Zero Tolerance

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Here in Ohio we have zero tolerance in the school district against weapons. As it should be.

But, tell me what in your opinion constitutes a weapon? I read recently where a child made a paper gun and got into trouble.

At my son's school they have expelled children for box cutters, and other weapons. The principal told me that NONE of those suspended in her opinion were going to harm any. In most cases, the weapons confiscated were brought in by mistake. Forgot they were in bookbag, etc.

I do not condone violence. Let me get that clear.

Once a child is suspended it is then onto an Expulsion hearing and the child is expelled from 60-180 days. They are then left to be at home and fail.

Anyone here have different laws than this? It is an important question to me.

I appreciate the input.

-- sumer (shh@aol.con), March 31, 2001

Answers

What constitutes a weapon? You know, the usual. Fingernail clippers, nailfile, chop sticks, round rubber sphere being thrown as a "dodge ball", piece of chicken held like a gun, etc.

-- Cou Koo (nuts@insaneasylum.net), March 31, 2001.

Zero tolerance policies are intended to absolve the administrators from having to use judgment. Any time you have to use judgment, someone somewhere can accuse that judgment of being poor. Administrators would rather look like prime idiots than accept absolutly normal childhood behavior and later have someone go postal. Because sure enough, the victims will say "If you hadn't let that child pretend a chicken leg was a gun a couple years back this would never have happened." And how can you show they're wrong?

So we're seeing CYA taken to extremes that make you wonder if there's any intelligent life down here after all.

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), March 31, 2001.


"If you hadn't let that child pretend a chicken leg was a gun..."

LOL, leg with thigh attached ... of course!

-- Debra (Thisis@it.com), March 31, 2001.


The public schools in our urban areas have become a most dangerous place for our children, and their teachers. The recent rash of shootings are just the tip of the iceberg and we had better find a solution before it is too late.

-- No more (mr@nice.guy), March 31, 2001.

Yes, school shootings happen now and then. But so far I haven't heard of a single incident that a zero-tolerance policy would have even slowed down in the very least. I don't know the right answer, but I can see this isn't it.

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), March 31, 2001.


*piece of chicken held like a gun* LOLOL

-- (cin@cin.cin), March 31, 2001.

Hey sumer,

Nice to see ya back posting again.

I read that story about the kid with the paper gun also. He was pointing the thing at several classmates and threatening verbally to shoot them. I think he was in the second grade. He couldn't have possibly realized what the implications were to his actions. Part of the zero tolerance policy is to wake these kids up...make examples of them, so others won't follow in their footsteps.

Where I live, if this sort of thing happened he probalby would have been suspended for the max. of ten days (the weapon being a paper product and all.)

If it was a real weapon, he would have been expelled.

There are schools for 'troubled children' in our area. I have a neighbor that attends one. He brought a knife to school and was expelled, he also suffers from manic depression. So I'm not sure if he got into that school because he has a mental problem. If he didn't have a mental/medical problem, I don't know what would have happened to him. He was about 13 when this happened.

There's also the option of home schooling too.

-- Peg (pegmcleod@mediaone.net), April 01, 2001.


Here they are trying a new alternative program, putting the children at the YMCA till school is out so they wont fail.

Home schooling is great for those who are capable. :-)

-- sumer (shh@aol.con), April 01, 2001.


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