Rather than documentation of any specific incident, an article yesterday by Kathryn Hemenway in the Battle Creek Enquirer provides excellent insight into the problems of taking discipline problems to the general corrections system instead of to an in-school system. Take the time to read what she has to say.
Painted Over Homophobic Graffiti, Students Suspended
Updated 16 May 2005: ‘Love’ artist checks in, clarifies and corrects article. See bottom of post for details.
A teacher at Howell High in the Howell Public School District watched on as four students covered up some rude anti-gay graffiti in front of their school and then painted their own message, “Love”, on a stone in front of the school. The teacher then reported them for vandalism and they were all suspended for three days.
The affair resulted in about 375 students staging a protest on Tuesday. They skipped class and demonstrated in front of the school.
Principal Margaret Hamill said that she empathized with their position, but that the school was only following disciplinary procedures outlined in the code of conduct.
“Although that (the word ‘love’) is a beautiful message? instead of using sidewalk chalk that we could wash out, they used spray-paint,” Hamill said.
Updated 16 May 2005: Band plays Louie, Louie. See bottom of post for details.
The McCord Middle School band was forbidden from playing the venerable classic Louie Louie at the Grand Floral Parade on May 7th. The tune was banned due to “allegedly raunchy lyrics” despite the fact that it was going to be an instrumental, not vocal, performance.
In a letter sent home with McCord students, [Benton Harbor Area School District Superintendent Paula Dawning] said “Louie Louie” was not appropriate for Benton Harbor students to play while representing the district  even though the marching band wasn’t going to sing it.
Suburban district expels student
A White Pine Middle School student was found with a paring knife in his posession. This fruit knife with a short, flexible blade is a deadly weapon according to Saginaw Township policy. The School Board moved quickly to expel the dangerous child.
A bus driver spotted the item while the student waited outside the school for his ride home in early April, said Superintendent Jerry L. Seese.
“He didn’t threaten anybody with it, but the board is taking a zero-tolerance stance,” Seese said.
Thank goodness for zero tolerance. White Pine’s oranges and apples may now breath a little easier.
Additional contact info:
Principal Bonnie Eaves
School Board President Marianne Bird
School Board Vice President Nancy Cotcamp
School Board Secretary Francisco Borja
School Board Treasurer Judith Lincoln
School Board Trustee Lisa Hall
School Board Trustee Donald McAnelly
School Board Trustee Barbara Russell
Judges Rule High School Strip Searches Unconstitutional in ACLU of Michigan Lawsuit
On April fourth a panel of judges ruled that Whitmore Lake High School’s (Whitmore Lake Public School District) strip search of 20 students was unconstitutional. The strip search was instigated at the direction of acting principal Charmaine Balsillie in order to find money that was stolen from a student’s gym bag. Teachers stripped and searched the entire gym class under the instruction of a police officer.
In the ruling, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit determined, “The highly intrusive nature of the searches, the fact that the searches were performed on a substantial number of students, the fact that the searches were performed in the absence of individualized suspicion, and the lack of consent, taken together, demonstrate that the searches were not reasonable.” The ruling is binding on all school officials in Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee.
The teachers and the police officer were determined to be immune from personal culpability as they were government officials working in the capacity of their duties. The students have not stated if they will appeal the immunity ruling.
(Tip credit to Tori in Texas)
Board expels Heritage High student
What would an appropriate punishment be for a student who cursed at a teacher? Detention? Maybe suspension? In the Saginaw Township School District they go for an expulsion of a minimum of 180 days. They just did this to a Heritage High School student who used “profane and abusive” language.
School board members voted 5-2 to expel the student, with Frank Borja and Judith Lincoln dissenting.
“It’s so easy to write off kids,” Borja said in explaining his vote. “But more often than not, we hold our kids to a higher standard than adults.”
At least they are consistent. They expelled another student last month for cursing at an assistant principal.
Contact Information:
Heritage High Principal Michael Newman
Superintendent Dr. Jerry Seese
Boardmember Marianne Bird
Boardmember Francisco Borja
Boardmember Nancy Cotcamp
Boardmember Lisa Hall
Boardmember Donald McAnelly
Boardmember Judith Lincoln
Boardmember Barbara Russell
Students Suspended For Bringing Caffeine Syrup To School
Two students at Monroe High School in the Monroe County School District were suspended for a substance abuse violation. The substance was caffeine.
The high school seniors apparently shared a sampling of SkyRocket High Octane Super Syrup that was purchased online.
“We had two students that were involved, a student who brought it to school and shared it with a friend,” said Ryan McLeod, assistant principal at the high school. “It was not similar to just a Coke or a Pepsi.”
Calvin College student caught with weapons in his car
A 19 year-old student at Calvin College, a theological seminary, was suspended under the school’s zero tolerance policy. He had left his hunting guns in his car trunk. He withdrew from the school instead of appealing the administration’s decision.
It happened late Tuesday afternoon when campus police officers, as well as their counterparts from Kentwood, Grand Rapids, East Grand Rapids, surrounded the car where someone spotted the weapons.
Officers found two shotguns, a semi-automatic gun, a handgun, ammunition and a hunting knife in the trunk of the vehicle.
Officers also searched the 19-year-old student’s room but didn’t find any weapons there.
Female Student Accused of Writing Hit List - Indiana. A freshman at West Vigo High School is accused of making a hit list with over 40 names on it. She will likely be expelled.
Middletown Student Discovered With A “Hit List” - Ohio. A student at Middletown High School made a hit list and it was discovered by another student. He was immediately removed from the school property and suspended. He faces expulsion and criminal charges.
Channelview “hit list” student pleads guilty - Texas. Channelview High School junior Christopher Hayes made a list. He was suspended and charged with several counts including making a terrorist threat. He plead guilty and was fined $300 and sentenced to two years of probation.
Lely student on probation after plea agreement - Florida. Elwood June and two other Lely High School students were accused of plotting an attack on their school. Elwood had a hit list. The boys were expelled and faced felony criminal charges. Elwood is on probation until he turns 19 and will be performing 100 hours of community service.
Joplin student removed from school for making ‘hit list’ - Missouri. A 14 year old girl at Joplin High School made a list with 16 people on it. She’s in police custody.
‘Hit list’ turns up at school - California. Two boys, 17 and 16 years old, made a list. They are being held at Riverside County Juvenile Hall, charged with felonies.
Two students expelled for creating ‘hit list’ - Michigan. Three boys were involved in this list. Two were expelled. The other is a special needs student so will have punishment fitting the convoluted laws involved there.
(more…)
Student suspended for wearing Klan Halloween costume
A City High School student dressed up for the school Halloween party as a character from the Dave Chappelle Show. The comedy skit was about a blind Klansman who discovers he is black. He won a prize for the scariest costume. He was also suspended from school for five days.
Superintendent Bert Bleke said he agrees with the school’s decision to suspend the student, but he wants to know why none of the adults present stopped the senior from entering the party wearing the white hooded outfit and why he was allowed to keep wearing it, much less win a prize.
“There are a number of questions that I have and don’t yet have answers to,” Bleke said. “We’re still investigating.”
The school’s principal, assistant principal and several other adult staff members were present at the dance.
Everybody involved agrees that the student didn’t wear the costume for racist reasons and did not intend to offend anybody.
In a letter sent home with students Monday, school Principal Jane DeGroot said the suspended student, who is of Asian heritage, didn’t mean to offend anyone.
“I think there might be some cultural issues here, where the student didn’t realize just how offensive this was,” Bleke said. “He apparently has never shown signs of being prejudiced, and this was meant to be goofy. But it was a stupid thing to do.”