Post Columbine Zero Tolerance Over Reaction

Since the recent incident at Columbine High School things have gotten worse when it comes to Zero Tolerance. Below is an example of how school administrators are over reacting with kids they know are good kids! The good news (if you can call it that) is they didn't expel the young man. From what I have been hearing, if this occurred in Louisiana they would have hauled this boy off to jail in full shackles!

By the way, Columbine High School has a Zero Tolerance policy for weapons (every school in Colorado and most of the country does). How come it didn't work? I think ZT policies are more effective at persecuting good kids for minor offenses...

Tracy's Story:

I just had a upsetting Zero Tolerance experience at our school with my son. Apparently, during art class, the students were using kerosene for something or another, and my son (in jest) said, "hey, anybody got a match???" The art teacher had a "talk" with him, (never informed me), and told him that because of the Columbine incident, kids weren't allowed to say that kind of stuff anymore.

She (the teacher) then "worried" about it all week, and finally discussed it with our principal, who then had another "talk" with my son. (This time the story changed and he was quoted as saying, "anybody got a match -- we can burn down the art room.) The principal informed him that in most schools, he would have been expelled, but that since this was his first "offense", she wouldn't "write him up on a report" this time. Furthermore, she made him write an apology letter to the teacher.

Frankly, not only am I disgusted with this whole thing..........it's just gone too darn far! And what is worse, I (his mother) was never contacted about this "incident" in the first place!!! I also have testimonials that he didn't say ANYTHING about "burning down the art room" which is ridiculous.

If my son had REAL discipline problems, I'd understand (his grade card says he gets along well with others and follows class rules), but he's an 11 year old normal kid, gets good grades, participates in sports, plays the trombone, etc. etc. He watches only about 1/2 hour of TV a day except on weekends, and all channels PG13 or below are blocked on our sets. He spends most days playing baseball or roller blading.

Incidentally, he's never been caught playing with matches, either!

Sincerely,

Tracy

Columbus, Ohio