Your first thought was probably “finally, a newspaper that is concerned about all the idiotic suspensions for kids who do something like make a pop tart gun or makes a gun with their fingers or something”. Nope. Here’s the Editorial Board
THE NEWS is full of instances in which deficits in common sense produce bad outcomes. But rarely is the deficit so clear, or the outcome so wretched, as in the case of a sixth-grade boy in Bedford County, Va., who received a year-long suspension from school for possessing a single leaf of marijuana — which, on closer inspection, turned out not to be marijuana at all.
The pupil, who is 11, was enrolled in a gifted-and-talented program not far from Roanoke when an assistant principal found the leaf in his backpack in September. Leave aside the possibility — hardly remote in middle school — that the leaf may have been planted as a prank, which the boy’s parents suspect is the case; the leaf was not in dried, smokable form, and there is no suggestion that the boy smoked, sold or purchased this particular leaf — or any other.
The boy was suspended for a year and charged in juvenile court with possession. Then, whoops, they realized that it wasn’t even marijuana. But, the school did not back down, noting that policy prohibits imitation drugs. The parents, both teachers (who would probably freak out if a kid made “bang bang” sounds) sued the school and the sheriff’s department. The school ordered the child to undergo a substance abuse evaluation.
“But by then,†wrote Dan Casey, who broke the story in the Roanoke Times, “the boy had other problems.†His parents says he now suffers from depression and panic attacks and fears being in public. Hardly surprising if you remember that this is an 11-year-old.
He was finally allowed to return to school, but a different one, and is on super-secret double probation, meaning, one slip up, and he’s out.
Whatever damage that single leaf could have done, even if it had been marijuana, cannot possibly compare to the harm that has resulted from the school system’s policies and actions. The real question is: Why couldn’t anyone in Bedford County figure that out?
This begs the question: why hasn’t the Washington Post EB stood up for all the kids treated in the same manner when it comes to fake guns, made with fingers, pop tarts, cookies, as well as water pistols?
Teach the days that kids can bring weapons to school or things that look like weapons are long gone Parents would rather have the schools err on the side of caution
One day coming home from the farmers market where well sold plants I stopped at the grocery store and then headed home. About 10 minutes after arriving home two sheriff’s deputies knocked on the door and informed me that I was seen transporting marijuana plants.
I pointed to the van in the driveway and said that it was still loaded and was unlocked so take a look. After a quick look they returned and said the plants were not marijuana but some of them sure had leaves that looked like marijuana.
The plants were about 20 different varieties of Japanese Maples and I have heard over and over that some of the varieties sure look like marijuana.
The question I have is how could the idiots running the school say that he had imitation drugs if he had a natural leaf of another plant like a Japanese Maple?
If the leaf was not planted on him I can sure understand plucking a leaf like that because on close inspection the details in the leaves are beautiful or if he thought it was marijuana kids are kids and one leaf is curiosity or bragging rights. A bunch of leaves might cause me to ask questions.
If I was going to school in today’s environment and being a very stubborn kid that hated school with a passion (loved books and learning) I would be drawing pictures of guns and collecting marijuana looking leaves in hopes of getting suspended. In my school days it was much harder to get suspended but it was great when it happened, no sneaking around like when cutting school.
I wonder if kids of today are taking advantage of these policies?
Parents would rather have the schools err on the side of caution
Because a picture is dangerous? Because a poptart is a weapon?
I hate to break this to you john, but these policies aren’t supported by parents. They are loathed by parents and kids.
The people that make the policies are similar to you – left leaning liberals who cannot think logical or critically.
Repubicum state legislatures nationwide are running an experiment by allowing teachers and staff to have firearms in schools.
Some argue it is unconstitutional to limit where a legal gun owner can carry a firearm, i.e., 2nd Amendment rights supersede the rights of businesses or schools to limit firearms on the premises.
So pictures, toys and Pop-Tarts won’t be an issue.
Really? You went down that path with your insult?
What are you? A adult in years but a 13 year old in insults?”
Hey! Another Jeffery straw man!!
Of course, those things still are an issue, but as usual, facts don’t matter to you.
[…] friend William Teach over at the Pirate’s Cove writes about 11 year old kid who was suspended from school in Virginia for…..well, the reason is […]
You consider recognizing the right-wing nice-putsch, part of which is sending armed teachers to school, an insult?