Wow…harsh!! If this is truly a misunderstanding of the rules and this girl was actually working a project I think the punishment really doesn’t fit the “crime”. This could affect her entire life–I certainly hope their decision wasn’t made in haste?

That said, I guess one could argue in this day & age EVERYONE needs to know AUTOMATICALLY that certain actions will result in quick and harsh judgment fair or not.

That’s the world we live in although we shouldn’t throw out common sense just to adhere strictly to rules without considering the circumstances. Laws and rules cannot be cut in stone because every situation is different and, at times, there could be a legitimate explanation as it seems in this case.

Good luck to all involved in that one…

I am the mother of that child. Not only do these draconian policies make a mockery of our justice system and our schools, it gives power to a very deft and dangerous group of pin heads. There is so much more to this story; intimidation, lying, strong arm tactics, threats, coercion, and just plain stupidity.

Anyone in Delaware who wishes to help change these policies may sign an online petition at http://home.comcast.net/~petoc/home.html or go directly to the petition at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/de_child_rights_petoc/

Marie Perkins

I’m sorry - but this girl was 12 years old, not 5. She knew the policy as I’m sure her parents new. If she was working on a project at school, then the school should/would have provided her with the tools necessary to complete the job. If she didn’t have them, then she should have asked.

What rules do we now get to break - is everything open to personal interpretation? If you feel a rule is unjust, then you can just blindly ignore it because it no longer applies to you? Does that sound as stupid to anyone else as it does to me?

This girl was old enough to understand what the rules were and she violated those rules. If she were old enough to drive and was caught speeding, would she be allowed to go free because she needed to get home quickly because Oprah was on?

A friend of mine’s son was caught in a similar situation. He had a pocket knife in his pants pocket and forgot about it. He went to a school dance and a chaperone found out he had it on him. He was expelled because of their zero tolerance policy. I was sad that he was removed from school because of a stupid mistake, but I guarantee that he will think going a little more before going forward.

All we do with screaming around like harpies over things like this is show kids that rules do not apply if you cry loud enough. There is no accountability here anymore. Everyone thinks that they should be above the rules, crying at the drop of a hat like a spoiled little child - and that’s exactly what we are raising. Spoiled brats who behave abhorently and have no sense of propriety.

She made a mistake, one that is going to cost her a year out of school. Her parents can get her private tutoring (She’ll probably learn a lot more from them than she would have attending a year in public school anyway) and she can resume the following year.

It’s called RESPONSIBILITY folks - and it’s something we all have to do.

The 5 who voted for expulsion should be immediately removed from their elected position. Does the School District have impeachment of School Board as a option?

A note to Ms. Perkins,

There are many more parents like you out there who are fed up with the “pinheads” that won’t acknowledge that children can and will make mistakes. That’s why they need parenting and teachers, no?

When my son was in kindergarten, he pulled down his pants to show off his new “Sponge Bob” underwear”. Got a note sent home about “sexual acts” or some such and was SUSPENDED for a couple of days. If I hadn’t been so angry at the stupidity, I would have been laughing my arse off at these fools!!!

God Bless you and your family. I’m sure that your Daughter will become a stronger person for this. And probably do better in another school to boot.

I think it’s time we wrest control away from these ‘zero tolerance’ fools, and put it back in the hands of thinking adults, where it belongs. There’s no reason that ‘zero tolerance’ even needs to exist. Each case considered on its own merits is how to do it. Zero tolerance isn’t saving time or lives or anything but thought, and what are these officials paid for, if not thinking?

“Bill in Racine” is completely missing the point and is probably just a troll trying to incite people.

So “Bill” let’s put it very simply, just for you. First of all, don’t reverse the logic. We create rules in society for a reason, we don’t obey rules just because they’ve been created.

Second, yes there should be a “reasonable” consequence for breaking a rule, but the problem with “zero tolerance” is that it, by definition, mandates the most extreme interpretation. The problem is how far do you go? How far is infinity? If you truly believe in zero tolerance, then why stop at a one year suspension. Heck, the death penalty is required here. Oh, wait, that doesn’t go far enough. What else can we do to her?

So “Bill in Racine”, where does this end?

Re: Zero Tolerance - The British legal system, as it applied to criminal or quasi-criminal offences, as it matured and developed in Canada, the U.S. and other countries, eventually adopted an approach where individual behaviour, backgrounds, motivations and circumstances were and are used by judges to fashion punishments appropriate to the individual, while keeping in mind the necessity for deterrence and protection of the public.

This development took many centuries and a lot of legal brainpower. The enlightenment and tolerance this represented was constantly in conflict with the intolerant, fundamentalist, or tyrannical influences of church and aristocracy which favoured a “zero tolerance” approach.

I wonder if proponents of “zero tolerance” realize that their views and behaviour are similar, if not identical, to those of those of the Catholic Inquisitioners who burned alleged witches and non-conformists at the stake, and those of Islam, who stone to death, cut the throats or hands of, or commit other unspeakable punishments upon, offenders against the extreme fundamentalist and intolerant strictures of that religion?

Our society is not as enlightened, at least in some quarters, as we’d like to think it was. I write this as a retired lawyer, judge and teacher of legal history.

Bill in Racine, about that speeding car idea you have. Your ideas are way off base. Think (if you can) about this…..

Suppose the girl has a friend who was just injured in whatever fashion, and her friend is now bleeding profusely.

Suppose the girl is caught speeding. In order to get her friend to the Emergency Room.

Do you know what happens then? (most likely not, since you’re apparently one of those draconian zero-tolerance flakes with no mind to use.)

She would NOT get a ticket for speeding, but would instead receive a POLICE ESCORT!! Change the circumstances, change the outcome.

The irony about zero tolerance is that it keeps no one safe. Instead it is used as a means to shield school administrators from liability. There is no brainless, one-size-fits-all justice. That’s what we have jury trials for. Unfortunately our children never get the Constitutional benefit of “innocent until proven guilty.” It’s just guilty all the way. Even murderers and child molesters have a better chance at a fair trial than these poor kids. One would think this is a deliberate way of getting the next generation used to oppression by government authority. It starts in school. This is not about rules: it is about CONTROL.

These school districts will reap what they sow, one day, when these “zero toleranced” children grow up and keep their children out of the public schools.

my 9 yr old was just expelled from his magnet school today for telling his friend that he had a pocket knife in his bookbag. he has no record of any kind, A student, is in the gifted ed program. he is in therapy because of a misdiagnosis of adhd and now will have to be slowly weened off the 3 meds. he is on. his behavior is extreme hyperness and excessive lying. this happened friday, he was searched and i was not called. our family had a great weekend, then took him and his sis to school monday when i recieved the call @ 10:00. he was allowed to stay in school that day too! we had to set up a conference for wed. this is when we were told that he would be expelled. he has never threatened anyone with the knife, he just flat out lied and said he had one in his bookbag.

Good job to all who understand the stupidity of the case.
Zero tolerance rules do not prevent injuries. She should have had supervision using the knife, as she would have at home. However, scissors are just as lethal as a utility knife. A reckless of violent student needs only one “weapon”.
The American Psychological Association knows that these policies only makes kids more anxious, knowing how easy it is to make a mistake with a common household object and end up expelled and/or arrested.
It makes no sense that an object that is a “tool” outside of school becomes a “weapon” in school. I will home-school my children as an adult if these kind of atrocities continue.