What is Digg?123 Comments
- Blackscorpion, on 10/12/2007, -0/+24The poor kid faces the same penalty for doing the right thing as he would have faced if he would have kept it quite and got busted with it. This is a great example of why some kids grow up to be such screwed up adults. This is what should have happened. Student report directly to the principal or whoever and tells them what has happened. The principal takes the knife and calls the parents to inform them of the situation. One of the parents goes to the school and picks up the knife. Tell the kid that accidents do happen but don't let it happen again. It's done and over with. What can I say, I live in a dream world.
- bigtimepelham, on 10/12/2007, -4/+19I go to school every day with a Swiss Army Knife in my pocket, teachers have seen it before, it's a common tool for a mans pocket, WTF?
- raitchison, on 10/12/2007, -1/+16When zero tolerance policies attack, film at 11
Though after reading the RTFA it appears this needs to go to a hearing, and if this get even a little bit of media attention that's not likely to happen - OwenX, on 10/12/2007, -6/+17He should go back and stab them.
"There! Now you can expell me." - LoadStar, on 10/12/2007, -1/+12This isn't even a problem with zero tolerance. This is a problem strictly with the principal. He states that the student was a model student, that he did the right thing... then somehow uses this to defend a decision to expel the student? That's a stunning demonstration of no logic at all.
Although, this feels like some of my performance reviews... "... he is a model employee, dedicated to fiscal responsibility, and helps to improve the productivity of all in his workgroup. Therefore, we recommend no salary increase at this time, and no merit bonus should be awarded." Maybe the kid should thank the principal for preparing him for the real world. - drbroccoli, on 10/12/2007, -1/+11Swiss army knives arn't typically the knives you use as weapons. They're tools. These people are idiots. I did the same thing in middle school. I turned the knife in. Reclaimed it after school. Of course, my teachers were accually intelligent.
- dtfinch, on 10/12/2007, -1/+11Anyone who supports zero tolerance and mandatory sentencing should be imprisoned for 10 years, without exception. ;-)
- vjgx, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10*sigh* This is yet another reason why I hate today's school system...
Zero Tolerance Policies shouldn't really be "zero-tolerance." There are times like this where they should really just let the stupid rules go. - peregrine, on 10/12/2007, -3/+12I love it when teachers are so scared of getting in trouble they push their problems off on any child that does anything even remotely bad. I also love it when the good guy looses.
/sarcasim - JimXugle, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10*sigh* if only it were so.
I once forgot my cell phone in my pocket and went to school with it. I live in PA, where it's a state law that cell phones arnt allowed in school. I slouched down in my seat (what can I say... it was a boring lesson) and the phone fell out of my cargo pants pocket onto the floor. *oops* I grabbed it quickly and shoved it back in my pocket. The teacher had noticed and started to ask questions. I made up some lie about how I had left like $70 in my wallet and it was the thign that had fallen out of my pocket. If I had told her the truth, I would have lost the cell phone until I graduate... in 2009.
Now, I'm in high school and people carry phones around and think nothing of it.
Once upon a time:
Kid: Ms. S. I have a text message on my phone... can I read it?
Ms. S: No. and I dont want to see your phone or it's mine.
Kid: Ok. Can I go to the bathroom then?
Ms. S: Ok. But the phone stays with me.
Kid: Ok *hands phone to teacher*
Ms S: *writes bathroom pass, hands to kid*
The kid walks out of the room, the other students tell the teacher to read the message (which she needs help with) and the kid comes back
Ms. S: You have such deep conversations *insert kid's name*. The text was from *insert other student's name* and it says "hey"
Kid: Oh. Ok
Ms. S: *hands back phone*
yeah. welcome to the publich school system. - spectre_25gt, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8And here's a perfect example of what this situation is teaching kids.
- ejectMedia, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8he didn't mean to bring a knife in the first place, he forgot it was in his pocket
- trod13, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8WTF, the kid did was what right. I mean come on. It wasn't like he was gonna use if he turned it in. They should give him a pat on the back. Not many guys i know turn in things like that, ( and I mean pocketknives, not anything else). Shows you how bad the school system is.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7I am a student who does heavy tech work at my high school, and yes it's ridiculous. I can't carry around a leatherman or any tools; if I'm "out in the field" {away from the tech room; usually rare}, I either have to take a hike to find a damned screwdriver, or totally macgyver it with some nifty tricks i've learned.
It's totally ridiculous. It's stuff like this that makes your stomach churn. That boy should be commended instead of slapped in the face. Honesty and integrity make good people, zero-tolerance policies destroy them. This kid's academic track record is like that of an astronauts... don't ruin him.
To quote the Juggernaught:
"Are you a f**kin' ass?" - Philoushka, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9God Bless the USA. Shoot first, ask questions later !!
- Nick22, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7Seriously, someone needs to take action against this pathetic school system which, in theory is good, but in practice its just alot of idiots teaching stuff and exploiting their power. I would do it myself, but I am not passionite about it and also who is gona listen to a 14 year old? Meh...
- Silencer7, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7That's such an irresponsible opinion!!! Not only was this student in possession of a thin piece of metal, the tool in question most likely had a tiny metal scissors, a smaller blade, a toothpick and even a tweezers, all of which can induce grievous bodily harm on other students. Left unsaid in the article is how many other weapons he was carrying, such as sharpened #2 pencils, notebooks containing up to 120 PAGES--each with skin-slicing edges--, ball-pointed pens, huffable whiteboard markers, throat-choking erasers and poisonous correcting fluid. The mere fact of his possession and capability to handle these items implies the intent to endanger other students, and our nation's children are too precious to risk the integrity of their learning environment.
- superrcat, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7And society wonders why kids don't talk openly with adults.
- WaterDragon, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9"Swiss army knives arn't typically the knives you use as weapons."
Well...what if you are in the Swiss army? - stogey25, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6so, if you go to google and search Stonybrook Middle School, the first site to come up is for this school, and you can find the prinipal's email there (i won't post it on here). i think it'd be a nice show of support if we could email this guy and tell him that punishing a responsible student who does exactly what you'd want him to do isn't the right course of action.
- cfazzini, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7Did you even read the story? The kid was using it the day before, and accidently left it in his coat pocket. ***** like that happens, frequently.
- raccettura, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6FYI contact information for anyone who wants to express that resignation would be honorable considing the poor judgement used could find such info here:
http://stonybrook.warren.k12.in.us/administration/ - Godric, on 10/12/2007, -7/+12Does anyone expect any different from public schools? The people there aren't educators. They're bureaucrats. If they were smarter and more qualified, they'd be teaching in private schools, community colleges, or universities where the pay and intellectual challenges are greater. Now that I'm older, I can look back on my gradeschool and highschool teachers with some perspective. With one or two exceptions they are people who, if they were in my peer group, I would consider dull, boring and just plain mediocre.
- master_of_fm, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5had you had read the article you would have known that he was using the knife the day prior and accidental left it in his jack. he discovered this on the way to school and did the responsible thing. personally i dont leave the house with out one of my benchmades, but i have been out of high school for almost 10 years now so it really doesnt count
- nazadus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5He forgot the knife and (basically) went "oops, guys, I forgot this. mind holding it for me?"
I carry my knife _everywhere_ I go. Granted, I'm from Texas -- but still, it doesn't leave my side.
I could start the "you can make anything a weapon" but that horse has been beaten to death and their are no obvious winners, only morals and principals (which for all of us are different). - alevel27mage, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5"Elliot informed me that he had a knife in his coat pocket because he was working outside on some wooden objects the day before. Elliot put the knife into his pocket after he completed the tasks and forgot to remove the knife from his coat ... Realizing that the knife was an item he should not have on school property, Elliot immediately went into the main office and handed the knife to our school treasurer."
Yeah, actually, they did. They said he was responsible, but still suspended him. Go team Public School System! - Jolene, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5RTFA. He accidentally brought his pocket tool to school. Instead of hiding it and risking the chance of getting caught with it and accused of maybe having the intent of trying to use it as a weapon (which is stupid with pocket tools.) he walked into the office right when he got to school to hand it over and said that it was an accident.
I know your perfect and all, but sometimes other people make mistakes. He was doing the right thing and taking care of it the best way he knew how. - kiranlightpaw, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5I guess I just don't understand what the big deal is. I've only been out of high school about six years or so, and even in grade school I routinely carried a knife on me. Several teachers would routinely ask me to borrow it or to open things for them.
For God's sake, it's a pocket knife! It's not like he walked in with a loaded 9mm. Have things changed this much in six years? - BGFeltenink, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Got any proof of that? Somehow I doubt my university professor is getting paid less than my high school teachers.
- raccettura, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7IMHO those "educators" should loose their license over this crap.
Enough is enough... if you can't make the right judgement call in such a situation, is there any reason to believe you should be in charge of a school full of children? Absolutely not.
I think once you prove yourself unable to perform your job (which they did), they should lose their job. Bottom line.
Meanwhile, if some 16 year old camp counselor did this... they would be fired and harassed by the media. But because it's a teacher... it's ok. - branmann1, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5It's not the fact that he brought a knife to school, it's the fact that he forgot it was in his pocket and wanted to tell the school about it. Since when is forgetting something wrong?
- cfazzini, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Wow, that's nuts. I'm pretty sure my principal would have just taken it, said thank you for being responsible etc etc, then called my parents to inform them of the situation. No harm done, no disciplinary action taken or needed.
- gamabunta, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4these people:
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=19065 - Portfolioso, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4This is why it pays to be dishonest sometimes - doing the right thing can sometimes screw you. He should have hidden it in his bag and ignored it for the rest of they day. A warrant is needed to search a student (but the school has the right to search lockers). If the knife was hidden, there would be no reasonable cause for a search, he could have gone home removed it and that's that. Now his future is screwed up.
- radial, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4so when is someone going to post the phone number of the school and the number to the school board so we can call and complain?
- superrcat, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Sending a message to the school administration saying they should resign isn't going to help the situation. The responsible thing to do would be to write a respectful letter stating that you feel this action is setting a bad example for their own students as well as students nationally. Having the same consequences for doing the right thing as not doing the right thing shows people there is no reason to do the right thing.
- cfazzini, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Uh, he was giving it to the school administrators. If they are going to stab someone they there is a whole 'nother issue altogether.
- scott1, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5Poor kids.Frist there learning intellgent design in schools now there getting explled for doing the right thing on education system is missed up...
- JimXugle, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Tis not so these days.
- alevel27mage, on 10/12/2007, -3/+6Contact the Principal:
(317) 532-8804
jmeadows@warren.k12.in.us - b-dizzle, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3that sucks. I wish there was something we could do, but this kind of thing falls outside of "the digg effect"
I go to a public school, and this is not typical. my friend sent an "alien threat" via network'd printer to a primary school as a joke (yes, that was dumb). bomb squad showed up. He turned himself in immediately, and got minimum punishment. that's the way it should be.
EDIT: I guess we can do something (see below). Just don't spam him, lets give Digg a good name. - cazbar, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I just think about how in a interview process for those positions, they probably try to pick the most responsible person possible. It's pretty sad when the guy they pick is less responsible than a student he's trying to punish.
I hope this guy gets fired. And I hope they make it very public. This kind of stuff needs to stop. - rgremill, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4How many knives will be turned in from this point forward?
Zero...
The kid would have been better off throwing it in the bushes. - LtJimDangle2, on 10/12/2007, -5/+7Just so you know, private school teachers, community college and university professors are paid considerably LESS than public school teachers. It's a fact. Does that change your perspective?
- Voltran, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2it's sending a wrong message though. what if he just kept it with him all day, and it slips out of his pocket or something while he's slouching? or worse, gets provoked by another school member and decides to bring it out. by taking it directly to the administrators he's being proactive
- Ghost_MH, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2@ coulsono
That's exactly what we posters and all the kind people that run this site want...People around the world being harassed at their homes by Digg readers. - aoe2bug, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2aye! pocket knives aren't weapons, they're just sharp tools. hell, i' ve been written up for having a pocket knife on campus, but im allowed to have Olfa knives and box cutters? than again the blades only an inch long (exept Olfa, 4 inches).
- chronicon, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2@superrcat who said: 'The responsible thing to do would be to write a respectful letter stating that you feel this action is setting a bad example for their own students as well as students nationally.'
How about something like this?
Principal Meadows:
I am writing concerning a recent news account indicating that you have chosen to suspend an eighth-grader for doing the right thing--realizing he had mistakenly brought a pocket knife to school, and immediately turning it in to the office upon realizing his mistake. Also indicated is that you have requested expulsion proceedings to commence concerning this incident.
I have to say this is an (unflatteringly) amazing course of action to pursue against a student who has obviously demonstrated his integrity and honor by the course of action that he chose. I would suggest that reconsidering the issue would be in the best interest of the school, the students, faculty, and administration. We all make mistakes. This student made a mistake. He tried to immediately correct it. It is my opinion that your current course of action is an over-reaction, and there would be no shame in admitting a mistake and correcting this course that you are pursuing.
I would urge you to reconsider your position. Remove the suspension and cease seeking expulsion. Commend the student for his integrity, and put the incident to rest. It will demonstrate to your students that doing the right thing matters most and you will regain their trust and admiration. - Narpas, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I on the other hand...
Mr. Jimmy Meadows, Jr.
jmeadows@warren.k12.in.us - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3I've just sent off an email, I hope others will too.
Of course its probably not the principal's fault entirely. He, no doubt, has to follow some stupid guidelines laid down by a bunch of cubicle-dwellers, so sure, send an email, but be nice about it.
Being polite costs nothing. -
Show 51 - 100 of 121 discussions
Digg is coming to a city (and computer) near you! Check out all the details on our 
© Digg Inc. 2009
— Content created and posted by Digg users is