The same week as the horrendous story of a six-year-old cub scout being suspended and sent to reform school for bringing his cub scout mess kit to eat lunch (here), New York educators have added another ridiculous case out of the “zero tolerance” madness gripping schools. Matthew Whalen is a 17-year-old senior at Lansingburgh High School who has just completed basic training to be a soldier. He kept a 2-inch keychain pocketknife locked in his car with other camping equipment. When the school learned about the knife, they suspended him and, when he appealed, they added 15 days for the Eagle Scout.
For years I and others have complained about the absurd decisions of educators under the zero-tolerance policy. For a prior column, click here. This is another case where teachers prefer to abuse a kid rather than take responsibility to exercise common sense and good judgment.
Whalen was barred from school grounds for 20 days because he had a survival kit (with a small pocketknife) locked in his car. The little knife was given to him by his grandfather, a police chief in a nearby town.
What I love is that they gave him five days and then, after he argued his innocence at a hearing, they added 15 days for good measure.
The incident began when assistant principal, Frank Macri, told him that a student had complained that he was carrying a knife. Whalen agreed to be searched and no knife was found. The principal then asked if he owned a knife and he responded that he was both an eagle scout and a soldier and obviously did own a knife. He volunteered that he had a small pocketknife in the car.
Whalen is an ideal student and scout — he received an award from the Boy Scouts of America and the City of Troy for saving a woman’s life. He is now concerned that the suspension will hurt his chances to get into West Point.
This case is similar to some cases described in this column.
What is amazing is that, even after seeing that it was only a two-inch knife, the teachers called the police. When the police said that there was nothing illegal in having such a small pocketknife, they decided to punish him on their own.
Macri imposed the longest possible punishment — negating any notion of a lack of discretion.
District Superintendent George J. Goodwin is entirely satisfied with this punishment, which he declared to be “appropriate and fair.” He added “[s]ometimes young people do things they may not see as serious.” Well, many of us (including educators) do not see this as serious. What I consider serious is the problem of educators acting without judgment and teaching kids that rules are enforced without any concern for equity or logic.
Gyges:
what is an “IDOITS”? Are they related to MORNONS AND IMBASSILES?
O.k. I understand that typos happen… but this made me laugh.
“wake up you idoits”
Mike l writes:
gwlawschoolmom and mike spindell wake up you idoits
thanks for your opinion.
that said this is a civil place. criticize our ideas, but try to lay off the personal insults, okay?
also, I checked and it turns out that every time I sit down to my computer I am awake, fully and completely.
don’t like my ideas? fine by me. you won’t change them by insulting me.
as for BSA they are little storm troopers who learn to tie knots while also learning that gays and lesbians are child molesters who should not be in their midst. what they don’t know is that gays and lesbians are already in their midst. yes that’s right. they are teachers and doctors and cops and mail carriers and neighbors, you know the ones, the ones with the nicest lawn on the block.
My son has a Jewish friend that earned his eagle scout badge a couple of years ago and there are plenty of ethnicity’s represented so I don’t think they are intolerant as far as race and creed go. When I was a scout it all seemed pretty tolerant to me, granted there were no gay scout leaders. And we were taught some decent values and learned how to camp and cook outdoors. Most of the scout masters from my time (the late 60’s and early 70’s) were veterans of WWII or Korea. If we were taught anything it was that capitalism was the way to go and live and let live.
Mike S writes: GWLSM,
Welcome back. Re: The Boy Scouts I’ve never been one or been a fan, especially with their anti-gay mindset. However, Macri and the school principal are morons and should be in education. The School Board President is another fool and should be recalled. If an Educational Administrator needs to act a like a jerk, extending the punishment for the student’s protesting, then they can have no real conception of what to educate means and to my mind are getting off on the “power” their positions give them.
thanks, doll. its good to be back
BSA is an organization that promotes bigotry.
zero tolerance regs in public schools are stupid. each child and each infraction ought to be considered individually.
that said, I do not support BSA and if their members are going to ring my doorbell or stop me on my way in to shop then they have also asked me for my opinion on their activities, not only for my money.
“Lets discourage the youth of this country from participating in cub scouts and the boy scouts some more but incourage them to run the streets and get in trouble.”
Mike I,
Why do you assume that the Cub, Boy and Girls Scouts are alternatives to children behaving chaotically? What proof have you other than your own pre-judgment? The Valedictorian of my High School class was also a highly decorated Eagle Scout and Choir Boy. As a teen he hid pornography among his Boys Life Magazines. He wound up being convicted of securites fraud. I suspect if I looked into it scouts would have basically the same percentage of criminal behavior as non-Scouts. Besides they’re homophobic. with all that I’m not against them, I just don’t believe that much of a case can be made for them being such a terrific organization.
gwlawschoolmom and mike spindell wake up you idoits
Lets discourage the youth of this country from participating in cub scouts and the boy scouts some more but incourage them to run the streets and get in trouble. Why are we ( this country) turning our backs on the youth of this great country( well is it great anymore). The people that pursued these two boys 6 year old and the 17 year old should look in the mirror, and ask themselves what they have done.
Oh when will I ever take the time to proofread? Nal care to extend your job duties? I can offer you one of someone else’s kidneys.
“morons and should (not) be in education.”
GWLSM,
Welcome back. Re: The Boy Scouts I’ve never been one or been a fan, especially with their anti-gay mindset. However, Macri and the school principal are morons and should be in education. The School Board President is another fool and should be recalled. If an Educational Administrator needs to act a like a jerk, extending the punishment for the student’s protesting, then they can have no real conception of what to educate means and to my mind are getting off on the “power” their positions give them.
the boy scouts are selling their drek outside the grocery store where I shop.
they proudly wear their starched, ironed brown shirts and their mothers all looks freeze dried.
personally, I’d rather eat ground glass than buy the junk they sell and I tell them so. i also like to tell them that their organization is one step to the left of the real brown shirts.
i haven’t made a kid cry yet but I have gotten into some rousing conversations with their parents. what the hell. it’s a private organization and they can admit anyone who likes their repressive admission rules.
they may not want to hear this from me, but that is what they get when they go out in public.
I could care less what they do and how many badges they earn.
their organization is bigoted and intolerant.
The additional penalty for appealing looks like a violation of the student’s First Amendment rights, for which he may sue in federal court for damages under 42 U.S.C. 1983.
Most states have laws allowing carrying of knives less than 2.6 inches in length (most states are 3 inches). Why is this even being looked at, and what gives the school permission to search someone’s car?
Jill,
It is good to see you posting on other threads. I agree with you on this.
Here’s a good point made by a woman who works very hard in military counter-recruitment:
“I would add challenging their JROTC program and the hypocrisy of 6-year-olds going to reform school for a camping kitchen utensil while guns and target practice happen in the high school gym. Zero tolerance my ass.” I would say the same would be true of today’s travesty of justice.
Edugator,
Student suspended for wearing dagger with kilt
A Michigan honour student who wore a small dagger to his prom as part of a Scottish national costume….
see the link: http://www.enterstageright.com/archive/articles/0801/0801tidbits1.htm
I disagree that it affects “Minorities Disproportionally” all stupid zero tolerance rule are in my guess applied evenly.
There’s another story here, which is not often told, but is very important. Zero tolerance policies have a disproportionate effect on young people of color.
Zero tolerance is also pushing kids out of school: kids who are suspended or expelled often fall behind and are far more likely to drop out. Check out http://www.tolerance.org/magazine/number-36-fall-2009/pushed-out for a good overview of the problem.
Let me point out that while Black and Latino kids (among other people of color) are disproportionately affected by zero tolerance, that doesn’t mean that they’re committing more violent acts at school. As the link above points out, schools are increasingly using zero tolerance to punish non-violent offenses like tardiness, or vague offenses like “insubordination.”
Black and Latino kids are more likely to be referred for discipline outside the classroom than why kids are. But when you look at the reasons WHY kids get referred for discipline, you see an interesting pattern. White kids are most often referred for very concrete offenses like smoking or vandalism. Kids of color are more likely to be referred for more vague offenses like disrespect or loitering.
Put two and two together, and you see that zero tolerance is an anti-violence policy that is harshly punishing a lot of people who had no violent intent in the first place. And while all groups are subject to this, kids of color appear to be bearing the brunt of it.
Professor Turley,
“This is another case where teachers prefer to abuse a kid rather than take responsibility to exercise common sense and good judgment.”
***************
I believe it was school administrators and not teachers who were responsible for not exercising common sense and good judgment in this case. Teachers shouldn’t have to bear the blame for the stupid decisions of their superiors.
Respectfully yours,
Elaine M., a retired teacher
When I was in High School it was not illegal scouts that they worried about it was the illegal smiles.
Let me see, Illegal Scout who just finished basic training. Had core criminal in the making. Wants to go to West Point makes me think that a criminal is in the making and that they are saving him from himself.
Yes, think Joe Pool lake and the “Cadet killer says she feared lover planned to murder her” In Texas only.
link: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/040707dnmetzamora.3b5a395d.html
They have zero tolerance for mature adulthood.