Saturday, January 09, 2010

Overreaction Update

From the handbook of an elementary school in an eastern state:

"An assault is when a student intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causes physical injury to another. Students who violate this will be immediately suspended, the Police will be contacted (Ages 9 and up), and a Review Board hearing will be conducted."

Let me think back to my elementary school days. My friends and I - the guys - often punched one another in the arm. There were no suspensions and the police were never called. If a teacher saw it, the likely response would have been to tell one of us to "Cut it out." Case closed.

If there were a serious fight, the aggressor would have been hauled off to the principal's office and suspended. The parents, not the police, would have been called.

Do the school administrators and lawyers who craft these provisions know how devoid of common sense they are?

2 comments:

Paul H said...

When you were in school did you pass through metal detectors on the way to class?

Step into a high school or middle school for a week or two and let us know your reaction. Preferably a public school.

Michael Wade said...

Paul,

I've been to those schools; in fact, the last school class I spoke to was a group of young felons. Note, however, the automatic, no discretion, nature of the school policy. I don't think it makes sense to bring in the police to deal with every punch in the arm by a 10 year old.