I’m all for getting a little law-and-order in the schools, but this is ridiculous.  Let’s show a little sense here.

     The story is about a 13-year-old boy in Florida who has been given a 10-day suspension and faces expulsion for allegedly threatening a teacher with a rubber band.

     To quote the article;

            Rojas said she was shocked to learn that her son was being punished for a Level 4 offense -- the highest Level at the school. Other violations that also receive level 4 punishment include arson, assault and battery, bomb threats and explosives, according to the Code of Student Conduct.

     Sure, it’s possible that he could conceivably hit the teacher in the eye with the rubber band.  And it’s possible that it might have, through some freak of physics, put her eye out.  (Although he claims he was wearing it on his wrist and merely tossed the rubber band on her desk when she demanded it.)   Still, this hardly merits categorization with the above listed offenses.

     It’s possible that this kid has had numerous problems, and this is just the final straw, and they wanted to make and “example” out of him…and if he’s been in a lot of trouble they would not be at liberty to divulge that given his very minor status – but if simply reaching your “enough point” is all it takes for a school district to deny someone an education and place such a punishment on their permanent record – well, the inmates are running the asylum – which is kind of what I’ve been trying to say in my own rambling way.

     It astonishes me that we’ve gone from the world I grew up in – where anti-social and brutal behavior were considered normal childhood experiences – and now, when a rubber band is assault with a weapon.  I’m only thirty-seven frickin’ years old.  I shouldn’t have to make this sort of adjustment.  It’s not right.