Conn. Student Suspended for Buying Candy

[Cole Parker]

There have been many social improvements that have resulted from the PC movement, but like anything, it can be taken too far, especially when common sense isn't applied.

One of the areas where it has been abused to the point of silliness is that people now feel they have an additional right, even if it isn't a constitutional one. It's the right not to be offended.

I think our founding fathers would have laughed themselves sore if that had been mentioned to be added to the lists of rights they felt should be guaranteed.

C

[DesDownunder]

Quite so Cole,

You know I realize that everyday I wake up looking to be offended by something, because I know that will make me think that I really need to laugh out loud more often...at myself.

It's just these days I can't offset my stupidity by claiming to at least look good.

Oh well at least I still look funny.

[Res Ipsa Loquitur]

Deleted

[DesDownunder]

I understand the idea that we don't have the right to feel comfortable, but I object to the phrase being used to make subsequent generations guilt ridden for the faults of previous generations.

What we should be teaching each other is that horrors have been perpetrated by mankind on mankind, on our environment and our own ability to pursue happiness. we have done this to each other and we have done it to ourselves. It is right that we should not feel comfortable for these things, but it is wrong tp handicap the next generation with anything but the guidance to be aware of this in the hope that they will learn from the mistakes of the past.

In Australia after years of procrastination and avoidance, our Federal government has finally apologised and said "Sorry" for the taking of Aboriginal children from their families. *(see the excellent movie, 'Rabbit Proof Fence' by Philip Noyce.)

Yet for years before this the Aboriginal people have set a standard of forgiveness far outside their own grief at these horrible actions of the white man.

Adelaide is situated on the plains of the Kaurna (pronounced 'garna') people, the traditional guardians of the land.

At any public meeting, people are encouraged to invite an Aboriginal (usually an elder) to give the traditional welcome to the land of the Kaurna people.

Aunty Josie as she is known by all, is a popular person to do this.

She usually begins her short welcome with the words,

"Let's not dwell on the bad things of the past, but let's not forget the past either.

Let's walk together in harmony, and work together for reconciliation."

I think you might understand that many in the audiences have been deeply moved by these simple words which have proven to enable many of us to respect each other and walk in harmony.

[Trab]

Des, that's interesting about the Australian aboriginal peoples. Here in Canada, we have just had a similar experience, with the government and churches finally apologizing for the same thing; ripping kids away from their families. Worse though, the kids were horribly abused, mentally, physically, and sexually. As bad as that was, though, it is better than some areas of the world where they just exterminated everyone. Sadly, that practice seems to be continuing here and there.

[DesDownunder]

Des, that's interesting about the Australian aboriginal peoples. Here in Canada, we have just had a similar experience, with the government and churches finally apologizing for the same thing; ripping kids away from their families. Worse though, the kids were horribly abused, mentally, physically, and sexually. As bad as that was, though, it is better than some areas of the world where they just exterminated everyone. Sadly, that practice seems to be continuing here and there.

Believe me Trab the Australian governments have no right to feel proud of the treatment of the Aboriginal peoples, even in my lifetime.

Everyday I thank my mother for raising me to believe that all people are equal regardless of race, colour or creed. My life experiences have proven that to be true.

[JamesSavik]

James:

Everyone's heard of the witch trials, but your note saying they were conducted in Connecticut too, which I hadn't known, made me wonder about something. Do you have any idea the total number of "witches" put to death after these trials? Was it a significant number of women, or very few?

C

Cole-

The Witch trials were very much a Puritan thing and date back to the Inquisition. Under Henry the VIII th, the Catholic Church and the Church of England split around ~1530. The Church of England (now called Anglican or Episcopal) became mainstream and the Puritans were the radical conservatives who held on to a lot of the harshest and most punitive aspects of the Catholic tradition.

Anywhere they were, and they were spread out from Maine to New York, communities of Puritans established harsh, religious discipline in their communities. Witchcraft was the most serious charge that could be levied against anyone but miss church two Sundays in a row and you would answer to the clerical judge.

The sad part is that it appears that those most often accused of witchcraft were either mentally ill or suffering from ergot poisoning. Most of the time the harshest penalty that a clerical judge would levy would be banishment.

The Salem witch trials were particularly infamous because they were so lethal and it appears that witchcraft charges were made capriciously to settle old scores and swindle people out of their land. The whole thing was revealed as the disaster that it was and gave the Puritans a bad name. Their cult eventually collapsed under its own weight and their influence declined steadily until the Puritans were a mere footnote to the history of New England.

[Cole Parker]

Thanks. I knew some of that, but not all, and it's fascinating.

C

[Tragic Rabbit]

Cole-

The Witch trials were very much a Puritan thing and date back to the Inquisition. Under Henry the VIII th, the Catholic Church and the Church of England split around ~1530. The Church of England (now called Anglican or Episcopal) became mainstream and the Puritans were the radical conservatives ....

Ah, no, no, James, James, you've made the classic mistake, but that's okay, it's rooted in ye olde spelling mistayke--to wit, the famous 'trials' in Salem were WATCH TRIALS, not 'witch' trials.

There are no such things as witches, silly, but watches, now, many wars have been fought over the correct time! Puritans were famous clockwatchers but never remembered to wind the things, so were always in the wrong when they'd take someone to court over CLOCKS and WATCHES.

After CoE and Episcopalians became mainstream, adopting Greenwich Mean Tyme and later Daylight Savings, the Puritans and other timeless Fools were left barking and gnawing their fingernails in frustration---resulting in a terrible persecution across NorthEastern America in ye olden days over What Time It Really Was.

Puritans 2, Sane People 8,634,201 at last check.

Pay all that no mind, Cole et al.

To find out the Real Time, just stick your head out the door and read the sundial. Fear not, no more Watch Trials in these enlightened days.

What's good enough for G. Julius Caesar is surely good enough for us!

Unfortunately, fundamnalist christians still haven't learned to spell two centuries on.

TR

[blue]

Somebody's been having fun with Daylight Savings Time, eh?

'Tis a good thing they weren't wautch or wotch trials; or wash or warsh trials.

Could we schedule tryouts, instead?

-- Yes, it's a bit ludicrous, but then, so is stripping an honor student and class vice president because he bought a bag of Skittles candy from another student. Bah! Or Baah!

How on earth are today's kids and teens going to get good experience in how to do things, if all they get are such bad examples of what to do for other people?

Hey kids, don't listen to my generation too much. Half of us are idiots, and I'm not sure which half!

Listen with your heart instead, and do what's right.

Blue goes off to grumble in peace and quiet....

[EleCivil]

These administrators are mad! Don't they see the long-term implications?

If Skittles are criminalized, only criminals will have Skittles!

Don't they understand what this means? Skittle bootleggers expanding their already prominent power base by bribing hall monitors. Young, unsuspecting kids unable to walk from the auditorium to the cafeteria without being peppered with invitations to "Ride the Rainbow". Raucous sugar-fueled shindigs in floating restroom speakeasies. Wild swing music blasting from stairwells. And the fedoras! By god, the fedoras!

It's a slippery slope, friends. It all started with their gum control policies, and now look where it's going to end up.

[Bruin Fisher]

gum control policies

"The right to bear arms is slightly less ludicrous than the right to arm bears"

- I thought this was a famous quote by someone like Oscar Wilde or Mark Twain or ... but I looked it up on Wikiquote and everyone and his dog has said it - Robin Williams & co - but I can't find the original. Any ideas?

It's personal for me, you see.... Bruin

The Right to Arm Bears

[Rigel]

Updating the discussion with a resolution to the situation:

NEW HAVEN, Conn., March 13 (UPI) -- A New Haven, Conn., honor student who was suspended for buying a bag of skittles on school grounds has had the punishment expunged.

Sheridan Communications and Technology Middle School Principal Eleanor Turner said she agreed during a meeting with Michael Sheridan's parents to erase the student's suspension record and reinstate him as Student Council vice president, the New Haven (Conn.) Register reported Thursday.

"In looking back over this incident, I warned the students repeatedly, but I should have reinforced it in writing to parents, that the district does not allow buying and selling candy at school," Turner said in a statement released by the district. "My intention throughout was -- and still is -- to maintain a safe and orderly building. I am sorry that this has happened. My hope is that we can get back to the normal school routine, especially since we are in the middle of taking the Connecticut Mastery Test."

The student who sold Sheridan the $1 bag of candy has also had his suspension expunged.

Turner said the policy banning candy sales will continue at the school.

"When students are allowed to break school rules like this, it does lead to problems," she said.

--Rigel (former New Haven resident)

[Tragic Rabbit]

Young, unsuspecting kids unable to walk from the auditorium to the cafeteria without being peppered with invitations to "Ride the Rainbow".

OMG!

[DesDownunder]

Updating the discussion with a resolution to the situation:

--Rigel (former New Haven resident)

She still doesn't get it does she?

[Cole Parker]

Sounds like a control issue to me.

C

[Trab]

One can only hope that she is as 'vigilant' with bullying issues, and name calling. I'm glad their records were cleared, but it is also obvious it is the public humiliation from her actions that cause her about-face.

[Cole Parker]

Agreed. And I'll bet she was told to remove the disciplinary actions and apologize.

C

[colinian]

I've been thinking about this Connecticut Skittles situation, and how the immediate flood of ridicule and pressure on the school and school district encouraged the quick retraction of the punishment for these two students. Would this have happened when my grandparents went to school? My dad and mom? Probably not. We're lucky that today we have the internet, and blogs, and email. We can make a difference, we can make changes happen. Cool.

Colin

[JamesSavik]

Sounds like a control issue to me.

C

Bingo. I think that controlling personalities are drawn to having power over others and, at the risk of sounding crude, they get off on it.

School authorites, cops, anti-smoking nazis: they all get a rush by imposing their will over others.

[DesDownunder]

Bingo. I think that controlling personalities are drawn to having power over others and, at the risk of sounding crude, they get off on it.

School authorites, cops, anti-smoking nazis: they all get a rush by imposing their will over others.

That's why it is so important to walk up to a Nazi type and tell them you love them and wish them peace.

If you respond to them by showing them how much you dislike them, they feel justified in their control, but if you kiss them they have lost that control.

Of course you may want to use a mouth disinfectant afterwards.

[Tragic Rabbit]

Bingo. I think that controlling personalities are drawn to having power over others and, at the risk of sounding crude, they get off on it.

School authorites, cops, anti-smoking nazis: they all get a rush by imposing their will over others.

Listen, guys, I tried to explain this before about US public schools: principals don't 'have power', unless you consider that teachers 'have power', the two are about equally powerless in the school district scenario.

Yes, cops have actual power on campus and sometimes will exercise it, any sort of local lobby no matter how wacko (like the 'smoking nazis' mentioned) may have, take or be given 'power' to dictate school policy, yes. Given by local voters, btw, not amorphous forces.

What 'power' teachers and on-site admin have is very limited.

The available space for any individual adult (teacher or admin) to act against expectations is highly circumscribed.

Principals are usually appointed by higher admin in the district but even so are subject to approval in their placement and in any and every action by that same school board...and the same upper admin yabbos who put his/her name forward in the first place.

Things happen in schools because of parental or other outside complaints (how 'active' the parents are depends on the sort of district it is), school board rulings, higher political rulings trickling down (yes, like pee), and the generally confused checkers game of administrator movement within the district (they hope it's slowly upward, despite a few side-ways movements).

Stuff happens....well, either because some ruling or decision has been made, often outside the district and school system entirely, or a new directive has come down from the board (who are almost always locally elected people, a fellow debater was elected while we were both still in high school, for example, though they're usually much older).

Now here's one interesting bit--they are all HIGHLY CONSERVATIVE in that, for example, they will often move and make decisions based on what the board has previously indicated is acceptable. In other words, any groove previously worn will tend to attract motion again. Examples would include any reaction to individual student issues-- like this one.

This also applies to many teachers, btw. To protect oneself and almost without thinking, one slides into the nearest familiar groove. Penalizing kids for whatever the current contraband is would definitely fall into that category. Teachers are often heavily pressured to make searches or confiscate items in the current contraband category, even when they personally have no interest in doing so.

Contraband items for any given school at any given time can include obvious items like knives or 'stink bombs', as well as less obvious items like sharp jewelry, candy (sometimes specific types, definitely large quantities of anything for resale on school grounds), anything currently listed as 'gang related' identifiers (can be as simple an item as a blue handkerchief), any item that plays music aloud, any item that can be used to cheat on classwork and tests, stolen items, dead animals, insects....

The list may be long, of both written and understood contraband items plus anything that teacher or his/her department do not allow (example: types of calculators in math dept during testing or anything likely to disrupt a dissection lab).

I'm not defending anyone's actions, I'm trying to explain How Things Work in American public schools from my years of experience.

TR

[Cole Parker]

That's why it is so important to walk up to a Nazi type and tell them you love them and wish them peace.

If you respond to them by showing them how much you dislike them, they feel justified in their control, but if you kiss them they have lost that control.

Of course you may want to use a mouth disinfectant afterwards.

I love this, Des. You'd completely discombobulate them! Everyone likes to be liked, and you'd be showing them you liked them, while at the same time taking away the shock value and terror and hatred they're trying to generate that would be the basis of their power. Such confusion you'd cause! Then, if you'd skip away, suggesting you were gay, it would be complete. Beautiful!

C

[Tragic Rabbit]

Bugs Bunny.

A Rabbit, of course.

TR