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April 3, 2006
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
You've got to wonder what kind of people administrate our schools. At Stonybrook Middle School in Indianapolis, eighth-grader Elliot Voge realized just as he got to school that he had forgotten to take a Swiss army knife out of his jacket pocket. Since knives are against school policy, he went immediately to the office just inside the door and turned in the knife.
Jimmy Meadows, the Principal, responded by suspending Elliot for the maximum 10 days and recommending expulsion.
In his expulsion-recommendation summary, Meadows wrote that "Realizing that the knife was an item he should not have on school property, Elliot immediately went into the main office and handed the knife to our school treasurer." He also admitted that "throughout the entire investigation and student due-process, Elliott [sic] was a model student."
Elliot has been recommended for advanced placement courses in English, science, and social studies. He participates in a variety of school activities, and has never been the subject of a disciplinary matter before.
So why expel him? Apparently this will have to do as Meadow's explanation:
I personally wrote to Stonybrook parents twice this year concerning weapons, the school's actions, protocols and procedures. I also reiterated the importance in communication with our students concerning this serious matter.
At least Elliot is getting an education. He's learning to keep his head down. He's learning that honesty is not always rewarded. He's learning not to trust authority. Most importantly, he's learning not to expect common sense from bureaucrats.
Hat tip: William
Posted by Van Helsing at April 3, 2006 9:09 PM
Comments
And people wonder why the world is going to shit.
Posted by: Archonix at April 3, 2006 10:08 PM
Zero tolerance policies are a method for school administrators to excuse themselves for thinking and applying judgment.
Posted by: Dangerous Dan at April 3, 2006 11:31 PM
Are we sure this school adheres to a 'zero tolerance' policy or just a 'zero common sense' policy?
Elliot should be held up as a role model of what a responsible, industrious, intelligent person is all about.
Instead in classic Soviet double-talk he is punished for being such a model.
Posted by: Anna at April 3, 2006 11:34 PM
Let’s not get hasty. Principal Meadows was probably concerned that young Mr. Voge might “tweeze” one of his fellow schoolmates… or maybe file…whatever juvenile mischief that could have occurred, I’m sure it would have been gruesome.
Posted by: Pat at April 3, 2006 11:58 PM
Naturally, the proper thing to do would have been to turn around and go home and play hookey for the day.
No?
Okay, then how about plant the knife on the person of some other student he didn't like and turn him in to get his enemy expelled.
Don't think so?
Should he have just snuck around school with the knife on him all day hoping not to get caught? Ditched it somewhere in some clandestine manner?
It seems this child was doomed the minute he left the house with such a "lethal weapon" on his person.
No prior disciplinary problems? Advanced placement courses? School activities?
Yep! Real troublemaker! Send him to Juvie-hall for life --- let him serve as an example to others!
Why, I even heard his sister once got caught offering another girl a Midol and was beheaded on the soccer field for the dope pusher she was! We must stop him before he strikes again!
I'll bet a zillion dollars the school principal and the majority of school board members at this fine institution are liberal Democrats. (i.e., dead from the neck up!)
Posted by: Mr. Right at April 4, 2006 3:28 AM
