I have little tollerance for zero tellerance

When emergency strikes, the Police are minutes away. This is something you hear a lot from people who are for gun rights, to which I am too. This statement was so true about two weeks ago when a 16 old wrestled a loaded gun off another student, who was 15 years old.  

Just in case you thought that you read that wrong, nope, you were right. A 16 year old stopped a possible shooting that could have killed one or more people and got suspended for it.

This world of “zero tolerance” has gotten out of control. You have this the above mentioned young man who is a hero and selflessly acted to disarm someone and gets suspended for it. Even more recently, a kindergartner got sent home for pointing a pencil at his friend making “gun sounds”. And the real kicker in that case, the little guy was told to stop by his teacher and he did without question. Yet he still got a two day suspension.

Schools have now become a place of you do something remotely against the rules and you will be punished. No matter what the circumstances are.

I remember when I was in Junior High and I got sent home from school once during a fight. Keep in mind, this is mid 90’s when this happened. So, why was I sent home? Did I get into a big huge brawl with someone? Nope, I got thrown into a locker for even now I have no reason why and I got sent home. Why? Because there was bodily contact.

Now here is a big whopper for out of control rules. Another kindergartner was sent home for having a mohawk since they deemed it “too distracting”. Yep, a kid got sent home for his haircut. And he his parents were told he can come back after he gets a “tamer” look.

So, in conclusion what have we learned? You cant defend yourself. You can't have non sanctioned haircuts and you cannot play innocently with friends with pencils because people might think you will be the next shoot shooter. So, in a nutshell, you will live by our rules, standards and will be doctrinated or you will be punished.

Talk on your way to class and get detention

While watching the news this morning, I noticed that a principle in a middle school Louisville, KY has banned students from talking in between classes, which is usually a ten minute period when students switch out their books from their lockers and head to their next class. I was almost in disbelief that such restrictions would be made on middle school students going to their next class.

I was almost in disbelief when I saw this. I didn't catch what the reason was for this drastic policy, which if violated gets the student detention.

When I go home, I decided to do some research on this. According to an WDRB News article, the T.T. Knight Middle School put this in place to combat school violence and bullying. Not only are the students not allowed to speak while going to their next class, the are put in a line, single file and escorted to their next class by their teacher.

It wasn't too long ago when I was I in high school and middle school. OK, its been more then ten years, but from what I have seen things have not really changed so much. A lot of times, I talk to my fellow classmates about where we might meet after school and maybe talk about something that we might have in a mutual class later on. It looks like this days are starting to be behind us. Now it seems that the schools want their students to be little drones in the name of “safety”.

These are kids, they want to talk to their friends and if they are going to fight with someone, they will find a way.

I would suggest they put in security cameras in the hallways,but according to the article, they have already done that. Here is an idea, how about watching the students and having some more school security walking around during these times to try to combat these things. I know this is a small case, but when people get tired of being controlled they usually revolt and the ending usually isn't the greatest for either party involved.

I guess they best way to control people is to start them young and get them used to the control.

Unfortunately more and more I am reminded by this quote by Benjamin Franklin, “He who gives up freedom for safety deserves neither”.

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