In New Jersey, Glen Meadow Middle School has added its own bizarre entry in the ever-lengthening list of zero tolerance insanity. According to Ethan Chaplin, he was suspended for twirling a pencil in math class. He says that a student (who had been allegedly bullying him) yelled to the teacher that “He’s making gun motions, send him to juvie.” The school responded by suspending Chaplin and the Vernon Schools Superintendent Charles Maranzano insists that it is the only appropriate response because he must investigate any time that a student claims to be uncomfortable or threatened by another student.
Chaplin’s father, Michael Chaplin, was so outraged that he took the step of recording a conversation between himself, the school’s principal and guidance counselor — and then posted it on YouTube. It is not clear from the article if this was done with consent but the absence of any allegation of unlawful recording suggests that it was a legal or consensual taping.
Michael Chaplin said that he was told that his son would have to be evaluated by a therapist and cleared as a threat before being able to be around students. This resulted in a five-hour physical and psychological evaluation and allegedly his son being required to strip give blood and urine samples. He says that a social worker actually only spoke with him for a few minutes after the tests and cleared him.
I have long criticized zero tolerance policies that have led to suspensions and arrests of children (here, here and here and here and here). Here is a prior column on the subject (and here).Children have been suspended or expelled for drawing stick figures or wearing military hats or bringing Legos shaped like guns or even having Danish in the shape of a gun. Even a student who prevented another student from continuing to cut himself was suspended for taking possession of the razor and dispensing it. Despite the public outcry over the completely irrational and abusive application of zero tolerance rules, administrators and teachers continue to apply them blindly. If you do not have to exercise judgment, you can never been blamed for any failure. Conversely, even when the public outcry results in a reversals, teachers and administrators never seem punished with the same vigor for showing no judgment or logic in punishing a child.
What I am unclear about is the absence of any discussion of witnesses. Surely, despite the superintendent’s statement, there is some basic duty of inquiry – particularly when the act allegedly occurs in a classroom. There is also no word on what the obligations of a school might be when there is a false allegation. My assumption is that no actions are taken to encourage students to come forward to report bullying. However, if this is true, then there should be greater emphasis on an initial investigation.
Putting aside these issues, one towering problem remains. The allegation, according to the family, was that Chaplin was using a pencil in a mock gun movement. We have seen a slew of finger gun cases resulting in suspensions under the same strained logic. Even if you believe the other student, is that really a cause for suspension?
Source: NJ
The emergence of the law of the fearful.
Simms, I went to Medillin in January 1987 to adopt our son. It was a war zone! Also had to go to our embassy in Bogota. It looked just like a prison from the exterior. The principal was a big, fat, lazy, stupid, glad handing, idiot. Other than that a good guy! Classic education industry pogue.
David: I retrieved the comment for you.
Folks, Lazer, David’s comment is above at 4:00
Darren Smith wrote: “I retrieved the comment for you.”
Thank you Darren. You are very appreciated!
Nick,
The Medellín mention was just a coincidence. If that principal was behaving that mindlessly way back then he was ahead of his time. Maybe he was a prototype for today’s batch of witless administrators.
Simms, I went on to coach Brian and my son in baseball and they were good teammates. My son was good @ getting kids to come out of their shell. I never had one ounce of anger @ Brian, I focused it on the education industry idiots, and a little on his mom.
Simms, Maybe you’ve read me talking of my son, but he is indeed from Medellin and this shit occurred during Pablo Escobar’s reign!! Oh, this ignorant 3rd grade teacher spelled his country, “Columbia,” as did 2 subsequent teachers. The dimmest bulbs teach grammar school, w/ a few exceptions.
Nick,
Didn’t you know that you always have to call the police on an Hispanic third grader because he is just two years away from joining a Medellín Cartel successor?
Annie;
You’ve enlightened me this day, to a whole new culture not known heretofore
(by moi).
Neat concept (as I’m a Marley fan).
{btw – the Rastafari frown on “ism”)
davidm2575;
In Yiddish realms, we have a term of one up
(having the upper hand in an issue).
When we know we are at that plateau;
no other advantage is needed.
If you need to – change some of the words (or links by putting in (dot) v (.))
Or you can email me at my name (with a (.) in between at Yahoo.
simms, My son was not a docile boy. He was the only Hispanic kid in his class when he was young and the shortest boy. He could be a problem, although male teachers never had a problem w/ him. I was called to the school urgently. A very quiet boy had an eraser stuck way up his nose and had to do to the hospital to get it removed. I knew this kid very well. He had a domineering mother and docile father. Anyway, the principal was considering calling the police. I asked what investigation had been done regarding the allegation. My son tearfully denied doing anything. The principal said, “Brian said he did it.” I took deep breaths and asked, “Were there any witnesses?” This allegedly occurred during class[3rd grade]. As we were talking a call came from the hospital ER. Brian was now tearful. He had stuck the eraser up his nose and was afraid his mom would be mad @ him so he blamed it on the kid he knew their teacher would believe would have done it. Kids are sharp! Well, the principal apologized profusely. In the middle of his mea culpa I just took my son’s hand and walked out disgustedly. Blame the spic!!
This comment from Superintendent Charles Maranzano is pretty scary:
“We never know what’s percolating in the minds of children,” Maranzano told the station. “And when they demonstrate behaviors that raise red flags, we must do our duty.”
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/04/07/new-jersey-boy-suspended-from-school-for-allegedly-making-gun-motions-with/?intcmp=latestnews
How do people get like that?
Another thing that Jon touched on is that there is no mention, in any of several articles that I read, of a teacher, or any adult for that matter, witnessing the supposed threatening behavior.
I remember from my own school years that there were always some students, usually the bullies, that would make ridiculous accusations against other students in a taunting way. Such as, “Hey, Jane. What were you doing in the closet with John.” No one, including teachers, took these comments seriously. Was this accuser some kind of teacher’s pet that must be believed?
Paul, Female teachers are constantly recommending drugging little boys who don’t act like little girls, the drug is Ritalin, and it’s frightening the number of normal boys on this amphetamine.
WordPress doesn’t like me today. My post to Laser would not go through. If someone can rescue it, that would be nice. Otherwise, laser has the last word.
“cops and robbers, cowboys and Indians” In what century?
Boys Adrift by Sax.
Laser,
I say Rastafarianism, all the naughty little boys will be mellow.
Annie – you are now advocating drugging little boys?
BTW davidm2575;
Your premise (should facts arise to the validity) that “religion {per Thomas Jefferson’s logic} – does play a part”
brings to the fore another legal doctrine of “in pari delicto”
2 wrongs don’t make a right – even if (3/4 persons) is IN the Constitution.
Au contraire davidm2575;
I can solve this argument by 1 simple question.
Which religion would you have in a school?
Though there are arguments that there are 20 or so “major” one’s; they can’t “Constitutionally” take precedent over purported minor ones (such as Scientology/Mormonism).
Laser wrote: “I can solve this argument by 1 simple question. Which religion would you have in a school?”
I like the way Thomas Jefferson answered this question. He got rid of the normal Professor of Divinity so there would not be an official religion of the university, next he established a Professor of Ethics to teach about God, the Bible, Hebrew, Greek, the proofs of a Creator, morality and ethics, etc. After that he set aside land for all the religions to come and establish a presence on campus so that the university could enjoy the varied teachings and practices of worship of the various religious sects.
I think most public schools could better the present situation by being open to all religious sects that exist in their community. Is there a muslim mosque down the road? When they have open house, let the students know. Invite the imams to come tell the students what their religion is about. Invite the Baptists, the Lutherans, the Catholics, the Methodists, the Mormons, etc. all to do the same. Let them establish after school organizations for the students just like other extra curricular activities. It really is not that hard.
Your perspective of “religion has NO place in our schools – PERIOD!” is contrary to all the Supreme Court cases that have continued to argue that students maintain their constitutional rights to freedom of religion.
There is no effort to emasculate little boys in elementary schools. The issue is runaway authoritarianism.