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118 they are often self styled experts and super critics of the society they live in. Youngsters speak frankly about :parents as lady do-good and wheeler-dealer. Students are often tardy or truant, and when the school phones home, no one answers, for Mom is also among the missing. Parental con- ferences called in final desperation complete the picture as parents often politely contradict each other, argue about triv- ialities, and try to transfer blame to teachers. Usually they do all this with one eye on the clock and sometimes with tongue in cheek. As an educator,and primarily a teacher, can I honestly say that permissiveness in the schools has not contributed to lawlessness and rebellious behavior? As we have made great- er allowance for our. students' differences, have we become less insistent about simple conformities? Have we been so: flexible with youngsters that they believe us weak and vacil-. lating? Have we identified and grouped and selected to the point of disparaging competition, motivation, and incentive? Have we stressed the minority report and deemphasized the majority will? Have we involved young people in planning their own schedules, curriculum, and activities to the point where our leadership has slipped into a questionable advisor- ship? Have we acted in loco parentis for more of the school ' day than we have served as educated adults committed to students' enlightenment? The school as well as the home may be a causative factor when our young people are involved in rebellious and lawless conduct. The youngster is unprepared for the toughness of legal authorities who do not shrug their shoulders .as does j! his study hall teacher or wheedle and coax him as does his V mother. The night desk officer resents the .back talk that parents tolerate; the officer in the Police cruiser cannot be conned into changing a speeding ticket the way a young teacher might be wheedled into changing a grade. Young- sters have no habit patterns for relating to the demands of a society that is so different from either an indulgent family or permissive educators. In some cases, antisocial behavior may be the adoles- cent's cry of "Help" or of "Doesn't anybody care what I do?" Surely most teen-age behavior is the culmination of much trial and error, experimentation, learning and habit. Firm- ness, fairness, and fondness are imperatives in the environ- ment of the growing child and, of course, flexibility, but not ! so much as to border on foolishness and ultimate folly.