Why should we fear teachers visiting their students’ homes?

CAT Tracks Editor's Note:

...whatever.

I mean...

...if it's something a teacher wants to do, is comfortable with, then go for it.

Some teachers have chosen this route (like all the other "silver bullets") long before it (they) became the latest solution to what ails public education.

But...

...mandating it for all?

I'd have to vote no.

Considering the current state of society...

...that school officials see the need to install metal detectors at the school house door and train/arm school personnel to confront active shooters...

...do we really want to order teachers into the great unknown?

Reminds me of one of those "lectures" that I used to regale my Government/Econ students (often timed to coincide with the arrival of my least favorite holiday, Halloween.)

To illustrate the role of government regulatory agencies and the resultant increase in the costs of consumer goods, I would note the great lengths that manufacturers go to ensure the safety of their products.

One example I would give...

Have you ever had a headache and gone to the store for some over-the-counter pain relief and had to fight your way through the packaging, while your headache escalated. Or, if you didn't have a headache before and were seeking relief from some other malady, well, add headache to your tale of woe and go buy some aspirin...and start anew!

I would then posit the question:

"Why?"

Well, since my current crop of students would be too young to remember the "Tylenol scare", the Tylenol poisonings, and would sit there with deer-in-the-headlights looks, I would continue...

...because there are evil people in the world who think it's fun to go to the store, acquire a capsule medication, take it home with them, replace the medication with poison, seal it back up, return to the store, put it on the shelf, go back home, turn on the TV and wait eagerly for the news that their dastardly deed had resulted in the death of an innocent, unsuspecting bystander.

Enter the government...

...mandating all those barriers that you struggled through to reach your medication...

...resulting in or exacerbating your headache.

Now...

...picture our villain, sitting alone at home, watching TV news of plane crashes and car crashes, but nothing for which s/he can take personal responsibility, personal satisfaction. As s/he sits there contemplating her/his boring existence...

...the doorbell rings.

Our despondent villain puts her/his time-to-end-my-miserable-life means of choice on the end table, trudges to the door, turns the knob, pulls it open to be greeted by sweet, innocent children trilling...

TRICK OR TREAT!!!

So, okay, teachers, venture forth on your home visits!