Teen Suspended Because of Facial Piercings will be Home Schooled


McDONOUGH, GA (AP) -- A student who was given an in-school suspension for refusing to remove his facial piercings will be home schooled, his mother said.

Corey Rager's mother, Kati Monahan, told the Henry County School Board on Monday she plans to withdraw Rager from the school district.

Rager's piercings got him into trouble in the school district when he enrolled there in late September after moving from Maryland. District rules prohibit visible body piercings with the exception of earrings and Rager was given a five-day in-school suspension. Rager, 15, has since reduced his jewelry to a ring on his chin.

"I think it's a shame I have to pull him out when I am told your school system is one of the best ones in Georgia," Monahan told the county school board.

Monahan said she made her decision to home school Rager after finding out how much work her son would have to make up and deciding there was no hope of him catching up or getting out of detention.

Quoted: "I think it's a shame I have to pull him out when I am told your school system is one of the best ones in Georgia," Monahan told the county school board.

If it is the best it is because they have standards. Standards that have just been vindicated by keeping out freaks with crumby parents. Good luck homeschooling. With your attitude you will need it! Planerench out.

Yup, thats the high school I dropped out of.  They really needed to crack the whip on the fucknuts there when I was there.  Glad they started enforcing the dresscode.  Oh well, at least they had a good NJROTC program.

We need pics

He has his chin peirced? WTF

"I think it's a shame I have to pull him out when I am told your school system is one of the best ones in Georgia," Monahan told the county school board.

I think it's a shame that a minor is allowed to pierce his face.  Hell school sounds like a waste on that kid anyways.  I mean can you really get a decent job with a chin piercing?

I for one, don't feel bad in the least.

I think body piercing is the ugliest form of decoration..one or two in the ear..ok...any more and its a turn off for me.
IMHO...

way to be tollerant, gang... very nice...

i would hardly quallify a few bits of metal in someones face disruptive...  rainbow colored hair and behaving in an obnixious manner remniscent of a gangster rapper? now THAT is disruptive...

and those holes close up if you dont keep a ring in them, so i doubt based on that the kid will have a hard time finding a job in the future...

Quoted: I think body piercing is the ugliest form of decoration..one or two in the ear..ok...any more and its a turn off for me. IMHO...

+1

That's why they do it.  To revulse normal people.

http://boortz.com/images/funny/piercings-sm.jpg

Although, I'm a guy with his left ear double pierced and plenty of tatoos. Some of the kids these days are taking it a bit too far. They look like idiots.

Quoted: I mean can you really get a decent job with a chin piercing?

Decent?  I don't know.  But it irritates me to see these retards with the Band-Aid over the obvious bolt through the eyebrow, or wherever.  Grow up, take it out, go to work, be productive.  I'm all for the freedom to express yourself but that's just silly.  Get your cock pierced instead.  I don't have to know about it and maybe, just maybe it will cause a painful infection that will result in sterility.

Sounds like the high school I graduated from.  These types of dress codes make something out of nothing.  Personal preference is just that, your own preference.  If you don’t want to pierce your face, then don’t.  Punishing someone for not conforming to your beliefs is wrong on so many levels.  Fucking conservative bullshit.

Have you ever seen Corey Ragers mom?

In 1970, my PUBLIC school tried to enforce a dress code that prohibited guys from having hair touching their ears, or their collars in the back (yeah, we had to wear shirts with collars..go figure hehehe).  About 30 of us long hairs showed up to a school board meeting and mentioned the word "lawsuit" to the assembled county folks...they backed down, and rescinded the dress code, or at least that portion of it.  

The fight continued, though...none of the coaches would let anyone on the team that didn't get a hair cut.. I cut mine, since I was captain of the soccer team.  I didn't cut it the rest of the season, and the coach told me I couldn't be in the team picture.  It really wasn't long, at that point, remember the soccer season was only about 3 months.  No big deal, as a buddy of mine was the yearbook guy who took the pic...so I stood in the back and flipped the bird up over everyone's head...they actaully used that photo lol.   We got our revenge, though...the year before, we started an intramural sofball team called the Hash Heads...well stocked with long haired rejects from the varsity football and baseball teams.  We ended up winning the intramural championship 2 years running...so they had to display our pictures in the trophy case lol.  

My point is, facial piercing isn't my thing...but I dont' know how the fu** the city/county can tell taxpayers they can't send their kids to publically funded schools with long hair, face peircings, facial hair, baggy pants,  or any other damn thing that some people don't like.  And, I can just imagine the hullaballoo around here if this same kid had worn a gun friendly, confederate flag, or George Bush t-shirt, and got sent home....there would be a Fire Mission request in 2 seconds, and all sorts of whining about freedom of speech, yada yada yada.  

If we really believe in freedom, it has to apply to the other guys as well. Besides, if this kid is too outrageous looking, he'll be made fun of by all the other kids lol.  

Quoted: Sounds like the high school I graduated from.  These types of dress codes make something out of nothing.  Personal preference is just that, your own preference.  If you don’t want to pierce your face, then don’t.  Punishing someone for not conforming to your beliefs is wrong on so many levels.  Fucking conservative bullshit.

well...duh......

I hear your mom callin over at DU  

Quoted: Have you ever seen Corey Ragers mom? images.ibsys.com/2004/0830/3692149.jpg www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,3600,301368,00.jpg

Shoot first...ask questions like "what the fuck was that" later.......

Quoted: Sounds like the high school I graduated from.  These types of dress codes make something out of nothing.  Personal preference is just that, your own preference.  If you don’t want to pierce your face, then don’t.  Punishing someone for not conforming to your beliefs is wrong on so many levels.  Fucking conservative bullshit.

BULLSH*T... Grow-up

High School is not about free will, self expression, or what YOU want. YOU are there to get a state sponsored education. If you cannot live under the rules GET THE HELL OUT.

An future employer will not tolerate this kind of stupid, childish, imbecilic behavior why should a high school teach its students like behavior is to be tolerated.

The truly sad thing is the kids mother is enabling this destructive behavior.

There are rules live by them or suffer the consequences, that is the real world that is life.

Quoted: In 1970, my PUBLIC school tried to enforce a dress code that prohibited guys from having hair touching their ears, or their collars in the back (yeah, we had to wear shirts with collars..go figure hehehe).  About 30 of us long hairs showed up to a school board meeting and mentioned the word "lawsuit" to the assembled county folks...they backed down, and rescinded the dress code, or at least that portion of it.   The fight continued, though...none of the coaches would let anyone on the team that didn't get a hair cut.. I cut mine, since I was captain of the soccer team.  I didn't cut it the rest of the season, and the coach told me I couldn't be in the team picture.  It really wasn't long, at that point, remember the soccer season was only about 3 months.  No big deal, as a buddy of mine was the yearbook guy who took the pic...so I stood in the back and flipped the bird up over everyone's head...they actaully used that photo lol.   We got our revenge, though...the year before, we started an intramural sofball team called the Hash Heads...well stocked with long haired rejects from the varsity football and baseball teams.  We ended up winning the intramural championship 2 years running...so they had to display our pictures in the trophy case lol.   My point is, facial piercing isn't my thing...but I dont' know how the fu** the city/county can tell taxpayers they can't send their kids to publically funded schools with long hair, face peircings, facial hair, baggy pants,  or any other damn thing that some people don't like.  And, I can just imagine the hullaballoo around here if this same kid had worn a gun friendly, confederate flag, or George Bush t-shirt, and got sent home....there would be a Fire Mission request in 2 seconds, and all sorts of whining about freedom of speech, yada yada yada.   If we really believe in freedom, it has to apply to the other guys as well. Besides, if this kid is too outrageous looking, he'll be made fun of by all the other kids lol.

Well said and I agree.  No piecing for me and my family, but I not going to rain on some one elses freedom.  And in case you think this is an isolated case, the local high school in Cherokee County, GA is trying to ban crosses because of compalints from some silly parent.  Seems that this silly parent thinks it's a violoation of church and state if a child wears a cross around their neck.

Quoted: Quoted: Sounds like the high school I graduated from.  These types of dress codes make something out of nothing.  Personal preference is just that, your own preference.  If you don’t want to pierce your face, then don’t.  Punishing someone for not conforming to your beliefs is wrong on so many levels.  Fucking conservative bullshit. BULLSH*T... Grow-up High School is not about free will, self expression, or what YOU want. YOU are there to get a state sponsored education. If you cannot live under the rules GET THE HELL OUT. An future employer will not tolerate this kind of stupid, childish, imbecilic behavior why should a high school teach its students like behavior is to be tolerated. The truly sad thing is the kids mother is enabling this destructive behavior. There are rules live by them or suffer the consequences, that is the real world that is life.

Can't really improve on what Max_Mike said.

Life in society has rules.  Learn to live with them, or your life will be miserable.

There is nothing wrong with it unless it substantially disrupts the educational process.  School policies limiting student dress have come up many times over the years and have never been enacted into state or federal policy.  These policies are lawsuits waiting to happen and tax payers dollars being lost.  A student minor or not should have the right to decorate themselves how they please allowing that it does not interupt the educational process.  Another thing a school can't prohibit something based on the premise that it might cause disruption (this violates the students right of due process).  
How can you have any kind of freedom in other respects if you are predjudiced over someones choice of jewelry.  It is the same as people not liking and banning assault weopons based on cosmetics.  THE EXACT SAME MINDSET   DIFFERENT CONTEXT  

What people need to do is mind their own business and do their job, I'm sure the school has bigger issues that need addressed.  

Quoted: Life in society has rules.  Learn to live with them, or your life will be miserable.

I think I'll examine those rules for myself and determine for my family and me exactly which ones I will follow.  I personally don't care for this boy's fetish for piercing, but I don't like a public school telling any child that they can't wear a cross to school either.  Since both are rules dictated by the public school board, I am assuming you agree with both rules.  (No crosses (violation of church and state) and no piercing)

What if they decided that all children entering public school had to be sterilized for the good of the community to prevent teen pregnancies or other ridicules rules?

Quoted: Quoted: Life in society has rules.  Learn to live with them, or your life will be miserable. I think I'll examine those rules for myself and determine for my family and me exactly which ones I will follow.  I personally don't care for this boy's fetish for piercing, but I don't like a public school telling any child that they can't wear a cross to school either.  Since both are rules dictated by the public school board, I am assuming you agree with both rules.  (No crosses (violation of church and state) and no piercing) What if they decided that all children entering public school had to be sterilized for the good of the community to prevent teen pregnancies or other ridicules rules?

There is no such thing as separation of Church and State except by the left wing whacko's who don't like religion. Stop spreading that  myth and we'll be a step closer to a better America.

Quoted: There is no such thing as separation of Church and State except by the left wing whacko's who don't like religion. Stop spreading that  myth and we'll be a step closer to a better America.

I agree with you, unfortunately, the silly parent at the our local high school disagrees with us both

It isn't about church or state as much as it is "government affiliation with religion."  Our forefathers were at least for a while insightful enough to know that once the government of a nation becomes intwined and promotes a particular religion it is a downhill slide from then on.  Many of the first european settlers came here to escape religious persecution, and then began  to establish religion as part of the govermental structure here in the United States.  Some people knew this was dangerous ground and fought to stop it and in a nutshell this is where seperation of church and state come from.  

I agree you should be able to decorate and adorn yourself  however you want as long as the masses can get their education.  That's another topic entirely "Majority Rules"  

One thing that is brought up in this article, but not addressed directly is community standards which may not be discernable by question and answer , but do exist.  

Lots of conformist nazis on this board.

Think/act/behave like I want, like I approve of, as I deem appropriate or you're WRONG.

A ring in your chin affects others education how, exactly? It doesn't.

Quoted: Quoted: "I think it's a shame I have to pull him out when I am told your school system is one of the best ones in Georgia," Monahan told the county school board. If it is the best it is because they have standards. Standards that have just been vindicated by keeping out freaks with crumby parents. Good luck homeschooling. With your attitude you will need it! Planerench out.

I agree. This is the real world and there will be a time when it will be harder to have/keep a promising career (other than the local record store) to support yourself with all those piercings. Unless you're happy at said record store. I believe in self expression but I also believe there is a time and a place for it. While I am open to this look, I myself wouldn't do it in the professional world. It's just the way it is.

Quoted: Quoted: Have you ever seen Corey Ragers mom? images.ibsys.com/2004/0830/3692149.jpg www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,3600,301368,00.jpg Shoot first...ask questions like "what the fuck was that" later.......

Quoted: way to be tollerant, gang... very nice... i would hardly quallify a few bits of metal in someones face disruptive...  rainbow colored hair and behaving in an obnixious manner remniscent of a gangster rapper? now THAT is disruptive... and those holes close up if you dont keep a ring in them, so i doubt based on that the kid will have a hard time finding a job in the future...

Who the hell said we were tolerant?  

A school should be able to set a dress code which prevents disruptions.  In my mind, visible piercings of any kind can cause disruptions.

The mother did the right thing.  Don't like the way your local public school operates?  Home school or private school is the way to go.

Sorry for the slow response.  I was gone for a while.

Quoted: Quoted: Life in society has rules.  Learn to live with them, or your life will be miserable. I think I'll examine those rules for myself and determine for my family and me exactly which ones I will follow.

Well now, that's a fine idea.

How about traffic laws?  Should you teach your child, "I don't believe that 30 mph is a reasonable speed for city streets.  I will drive 50 mph.  No one can tell me how fast to drive."

Is that a good idea?  Or maybe, just maybe, it will make your and your child's life easier if you just learn to obey the rules of society.

Standing up against wrong is a good thing.  But many confuse it with just being obstunate (not saying you do).  Not all rules are bad.

I personally don't care for this boy's fetish for piercing, but I don't like a public school telling any child that they can't wear a cross to school either.  Since both are rules dictated by the public school board, I am assuming you agree with both rules.  (No crosses (violation of church and state) and no piercing)

This is a different issue.  The courts have ruled, in several cases, that wearing a cross is a "free speech" issue.  No court has ever ruled that a Christian cannot share his or her faith at school or anywhere else in public.  However, if the student stood up in class and started giving a speech about religion, disrupting class, they would be disciplined and rightfully so.  No one has the right to disrupt the school's acitvities.

And if the school board came up with a stupid rule, I would work to remove them from office.  That's what is so great about a republic.  "If you don't represent us, we will replace you with someone that will."

What if they decided that all children entering public school had to be sterilized for the good of the community to prevent teen pregnancies or other ridicules rules?

Well, your example is a little far fetched and also illegal to implement.  But if they came up with any stupid rule like that, see my comments above.  We would replace them.  It's been done before.

The important thing here is this:  Society has rules.  We oftentimes do not like all of them.

But unless they are truly a big affront to our freedoms, we will usually just obey them instead of suffering the consequences.  Almost all rules, even like the speeding laws I mentioned earlier, have those that do not feel like they have to obey them.  Society has punishments for those that will not comply.

So, unless you live on an island by yourself, it is best to teach your child that they will have to learn to obey the rules of society, or they will suffer.  The kid in this story has learned the wrong lesson from this parent.  And some day, when he is trying to get a good job to support his family, he will find that the piercings will hamper his efforts.  He will have to take a job he doesn't like much and make a lot less money.

He will suffer all his life for this stupid mistake in judgement.

It would have been better if his parent had taught him, "Son, there are times that we just don't get our way in life.  If you want to attend public school, you will have to remove the studs.  Life is like that.  You don't always get your way."

Rager??? WTF. Just another unwed mother trying to smooth shit over for her single mother spawn out of control bastard so his shit won't interfere with her life. Smoke another joint, bitch.

IBTL.

Really and that goes for businesses also. If I'm looking for an employee and get some "dick" with 30 piercings in his face I'll just show him the door. Don't let it hit you in the a$$ on the way out. As far as the school they need to set standards. What is going to create respect and morals in today's youth and society? That'as why so many private schools are in demand today. A lack of respect is getting flushed down the toliet as we speak. Someone needs to grab this kid by the balls and shake some sense into him then ask his mom what planet she's from.

The joke here of course is that this same school district proabably allows the girls to run around half nekkid lol...have you BEEN to a high school lateley?  I would think this would be FAR more of a distraction than some dude with a peirced chin.  At least it would be to me

I'm all for it...................dress codes and standards

Quoted: Lots of conformist nazis on this board. Think/act/behave like I want, like I approve of, as I deem appropriate or you're WRONG. A ring in your chin affects others education how, exactly? It doesn't.

Yup - proud conformist nazi here.  

Among other things, my completely unreasonable fascist mindset includes expecting people to follow reasonable rules if they want to be part of an organization.  This kid and his mom KNEW the simple rules, and CHOSE to violate them.  

Other rules that they might have chosen to violate would be bringing drugs to school (after all, who else is being harmed if my kid decides to shoot up heroin in the hallway?), not wearing pants (where's the harm? - other kids can just look away if they don't want to see my kid's junk) and masturbating in the class room (hey - if you're not wearing pants to start with, what's the big deal?).  There are lots of inappropriate activities that wouldn't harm other peoples' education - but that's NOT the standard that's appropriate here.

Being able to follow simple social rules is what will allow kids to grow into productive adults that can suceed in society - it's now about being mindless sheep.  If someone wants to grow up to be the unabomber and live in a shack in Montana or something - good for them - but it should be a CHOICE they make as an adult, not something they end up being forced to do because their idiot parents didn't bother to teach them how to follow simple rules.

Quoted: Sorry for the slow response.  I was gone for a while.

No problem.  I have the same problem as well.  Work is a major pain at times!

Quoted: Life in society has rules.  Learn to live with them, or your life will be miserable. How about traffic laws?  Should you teach your child, "I don't believe that 30 mph is a reasonable speed for city streets?  I will drive 50 mph.  No one can tell me how fast to drive."

We have seemed to have jumped from a dress code issue to a traffic issue.  First off traffic codes are revenue generating devices for local counties/cities.  The government does not care if you follow their rules or not.  Additionally, there are no standard for traffic laws.   I’ve seen four lane highways with 25 mph speed limits and 75 mph speed limits.  No rhyme or reason, just some local bureaucrat trying to show how big an idiot he/she is.

Here in Georgia, we have two county governments and the state government in court trying to decide what the correct speed limit is for the same road.  Seems that the state built the road and they don’t agree with these two counties about the speed limit.   One county tickets folks for driving too fast and the other county tickets folks for driving to slowly and the state sues both counties that they don’t have the authority to set speed limits on state roads.  Thus, I question whether or not these governmental entities have enough sense to get out of a shower of rain, much less devise rules to help society.

Secondly, I think nature will enforce its own rules over the obsessive issue of speeding.  Additionally, folks with common sense will follow sane safety rules and ignore the increasing stupidity our government comes up with

Standing up against wrong is a good thing.  But many confuse it with just being obstinate (not saying you do).  Not all rules are bad.

I agree that standing up against wrong is the right thing to do.  The more obstinate folks in world, the better off for everyone.   Just think about how better the world would be if some obstinate PIA stood up to Hilter in Germany in 1928 or 1934.  These folks are difficult to get along with, but sometimes they may think of something no one else has.

This is a different issue.  The courts have ruled, in several cases, that wearing a cross is a "free speech" issue.  No court has ever ruled that a Christian cannot share his or her faith at school or anywhere else in public.  However, if the student stood up in class and started giving a speech about religion, disrupting class, they would be disciplined and rightfully so.  No one has the right to disrupt the school's activities.

That is the current hot topic in the legal arena.  What activities are ‘disruptive?”  Some folks think any questioning of authority; especially in the school setting is disruptive.  Personally, I don’t.  

California court’s ruled in some kind of cross that were also daggers (2” blade) were disruptive, although all the student did the cross was pray at lunch.  Numerous school districts think that any kind of muslim symbols is distributive.  Thus, the muslim sue the school board saying that Christian crosses are distributive.  We are now seeing that school yearbook pictures with approved after school activities that involve shooting a firearm are now “disruptive.”  Even though this activity took place off of school grounds.  

Now in my local school district, a parent has decided that crosses are disruptive due to a fight between two students.  The reality of the situation is that two children were fighting over a cross.  Unfortunately, the parent in question will not accept that their child was in the wrong, but wants the school board to ban all crosses from the school due to it be “disruptive” and a violation of church and state.  In my opinion total BS.  

Now back to this idiot and his mother who think it is cool to put pieces of metal thru their body.  

1. The boy and his mother are idiots
2. The school board is also a bunch of idiots for attempting to tell these idiots what/when/where to put pieces of metal thru their bodies.  As soon as they say they can’t do it, you know they are going to insist on doing and sue, sue, sue.  I’m sure this will teach our children everything they need to know about our society.
3. All folks at least for a little while longer have the right to be an idiot.  Lord, I would have loved a law that allowed me to arrest folks for being idiots when I was a cop.
4. I don’t see how being an idiot is any more disruptive to the school than the million other stupid things that teenagers do in high school.  Perhaps the school boards should ban teenagers.
5. I think the American Revolution motto was “Don’t Thread of me” for a reason.
6. Don’t you think that the other kids would have “made fun” of the idiot kid with the metal in his face until he was motivated to remove it?

And finally, when this idiot loses his freedom to stick pieces of metal in his face, we all lose.  Our government seems obsessed with restricting our freedoms.  This is just yet another example of this.

And if the school board came up with a stupid rule, I would work to remove them from office.  That's what is so great about a republic.  "If you don't represent us, we will replace you with someone that will."

I agree, but the school board needs to represent everyone in the community, not just the folks that contribute to their election.

Well, your example is a little far fetched and also illegal to implement.  But if they came up with any stupid rule like that, see my comments above.  We would replace them.  It's been done before.

China has implemented this far-fetched idea in it’s provinces that fail to meet their population quotas.  The UN has openly discussed this in their General Assembly as a possible way to control the world’s population.  Since one county is already doing this and an organization that we are a member of is also discussing this issue:  is it really fair to say this might not be a possible outcome if we continue to have our freedoms restricted?

The important thing here is this:  Society has rules.  We oftentimes do not like all of them.

Governments must learn that certain rules will always lead to conflicts in which there are no winners.  If the school wants everyone to dress the same and act the same, perhaps they should talk to the cloners in the UK.  School is about trying new things and seeing what works and what does not.   There will always be idiots in the world.  It is a good lesson to learn to have to deal with them.  Lord knows I had to.  I also think that school boards have bigger fish to fry than dealing with some idiot boy with a fetish for metal.

Quoted: I'm all for it...................dress codes and standards

+1

It really does make a school appear trashy when kids are walking around with shit hanging from their faces.  Same thing with scantily clad girls, mohawks, etc.

Don't get me wrong.  I've dyed my hair purple and seriously contemplated piercing my eyebrow, lip, and nose.  In the end, I just stuck with the ears.  9 is enough for me.

Quoted:

I was going to commnent on this thread, but you can't really discuss anything in a reasonable manner with someone who believes that traffic laws are merely a "revunue generating" measure put down by the evil city govts.  

Quoted: Quoted: I mean can you really get a decent job with a chin piercing? ...Grow up, take it out, go to work, be productive...

CB:  Yes.  I have a labret (chin piercing), and yes I have a nice, typical, professional white collar twerp job.

AA:  I don't see what #2 has to do with 1, 3 & 4.  I have a stepkid in 7th grade down here in Florida.  Even in the 7th grade, teachers aren't checking spelling on written classwork.  We are 'those parents' that spend 90 minutes to an hour with her each night going over homework.  I cover math, her mother covers everything else.  It's even that way.

I guess my point is, I wish the school board would spend some time teaching the kid how to spell, and let *us* worry about her god damn jewelry (of which she has none, btw.  She thinks her mother and I are freaks for having it).

In the old days the jocks would have just beat the living dog shit out of him and the gilrs would have ignored him until he became a whining little piece of shit that no one wanted to talk to.

Quoted:  First off traffic codes are revenue generating devices for local counties/cities.

This is the silliest thing I read from you folks.

It is entirely wrong.  Anyone that believes it isn't worth spending the time debating.

School is about trying new things and seeing what works and what does not.

No.  It's not.

School is "about" learning to read, write, and to become educated.

It is not a "social experiment" to "try out" new things.

And one of the most important lessons a person must learn is, "I don't always get to do what I want."

One more example of why the founding fathers never even imagined setting up a public education system. Of all things, education is the one that the government is LEAST capable of performing. Planerench out.

Its not the codes that generate revenue.  It's improper prosecution of people violating some codes.  There is one suburb of Pittsburgh that generates 75% of its city budget from speeding tickets on a one mile stretch of highway.  

This happens a lot of places besides this one isolated area , the fact is many of these officers would be serving and protecting a lot more if they prowled around bars and watched stoplights for people running them last second after a yellow light.  

Spending all day giving people tickets for double parking and going 4 mph over the limit is not  my idea of serving and protecting .  I've seen this a lot in college towns with young out of state people that the police know parents will foot the bill  and the probably won't clog the courts too bad.  

I'll agree in some instances the authorities are revenue generators, not to mention providing themselves with job security.