What Are You Doing For Excitement Today?

Diane Amberg · October 13, 2009, 11:05:17 AM

It started out as a good idea several years ago, but when they took the discretion away from the teachers it went totally wrong.

Tobina+1 · October 13, 2009, 11:18:59 AM

I saw this on the news, too. This is a difficult situation. Yes, this boy is just a Boy Scout showing off his camping supplies and he comes from a nice family... but what if it was a boy who came from "the other side of town" whose parents abused each other and the child was allowed to watch killer-type movies. Is there a way to judge the situation based on the child's background/home life? Is that fair? (Dang, sorry, maybe this should be booted to the Politics section!) Maybe the other boy was just showing off his camping supplies, too, but since his background is "less stable", who knows what his intentions would be?

frawin · October 13, 2009, 11:45:38 AM

Tobina, in my opinion if it was the first offense or problem they had had with either child, the penalty is to great.

Jo McDonald · October 13, 2009, 11:50:23 AM

A five day suspension is one thing - and not too bad, as a lesson would be learned by the little boy...BUT to put him in a reform school???
Holy Cow --- talk about getting some first hand lessons about bad behavior -- that would do the trick, don't you think?

Discipline and rules are absolutely necessary, but good Lord, common sense has to prevail somewhere along the line, I would think.

Tobina+1 · October 13, 2009, 12:07:39 PM

I agree; my question was hypothetical. Especially at that age (wasn't he only like 6 years old?) The news report I saw, the parents actually chose to home-school him instead of doing the reform school.

larryJ · October 13, 2009, 04:04:43 PM

Sometimes I think (from past stories like this) that some schools carry the zero tolerance policy to an extreme. But, then, I say to myself--------------Hey, zero tolerance is just that, zero tolerance. However, the punishment here is a bit much.

Post Script to my first entry this morning--------------Nephew's wife and children finally came in around 8 AM and ate and we talked. She said her husband did not want to get up (this from a guy who said to be ready because he was leaving first thing). Next thing we know, he comes in around 11 AM and announces he has reattached the fifth wheel, turned it around and is ready to go. Departure time was actually around 12:30 after the baby got a bath and all the teary goodbyes were said. They were great to see and talk to and I will pray for their safe return home.

The house is quiet now-------------the rain is softly falling----------------------its nap time-----------------Cheez, what a weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Larryj

Diane Amberg · October 13, 2009, 07:57:26 PM

There is a big school board meeting going on right now. All the TV trucks and up links are there. One big hot topic. A lot of people are furious. I never expected to see our neighborhood school on national TV.

Diane Amberg · October 13, 2009, 09:09:27 PM

The meeting is over. Cooler heads prevailed. Zack can go back to Downes tomorrow. They are going to redo the policy for K and 1st grades and look into a first offence policy for older grades.

Tobina+1 · October 14, 2009, 08:07:56 AM

Diane; heard that on the news last night. Good outcome, and glad for the family. Didn't realize earlier that the school was IN your neighborhood; just thought it was somewhere close-ish.

Larry; nice that your nephew feels close enough to you to stay so long. Maybe they just needed some "family" time. Enjoy the return of your naps, and enjoy the sound of the rain!

For me, I've gone over my customer list with the other employees to prepare for my leave, and got e-mails sent out to customers. Now just continuing the waiting game for "+1" to arrive. Probably need to clean out my in-box (yikes), too. Only 983 items... ugh (and I DO delete and move things around to folders, if you can believe it!).

larryJ · October 14, 2009, 08:32:09 AM

Today is a school day for the granddaughter. She has arrived this morning and is getting some extra snooze time before breakfast and school.

It is still raining and as I said this is the first storm of the season. We might get an inch or two out of it. I know, I know, that sounds like a mere pittance to you Elk County people, but it is a big deal here. Remember, contrary to all the pictures you see of lush gardens, palm trees, sandy beaches, etc., SoCal for the most part is a desert. No rain is a drought, a little rain slowly falling such as the storm we have now is good, a heavy rain and you have to worry about mudslides in the burn areas of the fires from last month.

Tobina, please remember that newborns sleep and eat all day and all night. Therefore, you will have some free time to do some of these things later after the baby is born. Don't push yourself.

Larryj