Sometimes I just can't wait to get on the other side of the fence, you know?  Especially after a 12 hour shift.  Even more especially since it's due to a co-worker who I've NEVER seen come to work except past the hour they should have BEEN on the dorm... WHEN they actually come in at all.  For some people, it seems a "dog ate my homework" type of excuse is no problem for them, but I don't think I could pull that off, myself.

And you know what just torques me??  The CASE WORKER comes on the dorm, and can't even get all the kids to stand for a parade rest.  As you were, as it were.  What's missing in the dorm culture is any real discipline, I'd say... agree?  We let them just get away with all the little things since there's no meaningful way to consequence them, it seems.  So the kids have no SELF DISCIPLINE, and we get no respect since we've been willing -- or told -- or shown how by our supervisors and the case workers --  to let go of our authority and take it easy on the boys.  As if getting low scores really is a consequence?  Geeeze.  That really breaks their hearts.

NOT.

We could tell them "Stand at parade rest when staff comes in or get a 2 hour rug restriction."  That'd smarten 'em up, hmmmm?  Slow to respond getting up in the morning?   Sorry... no latenites for the high stages.  Low stages won't be on the rug, or listening to radios that day.

And I'm all for the bright orange uniforms again.  Very stylish... for felons, for prisoners, for criminals, for ... "troubled youth", too -- and, they can learn to march (again) if they want to get to rec or meals on time.  If it was made campus-wide policy that would be supported by our supervisors and the admin, that is... and how likely is that??!   How about High Stages that don't abide by dress code don't wear stage shirts -- period?

I'm all for both the carrot AND stick approach, as it were.  Instead of making them up some Gatorade and letting them frolic outside (but still inside the gate) ... get them back to cleaning up our patch of road on 290 more often and then offer them some sweet tea or a gallon of ice cream, if the State can afford it.  Make it REAL ATTRACTIVE to have REAL GOOD behavior, and the guys will want the status of getting the Good Stuff.  They generally don't give two hoots about the "privileges" they get nowdays... or not.  If we can help make them strive to do well then they should have rewards that mean something to them, eh?

The Real World should NOT be a real shocker to them once they are released.  If it is, we've all failed and let them down at great cost to society.  Real Life offers no Self Referrals, kiddies... so sorry!