elrod_tom

April 2nd, 2012 at 12:50 PM ^

I have a thought that stuff like this happens because it's the only way to maintain any kind of order any more.

The kids involved in this were clearly acting like idiots, and should have been forced to clean up their mess, pay for the damage, and suffer some other significant punishment at school and at home.  There was at least some destruction of property, and it's also easy for something like this to get out of hand and someone to get seriously hurt.  This doesn't strike me as "good clean fun".

The problem is that there is apparently no threat of punishment once they get home.  Then, if the administration attempts to hand out anything that qualifies as a real punishment, most parents any more will threaten the school with legal action.  Even the threat of a lawsuit is a costly endeavor fraught with peril for anyone, but especially a cash-strapped school district in this day and age.  So the administration does the "easy" thing...and turns it into a legal matter.

The punishment is ridiculous and turns common sense on its head, but it's not surprising.  If any of you watched the local news coverage of this, particularly the interviews with the parents, you might understand where I'm coming from here. 

M-Wolverine

April 2nd, 2012 at 7:16 PM ^

And look like they're applying for martyrdom rather than showing any regret over doing it. That comes from the parents. Though the one kid does bring out the classic "my dad will fight you" line. It may seem like overkill, but it's readily looking like the only discipline they've ever had.

elrod_tom

April 3rd, 2012 at 8:15 AM ^

I would qualify my comments about the ridiculousness of the punishment by observing the comments of both the perps and their fanboys and girls posted in M-Wolverine's link (which I have re-posted below). 

It's clear to me that some folks didn't learn their lessons, and I'm not just talking about the idiots who spent some time in jail because of this.  If this is going to be the reaction, maybe I need to rethink my "ridiculous" comment a bit...maybe the punishment was ridiculously lenient.

http://www.monroenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120328/NEWS01/120329974/-1/news

I weep for humanity...