The Kintyre Forum

You ever been to Islay?

The high school kids don't drop litter, swear or do anything vaguely off colour because if they did, someone would tell their parents and they'd be in for a bollocking when they got home. "C'mere! Mary McTavish says she saw you drop a crisp packet outside the bank today! What have you got to say for yourself?"

There has to be a bit of a tradeoff; that intensely close-knit community can be a good thing in many ways, people aren't as scared of crime or vandalism for example, but it can be incredibly stifling for young people who have no method to test boundaries without that community being their judge, jury and executioner. When kids from places like Gigha turn up to high school in C'town, they must feel almost like they've escaped that ever-watchful eye and some can end up going a bit wild.

The litter is an annoyance, I agree, and something ought to be done about it. But there are reasons why the high school kids in town can be a pain--perhaps something should be done to make them feel more included in the community rather than bussing them around like livestock, in at 9 and out at 3. I'm a bit young (23) to remember when they used to board in town and I'm an incomer anyway; were there the same sort of issues, or did they get a bit more involved in local life?

Litter everywhere at lunch time. Walk out a shop and just drop the litter on the pavement.

why not do something about it rather than complain? im not tryin to say that its acceptable at all but having left the school little over two years ago, i know that theres not really much pressure on pupils in the main street not to drop litter. its all very well writing the same old letter concerning this problem in to the courier, so why not say something to the school and try to enforce a rule or something to try and combat the problem? just a suggestion...

dr-sanchez wrote:

Litter everywhere at lunch time. Walk out a shop and just drop the litter on the pavement.

why not do something about it rather than complain? im not tryin to say that its acceptable at all but having left the school little over two years ago, i know that theres not really much pressure on pupils in the main street not to drop litter. its all very well writing the same old letter concerning this problem in to the courier, so why not say something to the school and try to enforce a rule or something to try and combat the problem? just a suggestion...

That's the point of the post. I am hopefull it will do something.

There are litter bins in the main street which they do not seem to understand how to use (and it isn't just the young people I have seen older people drop litter as well) but often by the time they have finished eating whatever there are less bins.

I am not saying this is ok to drop litter when there is no bin near to hand, as pockets can easily be used until they reach a bin.

are children not taught not to drop litter before they start school? far less the grammar school. When challenged one of their reasons I have come across is 'it keeps someone in a job'. Would they want to do it?

Sooze

why not say something to the school and try to enforce a rule or something to try and combat the problem?

As I said to the Davaar house assembly this morning, it doesn't matter how good a reputation we get as a school for excellent examination results, outstanding achievements in sport and music, delivering Christmas boxes to the elderly, or, as we did last week, raising absolutely huge amounts of money for those less fortunate than ourselves, it only takes a few carelessly discarded crisp packets to wipe it out, in the eyes of some people at least.

Please be assured that, on the subject of litter, the school provides the kids with plenty of warnings, exhortations, and encouragements, whether at assemblies or in other ways. If anyone is reported for littering in the town, firm action is taken, as the Litter Warden will be able to confirm. But as for enforcing a rule, my writ does not run to Main Street. Enforcing the law on litter in the street is someone else's responsibility, thank you very much.

I think the problem lies not with the School, but with the mindset of youngsters nowadays. What happened to that 'Take Pride in your Town' initiative started a while ago?

I believe children have less respect nowadays due to the amount of respect they are given. There is no "fear factor" anymore. They have been getting away with it for a period of time, therefore don't give a second thought to dropping a sweet wrapper or chip poke in the street. Once it is out of their hands, it's someone elses problem so to speak.

However I don't believe for one minute that it is a majority of children committing this offence. Another example of the minority tarnishing the good name of the majority.

Sorry but I'm with WC1 on this one and I silently cheered when I read his post. I've been in total awe of the money raised this week for charity by these kids and they deserve respect for that - so in my book Hitman, they have indeed earned it! The earlier poster should have been asking the parents to combat the problem, not the school. Yes, it is a few who cause the majority to be all tarred with the same brush but keep this in perspective: some stray wrappers in contrast to what seems a wonderful bunch of youngsters to me! Good on you all, kids!!!!!

I agree with WC1 too. As a parent of one of the kids (who mostly eats at the school anyway) I would be horrified if she dropped litter anywhere never mind in town. But she has told me that the main problem is that the bins fill up quickly and there is not enough room for all the rubbish. Some kids do carry their rubbish with them and deposit it in the bins on their way back to school but obviously some don't.

TBH I think that the provision of bins outside take-aways should be the responsibility of the take-aways themselves. When they sell stuff in such bulky wrapping they should provide the means to dispose of the wrapping properly.

Kids are an easy target at times. I read in a newspaper recently about a survey where kids were described as "vermin". I mean how can young people have any respect for their elders when their elders say things like that about them.

Finally, why has the original poster used the Hoots the Scoop account to post this? Why hide your identity?

Malky

Got to admit I agree with GG and WC. It might be worth looking at the good points rather than something to moan about. I havent had much contact with the Grammar kids for a while now but the ones I have met have been well behaved and a credit to the school and indeed the town. There is always room for improvement of course but that is the same for us all. Talk to the council and see if they can fit another couple of bins and maybe a couple of well publicised fines might do the job.

Malky wrote:Finally, why has the original poster used the Hoots the Scoop account to post this? Why hide your identity?
Malky

The Hoots the Scoop account states that it does not or should not represent personal views!

The kids SHOULD NOT all be tarred with the same brush!! My same reply as before .....what do you want us to do? Lock them up until adulthood? Moan that you are beside them in the cinema, moan that you are within 3 rows of them on an aeroplane, moan that they have no manners and drop litter!! Give them a break!
As has been said already - credit where credit is due - what a phenomenal amount of money raised from a wee school in a wee toon for "children in need" - well done kids!!!!!

Ags wrote:

Malky wrote:Finally, why has the original poster used the Hoots the Scoop account to post this? Why hide your identity?
Malky

The Hoots the Scoop account states that it does not or should not represent personal views!

The kids SHOULD NOT all be tarred with the same brush!! My same reply as before .....what do you want us to do? Lock them up until adulthood? Moan that you are beside them in the cinema, moan that you are within 3 rows of them on an aeroplane, moan that they have no manners and drop litter!! Give them a break!
As has been said already - credit where credit is due - what a phenomenal amount of money raised from a wee school in a wee toon for "children in need" - well done kids!!!!!

Where does it state it is a personal view? It is a topic of discussion.

Goodness me, not for a second does it seek to tar all kids with the same brush but it is hardly a problem that should be ignored.

Seems you can't post anything on here without the forum police wanting to know who you are. Would take a brave person to come on here and post something which is clearly topical and leave their name and address.

hoots the scoop wrote:Where does it state it is a personal view? It is a topic of discussion.

Well perhaps it's the way you said it.

It's definitely a topic for discussion but that's quite an inflammatory way to start and possibly if you had used your normal identity you wouldn't have started the conversation sounding like a grumpy old man or woman.

hoots the scoop wrote:Seems you can't post anything on here without the forum police wanting to know who you are. Would take a brave person to come on here and post something which is clearly topical and leave their name and address.

Here we go again with the forum police crap again.
No-one needs to know a posters name and address but surely if you have something to say then just say it using your normal username. Seems to me that there's a few on here who when they want to post something controversial frequently do it using another identity. If it can't be said using your own identity then perhaps you shouldn't be posting it. And that's not just aimed at whoever started this topic - that's a general view.

Malky

hoots the scoop wrote:Where does it state it is a personal view? It is a topic of discussion.

Given that your original comment finished off with three 'very mad' emoticons I think it is quite reasonable for most people to infer that it was your personal view.

To put things into perspective a little you should really try visiting a few other parts of the country and seeing what the kids there are like. I can assure you that by comparison the Kintyre kids are angels, and that's being a little unfair to them because you don't really need to compare them to anyone else to see that.

In my experience the kids in the town are polite, get out of your way in the street, and are generally nice kids. Sure some of them drop litter from time to time but so do a lot of adults, and I doubt it's the kids who leave little piles of fag ends by the side of the road or in car parks.

hoots the scoop wrote:Litter everywhere at lunch time. Walk out a shop and just drop the litter on the pavement.

Don't the kids know what bins are for???

This is laughable. There was no malice in the post. Not for a second was it trying to say all the kids in Campbeltown are out of hand.

The point of the thread was simply to raise awareness of the fact it happens and to see how others felt. It was to stimulate conversation. Malky's point about the bins were very valid for example. WC1 made exactly the kind of post you would expect from someone responsible - put very well indeed.

Can I put it another way then? What can or should be done to improve the litter dropped at lunch time. (perhaps the smiley will be mis-construed!)