100% FREE ONLINE DATING
sponsored links
| Topic: 6 year old suspended over spork | |
|---|---|
|
Edited by
raiderfan_32
on
Mon 10/12/09 01:09 PM
|
|
Zero Tolerance lands young cub scout in hot water after bringing cubscout tool to school
Cub Scout's "Weapon" Earns him Suspension 1st Grader Brings Camping Utensil to School for Lunch, But Zero Tolerance Weapons Policy Leads to 45-Day Suspension (CBS) A 6-year-old boy's excitement over joining the Cub Scouts may just land him in reform school for 45 days. Zachary Christie was suspended from his 1st grade class in Delaware's Christina School District after bringing a camping utensil - a combination knife/fork/spoon - to use at lunch, prompting calls to reexamine schools' zero-tolerance policy for bringing weapons to school, according to a New York Times report Monday. Zero tolerance policies were instituted in many school districts across the country, at least in part due to violence at Columbine and Virginia Tech, the report notes. Their rigid enforcement is designed to eliminate the appearance of bias or discrimination on the part of school officials. But residents, and some lawmakers, are now wondering why schools can't apply a more common-sense discretion to such instances. "It just seems unfair," said Zachary, who is being home-schooled while his mother, Debbie Christie, tries to fight the suspension. That involved Zachary appearing before a district disciplinary committee with his karate instructor and mother's fiancé vouching for him as character witnesses. "Zachary wears a suit and tie some days to school by his own choice because he takes school so seriously," his mother said. "He is not some sort of threat to his classmates." Christie started a Web site, helpzachary.com, to drum up support for her son. State Representative Teresa L. Schooley wrote the disciplinary committee, asking each member to "consider the situation, get all the facts, find out about Zach and his family and then act with common sense for the well-being of this child." But the strict enforcement of the policy has its supporters. "There is no parent who wants to get a phone call where they hear that their child no longer has two good seeing eyes because there was a scuffle and someone pulled out a knife," said George Evans, the school district board's president. There has been a move to give school officials more flexibility in "weapon"-related incidents. After a third-grade girl was expelled for a year after bringing in a knife to cut the birthday cake her grandmother sent in to the class, a new law was passed allowing officials to modify punishments on a case-by-case basis. But that was for expulsions, not suspensions as Zachary is faced with. Another revision to the law is being drafted to address suspensions, according to the report. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/10/12/national/main5378839.shtml |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Oh my word, where the heck has common sense gone?????
Some kids you just look at them and use a stern voice and that works. It's the kids that don't give a crap what you say or do. This kid is apparently a good student and doesn't deserve this kind of treatment. Common sense "wooooooosh" right out the window. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Oh my word, where the heck has common sense gone????? Some kids you just look at them and use a stern voice and that works. It's the kids that don't give a crap what you say or do. This kid is apparently a good student and doesn't deserve this kind of treatment. Common sense "wooooooosh" right out the window.
Common Sense is not so common - Voltaire |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
if it's a combination knife/fork/spoon, then that isn't a normal spork right?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
if it's a combination knife/fork/spoon, then that isn't a normal spork right? Ah you are right!  Spoon + fork = spork
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
if it's a combination knife/fork/spoon, then that isn't a normal spork right? Ah you are right! Spoon + fork = spork
and this one had a knife. when I think of spork...I think the plastic ones at fast food restaurants...not like a swiss army type of knife IMO a yr old boy doesn't need something like that unless there is a parent RIGHT THERE with him |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I had a swiss army knife when I was that kid's age.. I can't remember if I ever took it to school but having a pocket knife used to be a right of passage for little boys.. you got one just after you got to wear big-boy underwear, usually from your grandfather. That's who gave me mine..
still, Rose, I think the school over-reacted just a tiny bit.. and I think the school board president needs to have his head examined. "There is no parent who wants to get a phone call where they hear that their child no longer has two good seeing eyes because there was a scuffle and someone pulled out a knife," said George Evans, the school district board's president.
No parent has EVER gotten that phone call.. When was the last time a second grader gouged out the eyes of a classmate? And even if that was going to happen, what's to stop him from doing it with a pencil? By his rationalle, there shouldn't be anything within the reach of any kids that was any more dangerous than a cottonball. Come on, people! When will we realize that it's "intent" that drives crime and violence, not the implement?? If I wanted to hurt someone, I could do it just as easily with a ball point pen as I could a knife. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Edited by
yellowrose10
on
Mon 10/12/09 02:47 PM
|
|
I had a swiss army knife when I was that kid's age.. I can't remember if I ever took it to school but having a pocket knife used to be a right of passage for little boys.. you got one just after you got to wear big-boy underwear, usually from your grandfather. That's who gave me mine.. still, Rose, I think the school over-reacted just a tiny bit.. and I think the school board president needs to have his head examined. "There is no parent who wants to get a phone call where they hear that their child no longer has two good seeing eyes because there was a scuffle and someone pulled out a knife," said George Evans, the school district board's president.
No parent has EVER gotten that phone call.. When was the last time a second grader gouged out the eyes of a classmate? And even if that was going to happen, what's to stop him from doing it with a pencil? By his rationalle, there shouldn't be anything within the reach of any kids that was any more dangerous than a cottonball. Come on, people! When will we realize that it's "intent" that drives crime and violence, not the implement?? If I wanted to hurt someone, I could do it just as easily with a ball point pen as I could a knife. no...I think they did as well. My son had a pocket knife then too but I kept it for him and he never used it when an adult wasn't with him. but I had it and he wouldn't have taken it to school. I blame the parents IMO. the child could have cut himself or someone else on accident. I don't think the kid is a hardened criminal or anything though lol. the punishment is a bit extreme....then again when schools say zero tolerance...they mean it...right or wrong I do know some kids at that age do play around because of somethings they see on TV (not all do though) but yes someone could have accidently gotten hurt |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/12/education/12discipline.html
Maybe not, I'm sure this little cub scout was just proud to have it as he is a cub scout, not some troublemaker. I just think there are some kids with a mere threat of suspension, would never bring it again. A little boy, a cub scout with a "cool" thing. Some kids need stricter punishment than others. That's where common sense comes in. Deciphering the difference. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
it was probably like this...
ummmm...why can't something like this just be confiscated and held for the day with a note sent home? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I think they went too far myself....but
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
it was probably like this...
ummmm...why can't something like this just be confiscated and held for the day with a note sent home? Exactly! Common sense "wooooosh" out the window! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
That's the problem I have with zero tolerance. At this rate, kids won't be able to go to school anymore.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This is an easy one. Ridiculous.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
That's the problem I have with zero tolerance. At this rate, kids won't be able to go to school anymore. exactly.. sooner or later they'll take sharpened pencils out of their hands.. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
That's the problem I have with zero tolerance. At this rate, kids won't be able to go to school anymore. exactly.. sooner or later they'll take sharpened pencils out of their hands.. and they'll ban knives in the kitchen for fear the worker might go "postal". Hmmm, cafeteriostal? 
|
|
|
|
|
