So we had a 6-year-old Cub Scout suspended from school because he brought camping gear on school grounds. Zero tolerance.
Now we have a 17-year-old Eagle Scout suspended for 20 days because he had a 2 inch knife in his car. Why did he have a knife in his car?
Matthew Whalen, a senior at Lansingburgh Senior High School, says he follows the Boy Scout motto and is always prepared, stocking his car with a sleeping bag, water, a ready-to-eat meal — and the knife, which was given to him by his grandfather, a police chief in a nearby town.
He lives in upstate New York, so getting caught out in the snow is a real possibility. So he keeps things in his car, ready in case of emergency. Good for him.
And so why is this all being done? Because they have to apply policy. Because they have to make an example out of him.
Whalen said he does not know why the 15 days were added, but he said a school district employee told him it was because the school wanted to apply its policies consistently.
“I’ve been told by someone who works for the district that they had to do it, because if someone else had a knife and they saw that I didn’t get a suspension, that it would look bad for the school.”
What looks bad isn’t Matthew Whalen. What looks bad are stupid school administrators making asinine rules. I thought schools taught critical thinking… but I guess they don’t need to apply it.
Stuff From Hsoi 
“thought schools taught critical thinking…”
Unfortunately, no, that’s not what grade school teaches anymore. Grade school teaches some discipline, and how to pass standardized tests, now. Three Rs? Many of the students I see on a daily basis cannot spell, nor can they properly construct an English sentence.
Critical thinking is, unfortunately, now almost wholly the domain of the college and university campus. Professors now focus their freshmen curriculum on teaching critical thinking. In fact, my research advisor is currently teaching a series of Freshmen seminar courses that are focused on establishing critical thinking.
It is quite sad, when you look around at fellow students and realize that you’re multiple years ahead of them. Not simply because you are a senior, but also because I was taught to think critically and apply knowledge, wisdom, common sense, to problem solve, long before college. Fortunately, I have my parents and home school to thank for that.
That’s a bit of tangent to your post, which I otherwise agree with. Zero tolerance policies are stupid and are only hurting kids and parents, as in the last couple of cases you posted. I also have never understood the idea of suspending students. Most would rather sit at home and play Xbox, which is almost assuredly what they will be doing. The real punishment should be the establishment of more rigorous class structure, more hours spent on study, and performing janitorial duties, when a student screws up.
Just my 10 cents worth this morning.
-Rob
The choir, you’re preaching to it. It’s part of why we homeschool our kids and avoid the public school system… it’s no longer about education, it’s glorified baby sitting and just pushing kids to pass the standardized tests so funding can happen, so the process can keep itself going. It’s sad. Is our children learning? Nope.
I never understood suspensions either. It only seems to hurt kids that give a darn, and for the most part the kids that give a darn never get suspended… except for this Eagle Scout. He cares that he’s missing class, but then he never should have been suspended in the first place.
Janitorial duties. I like that.