City Alerts Parents To College Students’ Behavior
by Steve Yablonski | November 2, 2009 6:54 am
OSWEGO, NY – Earlier this school year, the city has been sending letters to parents of SUNY Oswego students who have been issued an appearance ticket or arrested in Oswego.
The system is going well, according to Mayor Randy Bateman who has signed dozens of the form letters so far.
“The first group of letters was sent in early September. The second group shortly after that,” he said.
Approximately two dozen letters were sent out in just the first few weeks.
It’s a form letter with the specific violation filled in.
Some see it as a program that can help curb some of the rowdy college student behavior in the Port City.
Others see it as the city meddling in the lives of students.
“I believe that it can have two effects. The first is to alert parents to the behaviors of their children who in turn can decide what action to take as a family,” one SUNY Oswego senior told Oswego County Today. “I also believe that this can cause unnecessary heartache for the family. If a family receives a notice for a violation the student receives, this adds to the daily stress the
family endures.”
College students will be college students, and that will not end, the senior continued.
“I am curious as to the cost of this program (postage, paper, staff time, etc.). The police department already forwards information to the school regarding violations in town and the students receive judicial sanctions as well (double punishment),” the senior pointed out. “This added measure will ensure that students receive an additional speech from their parents, if the parents care enough. They may just view it as a college experience.”
Adam Butler, a recent college graduate, said, “I think it’s ridiculous. We are expected to be adults; when we violate the law, we already receive a fine from the city and punishment from the college. I mean, do they want us to leave
the city that badly?”
“Already all the bars are being shut down! If my parents receive a letter, they’d laugh. But it’s annoying to feel as if you have three sets of parents (the school, the city, and your biological parents),” he continued.
“The student already gets in trouble (with the city and the college). So why does the city think it has to be a tattletale? If you want the students to act like adults, treat them like adults,” a part-time student said.
Another student who declined to give their name added, “It’s stupid because we already get in trouble with the school. I don’t see this town as being too crazy. The city is just trying to get rid of us (college students).”
Some parents have responded to the mayor’s correspondence, thanking him for the information and assuring him that the issue will be dealt with.
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Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/news/oswego/city-alerts-parents-to-college-students-behavior/
