Mom's public punishment stirs debate

TAMPA - A Tampa mother is getting attention for some unconventional parenting.

Ronda Holder is forcing her 15-year-old son James Mond to stand on various Tampa street corners holding a sign detailing his bad grades.

Some cheer her approach as tough love; others question whether it's too much.

The sign says he only answered four questions on his FCAT and has a 1.222 GPA. The sign asks passersby to "honk if I need an education."

"Until he straightens up his grades and gets his education on track, he's going to work this corner," said Holder, with her son at Hillsborough Avenue and 22nd Street Wednesday.

James looks embarrassed, and that's the plan, says his mother.

"You take the phone. You take things from them," Holder said. "It don't work, so embarrassing is the best thing. He don't like to get embarrassed."

What do other parents think?

"I don't think embarrassing them would definitely encourage them to do better. If anything, they may try to lash out," said Belinda Aviles of Tampa.

"I'm shocked. I mean it must've been a last resort for her to do that. Maybe that was her last resort. Maybe she's tried everything else," said Linda Schnell, who says she would never give such a punishment to her son.

Psychologist Stacey Scheckner believes the approach will backfire.

"Embarrassment and shame is not really healthy for a young person's mind growing up," Dr. Scheckner said.

She says humiliating your children hurts their self esteem and makes them angry, resulting in them acting out.

"The amygdala is the emotion center and frontal lobe is where your I.Q. is. So, if it's affecting him emotionally, then how is he really figuring out two plus two equals four," explained Dr. Scheckner.

James' mother realizes her parenting is unorthodox, but says it's because she cares and doesn't want her son to become a dropout. She says James will be on the corner for one week.

"He don't like it and I'm probably the baddest parent in the world right now, but he'll be okay," she said. "In the long run, he'll thank me for it."

Dr. Scheckner believes Holder probably means well, but the psychologist suggests that frustrated parents reach out to school counselors or seek family therapy for help.