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Nightmare At Manatee High School I believe ZT in our schools endangers the very fabric of our society from a personal freedoms and American justice perspective. The kids that a learning this warped sense of justice will be adults some day. I thought the public school system was supposed to be the bedrock of a strong democracy??? Nancy's Story: A detective from the Bradenton Police department arrived on the scene dressed in a flack-jacket, 2 days before Thanksgiving. He along with the school resource officer did an in depth investigation and determined that while several boys were "talking inappropriately", they did NOT, as the principal, who had 5th hand nformation, threaten to shoot up the school! (see Actual Police Report) What happened next has been a nightmare. Two of the boys, my son included, have been expelled for 2 years. No final judgement has been received so no attorney can even appeal the damn thing. The decision was a "pre-decision" that was arrived at without the benefit of the detective's findings. The principal and the board were not willing to wait the extra day for the detective's summary. The result is that my son has been denied not only due process but he has been denied an education that my husband and I are still paying for. He was permanently expelled December 13, 1999 and we have been unable to place him in a private school because of the serious nature of the accusations and Manatee High School's refusal to grant any credits to him for work that he accomplished and passed with a B- gpa. Even if I could find an expensive school to take him, they would not be able to place him because of the latter. I have called the state board of education and found that absolute power has been granted to the local school board. In my opinion that has had a corrupting influence on this board and its administrators. I would be happy to share any information that you want but I'll bet you are inundated with stories such as this. Zero Tolerance doesn't work and one size doesn't fit all! Sincerely, P.S. The Florida ACLU assigned an attorney to my son for the expulsion
hearing. I do not know whether they will continue to defend him, but
we are not letting this drop. I am not so sure that the ACLU is going to continue with this case on an appeal. They did represent my son at a "kangaroo" court that had already decided to expel...heck with the facts! I have written a lengthy letter this evening to try and sway them to continue. The school board is dragging their feet and have not even produced a transcript of the hearing. Their are audio tapes of poor quality but you can hear snoring in the background. I was told by the school board's attorney that they don't have to give me a final order for 90 days, knowing full well that no school will accept him without it. The ACLU attorney cannot appeal without it either. I have had some time to dig around and found that our county, Manatee, has one third of all the schools that truant, delinquent or expelled children, are placed in for the whole state of Florida! There are 39 all together, we have 13. Hard to believe that our lovely west suncoast has so many bad kids....or do we? I'll let you know what happens. Sincerely, BTW, I have been barred from returning a library book for my son, not allowed on school grounds! I recieved a letter from the principal telling me that "staff members reported" that I made "comments that were innappropriate in front of MHS students on at least two occasions." Here are some of my "Inappropriate Comments:" A student around voting age asked me what I meant by civil rights after I explained to a secretary that had asked "what" I was at the school in reference to. I told the young man to read the Constitution and that when he came through the big glass doors of the school, he was STILL a citizen of the United States. I have also used the words "read the Bill of Rights" when
I have been asked about what was going on. At one point, a secretary
dialed her phone furiously and then three people came running at me.
I am a 53 year old mother and grandma, and a little over 5 feet tall.
I believed at the time that they meant to tackle me! It was a frightening
experience...I have osteoporosis and broke my wrist last year just putting
my shoes on. I did stand my ground and did say that they "should
be teaching it", not shutting people up for mentioning America's
greatest document! The main problem with this is that I wonder how anyone can discern what someone is looking for in the classified ads? Another point, even if he was looking at guns, there is no way that a 16 year old can legally purchase a gun, and I might add, it is not illegal or against school rules to look at the newspaper for anything, including guns. They actually have issues of "Leatherneck", a Marine publication, and have JROTC on the campus. His principal was upset that he said in his statement that he would like to own a gun when he's 18. She was further upset that he stated it was his Constitutional right under the second amendment. I just received a copy of the transcript yesterday and have spoken to the attorney from the ACLU that represented him at the expulsion hearing. I will be giving him the transcript on Tuesday but still haven't gotten the final order from the school board's attorney in order to file an appeal. This principal stated on at least two occasions that he (my son) asked about an attorney, giving her the belief that he must be guilty! FTR, although my son is not permitted to attend any public school here, he started in another public school here just last week. How did that happen? I asked the gentleman in charge of alternative schools at the administration, if he would listen to the tapes of the expulsion hearing. He did and agreed that my son should be back in public school, but not in his old high school. When I approached the principal and the counselor of the new school, I had on my person the formal charges by Mrs. Boyer and the findings of the Bradenton Police Department showing that she was wrong. My son is doing well and seems much happier. His former principal got one final dig in by giving him a "D" in a subject that he had a "B" in the first semester. Reason? He missed too much school....he was expelled! Not too vindictive! Sincerely, According to our new temporary superintendent (the other was "removed"), everything is to go through the school board's attorney, Gavin O'Brien, the individual that has been dragging his feet in getting the final order written so that both families can appeal this nutty expulsion! Neither Dr. Nolan nor attorney O'Brien has returned either of my phone calls last week. I also want you to know that the other student received his grade card
today. He received many low grades (from a previously A student) because
he missed too much school! I suppose being expelled is not a good enough
reason. The other mother has also been receiving numerous calls telling
her that her son has been "absent" from school. A big "DUH" for
Manatee County Schools. Thank you for posting the police supplement that clearly shows these kids may have been guilty of "inappropriate conversation," hardly a just cause for expulsion. Today I received a letter in the mail asking me to surrender my son's driver's licensee. Apparently his old principal decided to send his name in as being truant from school! In Florida this is cause for revocation of any permit or permanent license. My son has a good job at a local store, a new car and has been attending another school in this very school district. His grades are mostly A's with a few B's and he has had 2 days since January that he missed because of illness. Is this all wrong? You bet! I am disappointed also that the attorney that the ACLU sent to the hearing, will not appeal the expulsion that he defended my son for. I do have a letter stating that since there are so many real school violence cases, anyone merely accused is considered a lost cause and a lost case. I am appealing to the Florida ACLU to take a second look. Wish me luck! We are NOT giving up. This only stands to strengthen my resolve to get this board to do the right thing. If we can't find an attorney with backbone then we will file the appeal ourselves. There is nothing to lose and I still believe that the truth has to be told. Our children need to see us stand for something and integrity is a good lesson to teach them. I have heard from the other mother involved that she may be able to get an attorney from legal aid to help her and her son. She refuses to give in or knuckle under too. We have a beginning here in Manatee County. The more parents that band together, the stronger we are. Sincerely,
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