What High School did these "men" attend ?
Liz, kids spend 8 hours with Teachers, Coaches and Peers . Then go home to microwave dinners because the "Real Educators" are to busy trying to make ends meet.
The local school district could care less about the "Character" of their students. Only the final #'s of the "Cheat-Sheet" SOL test.
So, you are very right..
can we find some role models for our kids from 7:40am-2:40pm ?
And as for the "The Love of God" , the best place to learn discipline is on Sunday morning. But if there is no Love for God why would you seek him ?
Statistics prove, if a child hasn't learned self control and discipline at home by the age of 12.They will learn it from the judicial system.
Proven, Mr. Welch and his assailants.

So Lamont, you think that the teachers should be raising the children? REALLY??? you do know that children belong to their parents right?
If the parents aren't teaching their children values why would you think the educators should? What reality are you living in that you can pop out a couple of kids and someone else should or would be responsible for your personal shortcomings?
I know many teachers and you are correct that the system is flawed, but that isn't a basic character flaw of a group of individuals. The flaw is in the system and these people are doing a job. Do you mean to tell me that if your boss told you to do something a ceratin way and made sure you knew that if you didn't than someone else would that you wouldn't ?? I want to work for you if that's the case. The teachers are also trying to make ends meet buddy. The fault of the behavior of these young men lies with the parents and you prove that by your statement.
Society is always trying to pass the buck and not take responsibility for what they do, say and produce. Sadly I believe you made me case for me.

I'll have to agree with Liz on this one. There is no way you are going to get decent role models, or decent teachers for that matter, under our current education system and pay structure/levels. But that indeed has nothing to do with the story. You ask what high school these men attended? Odds are, unless the parents put a value on them getting their education, then they find school to be a joke, if indeed they even go.

There comes a point when children must grow up and be their own person, responsible for their own actions. it is our job as parents (our #1 job in fact) to prepare these kids to be good, productive adults. I don't blame the parents so much for their children being out in the middle of the night, as much as I blame them for their children not knowing right from wrong (or not caring), and being selfish enough to do this to another person over money. Teachers/coaches/peers all have the possibility to make a unique impact on a young person's life. It is also our job as parents to monitor/decide who these people are in our children's circle of influence. Anything less than that is a cop-out to justify selfishness or failure IMO.

Still making the case. If all you ever expect is negativity that is all you will ever get. It's fantastic that you appreciate me, completely unnecessary, but nice. I think you should try to find more quality people in your life as it seems that you are only meeting the dregs. My chilren attend public school in Stafford county and my husband and I both work hard. I can guarantee you that non of my honor students would DARE steal anything from anyone much less invade someone's hearth and home.
You make my case when you say they are only doing what they know. Noone has taught them any better.
While you stand in judgement over the public school system, working parents and everything else in the county I invite you to ask yourself what difference you are making in the village? how many days do you spend with high risk children trying to make a difference in thier lives? You seem to be a man rich in opinion and I respect that because I am highly opinionated as well, but don't denigrate an entire profession for what you believe to be shortcomings if you aren't willing to put in the work to make the changes you so vocally require.
and hey Lamont.. I appreciate you too.

I'm glad you love you job at Patch Lamont. Cheers to you getting some more positive people in your life. There is no point in continuing to post on this thread as you are alwasy right in your own mind and refuse to see anything outside your own opinion. Have fun with that.

I applaud you for your involvement in your childrens', and many other childrens' lives. What I still can't understand (and even moreso given the time you seem to spend with these at-risk youth), is how your primary finger is pointed at the teachers. Surely in dealing with so many kids in this sort of situation, you see the inevitable failure to be involved by their own parents (or failure to be involved enough). I'm not saying it is the case every time, but it surely is the vast majority of the time. Most of the time kids who get busted for this sort of thing have parents who have done or do the same, or spend too much time abusing substances to actually parent, so that these kids did not learn strong values at a young age. When kids with strong parents have their rebellious teen years, they get caught for things like drinking, playing destructive games, vandalism and such (all bad results for sure, but kids are prone to be kids sometimes). You cannot grow up thinking this sort of behavior is acceptable, or even be ok with it in your own mind, without your parents either condoning it, or allowing it by failing to give you a better sense of values. Role models can be anywhere, and I try to be one to kids I coach, etc. No one is a more important role model than the parents though, if someone else is, then that kid is in trouble already...

All of this is really just superfluous discussion though, at that age it is highly unlikely that anyone can correct such a faulty sense of values (parent, teacher, or coach, etc.), except the criminal justice system. The fabric of their morals has been woven, and it is mostly complete by the late teen years.

I would say not "taught", but rather "instilled" or "modeled"...this is where society is lacking these days...

As to point #1, agreed about peer pressure. Of course that is why it is so important for parents to know not just who their kids are hanging out with, but also to know those people, at least the close ones with real influence on their child (and ideally those kid's parents as well, at least to a level that they feel comfortable making contact with those parents).

As to the concealed permit, are you insane? lol The mere fact that this is what comes to your mind in reading this story is an issue. It speaks purely to endorsing "vigilante justice". Anyone who desires to kill anyone, including an intruder in their home, when given another possibility (i.e. inflicting less bodily harm, etc.), is no better morally grounded than those stealing from them. Defend yourself, by all means, and God bless; when you start to think "they deserve to die", you've gone off the reservation IMO. Statistics have shown that something like only 10% of people are capable of making rational judgments in the face of this sort of traumatizing event (and in fact a similar amount lose all sense or rationality entirely, and begin to act virtually insane), the largest percentage just freeze, and are incapable of taking any action. That would leave 90% in a worse position if they introduced a firearm to a similar situation. Arming everyone would be plain irresponsible if you consider that.