A Little Common Sense In School?

Posted on October 14, 2009 
Filed Under Parenting

Maybe I am missing the point of “zero-tolerance” policies that offer a one-size-fits-all approach to school safety. I understand generally why school administrations have these policies, but the recent story of a 6 year- old boy’s suspension illustrates the death of common sense.

If you didn’t hear about it, Zachary Christie was suspended from first grade because he brought a Cub Scout camping  utensil – a combination knife/fork/spoon – to eat his lunch. Excuse me, but I have a 6 yr-old, and he is so innocent in such matters that he may have already done something like that without my knowledge. Goodness, its a little boy – how can we expect him to think through the consequences of such a harmless act?If the child were older, I could see having higher expectations. But to think that a first grader is going to really hurt someone with an eating utensil seems rather absurd. But maybe I’m wrong.

I’ll ask some friends who have served on school boards what they think of this. Meantime, what do YOU think of the zero tolerance policy concept? And would you dismiss the charges for little Zachary?

Comments

2 Responses to “A Little Common Sense In School?”

  1. Paul on October 15th, 2009 8:56 am

    This is another sad example of the old saying, ” throwing the baby out with the bath water” Our society at large has lost most of it’s common sense, probably because most of us are addicted to TV or other forms of media entertainment. We are losing the ability to clearly distinguish the difference between right and wrong, the real scary and sad part, is that alot of so called christians are becoming this way. In our family we started to wean ourselves off TV, and going to the movies a couple years ago, because we were sick and tired of paying Hollywood, and the actors for stupid filth, we felt ripped off all the time. Once the digital TV switch came, we elected to not go along with it, and since then, we don’t ever watch the TV. Yes we still watch movies from netflicks, and such, but we get to be real picky what we see that way. I have always said that there are going to be many, many people (even believers) who are going to go through hard withdrawal, and tears when the time comes to eternally give up all their worldly ways of entertaining themselves. God Help us.

  2. Paul on October 15th, 2009 8:58 am

    Oh, and yes, I would dismiss the charges against this little boy, its going way too far with “zero tolerance”

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