How stupid is this... CN: High school student gets suspended for having a box cutter in his car that he needs for work at Cub. I heard on the radio this morning that he has been "expelled" for the quarter but can still attend school...only under some probation. http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=524796&catid=2 One guy's tool is another guy's weapon. That's something Blaine High School senior Tony Richard is learning the hard way. He's been suspended since September 5th, and could be expelled for the entire year, after a security guard found a box cutter in the teenager's car during a routine check for parking passes. "They asked if I had anything in my car, and I said no," Richard recalled, "And then they asked me if I'm sure and I said yes." School administrators then told him they'd located the box cutter in the cup holder of his parked car. It's a violation of the Anoka Hennepin County District's zero-tolerance weapons policy. "I didn't realize that, I didn't think about it," he explained, "I just threw it in there after work one day so I wouldn't rip my car seat or something." That's when he learned he'd be suspended for ten school days, and his case would be forwarded to the Anoka Hennepin County School Board for possible expulsion. "I basically had to calm him down to say what's going on," Tony's mother Michelle Richard recalled of the phone call she received from her 17-year-old son that day. "He was very upset and said 'They're trying to suspend me and expel me for having my work box cutter in my car.' And I said what?" Tony works an average of 20 hours per week at a Cub Foods store in Blaine. As part of his job, he uses the knife with the retractable razor blade to break down boxes headed for cardboard recycling. "He's getting the same punishment as if he'd brought it into the school," Michelle Richard said, "That's exactly what they would do in those cases too, they recommend expulsion." The six-member school board won't consider Tony's fate until next Monday night at it's regular meeting, meaning he'll actually be out of school a total of 11 days. At least. "I want to graduate with my own class," Tony said Tuesday, "I don't want to go to some alternative learning center." His mother's heard from many other parents willing to speak on Tony's behalf at the meeting. "Parents that are actually drawing up letters to represent our family and Tony to say that the punishment just isn't fitting the crime." District spokesperson Sarah Schwartz told KARE 11 school officials can't comment on individual student discipline cases, but referred to the district's policy on weapons. It bans "possession, use and/or transmission" of a weapon or "any object that can reasonably be considered a weapon." Examples given are knifes, real or immitation firearms, explosives, incendiary devices and any other object which can be used to harm a person. The policy flatly says any student found in violation will be immediately suspended, and expulsion proceedings will be launched automatically. Tony has spent his entire high school career at Blaine, and the sum total of his behavioral mishaps until now were three marks for being tardy. That had no bearing on the school's decision to banish him. The staff at Blaine High, Schwartz explained, has no leeway in such matters once a weapon is found on school property. These cases are referred directly to the school board regardless of circumstances. What will Tony tell the school board next week? "I threw it in there after work one day," he said, "I use it to cut boxes. That's what it's for, so, that's pretty much it." His mom's worried that he's missed his senior picture, and will miss homecoming because he's also banned from all activities. On Tuesday Tony had more to say about the chemistry labs he's missing during his suspension. "It's not fun, I'll tell you that," he asserted, "All my friends are in school." "You can say 'Oh yeah it's vacation,' but there's nothing to do at home all day and I've still got to do all my school work and stuff." "I'd rather be in school."
As a former highschool grocery store worker guy, I can't begin to count the amount of times I had a box cutter somewhere in my car...expulsion!? Really? Retarded.
I was told he signed something at his work place stating that tools for his job ie box cutters would remain at work.
This is old news. He went back to school today and is on "probation" see http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=525152&catid=14
Right...but the story was never posted and notice the bold in my quote. I realize I didn't post the most up to date article.
I'd just like to point out that the box cutters for most grocery stores are store property, so why was it in his car in the first place? Then, be a little smarter about it and put it in your glove box. Either way, this situation was handled poorly by one or all parties involved.
It never said it was Cub's box cutter...just that it was a box cutter he used for work at Cub. Maybe he had his own that he liked. I know when my gf worked at Menards, she had a better cutter that was her personal one which she would bring home with her. Still...the situation was handled terribly.
What I wanna know is why they were even looking IN his car, when they can see parking permits clearly on the windows. Sounds to me like someone at school didn't like the kid, and told security he had a weapon in his car. And it can happen, the girl I shared a locker with stole my Ritalin and then told the principal that I had sold it to her. It didn't matter that it was locked in MY side of the locker, she could see my combination whenever she wanted to.
well..back in my high school they have drug sniffing dogs go through the cars every Wednesday. I find it absolutely absurd that kids are subjected to the metaphorical "microscope" in today's schools. I have time and time again advocated, complained, threatened at times the school administration to alleviate the amount of "thumb-in-ass" tactics they use to find the said "dirt" on kids. To me its just an easy way to make money for cops. They threatened expulsion on me once because i had an ipod with cannibal corpse on it. I told the principal that this isn't a catholic school so freedom of expression still applies to this place. He then sent me to HCMC crisis center because he thought i was going to kill myself over the music. long story short...this crap has gone to far
When I was in high school...they had some bitchy lady who would walk the parking lot not only looking for permits, but also peeping in car windows to see what she could find. A kid on my hockey team almost got suspended for having his skates visible in his car. Apparently the lady thought they were going to be used as weapons...
Haha, I got sent to the principal for my Skinny Puppy "Last Rights" shirt but I wore my fear factory "edgecrusher" shirt - which has all the lyrics - including the SWEAR WORDS on the back - and nothing happened. The puppy one had a picture of a gargoyle on top of a gravestone. That must mean I'm a satanist that wants to hurt fellow students. Strangely enough, it got better when I moved to a small town. People left me alone.
its just so ridiculous so the next day when i got back from HCMC i wore all the satanic crap i had in my wardrobe the next day and i had 666 all over my arms and face
Well that's a little ridiculous - I'd have sent you to the principal for looking like a tool What is funny is that they all thought I was a Satanist .. but I had .. nothing satanic on me. Ever. :laugh: Not even metal bands t-shirts! Granted, I'd never wear a "deicide" shirt to school (common sense) ... but still. Wow, I was lame compared to what kids are doing nowadays.
That's really all I remember about high school...oh ya, and those black stretchy pants that clung to ass :biggrin:
Horrible. Should of took the cutter away.. gave him a warning.. end of story. Didnt have to go that far. Security doesnt have anything better to do.
When I worked at Menard's, we had to buy our own hardware. I usually had 3 knives and a tape measure in my glovebox.
I think it's more of a thing of the school being like "oh look at us...we are making our school uber safe! Give a big pat on the back for keeping all your children safe"
But it raises the point of this: most of us have weapons in our car. Tire irons, and jumper cables. Safety kits include shovels and road flares. Both are weapons too.
There was a story a few years ago like this where a girl (honor student, iirc) was suspended because she left a kitchen knife in her car after volunteering at a homeless kitchen. Her family's knife, that she brought because the shelter didn't have much to work with. Same deal, zero tolerance.
Hell, cars are weapons. I was thinking the other day, that a lot of the time I have a medium sized knife clipped to the visor of my truck, and that it was the sort of thing I should either stop doing, or make a real point of informing an officer about, should I get pulled over.
I have always been more into white pants ... but back on topic, the kid said something about an alternative school last night on the news ??
Read about this, it is BS. However, having been through the same thing. It is not all that bad depending on how you go about it. I was expelled for having a pair of Leathermans(knife blades removed, so it was basically a pair of pliers and screw drivers) the end of my freshman year from Coon Rapids SR. High. All of my teachers knew I had it and it wasn't a problem, until some fricken art teacher stops me and says "whats that?". I was initially suspended for 10 days(to review the case), but she put up such a stink about it that 10 days turned into 20 and 20 days turned into a year expulsion because she kept pushing the issue. The great thing is the school still has to teach you or give you a method to learn(home school(my choice)/college). I still had to have a full set of credits. The only way for me to do so was by doing all my required classes up to my senior year. Meaning once I returned the only classes I had left to do were my electives and to go PSEO(post secondary enrollment option), HVAC. My junior and senior year all I did was shop classes from 7--am to 10--am then go to Century for HVAC. Not a bad deal.
Ding ding ding. Who gives a **** if it's "zero tolerance." Any rational person isn't going to construe a box cutter as a weapon (yeah, unless you're on an airplane). Take the kid's knife, tell him not to bring it on to school property again, and move along. Some people just have a hard on for power and enforcing rules.
I brought a knife to school in kindergarten and showed a classmate the knife, was caught by the teacher, had to sit in the corner for the whole day and was given a warning not to bring it to school Awesome.
I've carried a pocket knife since I was 12, every day. Teachers knew I had it. I even had a teacher ask to use it in class. Wow school has changed in ten years. What ever happened to private property. The box cutter was in his locked car not in the school. It was a tool he used for work. Should he have to go home to get his gear for work? Sure, he should have kept it out of sight but stuff happens kids forget things no harm done.
Probably but the school should mind their own damn business. They should have no right to be privy to your medical issues. And as far as OTC drugs. LOOK OUT!!! Timmy has a cough drop call the cops.
This was quite a long time ago, you know, when people thought that others could handle themselves. My mom forbade me to give it to the nurse. She thought that was a waste of everyone's time when I knew I had to take it. This happened in ... uhm ... 1995? So yeah, people didn't really care as much then. Until someone brings it to the principal and says they got it from you selling it to them. They didn't even look to see if this girl shared my locker. They just assumed I was causing trouble. It was the first, and only time, I ever had suspension - in my whole school career. I never even had detention. Seems to me the process of taking it on my own worked just fine from 4th to 9th grade. As soon as you bring lockers into the picture it gets to be a big deal :roll: Also, I agreed with my mom. I didn't want the nurse hounding her TOO when it got close to refill time. Glad juvenile records are sealed, as now I'd be asked about a drug I'm no longer on anymore.
This is bogus. There have been alot of these type of stories over the past 5 or so years. Every single one of them makes me shake my head. Zero Tolerance is so stupid. If someone really wanted to bring a weapon to school, they could get it there without getting caught so easily it is not even funny. And if someone has that intention they will have killed someone before the rent a cop in the parking lot or crazy art teachers have a chance to scold them. I remember looking in old school year books (before my time) and seeing that my High School had a marksmanship team. They competed with bolt action .22s, and practiced on school grounds. Now you cant bring a butter knife to school without getting expelled. Grrr... rant.....
Honestly, in all of my dealings with k-12 educators outside of the classroom, I've learned that most teachers and administrators in the k-12 system are not overly bright people. Sorry if I offend anyone here, but it is what it is.
This is what happens when you have to try your hardest to not offend or scare anyone. Honestly, I think that kids need to be taught how to shoot (archery and guns - we had "archery" in gym class) - and that if they've gone to the same place for the last 4 years (this guy was a senior) ... it should be as safe as the year before. People use boxcutters. It happens. Some people hijacked a plane with boxcutters - now, in America, boxcutters are weapons. Honestly, if I didn't have one, I'd go insane. I think, that instead of this big uproar he should have met with the principal, and the principal (or counselor, WHATEVER) should have talked to him first. Then, afterword, he gets told "well, just so you know, this isn't supposed to be on school property" kid says "oh wow, I had no idea, okay, no problem" Kid starts leaving his stuff at home or in his locked glove box ... which is the only place he has to stash such things as work requires him to be there right after school.. and nobody even needs to know. Not even his parents.
I used to have a shotgun in my trunk on occasion to go hunting after school. I knew not to keep it in the back seat as I had heard about someone getting in big trouble for it when I was in high school. Box cutters are not a shotgun though. What about a screwdriver? It would be easier to kill someone with a nice flathead screwdriver. Or my baseball bat and hockey stick. Or the tire iron that almost every car comes with. Or... Or.....
Zero tolerance is zero sense. Passed by know-nothing fearful politicians. They're just as dumb for school regs as they are for laws.
