Children are now encouraged to starve rather than eat.
Children are now punished for helping friends
School still takes money from the “bad” children for trying not to starve.
:rolleyes: x infinity
x 2
:wally x 1
Let us know how you get on.It seems these people need a brain inserting somewhere.This is the sort of stuff that gives schools a bad reputation.
Also,if they are handing out suspensions for all sorts of trivial things,then when someone does something that actually merits suspension(attacking someone,rampaging through the corridors with a knife,etc…),it doesn’t have the impact it should as no-one will take much notice of it.
One thought—class of 30 kids who all share dinner with a friend—>15 lots of money for the school.
Class of 30 kids who all have to buy their own lunch---->30 lots of money for the school.
So if you share,the school doesn’t make so much money out of you…
My sister is a highschool teacher and this case (although a bit extreme) is consistent with the tales she relates.
A basic problem is that school administrators are shy of taking heat from parents and so seek to avoid any situation in which they might have to use judgment (and then be held responsible for their decision). This means that inflexible rules proliferate. “Yes, Mrs. Jones, we agree that a 2-day suspension for helping a friend may appear harsh, but that is the rule and it wouldn’t be right to apply it inconsistently.”
My sister says that in her school (generally reckoned to be rather a good one) almost any incident or problem is followed by the publication of yet another rule.
I’m speechless at this idiocy. I agree with the other posters who suggested that you take this story to the media. At once! Call up every radio and TV station in your area, today. Expose these idiots who are in charge of your children ASAP, for the kind of people they really are.
Its things like this that make me not regret my decision to home school.
You know, people in a democracy get the government they deserve. This extends to appointees of that government. If residents wouldn’t vote spineless jellyfish to the school boards who will promise anything voters want instead of maintaining best practices in education, we wouldn’t be having these weak-kneed capitulations to “zero tolerance” and inflexible rules because the school board/superintendents/principals/admins wouldn’t be so terrified of the parents’ disapproval. I’ve noted that most executives/administrators wear dark suits nowadays only so people won’t notice when they piss their pants in fear at being put on the spot by the consumer/parent.
Gosh, an idiotic school policy issue that didn’t happen in Florida? Amazing.
TeaElle, I’m adding my voice to the ones saying I hope the parent takes this as high as it needs to go.
I would petition the superintendent for a tutor for the two days suspension!
In my area school district they prohibit vests. I think they mean the puffy zip vests… I checked on this after my 7 yo said a boy in her class told her she wasn’t supposed to wear a vest. She had on a microfleece vest over her tneck. Why they are against any kind of vest eludes me really!
oh and the vest rule at the elementary level it is not enforced, I do not know if is enforced at the middle and high schools
As a former member of the media, I can guarentee that this story would be lapped up like cream. Call them.
Devil’s advocate here - I can only surmise that at some time an incident occurred and a parent complained, for example a student who is allergic to peanuts was given food by another student that was cooked in peanut oil. And as for the obesity thing, parents should be the ones to monitor this in general. The schools can only do so much. They can teach the students to eat healthy low-fat foods, but whatever is eaten in the home will be the food of choice in most cases. If you are eating healthy meals and introducing your child to this lifestyle, then good for you. But imagine trying to teach 500 kids to skip potato chips and eat carrot sticks instead.
When there is a disagreement about a suspension or other disciplinary action, the best thing is to document it accurately and ask, not demand, for an audience with the school district. When you enroll your child in a certain school, you agree to respect the rules. Bad-mouthing the school and the rules will teach your children to do the same. A little respect goes a long way. Things may appear ridiculous to you as a parent, but they do not make up these rules just to inconvenience you.
If you are offended by a rule or question its reasoning, go to your school board meetings and let your voice be heard.
I would have gone BALLISTIC if I were that mother. I would be on the phone to the principal, school board, superintendant, my local state representative… and especially the local newspaper. They would love to expose a story like this. The media loves these ridiculous suspension stories. This is outrageous.
I’m thinking that this is a post-Columbine rule designed to keep kids from smuggling weapons under the vest. A former co-worker was complaining that her kids had to take off their jackets the minute they entered the classroom and store them in a closet. They were apparently allowed to keep a pocketless cardigan at their desk if they got chilly. (FTR, her kids were in grade school; I have no idea what middle schoolers or high schoolers did with their stuff. And she was whining because stuff from her kids’ coat pockets would go missing.)
I could be wrong.
Robin
Check state law. In California, teacher are *required by law * to provide all make-up work in a timely manner for suspended students. They are **not allowed ** to give them a zero for missed work.
That said…call the news, and burn their butts.
Were the parents not notified of the new rule? If they were, is there a reason they waited until now to protest? Whether they were or were not informed, it seems poorly thought out even if it’s intentions are good (which is debatable). You simply cannot institute such a big change without a lot of advertising and realistic contingency plans.
The teacher in me wonders if this new rule was instituted because a small but very vocal group of parents threw one more responsibility on the schools. And the schools caved. Admin and school board spines are made entirely of gummy worms, it’s a fact.
I thought they were invertebrates. Like jellyfish. 
It’s a question that’s been raging in scientific circles for a decade or so now: Are government administrators entirely spineless, or do they just have spines made of insufficiently rigid material to allow them to stand erect while browbeaten?
On top of everything else, this has got to be illegal. It is a wholesale violation of the student’s and parent’s rights. Time to drop a quarter to the ACLU, and pay for Cindy’s college! 
(joins Mr. Blue Sky in prayer)
I probably should have mentioned it was a Catholic school.
Jesus, if the school is so worried about obesity, they shouldn’t serve fucking french fries. And they shouldn’t allow anyone to skip lunch-skipping lunch usually leads to a serious binge later.