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More "no tolerance" = "no brains"
A Chandler AZ 8th grader has been suspended for drawing a crude doodle of a ray gun. That's all -- just doodling it.
"Chandler district spokesman Terry Locke said the school is not allowed to discuss students’ discipline records. However, he said the sketch was “absolutely considered a threat,” and threatening words or pictures are punished."
Ah, things have changed since I went to school under the Old Nuns. You could have sent one a specific death threat and she would never have acknowledged it. That would be wimpy. She would have torn your arm off and beaten you to death with it, then called upon God to raise you from the dead so she could repeat the experience. It would be like spitting on a USMC drill officer, except that the DO only *thinks* he has a direct pipeline to God, the Old Nuns were 100% certain of it. And one experience, which I may relate someday, suggests that that belief was not totally out of line. Let's just stay these were women about 5'2" high who (a) knew what you were thinking at every second; and (b) held absolute moral dominance of you; and (3) could, if you go too far out of line, beat the holy living __ out of you and otherwise call down consequences you would not even want to think about.
By today's standards, of course, they would have wilted our fragile egos. In reality, they taught us well, turned sociopathic little snots into people who behaved with decency and respect, removed most worries about bullies (a bully would usurp their roles, and would get the most severe of punishments) and in short trained us very well to live in a world in which nobody would be kissing our precious posteriors.
Comments
Note that the parents weren't even allowed to make a copy of the drawing. I guess the school officials thought a copy would be every bit as dangerous as the original--thus, making a copy would double the danger!
Once again, all I can say is, "How far we have fallen."
Posted by: refugee at August 22, 2007 02:55 PM
Unfortunately, non-thinking zero-tolerance idiots like these school administrators effectively hide behind the costs the legal system imposes on attempts to curb this kind of garbage.
The taxpayer winds up paying to defend the indefensible when low-achieving petty tyrants use their position in the schools to go on these ridiculous power trips.
Do you think it would be possible for these educrats to understand the difference between a symbol and the thing itself?
At least the school didn't rush to bring in the police and the prosecutors and cry felony this time. On the other hand, now this kid has a permanent mark on his record, and in most cases it is just not economically possible for most people to to pursue justice.
Posted by: Bill at August 22, 2007 03:52 PM
Public education truly is a through-the-looking-glass experience these days. I pity those who can't homeschool or send their kids to private school.
Posted by: Sertorius at August 22, 2007 07:26 PM
Good lord, in junior high my notebooks were literally covered with my bored drawings of swords, daggers, battleaxes, tanks, warplanes, battleships, and, of course, AC/DC, Van Halen, Uncle Ted, and Led Zep logos.
I turned out OK.
Posted by: Letalis at August 22, 2007 08:11 PM
Not in my school. Last kid we suspended over weapons announced to his morning bus that he was going to shoot two younger kids.
I don't put up with this ZT bull.
Posted by: Don Gwinn at August 23, 2007 06:12 AM
I grew in those older times. It bothers me that teachers and school administrators have lost their minds. But I have no kids. Considering what now prevails in schools, I'm thankful that I don't. If I had a child in that system it would drive me nuts.
Posted by: Flash Gordon at August 23, 2007 08:48 AM
You make a big public stink at the next school board meeting. About how the junior high administrators acting on their hysterical delusions. Trying to keep the offending image secret. The real lesson is to teach how to comply with a totalitarian society with no clearly defined rules, rational discussion, actions that might stand up to public scrutiny, and how the authorities will come down on you for their own secretly known phobic reasons. This is a serious symptom of where society is headed.
Posted by: The Mechanic at August 23, 2007 08:55 AM
Remember, these are the folks who claim that they're teaching kids how to think.
Posted by: Andy Freeman at August 23, 2007 06:12 PM
No, they're trying to teach our kids NOT to think, not to say or do or think anything offensive, even in play. just be a good little Sheeple.
Damn the NEA, take the whole class to the range and teach them how to shoot.
Where is the school Rifle Team when you need them?
Posted by: Doug in Colorado at August 24, 2007 10:39 AM
I have a sister with a PHD and a brother-in-law with a master's in education, they are two of the most ignorant people I know. I love them, but it doesn't make them any smarter, they walk in lockstep with this kind of stupid crap. What makes it worse is they both carry for their protection, but wish to deny it to everyone else.
Maybe I don't love them, could be I am just obligated to family.
Posted by: straightarrow at August 24, 2007 04:51 PM