Author Topic: School Chief Sticks By 'Zero Tolerance' Ruling for Eagle Scout  (Read 1534 times)

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Offline ColonialMarine0431

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School Chief Sticks By 'Zero Tolerance' Ruling for Eagle Scout
« on: October 16, 2009, 12:48:46 PM »
Amazing. Judging by his looks I suspect this guy likes little boys...

Quote
School Chief Sticks By 'Zero Tolerance' Ruling for Eagle Scout

Call him Mr. Zero Tolerance.

The upstate New York school superintendent who suspended an Eagle Scout for 20 days for keeping a 2-inch utility knife locked in his car is unwilling to speak to the teen's family or bend in his ruling.

Lansingburgh Central School District Superintendent George J. Goodwin, 55, said in a written statement that his district "has an established policy of zero tolerance with respect to the possession of weapons of any kind on school property or in school buildings."

But nowhere in the school district's rule book, which is published online, is there any mention of a "zero tolerance" policy, leading some to question whether Goodwin, in fact, was compelled to suspend the youth.

Seventeen-year-old Matthew Whalen, a senior at Lansingburgh High School in Troy, N.Y., says he got in trouble over a survival kit he keeps in his car that includes a sleeping bag, water, a ready-to-eat meal and the small pocketknife, which was given to him by his grandfather, a police chief in a nearby town.

FULL STORY

The primitive's email:

ggoodwin@lansingburgh.org

Be nice.  :-)
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Offline JohnnyReb

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Re: School Chief Sticks By 'Zero Tolerance' Ruling for Eagle Scout
« Reply #1 on: October 16, 2009, 03:49:03 PM »
The S.O.B. probably is very liberal and hates the Scouts for their zero tolerance queer policy.

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Offline debk

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Re: School Chief Sticks By 'Zero Tolerance' Ruling for Eagle Scout
« Reply #2 on: October 16, 2009, 08:41:13 PM »
I heard on Fox earlier today that even the police dept disagreed with the school superintendent. They also said that West Point has been contacted and WP said this would not affect their decision.

From the pics I've seen, it looks like the kid is Army ROTC too.

Originally the kid only got a 5 day suspension. Have to wonder if the the super didn't like all the negative press and decided to punish the kid with an additional 15 days suspension because of it.

Wonder if he's in an elected position or appointed...

Just hand over the chocolate...back away slowly...far away....and you won't get hurt....

Save the Earth... it's the only planet with chocolate.

"My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far I've finished two bags of M&M's and a chocolate cake. I feel better already." – Dave Barry

A balanced diet is chocolate in both hands.

Offline docstew

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Re: School Chief Sticks By 'Zero Tolerance' Ruling for Eagle Scout
« Reply #3 on: October 16, 2009, 10:23:11 PM »
I heard on Fox earlier today that even the police dept disagreed with the school superintendent. They also said that West Point has been contacted and WP said this would not affect their decision.

From the pics I've seen, it looks like the kid is Army ROTC too.

Originally the kid only got a 5 day suspension. Have to wonder if the the super didn't like all the negative press and decided to punish the kid with an additional 15 days suspension because of it.

Wonder if he's in an elected position or appointed...



I have to wonder if the kid has grounds for a suit.  The guy certainly is applying an unwritten policy, therefore, it's not established...

Offline debk

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Re: School Chief Sticks By 'Zero Tolerance' Ruling for Eagle Scout
« Reply #4 on: October 16, 2009, 10:25:53 PM »
I have to wonder if the kid has grounds for a suit.  The guy certainly is applying an unwritten policy, therefore, it's not established...

Also it was locked in his car....in a survival kit that AAA recommends that all people have in their car.

Just hand over the chocolate...back away slowly...far away....and you won't get hurt....

Save the Earth... it's the only planet with chocolate.

"My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far I've finished two bags of M&M's and a chocolate cake. I feel better already." – Dave Barry

A balanced diet is chocolate in both hands.

Offline Eupher

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Re: School Chief Sticks By 'Zero Tolerance' Ruling for Eagle Scout
« Reply #5 on: October 16, 2009, 10:27:03 PM »
Here's my letter:

Dear Dr. Goodwin:

It has been reported in the press that you decided to suspend a student for possession of a 2-inch pocketknife, locked in the student’s car, for 20 days. This is a remarkable punishment, given the facts as stated in the article.

While no news article is ever complete with the facts, it would appear that your refusal to listen to interested parties marks you as being unapproachable, unreasonable, and completely unsupportive.

The central premise appears to be one of some kind of “zero tolerance” policy, which is not identified as such within the school district’s policies. There is some sort of nebulous phrase that threatens students with punitive action when and if said student carries a weapon.

Anyone would be hard-pressed to conclude that a 2-inch pocketknife could be considered a weapon of any sort, even in this post 9/11 world. Would a 6-inch screwdriver kept in another student’s warrant the same kind of action? I would submit that a 6=inch screwdriver is capable of even more bodily harm than a 2-inch penknife.

That the weapon was locked in the student’s car and was nowhere on his person or in his school locker compels one to conclude that your own biases may be at play in this case.

As an Eagle Scout myself, earned in 1970, I find it appalling that you would take such draconian action as to suspend the student initially for 5 days, but then extend that suspension out to 20 days. Whatever happened in that briefing must have angered you substantially. It would have been uncharacteristic for the bright young man himself to resort to baiting or other type of behavior.

I am hopeful that despite this type of rigid thinking on your part that the negative press surrounding this incident compels you to re-think your own behavior in this case. Based on the news article, you are far from dispassionate. Do you have some sort of anti-weapon agenda that has spilled over into this case?

Sincerely,

xxxxx xxxxxx

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Offline Chris

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Re: School Chief Sticks By 'Zero Tolerance' Ruling for Eagle Scout
« Reply #6 on: October 16, 2009, 10:34:26 PM »
A 20-day suspension is completely unreasonable and outside the realm of rational thought for simple possession.  Hell, he didn't even have it on his body... you get less than that for carrying dope. 
This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.

Offline debk

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Re: School Chief Sticks By 'Zero Tolerance' Ruling for Eagle Scout
« Reply #7 on: October 16, 2009, 11:49:34 PM »
Good letter Euph...


It was pointed out on Fox that a baseball bat is a deadly weapon. Are they going to cancel the baseball team?



If you want to get technical about it....a football player can be a "deadly weapon" to another football player if they collide a certain way....
Just hand over the chocolate...back away slowly...far away....and you won't get hurt....

Save the Earth... it's the only planet with chocolate.

"My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far I've finished two bags of M&M's and a chocolate cake. I feel better already." – Dave Barry

A balanced diet is chocolate in both hands.