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| IMAGE: outsidethebeltway.com |
I would love for every single person reading this post to contact this Massachusetts school district and tell them exactly what you think about this latest gross overstepping of boundaries:
Massachusetts teen suspended for helping drunk friend
Source: The Morning Call
To summarize: a student from the North Andover High School was called by a drunk friend to give her a ride home from a (non-school sponsored) party and the teen did so. She was subsequently punished by the school, who cited their "zero tolerance" policy for alcohol.
What I am observing and learning, is that the "Common Core"- type thinking, is designed to break spirits & de-sensitize us all - both students and adults - to critical thinking and to what is the right thing to do. Its a way of (non)thinking and (non)acting that rewards "doing what's expected" over doing what's right & encourages conformity over independent thinking.
From the school's website:
"The mission of North Andover Public Schools is to cultivate a respectful community of engaged learners, insightful thinkers, and effective communicators."
Sounds good, doesn't it? But when students demonstrate respectful, insightful thinking, they get suspended? Way to encourage respectful, insightful thinking, North Andover.
The bottom line: as much as we'd like to think otherwise, kids are going to make errors & bad decisions. Sometimes those decisions involve activities that can harm themselves or others. Schools cannot even dream of controlling this kind of "trial and error" behavior, not even by making up ridiculous "zero tolerance" policies. This becomes less about protecting our kids, and more about controlling them.
Schools have absolutely no business in the personal lives of students or teachers and more importantly no jurisdiction. This kind of interference & treatment is not only having the opposite effect of what schools think it will do, but is also a complete overstep of boundaries - and a blatant infringement on parental rights.
And hiding behind "school policy" just doesn't cut it anymore. Its a "PC" cop out for those who don't want to take a stand against that which is clearly wrong.
This young lady should be rewarded for doing the right thing. And every parent & educator reading this should be gravely concerned. This is not just about one student who got a raw deal. This affects every single family in the country. Its not the only time that a student's good deed has gone unpunished. Its happening daily all over the United States (and Canada):
School Does 'Not Condone' Heroics
Student stands up to 3 years of bullying and gets suspended
Florida High School Student, Barred From School Bus After Reporting Bullying Of Special Needs Student
Attorney: Student Suspended for 'Doing the Right Thing'
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT DISARMS GUNMAN…GETS SUSPENDED?
4 Middle School students suspended after seeing Nude Pictures of their teacher
15 Year Old Suspended for Making Anti-Bullying Video
Student suspended over Sandy Hook tragedy poem
7th Grader Suspended For Saying No To Drugs
I urge you to commit to establishing your own personal "Zero Tolerance" policy-zero tolerance for ridiculous school policies that impose unfair consequences on students who try to do the right thing-(in this case, one by calling a friend, and the other by not letting her friend drive drunk.)
Zero-Tolerance for infringement on parental rights. I don't care if you are a "good" parent a "mediocre" one or an outright "inept" one. Unless abuse/neglect is occurring, then schools do not belong in your or your child's business off the school clock. Period.
Zero Tolerance for administrators who perpetuate the systematic traumatizing, dumbing down and attacks of integrity and character of students.
Zero Tolerance for the continued corruption of education.
You get the idea. Now get tough and get going! Back to common sense.
Are you a parent, teacher or student & what would you add to your own personal "Zero-Tolerance" policy? Please tell us in the comments area below.
Learn more about Parental Rights as related to Education here:
Parental Rights in Education-American Center for Law & Justice
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