Zero Tolerance - Still Zero Intelligence

Published on March 3, 2006 By Dr Guy In Current Events

Gideon has his CPS Series, and I think I am going to start a Zero Tolerance series as the stories are just too stupid to believe. But unlike fiction, these are facts.

The latest is a 12 year old boy in a Chicago suburb that brought Powdered sugar to school for a science project. He was busted! For what? Bringing a "look alike" substance! Since when is powdered sugar illegal? Do you know now many cops are going to get busted now for having some powdered sugar on their uniforms after their latest Donut Fix!

These idiots that are supposed to be educating our chidren defy a label of stupid! They have gone beyond stupid! What next? Jello because it looks like nitro gel?

Comments (Page 1)

MarcieMoo

on Mar 03, 2006

I see what you're saying...and I agree that *THIS* case is absurdly stupid.

But where you draw the line? If a kid brings a toy knife or a play gun to school...what am I supposed to do in the interim? Let him stab a few people first to see if it's really real? Fire a few shots to see if it's a cap gun or a colt? When do you suggest an administrator or a teacher take action in these kinds of cases? I'd rather be proactive than reactive.

Teachers and administrators aren't trained to do detective work. One of my classes wasn't Narcotics 101. I'm not going to taste something to see if it's coke or powdered sugar. I'd rather a professional that can tell handled these things.

And also, I think it's important that these kids know that our world has changed, even in their short life times. It's *NOT* okay to say "bomb" in a airplane. It's not okay to stick a toy knife in your sock and bring it to school to show your teacher (yup...happened to me last year). Your teacher might think that sugar is a narcotic, It's the real world. While I agree with you that common sense needs to prevail, there has to come a point in time where it's okay to intervene. Students have to have negative consequences for their stupid behavior. Parents need to be parents and talk to their kids about expectations and such. You know?

All we know from this article is that a student was busted for bringing powdered sugar to school, and an administrator or teacher thought it was a drug. I thought it was stupid that carrying a look-alike drug is a freakin felony. So...if I buy powdered sugar at the store I've committed a felony because it's in my possession? Couldn't the store get busted for even carrying the product?

The school handbook also, according to the article, explicitly states that students are NOT to carry look-alike drugs in school. Couldnt he just have ASKED his teacher? I think most teachers know what powedered sugar looks like. He also was joking about it being cocaine. So...he was partially to blame here. Instead of a freakin felony though, maybe something this student should be asked to complete as a consequence...not to mention educate himself and others, is a small project on cocaine and its effects on the human body.

Maybe it wouldn't be so funny then.

MasonM

on Mar 03, 2006

I heard about this story. I would agree that this is a case of stupidity except that in the news story I heard he told fellow classmates that the sugar was cocaine, which is what brought it to the attention of school admins in the first place.

If he did in fact do this, a bit of scare tactic is proper. If he didn't, well, I guess it's just another case of stupid media antics.

Dr Guy

on Mar 03, 2006

But where you draw the line? If a kid brings a toy knife or a play gun to school...what am I supposed to do in the interim?

Where? Before you book them and take them in for what is clearly not contraband or a weapon. I am not saying dont detain. But they know this is powdered sugar and they still are clueless!

JillUser

on Mar 03, 2006

If the kid was pretending it was cocaine than he deserves some kind of punishment. It is a far different thing though if he was asked to bring it in for an experiment and just got 'busted' because it happened to look like something else.

Kids do need to be taught, like Marcie said, that you can't even pretend to have weapons or drugs. People will take it seriously and you may end up suffering serious concequences. Kids have been shot for having toy guns that look too real. It is a dangerous thing that parents need to teach kids about.

Playing with toy weapons at home under controled circumstances is different than in public places. Just like teaching your kids that being naked is for inside only

I remember kids getting into trouble on the school bus back in the early 80s for trying to sell crushed aspirin as cocaine. This is not a new thing. The circumstances make all the difference though.

thatoneguyinslc

on Mar 03, 2006

I agree with Mrs. User here. If the kid is doing his Tony Montana impression, suspend him.

But this case seems rather harmless.

on Mar 03, 2006

That's stupid. He said it was cocaine, that's true, but then he said he was kidding. Meaning he was teasing.

Dr Guy

on Mar 03, 2006

If he did in fact do this, a bit of scare tactic is proper. If he didn't, well, I guess it's just another case of stupid media antics.

he did, and you are right (even tho he is quoted as saying I am just kidding). However, once the stuff is known, slap him with detention! Not Arrest and suspension!

When you have no brain, you follow the sheep. That is what this is all about.

Dr Guy

on Mar 03, 2006

If the kid was pretending it was cocaine than he deserves some kind of punishment.

No question. But if you read the story, it was plain it was not and they are basically going after him after knowing it was just powdered sugar! WHile we may doubt the mother's story that "he said he was just kidding", it is apparent that after that was known (and easily determined) this was a no brainer. On the School's part.

Dr Guy

on Mar 03, 2006

But this case seems rather harmless.

Except to the child.

Dr Guy

on Mar 03, 2006

That's stupid. He said it was cocaine, that's true, but then he said he was kidding. Meaning he was teasing.

Exactly! Ok, slap him with detention! Arrest is way over the line and the School board is in a 100% CYA mode! For stupidity!

MarcieMoo

on Mar 03, 2006

This is what the article says:

The boy, who is not being identified because he is a juvenile, said he brought the bag to school to ask his science teacher if he could run an experiment using sugar.

Like I said...teachers and administrators aren't generally trained how to identify something as a drug and something as not a drug. The custodian overheard the kid in the can, talking about cocaine, and action was taken. He didn't bring it for an experiment, according to the article, he brought it to "ask his teacher if he could run an experiment using sugar". Like his teacher wouldn't know what sugar looks like.

I'll agree, that I think the cuff 'em and stuff 'em might have been a little harsh, especially the felony offencse, but in all honesty, school officials don't deal with drug offenses usually. They send em to the cops because the cops have the necessary tools and knowledge to determine if a substance is a drug or not. Schools don't have the tools to determine drug or not drug. Kids should know that. Parents should too.

Where does student responsibility or parent responsibility come in here? I'm not saying the school did the right thing or the wrong thing, but to blame the school when the kid's behavior was against clearly laid-out rules...? Duh?

MasonM

on Mar 03, 2006

Wouldn't it be easier to just cane him and get it over with?

Texas Wahine

on Mar 03, 2006

Wouldn't it be easier to just cane him and get it over with?

Sugar cane him?

Ok, ok, that was terrible. I know.

Rightwinger

on Mar 04, 2006

Hey, Doc----good article. I kept expecting you to post on mine:

https://forums.joeuser.com/Forums.aspx?ForumID=2&AID=102733&cmd=myposts#805266

Dr Guy

on Mar 04, 2006

Where does student responsibility or parent responsibility come in here? I'm not saying the school did the right thing or the wrong thing, but to blame the school when the kid's behavior was against clearly laid-out rules...? Duh?

I am not blaming the school for being cautious, but when it was determined that the stuff was powdered sugar, they should have used their brains, instead of going off on some stupid "these are the rules" schtick. That is where my condemnation comes in. Not that they detained the boy, or that they should not punish him for his ill timed joke. But a felony for powdered sugar? They left their brains at the office apparently.

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