Theories On Montclair Rape; BOE Sends Letter Home

Evan Stark should retire from Rutgers Newark immediately and hold his piece forever on this one.

Judging from Stark's comments in the article, he already has his piece in hand.

Spicoli, I usually admire your wit. But the comment above is particularly deft.

I think there is WAY too much sense of entitlement going around these days. I would deem it an epidemic.

I'm sure you're right, ackme. And it probably starts with second string academics who feel they have a perfect right to purvey the most hare-brained theories when the New York Times comes a-calling. (The story itself is a sort of Times classic of inane clucking in distaste.)

I don't think it was a sense of entitlement that informed the behavior of these cruel and hapless boys. It was something far more primal and seductive.

I have to agree with cathar on this one. What a load of rubbish.

Is it a sense of entitlement that leads to "jumping in" female members by group rape?

I'm not saying this is a case of gang initiation... well no-more so than it was entitlement fueled jock-rape, anyway.

Gurus 6, Pundits 7, Spicoli 10, Students Entitled, Administration Clueless. Quitting this long, draining bitch of a day and having one or two (or eleben) Bushmills Black Labels? Priceless.

And again, a few comments above seemingly smack of the assumption the lads are guilty. It is the unfettered-by-the-trial-by-jury-process rush to conviction on this site that always nettles me most, whether it's from posters or faculty members at third-rate institutions.

Make mine a Tullamore Dew, with just a drop or two of water.

The world is imbibing, and here I sit, on this byoootiful day, under deadline. Have one for me, boys.

I have never met a deadline that couldn't be moved or postponed long enough for a wee drop of the creatur. I will, one of these days, I am sure, but perhaps not for a good many years. Good luck, 'roo. When in doubt, quote Mark Twain. He said something about everything.

I'm going to try to emulate an ingrained part of the local lore by hurrying over to Penn Station and getting on one of those trains to Montclair that at one time, before I was even born, actually departed on time.

Thanks Conan. Let's knock a few back one of these days, you and me. You can find me under the porch.

Then you've already heard my footsteps... :)

I'd be glad to buy a round or three.

Conan - Bushmills? As a favorite quote from The Wire says: "What? A Protestant whiskey?"

Actually not true given that the preferences for the different brands are primarily regional, and many of the Irish whiskey makers are now owned by the French.

I knew those jerks from Glen Ridge for years before they assaulted that girl and I can tell you that their "status as athletes" may have brought them some popularity at GRHS, but they were agressive, foul-mannered, spoiled pricks long before they hit puberty.

In general, kids today have a much greater sense of entitlement when it comes to the impeachable correctness of their own behavior than they did 20 years ago(my parents would say the same of my generation). I think that has gone too far, and usually, I find the kid's parents are to blame for not riding herd on them and teaching them how to behave. But what motivated the Montclair suspects, if in fact they are guilty, remains to be seen.

For once I agree with you, Guido. I think a sesne of entitlement applies in this case as well. Sense of entitlement is not bound by social class or economic status. It's an attitude that has spread far and wide like kudzu.

Once the society breaks down to where no one is accountable for their action we sink into a era of barbarianism. It has happened before in history. Kind of remind you of Clockwork Orange.

"...Bushmills? As a favorite quote from The Wire says: 'What? A Protestant whiskey?'"

I don't much care what church it goes too, as long as it kicks. :)

Last Irish Joke:

A visitor from the US is walking down a dark street in Belfast one night, when all of a sudden he is accosted by a knife-wielding man who jumps out of the shadows.

Putting the knife to the visitor's neck he asks "be ye Catholic or be ye Protestant?"

The visitor says nothing and the attacker presses the knife a little harder.

"I asked you, be ye Catholic or be ye Protestant?"

"Neither," the visitor pipes up, trying to save his life. "I'm Jewish!"

"Ah, then," says the attacker, "that must make me the luckiest Arab in Belfast!"

I believe that ALL Irish whiskies get imported to the US under the aegis of Irish Distillers Ltd., a sort of cartel. This is why, if market conditions are right, Paddy's and Powers' can both be found on US shelves as easily as Bushmill's and Jameson's, but become harder to find as Irish whiskey sales ebb here. Economic considerations thus trump doctrinal ones re spirits on both sides of the Irish border. That such considerations can be worked out in Irish business but not in politics has always seemed a mystery to me.

From a Guiness daze... I just want to add, and it should have been the first thing I said.. is how proud I am of the young lady's girlfriend to convince and then go with her to a counselor. In these days of "entitlement" and fear of "telling the truth" she shows character and I hope her parents and the young ladies parents are proud of her. It seems to me that she and the girl could have decided out of fear not to tell. That is a story in of itself and I am in awe that it seems to be the last line.. the last "add in" of the story. Praise them both for showing "character". Enough of the "experts", get the damn thing in court.... soon, unlike the Glen Ridge debaucle... now I am taking my " " and I am off to find some advil.

On the subject of lack of adult supervision for teens - the other day I was a few blocks from the high school when several boys came walking by. I couldn't help but wonder why they weren't in school as it was about 10:00 - too early for lunch, and believe me they were not on their way to the field for gym. So, then a police car comes driving by and I think, oh now they're in for it. Nope, the officer slowed down a bit, but didn't stop, didn't say anything. He clearly was not on his way to an emergency, so why not at least stop and ask them what was up? Maybe give them the idea that it was not ok to be wondering around out of school. So, if the police don't even care, and no one at the high school seems to be stopping them, what incentive do these kids have to stay put?

mtcmom,

They could have had a free period.

Spend anytime around a high school and you will always see kids walking around (in schools where they are allowed to leave).

And do you really want cops stopping all kids walking around a school?

here's a serious question asked mainly because our HS is a phenomenon to this SoCal native: Why not have a closed campus? Someone once said that the kids have to go out for lunch because there's not enough room in the cafeterias for everyone to fit. Hm, ok Maybe, but my HS had about 1500 students and it was a closed campus, and kids would get their lunch and eat in various places. (all right fine, most of the time it was outside on the grass, which I do understand won't work here ... )
seriously though. why is it open other than for lunch?

Students are allowed to leave the school premises when they have a free period? That doesn't sound right. Back in the day, if you left school grounds during school hours, the truant officer was after your ass.

Folks, go to Watchung plaza or the Bagel/Krausers' and there, during the day, you will see kids free from lockdown.

Because, like many HS's kids are allowed to leave the campus.

Perfectly reasonable.

I'd venture to say that most high schools across the US permit students to leave campus during the day -- sometimes it is only seniors, sometimes it is something that has to be earned -- but it is quite common.
And in 99.8% of cases, kids don't go off and commit felonies. They do what kids do -- they get lunch, they eat, they hang out.
It is a source of never ending fascination for me as to why so many people in this country are afraid of their kids.

Hum. maybe a sign of the times. in my rickety old day, Seniors were allowed to leave if they had a job - but even then, they had to be in school at least 1st thru 4th or 5th period. (think there were 6 or 7 altogether.) Kids who were out in the parking lot during school hours were stopped by the folks who patrolled the school (you know, not armed guards or anything, more like lunch ladies only bigger and more manly.) If you weren't inside the school grounds you were in big trouble unless you had a pass from the office (i.e. forgot homework in the car).

I somehow ended up with a 'free' period in 12th grade but I had to stay on campus during that hour. Other years I remember having to fill empty class time with teacher or lab assistant jobs (if requisites were met, and there were no suitable electives, something like that.)

So... how is MHS ensuring my 14 year old is safe when she could convievably be wandering around town in a 'free' period, instead of sitting in a classroom? Sounds kinda fishy to me?

if walking outside on a beautiful day inspires a kid to draw or paint or write, then let the kid out. If your 14year old wants to get in trouble, she will find a way. 3pm-5pm was the best time to fool around before mom and dad got home from work.

I've been very concerned about the freedom to roam given the hs students since I moved to Montclair in 2005. I live in the area and have witnessed numerous incidents that motivated me to talk to all local authorities. I was told by the board that closing the campus would never happen. Why? I'd really like to know. I once reported my own daughter to the dean of discipline for skipping class. I was told I would be contacted and that my daughter would be at least talked to maybe even punished. Never happened. My daughter knew she was caught because I talked to her. While it is my opinion that parents have primary responsibility for protecting their children this issue of an 'open' campus needs to be addressed.