Zero Tolerance is Zero Intelligence

A Promise is a Promise

Published on December 2, 2005 By Dr Guy In Current Events

2 students in Orange Co. California are facing expulsion for taking a teacher at her word. The teacher assigned a project where the students were to keep a journal with the understanding that no one would read it (except her for grading). Instead the teacher read somethings and decided to let others read them as well. And the students were suspended and are awaiting an expulsion hearing.

Why? Well, in their journals, they talked about torturing and killing a teacher. From the little snippets that the article revealed, it appears that they were just being stupid adolescents, and trying to one up each other on what they thought was a funny scenario. All with the expectation of the journal not being read per the promise of the teacher. But she broke her promise.

And in the zero tolerance of the post Columbine mentality of schools, these students are being punished not for anything they did (or you could say for doing what hey were told, but I digress), but for believing the word of an adult.

In this stupidity that passes for education today, they ignatzes don't even realize the damage they have done, not only to these 2 students, but to their own reputations. No longer can any student trust the word of a teacher. All teachers are suspect, and should be regarded as only telling the truth, when it suits them, and not when it is the right thing to do. And that is the lesson the teachers are not only teaching these 2 students, but the entire student body. Wow! What Nobel prize winning candidates!

When are these mental midgets going to learn that actions speak louder than words? And when you leave reason at the school door, the only thing you are teaching the students is to never trust people in authority. For they will always let you down? It requires no intelligence to enforce a zero tolerance policy where a spork becomes an expulsion offense. And the trust that the teachers are supposed to be trying to create with their student is gone.

I am glad most of my children are out of school. I pray that the remaining 2 will not be saddled with mental midgets in their last few years. But my grandchildren will have to spend a school career with a bunch of mind numbed robots that cant think for themselves and that my grandchildren can never trust for anything. Not even legitimate school work.

It is a sad day in education, not because of 2 over hormonal jocks who may have to seek a new school, but for the millions of school children that just learned a valuable lesson. Never trust a teacher. Hire a lawyer and get them to sign an unbreakable contract.

The Legal professions stock just doubled, thanks to idiots in education.

Comments (Page 2)

Rightwinger

on Dec 02, 2005

"IF". How do you know?

I don't, but I know that if you catch a criminal in the act of committing a crime, he's more than likely going to run. If confronted with their plans by someone in authority, they might just have spilled it all, if they HAD been planning anything.

"If" is a big word, and you can't live your life in fear of it. "If" this happens....or that. What if it doesn't? Then what?
These two kids have been smeared, pretty much for life, because of an "If" that wasn't tempered with common sense.

MarcieMoo

on Dec 02, 2005

"If" is a big word, and you can't live your life in fear of it. "If" this happens....or that. What if it doesn't? Then what?
These two kids have been smeared, pretty much for life, because of an "If" that wasn't tempered with common sense.

I agree that we can't live our lives in fear. I just think that we need to watch where we place the blame here. This is a SOCIETAL issue. Not an issue with the school or the teacher. Don't you think that other parents would be having TIZZIES if these students would be allowed to continue their educations at this school?

They're not going to be "smeared" for life, either. They're going to go to another school, graduate, and go to college just like any other student. The fact of the matter is that our actions have consequences, whether we're able to see them or not. Was this more than likely a "silly" type of a thing? Yes. Of course. You and I both know that. But a few rotten apples spoil the barrel, right? The few families who would freak out over something like this make it the way it has to be. It's really a double standard. Don't they suck?

bakerstreet

on Dec 02, 2005

I think the issue is that she lied to them and told them there would be no repercussions from what they wrote. She said they wouldn't be read.

The policy is meaningless in terms of what they did or didn't do, the problem is she baited them into breaking said policy. She should have told them honestly that what they wrote would be read, and then they wouldn't have written what they did.

Dr Guy

on Dec 02, 2005

Teachers are also mandated reporters. Wouldn't the teacher in question be liable if these two boys actually DID carry out these acts?

Basically the teacher would be screwed if she did, screwed if she didn't and something happened. It's a double standard.

That may be, but then she put herself into that position. And the fact that they did not even investigate this, and still have not, indicates what morons they are. It is not like these kids live in a vacuum like the columbine ones did. Instead of INVESTIGATING, they chose to blindly follow their stupid policy.

That is the issue. The betrayal, and the lack of any intelligence on the responsible people.

Dr Guy

on Dec 02, 2005

Sorry...double post...JU messed up.

JU is messing up. When you post, you get a timed out message, but it posts. So for everyone, hit submit and then go back and do a refresh. Your message should be there. I will delete the rest (it has gotten me as well).

Dr Guy

on Dec 02, 2005

That begs the question. If they were serious, what action might they have taken at that confrontation.

I have first hand experience dealing with a mentaly disturbed child. All they need is a catalyst and boom. I think the teacher was right here. She let someone else make that decision.

I wonder is she shared the other student's journals.

In a controlled environment (she would be stupid to confront them in a back alley)? Common! are we talking idiots (apparently) or responsible adults that can set a stage? I dont buy the incompetance routine.

And yes, in every 100,000 incidences, something will go wrong. You have a better chance of getting creamed by a school bus.

Dr Guy

on Dec 02, 2005

Then that is a societal issue. Not a "what a retarded teacher" issue.

The retarded teacher issue (and you are the first to use the term) is that she either lied to them or betrayed them. AND the title of this article. Zero Tolerance equals Zero Intelligence. A trained monkey could do what those teachers and administrators did.

Dr Guy

on Dec 02, 2005

[quote]Zero Tolerance is just stupid, though. Has such a policy EVER actually been shown to save lives? It simply releases the organization, business or school from any responsiblity. It also releases them from having to think for themselves and use common sense.

Exactly half my point! The other half is the betrayal of trust and such!

just john

on Dec 02, 2005

I think the issue is that she lied to them and told them there would be no repercussions from what they wrote.

I was told this same lie from grade school through college whenever I was asked to write a journal. The Teacher/Professor simply wants to pull the inner thoughts out of the student. What's that song "dance like nobody's watching..."? Even when they said spill it, I never put anything in there I wasn't comfortable with (which was a lot).

I agree zero tolerance is not such a great thing but we are looking at a different student than we were 20 years ago. I think zero tolerance is a way to put a blanket policy on the rules that turns the school in to Gestapo land unless you happen to be particularly well liked.

Dr Guy

on Dec 02, 2005

Probably nothing. If they were serious, would they have written their "plans" in a school essay, which they knew beyond doubt would be read by an authority figure?

Thank you for that breath of sanity!

Dr Guy

on Dec 02, 2005

"IF" is the word of the day. "IF". How do you know? "Probably" doesn't cut it when you're a teacher and someone says something like that. You're saying that "Probably" nothing would have happened, but if something did, and the teacher said nothing because of trust and confidentiality issues, you'd "probably" be the first to blame her, right?

It is called Life! The only sure thing in life is death and taxes! Everything else always carries an IF. best for Educators to learn that so they can teach our children well.

Rightwinger

on Dec 02, 2005

They're not going to be "smeared" for life, either.

Well, "IF" (heh heh) they were kicked out of school for making terrorist threats, then that WILL go on their educational records. That could make it difficult to simply move on to another school, and colleges will probably be thinking twice about admitting them, too.
And "IF" it comes to legal action, involving the police or, God forbid, Social(ist) Services, then they'll have THAT tagging along with them, too.
If, later in life, they accidently shoot someone in a hunting accident, or run someone over, their record will show a history of potentially violent behavior, and their motives may be suspicioned and called into question.
And what about getting them counseling? That'll go on their medical records forever, along with the reason.

And it all, more than likely, would been for nothing.

Not an issue with the school or the teacher.

But many schools have such policies. I understand that it's a societal issue, but modern society is such that we've surrendered common sense and personal responsiblity to "IF" and, taking that further, to CYA.

I mean, getting back to "IF" for a minute...."IF" I may, "IF" is why fast food joints now have to warn us in print not to spill hot coffee on ourselves, and to be careful when we bite into hot French Fries (of course, I can't recall the last time I actually GOT "hot" fries in a fast food place). It's why manufacturers of baby care products have to remind us, in print, to remove the baby from the stroller or playpen before folding. It's why toy manufacturers have to remind us, in print, that "This Bag is Not A Toy".

The boys did something stupid. The teahcer knows the boys; she could have taken the responsiblity on herself and said "Look you two....what you've written here is unacceptable, and dangerous. I have to ask....is there anything you might like to talk about?" But no. Instead, she betrayed her word to the students and covered her ass, and that of the school.
That's what was so wrong with this.

Dr Guy

on Dec 02, 2005

wonder how quickly we'd be expelled today for celebrating in song such violence and hate? How long we'd be court-ordered to spend in therapy?

For life and locked up in prison! But we sang that as well.

Texas Wahine

on Dec 02, 2005

I think the reason why people are so willing to give this kids a pass is because they're football stars.

These kids are far too old for this to be chalked up to the stupidity of youth. One's a legal adult and the other is about to be.

It was a school assignment, and I don't think they should have had any expectation that it would not be read by their teacher.

They wrote graphically about gluing her naked body to the wall, cutting off her feet, and then murdering her as her family watched, among other things.

And we are finding fault in the teacher?

Dr Guy

on Dec 02, 2005

lol...I understand where you're coming from. Don't get me wrong. I think its a shame that we have to be so up in arms over such silly things... But it's a fact of life in America today, you know?

NO. It is not. it is an exception to life. Dont confuse a massive accident with every day life.

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