could lead to a law suit for negligence very easily. So whether or not he has a sign or cleans it off he is still liable…Small towns play a big role in putting futile law suits to rest. Everyone knows everyone in small towns. If someone was to fall in front of Wally's, they wouldn't sue. They would just get up and clean themselves off and move on just like nothing happened."
Heath Henrich, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

"In Waterloo, Iowa, a kindergarten boy's parents were awarded $909,250 in damages from the city of Waterloo because the boy was struck by a golf cart driven by some of his classmates while at a program on traffic safety. An officer helping with the presentation left the key in the cart's ignition which led the city to accept full responsibility for the accident. Since the accident, the city of Waterloo has filed a lawsuit against the school claiming that the children were not adequately supervised. Even after admitting guilt., the Waterloo city officials are still looking for someone else to blame. Because of the lawsuits, people in Waterloo may now be asked to pay higher taxes to cover the damages, and if the city's lawsuit against the state is successful, taxpayers in that school district may be asked to pay higher fees to cover the second suit."
Kodi Petersen, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

"A woman in Israel is suing a TV station and its weatherman for $1,000 after he predicted a sunny day and it rained. The woman claims the forecast caused her to leave home lightly dressed. As a result she caught the flu, missed four days of work, spent $38 on medication, and suffered stress…A surfer recently sued another surfer for taking his wave. The case was ultimately dismissed because they were unable to put a price on the pain and suffering endured by watching someone ride the wave that was supposedly his…To add to the nonsense, a minister and his wife sued a guide-dog school after a blind man learning to use a seeing-eye dog stepped on the woman's toe. She sought $80,000 for the loss of his wife's care, comfort, and consortium. People are really getting out of hand; it seems anything will be done to receive money."
Christian Grote, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

"These frivolous lawsuits are making people skeptical of the legal system and are giving a warped vision of justice."
Julie Mohr, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

"After falling down a stairwell in an ocean vessel that was missing a handrail, the passenger who was injured sued the vessel operator. This operator sued the Coast Guard because the vessel had recently been checked…and the missing the handrail had not been noticed. The vessel operator claimed that the Coast Guard is responsible for ensuring the safety and satisfactory conditions of the equipment. The failure of the operator to take responsibility for the vessel led to a passenger's injury and two unnecessary lawsuits."
Rochelle M. Wells, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

"Believe it or not, a college student in Idaho decided to moon someone from his 4th story dorm room window. In the process he lost his balance, fell out of the window, and was injured. Now he is suing the University for not warning him of the dangers of living on the fourth floor."
Danielle J. Arends, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

"On TV the other day, there was this story about this 16 year old boy who was caught breaking into cars. He was then arrested. The boy sued the owner of the car for not having a warning sticker on the car.

One Christmas Eve a bank was robbed and a lady was shot by a man wearing a Santa Claus suit. The lady ended up suing the owner of the suit as well as the manufacturing company. She said there must be a license to wear the suit."
Josh Ory, Hereford High School, Hereford, Texas

"Recently, a man from Michigan sued the Anheuser-Busch Company for false advertising. In this case the man claimed he suffered from emotional distress from an implied promise that the would gain success with women from drinking the Company's beverage. His lawsuit was struck down by both the Michigan Court of Appeals and the original lower-court. The dismissing of the case before it was allowed to be heard by a jury succeeded in cutting both court costs for the state, and legal bills for the Anheuser-Busch Company. The lawyer representing the plaintiff should have been fined for court costs along with the man who began the lawsuit."
Justin Ricke, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

"A nineteen year old boy was wearing roller blades when he stumbled, flipped over a curb, and collided headfirst into an oncoming truck. He was not wearing any protective gear and was left permanently brain damaged and paralyzed. He sued Rollerblade Incorporated for not putting on warning labels about wearing safety gear. A sixteen year old boy in New Jersey sued Killington Ski Resort after a skiing accident where he was left quadriplegic. He claimed that the slopes were not properly maintained, but the defense in the case stated that the boy was performing reckless stunts at the time of the accident. The boy was trying to receive money for something that was his fault."
Tristan Warner, Jefferson High School, Edgewater, Colorado

"Then there is the case of Leilani Akiyama, a nine year old Judo competitor who is finding fault in the Judo system which took her out of competition because she refuses to bow. Keep in mind she is the one not following the rules. Bowing is part of the art of Judo."
Carisa Johnson, Jefferson High School, Edgewater, Colorado

"Michael Deaver, a former White House aide, is being tried on charges of lying to a grand jury. Deaver is claiming that his use of alcohol and drugs used to fight his addiction impaired his memory."
Ty Dale Troutman, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

"In another attempt to gain money, relatives of a man who froze to death sued the bus company who left him out in the cold. The man had been kicked off the bus in Newton, Iowa, because he attempted to start a fire and burn another passenger. He paid dearly for his actions, but his relatives wanted the bus company to be blamed for his death. The money that they seek will not help the dead man, so their lawsuit is only for personal gain."
Ruth Martens, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"[Frivolous] lawsuits cause hurtful situations like backing up the court system with stupid complaints, and wasting the taxpayers' money by paying for the legal circus that our courts have become today. There is a cost for those who do not win the court case, but there is also one that is ultimately paid for by the real victims in the whole ordeal. The real victims are the thousands of people who seek justice and fairness from the system, but only find it flooded and exploited with stupid cases such as this."
Rod Huntley, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"A motorist who was fined for not paying the toll on a local bridge …tried to justify his actions by placing the blame on everybody from the others who had not been caught, to his grandmother, who was supposedly about to have surgery at a local hospital. The irresponsibility displayed by this one individual may not seem that bad at first, but when the public has to pay higher toll costs, because of the actions of such careless people, it goes to show once again how the majority suffer because of the lack of responsibility by the minority."
Rod Huntley, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

Victimization
"People claim it's not my fault. I'm a victim of society. They sue. They blame. They win? In a society that understands everything from rocket science to psychology, this should not be happening.…I'm a victim, you're a victim, we're all victims. If [this] continues…soon there may be no responsible people [to] carry the burden of an irresponsible America."
David Salazar, Jefferson High School, Edgewater, Colorado

"The court system has made it too easy for people to get away with crimes and claim it's not their fault."
Vanessa Vesperman, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin

"The thoughtful psychiatrist leans back against the padded chair. She carefully listens to Lisa, another victimized client, pour her broken heart out about her painful divorces. 'My first husband was excessively violent and my second was addicted to narcotics. During the period of time my marriages developed, my parents were divorced and I was extremely upset.' Lisa ponders her surrounding circumstances that created devastation, and feels irresponsible for the situation her life has become. In our society, American citizens use victimization as an excuse to take away the responsibilities of everyday life."
Rebecca Traffas, Medicine Lodge High , Medicine Lodge, Kansas

"Individuals who smoke and later develop cancer or other debilitating diseases are suing the cigarette manufacturers, saying that they were supposedly unaware that smoking was life threatening. Smoker Grady Carter suggests fault when he says: 'I bought Lucky Strikes, and I smoked them…but the maker of those cigarettes had the responsibility to tell me there was something bad in their product'. It is unimaginable that smokers like Carter do not see that their lives are in danger as their health deteriorates and their nicotine addiction becomes stronger. Now, these wheezing chimneys are wanting the manufacturers of cigarettes to take responsibility for the fact that they smoke and have become sick. Has Carter forgotten that he is the only person who strikes the matches which light his cigarettes?"
Hilary Gray, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

"Nowadays, everybody knows the risks of smoking even before they take their first puff; There are even warning labels on the sides of the packs of cigarettes. Some choose to ignore the hazards and jeopardize their health anyway. The sad part? There are people out their who will gladly take another person's misfortune at the sake of their own stupidity and place the blame in someone else's hands. For example, the Attorney General of Mississippi, Michael Moore is preparing to file suit against seven cigarette manufacturers to recover millions of dollars in Medicaid costs for smoking related illnesses. There has been a proposed plan for the tobacco industry to shell out $12 billion a year for 25 years to states and individuals who can prove harm from smoking. Of course it is not the individuals fault for acquiring lung cancer from smoking two packs of cigarettes everyday for the last five years, it is the tobacco industries' fault for making such a harmful product. Many people do not want to accept the consequence of their own mistake, so they point the finger."
Eryn Christensen, Medicine Lodge High , Medicine Lodge, Kansas

"One case recently was three friends that decided to have a night of fun drinking. The bar they were at just kept serving them. On their way home they drove much too fast and were involved in a terrible accident. They lost control of their car and all three of them lost their lives. Their families tried to blame the bar, saying it wasn't the kids fault they had too much to drink."
Joseph W. Dziadyk, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"Calling crime an illness takes responsibility away from the criminal. Without responsibility, a criminal will not feel regret or remorse. Treating criminals as 'patients who are ill' will strip them of their free will. No justice is done."
David J. Streit, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

"We as citizens need to start taking back responsibility in our lives. We are not a society of victims, an idea that started when races and generations became labeled. Too many times people have used their labels as a crutch. 'You won't hire me because I'm black.' Notice how the baby-boom generation was labeled and exploited. When this generation reached adulthood, crime escalated in America. Being tagged as part of a group and being treated differently because of it cause victimization. Victimization leads to rationalization of our faults. Instead of being liable for our own actions, we first try to lay the blame on someone else. It is necessary to instill responsibilities back into society so that everyone can thrive. Anyone can live under a monarchy. But in America, the people run the government. Therefore, every American has the responsibility to see that justice is served."
David J. Streit, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

"A teenage girl shot and killed another girl for the leather coat she was wearing. The defense lawyer [claimed] that the inner-city conditions made her think that problems are solved by the use of gunfire.…You can't run a society, or cope with its problems if people are not held accountable for what they do.…Lawyers shouldn't be able to pull lame excuses like 'cultural psychosis.' Judges shouldn't even allow this in their courtroom as a defense."
Kristen Shields, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin

"Maybe if it wasn't so easy to blame the other guy…Law, psychiatry, nutrition, biology, and pop psychology all help explain why almost nobody can really be held accountable for harmful behavior now. Law plus nutrition gives us many variations of the Twinkie Defense: sugar-made-him-kill. Law plus unreliable psychiatry gives us the anabolic steroid defense: a bodybuilder broke into six Maryland homes, set fire to three of them and stole cash and jewelry. A judge ruled him not criminally responsible because his frenzied use of anabolic steroids for weight-lifting left him suffering from organic personality syndrome. No jail time.

Pop psychology joined the circus by making up new addictions, which have been used successfully to reduce guilt and get offenders seemingly off the hook. In Los Angeles, a computer hacker tried to cop a plea after being accused of breaking into a corporate software system and stealing an expensive security system. The judge viewed him not only as one more computer nerd with no conscience, but as the victim of an ailment one social worker called computer addiction. The judge sentenced him to a year's jail term, plus six months of treatment for what was called this 'new and growing' impulse disorder .

The Steve Howe case shows how an imaginative defense made a mess of major league baseball's drug-control regulations. Howe was banned from professional baseball in 1992 for a long series of cocaine violations. He beat the rap in arbitration: the players' union argued that Howe was a victim of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The novelty here was the use of ADHD (a diagnosis usually referring to hyperactive children) to excuse drug behavior in a 34-year-old."
Heather Weingartner, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma

"In another recent case a landlord was killed. The people now in jail for that murder say he was blackmailing them and it wasn't their fault he was killed. This statement is untrue because a person must take responsibility for his/her own actions."
Joseph W. Dziadyk, Rockridge High School. Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"Acknowledging that you are responsible for messing up your own life gives you power to change things. Nobody is acknowledging free will or responsibility anymore. We have a nation of excuses and victims. Victimization is today's promised land from personal responsibility."
Raymond Bailey, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma

"Another incident shows an American woman felt victimized because her car ran out of gas. 'When other cars I've driven said empty you knew you had three to five miles left. When this car said empty, it meant empty. I didn't know that. Lynn was stranded for an hour before help came. She doesn't understand that it's no one's fault but her own. She didn't use the device in the car that told her when she was running on empty. Lynn is yet another American who doesn't understand what taking personal responsibility means."
Jill L. Kier, Newell-Fonda Community High School, Newell, Iowa

"At Wingate High School, a football player was sent to jail and awaits trial on charges of battery on a school employee. This jailing and trial all came about when this football player was thrown out of a game for unsportsmanship conduct and then in frustration tackled the referee, who threw him out. The referee was knocked unconscious and suffered a concussion. The player caused a major issue out of a little thing that has happened to hundreds of other athletes. Why did the player just not accept his punishment and leave the game? Maybe because he did not rationally think about what had happened to him and how he should react. This player did not rationally think about his response because the player's mother makes excuses for his irresponsible action. The player's mother blames the coaches for this incident because she believed they played her son to the point where he became ill-tempered. These kind of excuses help neglect responsibilities of individuals."
Rob Reinauer, Hereford High School, Hereford, Texas

"Another example of irresponsibility which is raising the bankruptcy rate is the compulsive shopper. This is the person who tends to go bankrupt by using his or her credit card and, in return, blames the company or the computer. They always consider themselves the victim."
Kelly Tucker, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin

"A more serious example of making other people pay for needless mistakes is an Oklahoma City man who killed a two-year old child when he hit the toddler with his car. The man got out of the car, wiped the blood off of the bumper, and drove away. He did not serve a prison sentence of any length because he suffered from a brain injury a few years prior that left him with a 'seriously diminished mental capacity. Why was this man driving through an area where children were playing? Why was this man driving at all? And even though he suffered a brain injury, he committed a crime. He should do the time."
Cory Schumacher, Hereford High School, Hereford, Texas

"Some irresponsible people try to portray themselves the victim in every circumstance by using psychological diseases for their defense that either do not exist or do not pertain to them. One such incident occurred in Los Angeles when Kevin Mitnick, a computer hacker, was accused of breaking into a corporate software system and stealing an expensive security program. The judge ruled that Mitnick would only have to serve a year's jail term because his actions were a result of what one social worker called a computer addiction. Mitnick was also ordered to attend six months of treatment for this 'new and growing impulse disorder.'"
Vanessa Vesperman, Iowa-Grant High, Livingston, Wisconsin

Consequences
"In order for children to learn responsibility they need to experience what it feels like to have it, carry it out, and then feel good about it. Children also need to learn to be accountable for [their] actions. They need to know that everything they do has a consequence and that it they make the wrong decision they will have to live with the consequences. Hopefully as this child grows older he will be able to put all of these tips together to formulate a life for himself that will be healthy and prosperous. And, hopefully, he will be one more responsible person, one more person who realizes their purpose in life. And hopefully this person will work for the welfare of others."
Rachel Wachter, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin

"I have found that it is often easier to admit to doing something and face the consequences that it is to hide."
David Wait, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"Currently, a juvenile commits a crime and most likely never sees the harms of his or her actions and never realizes his/her responsibility for it. A solution could be to implement restitution programs. Restitution forces teens to face their responsibility. They have to work to pay back their victims."
Jessica White, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

"Who would have thought that a simple television show could lead to the death of a man? However, this was exactly the case after Jenny Jones, one of TV's hottest talk show hosts, aired a show with guests finding out people who had secret crushes on them. Jenny's responsibility was to inform her guests that their crushes could be of the same sex. In addition, Smith, one of Jenny's guests on the show, specifically stated that he would not be on the show if his crush was a male. Unfortunately…Jonathan Smith expecting his crush to be a woman watched Scott Amedure walk on stage proclaiming to be Jonathan's crush. Jonathan was humiliated and after the show killed Amedure. I am certainly not condoning or supporting Smith's decisions to murder Amedure. However, if Jenny would have informed her guests properly, the terrible incident may never have occurred…Perhaps if Americans would stand up for less trash one man would not be dead and another wouldn't be in jail."
Kelly Gruntorad, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

"I've come to the conclusion that the behavior of our society revolves around an electrical contraption known as the television. After all, it wasn't until some of the most watched TV programs, including the Rosie O'Donnell Show featured…the Tickle Me Elmo doll that turned a $28.99 doll into a $1500 doll. Because of this media attention, Wal-mart clerk, Bob Waller suffered broken ribs, a concussion, injuries to his knee, and a broken jaw after a mob stampeded him for one of the final dolls off the last shipment."
Amanda J. Nelson, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

"Another example of irresponsibility is when KHJ, a Los Angeles rock station encouraged its teenage listeners to chase its DJ who is driving the city's freeways. He would pull off at exits and give 25 dollars to the first teenager to catch him. Two teenagers spotted him at the same time, accelerated to 80 and 90 miles per hour, and they ran innocent Ronald Weirum onto the center divider where he was killed. His wife and four children sued KHJ and its owner, RKO General, for negligence."
Shala Broce, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

"My Dad told me about one of his friends. He was cleaning his guns before going hunting. He hadn't fully unloaded his gun, so while he was cleaning, the trigger was pulled. His sister was in the kitchen, right in path of the bullet. She was killed instantly."
Josh Ory, Hereford High School, Hereford, Texas

"I believe that responsibility is taking chances and choices, and mindfully thinking about the consequences of those actions. Not only that but also thinking through how the choice we make will affect ourselves as well as those around us."
Rod Huntley, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"Two of my friends were driving in [a] totally restored 1967 Mercury Cougar [belonging to one of them.] [The Cougar] had a dangerously souped up the engine. they were driving 95 mph on a gravel road and the driver got the bright idea to floor the car. [That action] sent the car spinning sideways across the road; [it] slammed into a ditch, ran over 1/8 of a mile of fence post and drove through an old barn, finally stopping in the middle of the barn. Neither [friend was] hurt, luckily, by this stupid event.…After explaining what had happened, they offered to pay for and even help rebuild all damaged property. The man was so happy that they came clean and confessed, he didn't even get mad and never even yelled at the boys."
Garrett Benson, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma

"People's lack of responsibility is amazing. They don't seem to care who gets hurt as long as it's not them. Very few people think about others in today's society. Few people care about these other people no matter how selfish they may be. Not many people consider the consequences of their actions or how they will affect others."
Amy Southerland, Paoli High School, Paoli Oklahoma

Marriage
"Actors and actresses…go through marriage like candy. Charlie Sheen, for example, was married for twenty weeks before hard times hit and a divorce ensued. Sheen compared his failed marriage to a broken down car. How can our elders be married for forty plus years, and our generation cannot even make it twenty weeks. It shows a great lack of moral responsibility. 'Til death do us part,' does not even mean anything anymore. Jeff Wilson says 'It begins with 'I do' and dissolves into 'I've had it.'…Making a prenuptial agreement is the in thing, thought to dissolve all problems of divorce. 'What's yours is yours, what's mine is mine.' Even the proceedings for divorce and the prenuptial agreement can cost thousands of dollars. Maybe people should try working through their differences before they go through divorce proceedings."
Jason Schluenz, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"In my opinion, divorce is irresponsible. Two consenting people make vows to live with one another till death do they part, and they end up separating. There are some extreme cases, when divorce is really necessary. And whenever children are involved, they get hurt the worst. It is irresponsible to just say, 'I give up.' It would be responsible to say, 'Let's work at this. At least for the kids.' One good note on this; divorce rates have gone down in the Quad City area."
Josh Peschang, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"The majority of our society's problems stem from family irresponsibility. Most families today are products of divorce and dysfunctionality."
Michael Williams, Hereford High School, Hereford, Texas

"I believe that broken homes have also become one of our nation's largest problems. 'It is easier in these United States to walk away from a marriage than from a commitment to purchase a used car,' says Professor Thomas Morgan. We seem to take the responsibility of marriage and throw it around like it doesn't mean anything. It's even worse when children are involved. The side-effects of broken homes are what's really killing us. There is a high correlation between disrupted homes and just about every social problem imaginable. Approximately three out of four teenage suicides 'occur in households where a parent has been absent.' Another study shows that 'the percentage of single-parent households with teenage children is significantly associated with rates of violent crime and burglary.'"
Kelly Tucker, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin

"My parents got a divorce when I was little. Should I let my anger get the best of me? I am responsible enough to let my anger go. At first I was mad, but I don't let it bother me anymore."
Raymond Bailey, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma

Parenting
"People growing up today have everything taken care of for them, almost spoon-fed to them. After they are born, they really do not have to take on many responsibilities until after high school. It is not something that is taught in the classrooms, and it cannot be because truly being responsible has to do with experiences. The more responsibilities a person takes on, the more responsible that person will become."
Mark Freyermuth, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"The family is the social setting where young children learn to be responsible and have concern for others."
Michele Mueller, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin

"When asking a classmate about her parents and responsibility she commented, 'When I do something wrong, my parents sit me down and explain to me what I should have done to make the situation right.' This is a very responsible action by her parents. Many parents don't ever correct their children when they do something wrong."
Wendy Palmer, Bondurant-Farrar, Bondurant, Iowa

"There are only a few rules to live by 1) Take responsibility for your actions; 2) Be considerate of others; and 3) Teach your children morals that will help them develop into mature adults."
Shannon Crowley, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"Although sometimes it is mandatory to tell others of their irresponsibility's, most of the time, given time, people will see what they have done, and will understand not to do something, or to do something about it."
Garrett Benson, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma

"Angry as a bull at Pamplona, my mother stands in front of me giving the 'responsibility' lecture. She goes on and on about how irresponsible I am. She always says that I will end up on the streets if I do not clean up my act. Why do I have to be responsible? Why doesn't someone else do the job? I want to have a carefree life; acting mature is not exciting. Too many people today feel the same way that I do. What I may not understand is that conducting myself in a mature manner improves my chances of having a better life. Not taking care of myself, not making the right decisions, and not controlling my actions can lead to a life of poverty. Responsibility can only be acquired by placing my own two feet on the path of success. To place my life on the path of success, I must learn how to make good decisions. Some teenagers create a life of their own, while others choose to live like their parents."
Betty Pina, Medicine Lodge High School, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

"A personal interview was conducted with my mother, Kathy Wood, concerning her experience as a responsible parent. She explained to me that she and my father were divorced fifteen years ago. She and my father chose joint custody and each of them took the responsibility for the financial support of my sister and me. They both communicated almost daily regarding our progress, health and other needs. They remained flexible on vacations, caring for sick children and doctor office visits. Both have always attended parent-teacher conferences together as well as extra curricular activities where my sister and I were participants. They also would remain consistent in discipline and supporting school policies. Through the years they have shown support and respect for each other and were visible role models for us."
Adam Wood, Bondurant-Farrar, Bondurant, Iowa

"A fifteen and sixteen-year-old should have a job to help them get ready for the real world. This responsibility will teach a child about the value of a dollar. When I was fifteen, I had to have a summer job. It was not a bad job and I made $1,900.00 in one summer."
Dixie Sybert, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri

"Kinsley High School offers a parenting course that allows juniors and seniors to understand the responsibility that a parent must face."
Deseri Herrmann, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

"In order to teach responsibility among parents and children, the Buckner Children and Family Services implemented a nurturing program curriculum at five schools. This program teaches parenting styles, discipline, self-esteem, communication [and] helps prepare people to make the right decision when faced with adversity."
Kari Barrett, Hereford High School, Hereford, Texas

"Fortunately, there are many very responsible parents. For instance, the parents of a young teenage boy allow their son to watch R-rated videos, but they discuss with him the difference between fantasy and reality. They sit down and talk about…violence and sex. This is a very responsible action by the parents. This will help their son be in touch with reality and be able to distinguish the difference between fact and fiction."
Wendy Palmer, Bondurant-Farrar, Bondurant, Iowa

"Parents and teachers must take it upon themselves to teach young people the consequences of actions. For example, my parents have a very good grasp of this concept. Some time ago, they decided that my nightly job would be to empty the trash. When I started forgetting, my father told me that for each night I failed to take out the trash, I would owe one dollar. To my dismay, the money that my parents dubbed their 'Hawaii Vacation Fund' grew regularly. To stay solvent, I decided to take out the trash and plastered my bedroom walls with signs reminding me to do so."
Jeffrey P. Bartsch, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

"To increase the level of responsibility some people are saying that we should no longer have teen curfews. The curfew is said to undermine the responsibility of the parent as well as of the child. Trust is one of the important parts of responsibility."
Kelli Countryman, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

"Parenthood is a massive responsibility to undertake, and if parents, in even the slightest of ways, demonstrate an inability to take care of their own offspring, then the children should be placed where they can receive adequate care…inept parents should receive counseling, and [prove] they are reliable enough to care for their children before guardianship is restored to them. Trust and priorities need to be reestablished."
Denise Gard, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin

"Kinsley High School offers a parenting course that allows juniors and seniors to understand the responsibility that a parent must face."
Deseri Herrmann, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

"Parents should start taking responsibility for teaching their children values. Letting all the problems go into the school destroys the teachers, administration, and the kid who wants to learn."
Stephanie Lenz, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin

"As parents we usually think in the context of making our children responsible to us for their actions, and, to a degree, this is as it should be. Over the long term, however, the real key is to help them see that they are really responsible to society. 'One example is when Jason, a seven year old, found some beer bottles in his yard and being upset, he threw them over the fence. The neighbor ruined his tire on the broken glass. Jason's parents taught him some responsibility by having him apologize, get a job and pay the neighbor for his ruined tire. This action caused an increase in Jason's maturity and taught him to take responsibility.' Parents must take the responsibility to teach children how to cope with actions that are a problem, how to control their anger and how to handle success and failure. Once children have these tools, parents must let them take responsibility for solutions to problems regarding their actions."
Adam Wood, Bondurant-Farrar, Bondurant, Iowa

"Too many parents let their children get away with just about anything. This is causing many of the problems in our society. Children should be talked to and corrected, not only punished, so they know the right way to handle the situation in the future."
Wendy Palmer, Bondurant-Farrar, Bondurant, Iowa

"Parents need to inform [children] that not having sex is all right and you don't have to have sex to fit in or be cool. These days' children are having sex at a younger age. If a parent does not teach [a] child at an early age about sex, it may be too late. There is a girl that was not taught about sex. Well, this causes many problems for her when she became twelve years old. She heard about everyone else doing it and she thought it would be all right for her to do it also. She did not think about all of the consequences and regrets. She later learned, by the hard way, that sex is not something you do to be cool, it is something you do when you love someone."
Dixie Sybert, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri

"Parents need to make kids be responsible at a young age; it gives them self-confidence. When you feel bad about something, it is usually because you did not use responsibility."
Raymond Bailey, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma

"One high school student commented, 'My parents always want to know where I will be and they always want me to check-in with them frequently. I know this is just because they love me and want me to be safe.' Those are great parents!"
Wendy Palmer, Bondurant-Farrar, Bondurant, Iowa

"It is parents' responsibility to give their children direction. Teaching children about drugs is one of the most important responsibilities parents have. Drugs are becoming more serious among younger children. In my community, there are many young people that do drugs. They do not realize what they are getting themselves into, until it is too late. Without the parents telling their children about drugs, they may learn it from someone else."
Dixie Sybert, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri

"Parents [in the past] taught their children values, and to listen to elders. This … has to be taught to [children] or you [will] get rebellious teens….Setting [a] course to recovery will not be easy, and may be near impossible. We have parents [who] were raised without values and responsibility, and you can't expect them to raise kids [with attributes] they themselves do not have. It reminds one of a copy machine, copying a copy, and then copying that copy. It only gets worse."
David Salazar, Jefferson High School, Edgewater, Colorado

"Many parents today send their children to daycare during these valuable months of development. It is time the parents put their kids first. Companies must start to allow working mothers and fathers the proper time to spend with their youngsters. Everyone has a part to play in raising kids."
Stan Dohm, Medicine Lodge High School, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

"Juvenile crime is by definition irresponsible behavior. Thus the solution lies with people accepting responsibility. The first priority needs to be given to the parents. Parents are the people responsible for teaching their children responsibility. Studies show that in families where the rules are not explained. and caring and empathy are not expressed, the children are more likely to become delinquent or criminal as they grow older. With this in mind, the first step in reducing juvenile crime is to implement more parenting programs such as Head Start, which teaches a positive approach to parenting and gives kids the advantage."
Jessica White, Kinsely High School, Kinsley, Kansas

"Words can hit as hard as a fist; parents should think before they say such phrases as 'You're more trouble than you're worth' or 'I wish you were never born.' Children believe what their parents tell them, so take timeout. Don't take it out on a child. We need to control our anger and take that anger out on something other than a human being. The key words are responsibility and control."
Elisa Tomich, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"Communication…is another quality of a responsible parent. One mother commented, 'I always sit down with my daughters and talk to them about their day sometime before they go to bed.' This shows them their parents care and gives them a chance to discuss any problems they might be dealing with in their life."
Wendy Palmer, Bondurant-Farrar, Bondurant, Iowa

"Being a parent is a very tough job. Some parents can take pressures and some tear apart when the rope gets too tight.…A person should be sure that they are ready for a family before they start one. This is a huge responsibility and it takes a lot of time and effort."
Dixie Sybert, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri

"Through example, we can be good parents by teaching our children to respect and care for others, become successful and productive, and learn that if they want something, they need to work for it."
Elisa Tomich, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"Some parents don't care where or what their children are doing. This causes more problems for the parents that are responsible because they have to watch out for the kids whose parent's don't care about what they are doing."
John Sievers, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

"Let's take people who endanger the lives of others. What can be done to solve this problem? I believe that it needs to start in the home and at school when a child is young. What a child learns about respect and responsibility at this age will carry over with them when they become older. As this child grows older, anything that he does that deserves reprimanding needs to be remedied immediately. If it is not, this young person will think that it is OK to do and will do it again."
Rachel Wachter, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin

"Our community needs to come together and teach parents how to face the responsibility of being a parent. Today 63 percent of the United States adults believe that schools and parents should equally share the responsibility for a child's development. This means that parents are placing more responsibility on the schools to teach social skills. This placing of responsibility is causing confusion and frustrations among the teachers as well as among the children. Children's morals of right and wrong are distorted because of the two different beliefs. Parents are wanting the school system to take on the role of parents. Consequently, when schools are forced to take on that responsibility the children are left alone to raise themselves."
Deseri Herrmann, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

"Now if children do something wrong the parents will cover for them and fix their mistakes. They don't give children a chance to make their own decision and learn."
Alyssa A. Hrubes, Iowa-Grant High, Livingston, Wisconsin

"When you become a parent a great deal of responsibility is placed on your shoulders, but many parents do not accept this responsibility as they should."
Wendy Palmer, Bondurant-Farrar, Bondurant, Iowa

Awful Parenting
"A…common example of not taking responsibility for one's actions can be found in Cheryl Powell. In 1977, Cheryl had a child named Mike. After Mike's father was murdered by drug dealers in 1986, Cheryl hit to the streets and before long, had three more children. One day, she brought home a man named Marcel who got her hooded on cocaine. At times, they would disappear for weeks and even a year, leaving the children to fend for themselves. During her binges, Cheryl had two more kids making a total of six. She never took the responsibility of being a mother.

Fortunately for the younger kids, Mike stepped up to take his mother's place. At the tender age of ten, Mike scavenged through junk shops and dumpsters to find hairbrushes and other necessities. To make money, he quit elementary school to clean yards, unload trucks, and stock liquor stores. Mike always insisted on keeping the kids in school. Because he kept the children well-groomed, teachers and classmates never saw any signs that they were being raised be a child.

In 1993, after years of struggling, Mike finally broke. At a Thanksgiving dinner, he told a church group his complete story. The group immediately began searching for a permanent home for the kids. When Mike had to tell his grandparents the truth, they became the children's legal guardians. After years of being the parent, Mike could finally be a kid again."
Julian Davenport, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma

"Biological fathers are continuously finding new ways to avoid paying child support. One father copies a brother's birth certificate and takes on his identity. This man is definitely a deadbeat dad. He could have every opportunity to allow his children a life with a great father, but instead, he chooses the easy way out. The government cannot make a person pay child support if that person no longer exists."
Latisha Rausch, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

"It is extremely sad that people cannot gain responsibility before bringing another life into the world. If a person cannot be responsible for themselves how do they expect to be responsible for another human being?"
Marla Kramer, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

"Little three year old, Jerry Nelson lost his brief life because his mother stood by and watched her boyfriend pummel her poor, defenseless son to death. But there is even a more tragic story behind this. Within the last four to five years, there have been five cases of this in our area. In all cases it was the boyfriends who were killing these helpless children; in some cases, infants. In some instances the mothers were also convicted of murder. These people are not fit mothers. They are not responsible enough to make sure that their own kids are safe. If they are not going to care about them, then why have them."
Ben Goodnight, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"There was a case that involved two young teenagers who had graduated first in their class. They were both expected to excel. As most young people do, they had sex and when the child was born the father killed it. The reason is that nobody knew about the pregnancy and he thought if he disposed of the evidence everyone would still think highly of them."
Joseph W. Dziadyk, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

"Judi McKinney, the local school nurse, recently found that 80 to 85 percent of local children in the Kinsley-Offerle school district are on free or reduced lunches. Many of those same children will show up at school in clothes that are not appropriate for the current weather conditions. Children will also be sent to school when they are very ill. The school nurse will send them home and tell their parents that the child needs to be taken to a doctor. The child will show up for school even sicker the next day. These reoccurring scenes affect the whole community. Jeri Stegman, the local county health nurse, says that when these children finally become sick enough, because their parents have not faced their own responsibility to take their children to the doctor, the children then end up in the emergency room. The taxpayers pay for this medial care."
Deseri Herrmann, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

"In Michigan, a prostitute sold her twelve-year-old daughter for sex in order to get drug money. This woman had no business ever becoming a mother if she wasn't going to be able to give up drugs and put her child first."
Wendy Palmer, Bondurant-Farrar, Bondurant, Iowa

"A good example of irresponsible parenting is that 'in the last thirty years, we have witnessed skyrocketing increases in violent crime, illegitimate birth, child neglect, and hard-core substance abuse.' Much of this behavior can be traced back to irresponsible parents. Pregnant women who drink, smoke, and take illicit drugs, are heading toward becoming irresponsible parents."
Adam Wood, Bondurant-Farrar, Bondurant, Iowa

"A fifteen-year-old girl has a stepfather that has been molesting her for awhile now. Both parents in this situation are being irresponsible, because the girl told her mother and she did nothing about it. This girl is in a tough situation that only she can get herself out of."
Dixie Sybert, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri

"A guy in Salem, Missouri has a new baby and does not pay for anything for that child. He hardly ever sees his child but he still claims it as his. He should not be able to have anything to do with child, unless he is willing to help…this child still needs that feeling of support that only a parent can give."
Dixie Sybert, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri

"In Chicago, a wealthy couple deserted their daughters, ages four and nine, for a romantic getaway to Acapulco, Mexico over the Christmas season. Luckily, a neighbor realized the two girls had been abandoned, so their parents could enjoy a child-free vacation, and submitted them to foster care. This shocking circumstance may seem uncommon, but it occurs more often than many realize. Seven thousand children are abandoned each year in America. Seven thousand children who should have been born into a loving and caring family are left behind by irresponsible adults."
Beth Ann Stickney, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

"An Appleton father, Edgar Liebzeit, gave his own son and his friend advice as to where to hide the body of the man he had murdered. Instead of being a responsible parent, he was willing to overlook the boys' crime and also commit a crime himself.

Here's another case where a child's problem is also her parents. A 13-year-old allegedly took a rifle, pointed it at an 8-year-old, and threatened to shoot her. Although the responsibility of this lies heavily on the [irresponsible] actions of the 13-year-old, part of it rests on where she got the rifle. According to Dane County Sheriff's Deputy Stephen Mackensey, the parents of the child could also be facing a charge for not securing the weapon. According to the girl's father, she has had no training in handling weapons and would not have known whether the gun was loaded or not. If there are weapons in the house, everyone should know all there is to know about the dangers of them."
Dennise Edge, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin

Pregnancy
"In our little town of Hereford, we have the highest pregnancy rate per capita in the whole nation. The girls who are pregnant usually are 15-18 years of age. That is real sad. Most of the time the girl will go through the pregnancy alone, helpless, and scared. The father of the child ditches the girl when he finds out the person he loves is pregnant. I don't think love is the correct term here. Maybe used is the better term. The guy does not take responsibility for his action. That is why the divorce rate is so high these days. The couple feels like they need to get married, but end up getting a divorce because they are young. They both drop out of school because they need money to support the family."
Jonathan Keenan, Hereford High School, Hereford, Texas

"Every year in the United States there are more than one million women under age 20 (about one in every ten) that become pregnant. About 82 percent of these pregnancies are unintended, and about 42 percent of those are aborted. This example of irresponsibility is becoming a common part of many young peoples' lives. The strength to say no in sexual opportunities takes a mature person. To be mature is also to be responsible."
Betty Pina, Medicine Lodge High School, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

"Most unplanned pregnancies are examples of irresponsibility. Nothing is foolproof when it comes to having sexual intercourse; except of course, abstinence. Last year a friend of mine became pregnant. It was not planned and her partner was even wearing a condom. The news was very shocking to them both. They then had the decision to have an abortion, go through with the pregnancy and keep the baby, or give the baby up for adoption. The realism of abstinence really hit home to me and many of my classmates."
Laura Kinberley, Bondurant-Farrar, Bondurant, Iowa

"The first step of responsibility, when it comes to teenage pregnancy, is telling your parents. In one girl's account, she declares, 'The news struck hard. My heart was pounding faster than it ever had before. What will my parents think? They are going to flip!' Parents have a right to know what's going on in their teen's life. It may be hard to fill them in on everything, but it's better that they know. Support is very important and to have it come first from a parent means so much. I feel that even if a pregnancy is a mistake, it's the parent's responsibility to help out. No matter what, someone needs to be there for support and help."
Laura Kimberley, Bondurant-Farrar, Bondurant, Iowa

"Sexual responsibility…begins before the actual action occurs. The use of contraceptives is highly stressed by parents, teachers, and the media.…Teenagers feel a sense of complete protection against any danger. Classes are taught on how to use and where to buy these forms of protection. In the beginning of a relationship it is almost guaranteed that there are strong sexual feelings. When the time comes for intercourse to occur the guy will ask, 'Are you sure you are read