Monday, October 22, 2007

Will the hysteria never end?

Some parents need to get a grip. And some school districts need new officials AND new policies.

Case in point:

2nd-Grader Suspended for Drawing of Gun


Oct 20, 4:41 PM (ET)


DENNIS TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) - A second-grader's drawing of a stick figure shooting a gun earned him a one-day school suspension.

Kyle Walker, 7, was suspended last week for violating Dennis Township Primary School's zero-tolerance policy on guns, the boy's mother, Shirley McDevitt, told The Press of Atlantic City.

Kyle gave the picture to another child on the school bus, and that child's parents complained about it to school officials, McDevitt said. Her son told her the drawing was of a water gun, she said.

A photocopy of the picture provided by McDevitt showed two stick figures with one pointing a crude-looking gun at the other, the newspaper said. What appeared to be the word "me" was written above the shooter, with another name scribbled above the other figure.

School officials declined to comment Friday. A message left at the superintendent's office Saturday was not returned.

Kyle drew other pictures, including a skateboarder, King Tut, a ghost, a tree and a Cyclops, the newspaper reported.





I just found out last week that here in the Clark County School District, their "zero tolerance for violence" policy calls for anyone involved in a fight to be suspended, even if students are defending themselves.

Even if a 6'4'' football player were to be whaling on my 5'2'' daughter, if she merely tried to block a blow, or tried to push him away, she'd be suspended, too.

And it wouldn't matter whether a teacher witnessed the whole thing and wrote down in his/her report exactly what happened, either.

Good-bye, scholarships. Good-bye National Honor Society.

Fuck you, Clark County School District!

I told Silver to avoid conflict as much as possible, of course, but to defend herself to the best of her ability if necessary.

I refuse to tell my daughter she should cower and let herself be beaten to a pulp without lifting a finger in self defense.

It just sickens me.

6 comments:

FHB said...

You said it. Get a grip!

Christina RN LMT said...

It just seems like insanity.

In an effort to avoid a person running amok, the schools have created an environment with perfect targets for just such a person.

If you hammer it in their heads enough "don't fight back", where is it going to end?

Just look at Virginia Tech...

Anonymous said...

Eventually, we're gonna have to get pissed off and take our country back.

Don B.

phlegmfatale said...

that zero tolerance thing is a load of crap. I mean, suspending EVERYONE, even the victim, shows a real streak of cowardice and an unwillingness to hold the real perps accountable. Wimps.

LBJ said...

Suspending the victim only reinforces their concept of them AS victim. Not exactly a concept we want to reinforce in our kids.

I was the wimpy skinny geeky shy kid that always got whomped on. Fortunately I came into my own once my hormones kicked in and I added the confidence of a college education and the bigger confidence builders - flying, gun and martial arts training.

I went back to my class reunion,in my early 40's. Almost 6 foot in high heels, strong, confident, I strode up to one of my past tormentors just to say "hi". They looked a little nervous. They asked what I did now. I said. "Well I used to be an airline captain, now I'm a federal agent." Open mouth. Dumbfounded look. And a VERY quick trip back to the bar before I decided to whomp THEM.

Petty? yes. . did it feel good? OH yes.

Christina RN LMT said...

Phlegm, I know!
Luckily, Silver has avoided any altercations, and she's been left alone for the most part (she says she's "invisible", I told her there are worse things to be in high school)!

Skywriter, wow, that sounds VERY satisfying, wish I coulda been a fly on the wall there!
I think I might eschew my twentieth HS reunion coming next year, and go to my 25, since I have many, many plans for self improvement!