Sun editorial:

No common sense

Zero-tolerance policies in the schools lead to ridiculous punishments and should be changed

Thursday, Oct. 15, 2009 | 2:06 a.m.

Zachary Christie, a Delaware 6-year-old, was so excited about joining the Cub Scouts this year that he brought a camping utensil with him to school to eat lunch. When administrators saw the utensil, which can be used as a fork, spoon or knife, they suspended Zachary for bringing a “weapon” to school.

The Christina School District, where Zachary is a student, has a zero-tolerance policy, so he was suspended and ordered to attend reform school for 45 days.

Zachary’s family has rightly been fighting the punishment. More than 37,000 people have signed an online petition calling for the school board to overturn the punishment. More than 150 people showed up at a school board meeting Tuesday night. Before anyone spoke, the board voted to modify its policy, softening the punishments for kindergarten and first grade students. Zachary will be allowed to return to school.

Still, school officials have defended the policy, noting that any weapon on campus can be dangerous. School policy, based on the state’s zero-tolerance law, calls for a student caught with a knife to either be expelled or sent to reform school, regardless of whether the student had any ill intent.

Last year a fifth grade girl in the same school district faced expulsion because her grandmother sent her to school with a cake and a knife to cut it. After her teacher used the knife to cut the cake, she sent the girl to the principal’s office. The school board overturned the expulsion because it said the girl never technically possessed the knife.

This isn’t a situation limited to Delaware. Across the country the one-size-fits-all approach has created a surge of suspensions. The New York Times reported that recent studies show that in the 2006-07 school year, 10 percent of students in Baltimore and 40 percent of fourth graders in Milwaukee were suspended, mostly for behavior issues.

The zero-tolerance polices show students that the punishment does not fit the alleged crime, and that is the wrong lesson to teach. States and schools should rework these policies to restore common sense.

Discussion: 8 comments so far…

By dwms

10/15/09 at 2:11 a.m.

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CCSD has its own lack of common sense. The class action against CCSD is ignored by Chair Terri Janisen who refuses to address complaints electronically filed on the CCSD website. YOUR RIGHT!
By KillerB

10/15/09 at 8:10 a.m.

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Across the nation schools whine for more and more funding, yet can't seem to consistently turn out classes who can functionally read, write and do their sums. But those kids sure know who to call when they've been "abused." Seems to me schools are more about social engineering and teaching conformity to a totalitarian ideal than real education.

Good call here, Sun.

dwms -- what's that end phrase you keep using supposed to mean?
By dwms

10/15/09 at 9:01 a.m.

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YOUR RIGHT! is a watchdog organization of child caretakers whose children have suffered wrongful deaths, abuse and neglect due to the policies and procedures of Clark County.

"No common sense" can be legally interpreted to mean "conflict of interest". Under the "Honest Services Statute" this translates to billions in lawsuits to Clark County for neglect (according to their liability carrier) and fraud under the May 2009 Fraud and Recovery Act. Under St of NV resident Abdullah Al-kidd v. US Attorney Generals, now the State of NV taxpayers can attach government officials personal assets when seeking compensation for damages. YOUR RIGHT!
By Paul_D

10/15/09 at 11:14 a.m.

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Meanwhile, in Arvada, CO . . . . a teacher takes a cell phone away from a disruptive student, and is attacked by the girl. The girl was physically restrained by co-students, and the teacher was unharmed. BUT -- nothing happened to the girl! So far, no disciplinary action at all.

Whatever happened to common sense?
By POWERPLAY

10/15/09 at 11:19 a.m.

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MAN IL TELL YOU DO I EVER MISS THE GOOD OLD DAYS WHEN POLITICAL CORRECTINESS WAS NOT C##K BLOCKING HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND YOU COULD TALK AND ACT NORMAL TO OTHER PEOPLE EVERYDAY! Todays society (The Goverment) Justs wants to control people like little worker bees' It's like every year is 1984. These schools today are anti conservative' anti Republican' anti gun' (The school rifle club) Once again it's the 2% that wants to tell the other 98% how to live there lives.
By Purgatory

10/15/09 at 12:31 p.m.

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Mr. Sun, as you have long championed the thought police, I am surprised you haven't embraced this policy and are now opining for a case-by-case common sense approach...tsk, tsk, Mr. Sun...it would seem even you should have been careful what you ask for...tsk, tsk...
By Phargo

10/15/09 at 1:55 p.m.

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Zero Tolerance..Thats what I have for all the stupid people running the schools. 6 year old kid brings a spoon to school and they real quick think COLUMBINE. Like I always said, kids that don't want to learn don't need teachers and the kids that want to learn don't need teachers.
By KillerB

10/15/09 at 6:27 p.m.

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Zero tolerance apparently means what a mature teenager must wear for a school photo. Check it out http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/oct...