Common sense, long on the run in the USA, was found in the halls of a public school recently, cornered by administrators, and was strangled to death. Reportedly, after so many years of being in hiding, it didn’t put up much of a fight.
I bring this up because a seven year old was suspended from school for bringing a novelty pen that buzzed when someone held it. Dude, you don’t suspend Ralph Malph in training.
Tech Dirt reports:
On January 15, 2013, G boarded his bus “armed” with a novelty pen that emitted a small buzz when touched, and showed it to some friends. At some point during the trip to school, the bus driver noticed the pen, asked to see it and then confiscated it from G.
Three days later, the principal of Hershey Elementary, Joy MacKenzie, called G’s parents and told them their son had violated the school weapons policy. They were asked to remove him from the school immediately and then handed down a four-day suspension for his violation. At no point were G’s parents allowed to contest the decision.
What a joke.
September 29, 2013 at 4:26 pm
Not as egregious as the NYC public school that called the parents to question their child's absence from classes after he drowned on a school trip.
September 29, 2013 at 8:20 pm
Another good reason to homeschool or get your child into a good private Catholic school.
September 29, 2013 at 9:40 pm
Proving yet again that school board elections matter.
Also, proof that so-called 'zero tolerance' policies exist not for the
sake of students, or for parents, or for education in general, but as
a CYA for administrators– even in defiance of common sense.
September 29, 2013 at 10:42 pm
I predict that the school district will drag out the lawsuit as long as they can, and if they are ruled against, they will file appeal after appeal. That's what happens when parents challenge schools in court. The schools have the luxury of tax dollars, and will use them to beggar any upstart litigant into submission.
Dave P.
September 30, 2013 at 2:49 pm
His parents should have taught him not to use that pen without a condom
September 30, 2013 at 4:31 pm
until people leave in droves and sue like gay activist or the aclu, not much will happen. Time to homeschool again.