School makes decision in discipline case

May 15, 2011 By Michael E. Lopez 2 Comments

The thing that’s newsworthy is that there’s actual decision-making going on, and not just the enforcement of some inflexible policy.  I consider this a good thing:

On Saturday, however, the headmaster, Beth A. Smith, announced a shift in policy. Now, she said, the school would decide whether suspended students could go to the prom on a case-by-case basis.

It’s a private school, not a public school, so we shouldn’t get our hopes up that zero tolerance will be ending any time soon. Nevertheless: this is a win.

Now if we can only get them to start making decisions about whether to suspend someone for hanging an invitation to a dance… there was a time when detention would have been considered overkill for such temerity.

(Of course, we all know that decisions mean lawsuits. Fun times.)

-->Filed Under: Culture, Zero Tolerance About Michael E. Lopez
Commentstim-10-ber says: May 15, 2011 at 9:20 am

Nashville is taking another look at this…four football players caught smoking pot before a football game this season will be allowed to “walk” and graduate with their class this month. This is huge and long, long over due…

Curmudgeon says: May 15, 2011 at 9:35 am

Interesting. Student hangs a sign on the wall, causing zero damage and requires no clean up, does not break the law, does not disrespect the school or bring any negativity upon it whatsoever – banned from the prom. People are outraged that he is punished. The school comes under heavy pressure and caves, saying there is a possible shift in policy.

In another case, four students were caught breaking the law. This is a fairly serious law, involving drugs which are tainted throughout production with death, extortion, and other criminal behavior. The school applies a punishment so lenient it’s funny, and people are effectively applauding the students having gotten away with it?

Methinks we need to return to some basics here.

If the law against drugs is bad, repeal it.
If the law against drugs is good, then enforce it.

Schools should not be in the habit of “covering” for illegal behavior.

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