After pretending to shoot his classmates with his fingers, the 6-year old was sent home for the rest of the week. Hopefully during his suspension, his mom allows him to use his pretend pencil and pretend books to keep learning.
Michigan 6-Year-Old Suspended From School for Making Gun With Hand
Smells Like: guns , Michigan , trouble , zero toleranceStudent, 12, Arrested For Doodling On Desk
Smells Like: art , law , New York , trouble , vandalism , zero tolerance
WOW! Some of the desks I grew up around barely had a square inch to spare because of all the graffiti on them. This girl pens her name with an erasable marker and she's thrown in the slammer within minutes. Once again we're creating criminals out of children. Maybe this should serve as an eye-opener that schools need to completely abolish writing utensils and provide laptops for every student?!
9-year old faces suspension over LEGO gun
Smells Like: guns , New York , policy , trouble , weird , zero tolerance
If you haven't been in a public school for a while, this is what they mean by "zero tolerance." A two-inch plastic toy gun was enough for this little boy to get read his rights. It was actually a good thing he was caught, because one of his classmates was considering bringing in a much bigger, GI Joe gun to combat his enemies during school.
Girl suspended for bringing peppermint oil to school
Smells Like: health , New York , trouble , zero tolerance
We are not sure if she was starting her own "Fresh Breath Club," or just raided her moms medicine cabinet, but what message are we teaching a 10-year old when she is immediately suspended for such an innocent behavior? Sometimes kids just need explained to them what they did wrong, rather than coming down with an iron fist of zero tolerance. I'm surprised the girl even knew what it was...isn't peppermint oil an old ointment from ancient cultures?
Student suspended for ‘threatening’ rap lyrics
Smells Like: 1st amendment , creativity , expression , music , Ohio , threats , zero tolerance
This is a prime example of what's wrong with Zero Tolerance. I am guessing this boy isn't the only teenager in the country to try and write a rap song...fairly confident about that. But since his lyrics indirectly contained references to guns and death, he now faces suspension, potential expulsion, and charges at a juvenile court. Imagine if Run DMC had it this rough?
Book Review: Youth in a Suspect Society
Smells Like: author , books , k12 , reform , zero tolerance
In the past week alone, we've seen students arrested for a food fight. We've seen over 200 suspended for dress code violations at one school. We've even seen students suspended for bringing in McDonald's to lunch. In a new book by Henry A Giroux, the author explores how our youth seem to be constantly under attack and criminalized. Youth in a Suspect Society argues that school children are no longer viewed as an investment, but rather disposable. As the title suggests, our students have in fact become "suspects." One chapter explores some of the side effects since Zero-Tolerance has been instituted. "One major effect can be seen in the increasingly popular practice of organizing schools through disciplinary practices that closely resemble the culture of prisons." Dr. Giroux uses examples of many of the same stories we've brought to you on DetentionSlip.org to enlighten his readers about how ridiculous some of these discipline cases have been. He sums it up perfectly by stating, "forms of punishment that were once applied to adults now apply to first graders." We've had to begin splurging on safety and security measures, and rather than having the Principal handle discipline, we send kids off to juvenile correction centers for minor infractions. The book digs deep into the ways our youth are being affected by current political and economic situations and is a recommended read for anyone interested in examining what has happened to our schools.To read more about some of the author's outlook on our schools, click here for an exclusive interview Dr. Giroux did with DetentionSlip.org.
25 Chicago Students Arrested for a Middle-School Food Fight
Smells Like: Illinois , lunch , zero tolerance
It had all the elements of a real arrest: handcuffs, mugshots, eight hours in jail, and a future court hearing. The only thing missing was real criminals. When you hear that 25 were arrested in Chicago, you assume some sort of gang fight broke out at a downtown nightclub. But no, it was a FOOD FIGHT involving 12-year-olds! Now I'm not saying to let everyone off the hook, but why are we so quick to criminalize kids? I'd love to see some research that correlates data from the emergence of 'zero-tolerance' with graduation rates.
First Grader gets 45 days for camping tool
Smells Like: Delaware , policy , safety , zero tolerance
The young buck just enlisted in the Cub Scouts and couldn't wait to use his new utensil at lunch time. Thanks to an unwavering zero-tolerance policy that does not have room for "intent," this 6-year old boy is getting the boot and sent to a reform school for 45 days. According to the district, it's a cut and day case, and so the boy is being criminalized for possession of a weapon. Doesn't school sound like fun?!
Progress Report: SCHOOL SAFETY- Are we just hitting the Panic Button?
Smells Like: bombs , guns , k12 , panic , safety , threats , zero tolerance
Monday, April 20th, marks ten years since the tragic events of Columbine High School unfolded. It only seems fitting that DetentionSlip examines how this unforgettable day has shaped they way we discuss school safety.
I remember a scene from the movie Toy Soldiers where Sean Astin and his gang of classmates are held hostage by terrorists. During the standoff, the boys are routinely strip-searched and head counts are conducted every hour to ensure that none of the students have disobeyed their higher order. The sad news is, this standard practice often shadows a day-in-the-life of many current middle and high school students in the year 2009. But was it like this even a decade ago?
The shooting of Columbine helped institute a new popularity of the term "zero tolerance." Students as young as first grade have been suspended from school simply for drawing a picture of a gun! Dress code policies were dramatically revisited. (No colored hair. No piercings. No over-sized coats or pants. No bookbags. Basically, no individuality.) The addition of metal detectors have left teens with a sense that they are entering prison every morning at 7am. Many schools don't even allow students out of their classrooms without a legit reason.
Even though the shooters, Dylan and Eric, were not bullied, goths, or outcasts (as detailed in Dave Cullen's new book), they have lead us to believe that anyone who acts or dresses out of the ordinary will be labeled as a threat to our safety. Zero Tolerance can be the key factor that feeds us these beliefs. Although students will probably act the same exact way in school for years to come, teachers and principals would rather make us feel that a threat is always pending, so it is their job to forbid any behavior that might be seen as a warning sign. It is like living in a perpetual fire drill. No one takes it seriously except the administrators calling the shots.
Columbine instilled fear into the veins of the American public. School shootings and bombings are actually pretty rare. While youth have almost become desensitized to these threats (it's just another day you don't have to go to school), some teachers will argue that they fear every day of work because of how unpredictable children have become. A fear that most likely originated the day after Columbine. (For the record, based on statistics, your child has a greater chance having a sex-scandal occur in their school than a shooting.)
So what does it all mean? Are all students suspects? Judging by the number of teachers who would carry a gun to school if they were allowed, some might respond "yes." The label safety is the #1 most common tag on DetentionSlip. This suggests that it is a major concern of our public schools. All we hope is that students are able to focus on their education, without the distraction of ridiculous Zero Tolerance policies clouding their experience. But on the other hand, does this generation know any different?
Seminole teacher who dropped gun at school likely will get job back
Smells Like: Florida , guns , safety , teachers , zero tolerance
We really need to get a more clear definition of "Zero Tolerance" if a teacher brings a loaded pistol to school and is then allowed back in the classroom. The district is letting her teach again on the grounds that they "assume the problem will never occur again." Talk about benefit of the doubt. A lot of people assumed that the boys from Columbine were clean and not going to create any trouble again either. And look how that miscalculation turned out.
Teacher Suspended For Shooting Nerf Dart
Smells Like: guns , South Carolina , teachers , weird , zero tolerance
The sad thing is that we have to come to terms with the fact that zero-tolerance now includes Nerf items. But if you really want to shot of reality for the state of our nation, the mother of the victim wants to press charges! When we're done asking a focus group of 2-year olds, we'll let you know how you treat someone who has been injured by harmless foam.
Suspension Over Gun Doodle Raises Questions About School Security Policies
Smells Like: art , expression , guns , k12 , panic , zero tolerance
I wonder if district budget allows for Art Class at this school? If so, watch out! Every project needs to go through a screening to determine if the artist is a threat to security.
This was a picture of a laser gun and the student was given five days of suspension. There has got to be a study that evaluates the negative side effects of disciplining students for ridiculous reasons. Sitting him out for five days can only give him enough time to draw pictures of tanks and armies right? Do pictures of guns on paper shoot paper bullets too? Then I can understand the actions taken.
I went to school with a kid that constantly drew pictures of Godzilla attacking villages of people. But for whatever reason, I don't recall the day he summoned a giant lizard to breathe fire on our entire student body.
There are generations and generations before that played backyard games named "War" and "Guns." In these games we used plastic life-like guns and ran around shooting each other. There were no bullets, just kids yelling "Bam!" Never once did anyone transfer this imaginary part of childhood into a mislead rage before the morning bell. The biggest problem it ever caused was two kids arguing over who shot who first. The solution? A re-do.
Pictures of guns don't kill people, kids who get bullied (while teachers don't help) who have access to their dad's gun cabinet and no sense of hope left, kill people. It's only a matter of time until we re-write the history books and take out all the acts of violence. Well, there goes the history of America.
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