tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2123919364122433432.post2232107063380723696..comments2023-09-25T03:57:22.736-06:00Comments on The Decorum Forum: Six-year-old Cub Scout terrorist nabbed in Delaware!Bob Newlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05388226473052858297noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2123919364122433432.post-66015212439304171002009-10-14T12:39:05.891-06:002009-10-14T12:39:05.891-06:00This is why I have a zero-tolerance policy for zer...This is why I have a zero-tolerance policy for zero-tolerance policies.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2123919364122433432.post-48534930196516199212009-10-14T12:04:52.030-06:002009-10-14T12:04:52.030-06:00Anonymous,
The Zero Tolerance policy was one of t...Anonymous,<br /><br />The Zero Tolerance policy was one of the school board's, not the state Legislature.<br /><br />They amended the policy yesterday, to leave such decisions to the school principal (which is where that responsibility SHOULD lie) for students in kindergarten and first grade. Second graders(7 and 8 year olds) will have to go to reform school.Michael Sanbornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06523147171085428754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2123919364122433432.post-20805812285446518042009-10-13T16:14:17.293-06:002009-10-13T16:14:17.293-06:00In south dakota there is a maximum 90 day suspensi...In south dakota there is a maximum 90 day suspension for bringing alcohol to school, a maximum 1 year suspension for violent behavior/possesion of a gun on school grounds. I know of a highschool student here in the Hills that was expelled for one year because he allowed another student to use his laptop to send racist emails threatening violence. The second student agreed that number one sent no racist emails, but the young man who did is the son of a school board member. And was truly not aware of the seriousness of the act, as is common among boys. <br /><br />The point of this rambling story is that we have left good sense behind long ago, especially in our schools where the folks that can't teach administer. ( In my opinion...)ThatOneGuynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2123919364122433432.post-68722699274672334802009-10-13T12:57:05.027-06:002009-10-13T12:57:05.027-06:00Michael - I understand your disgust...but in this ...Michael - I understand your disgust...but in this case it is misdirected. The School’s “Zero Tolerance policy” is a state law, passed by the state legislature. The Principal and Teacher really didn’t have any choice in the matter – it was suspend the kid OR break the state law. As we know in the state of South Dakota, just because it is a stupid law doesn’t mean you can break it.<br /><br />What we have here is a poorly written and conceived law. They tried to amend it once to give discretion to faculty and staff in the case of expulsions…but they did not amend the law in the case of suspensions. The teachers hands were tied – he had to send the kid to the office (because other kids had seen the knife – he knew that if one of them mentioned that to the wrong parent/etc. that there would be trouble) the principal’s hands were tied for the same reason. <br /><br />We can’t blame the educators for following the law that the state legislature passed and the governor signed. This was a law that was passed to score points in the polls. To look tough on teen violence. To look tough on crime. What it did was to make a 6 year old kid miss a bunch of school for bringing his new cub scout toy to school with him. <br /><br />I will point out that this is a perfect example of “mandatory minimum sentencing” and how it takes all decisions out of a judge’s(or in this case, a principal’s) hands, and makes a punishment that does not fit the crime.<br /><br />Anthony D. RenliAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com