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Girl suspended for bringing rocks to school

Filed under: Tweens, Health & Safety: Babies, In The News, Day Care & Education

If you've been reading ParentDish for long, then you know that kids are finding new and exciting ways to get themselves suspended from school all the time. Taking calls from parents stationed in Iraq, smelling their own shirt, and sporting a trendy haircut have all caused school suspensions, along with a permanent mark on school records.

Sometimes, the consequences fit the crime. Sometimes, schools go too far in trying to enforce a "zero tolerance" policy. Take the case of a nine-year-old Milwaukee girl who recently received a three-day suspension for taking rocks, a hammer, and a screwdriver to school. When the bus driver discovered her with the items, the police were called and a threat assessment team was assembled.
The thing is, the girl didn't take the items to school to hurt anybody. Instead, she wanted to share her new hobby with friends. She'd recently discovered that you could crack open rocks with a hammer and find shinier rocks inside. The police determined that she had no intention of hurting anyone, but the threat assessment team says that due to details that can't be shared with the public, they deemed the suspension appropriate.

It's sad that schools feel the need to clamp down so hard on students who make simple mistakes but mean no harm. What do you think about this case -- does she deserve a three-day suspension or is the school district overreacting?

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AdviceMama Says:
Start by teaching him that it is safe to do so.