[dillywho]

What do you think about the girl (honor student) in Massachusetts that was suspended and demoted as captain of the volleyball squad when she went to a party to pick up her friend that called her for a ride because she felt that she was too drunk to drive? The cops came shortly after she arrived and arrested several of the teens for underage drinking. The policeman vouched for the girl that had not been drinking saying that she was totally sober and only there to get her friend. The school said that she had violated its "zero tolerance policy" by being somewhere where alcohol was being served.

Personally, I think the school has zero common sense.

[borjo]

What's wrong with people anyway! This depresses me.

[justjim]

You can't fix stupid. The girls parents should challenge this situation---first the school board and second the courts. However, it could be a bit expensive. There should always be exceptions to policy for such circumstances.

[DonH57]

I only think of what would have happened had she not picked up her friend. Totally unacceptable.

[Indydealmaker]

Originally Posted by dillywho

What do you think about the girl (honor student) in Massachusetts that was suspended and demoted as captain of the volleyball squad when she went to a party to pick up her friend that called her for a ride because she felt that she was too drunk to drive? The cops came shortly after she arrived and arrested several of the teens for underage drinking. The policeman vouched for the girl that had not been drinking saying that she was totally sober and only there to get her friend. The school said that she had violated its "zero tolerance policy" by being somewhere where alcohol was being served.

Personally, I think the school has zero common sense.

Critical Thinking is a Lost Art.

[blueash]

The problem is the zero tolerance rule. It is not new that such policies have led to unintended results. If the rule is you must not be where alcohol is served, period, she was there. The rule does not say, unless you are a designated driver or picking up a friend. Same zero tolerance rules that result in suspensions and mandatory drug testing and drug school for kids caught with a couple of Motrins for their periods. Schools don't differentiate Motrin from heroin. Apparently if you make the policy less rigorous then there are concerns about selective enforcement. In the big picture of life no longer being the captain of the volleyball team is not going to hurt her at all. In fact she has a great college entrance essay that is writing itself as we debate her situation.

[Mikeod]

Zero tolerance rules eliminate critical thinking for administrators and saves them time. They don't have to differentiate or evaluate. It's a one size fits all deal. And it doesn't have the effect desired. Instead of concentrating on the actions deemed in violation, the attention is turned to the lack of wisdom shown by the system which undermines confidence in the system. In this case, they are telling the student she should have ignored her friend's plea instead of trying to get her out of a bad situation. Wrong message.

[golf2140]

Schools are out of control being P.C. Suspend a third grader for point his finger as a gun while playing with a friend. This country is going nuts.

[gustavo]

Originally Posted by justjim

You can't fix stupid. The girls parents should challenge this situation---first the school board and second the courts. However, it could be a bit expensive. There should always be exceptions to policy for such circumstances.

Then it wouldn't be called "zero" tolerance.

[dewilson58]

She was at the party for 20 minutes.........Hmmmmmmmm. Good excuse, but not factual. "But officer, I didn't enjoy being there, I was there for a friend." REALLY?????

[dillywho]

Originally Posted by dewilson58

She was at the party for 20 minutes.........Hmmmmmmmm. Good excuse, but not factual. "But officer, I didn't enjoy being there, I was there for a friend." REALLY?????

The officer formally vouched for the girl's sobriety and that she had not had a drink.

[DonH57]

Originally Posted by dewilson58

She was at the party for 20 minutes.........Hmmmmmmmm. Good excuse, but not factual. "But officer, I didn't enjoy being there, I was there for a friend." REALLY?????

Twenty minutes may be a true possibilty. Ever had to extract a drunk from a party? Sometimes not so easy.

[dillywho]

Originally Posted by blueash

The problem is the zero tolerance rule. It is not new that such policies have led to unintended results. If the rule is you must not be where alcohol is served, period, she was there. The rule does not say, unless you are a designated driver or picking up a friend. Same zero tolerance rules that result in suspensions and mandatory drug testing and drug school for kids caught with a couple of Motrins for their periods. Schools don't differentiate Motrin from heroin. Apparently if you make the policy less rigorous then there are concerns about selective enforcement. In the big picture of life no longer being the captain of the volleyball team is not going to hurt her at all. In fact she has a great college entrance essay that is writing itself as we debate her situation.

So let me get this straight. If this girl had been at her friend's house and her friend's parents had company over for cards and were serving alcoholic drinks, both girls could be punished under this rule because they were in a "zero tolerance" zone?

You're right....in the big picture of life no longer being the captain of the volleyball team is not a big deal. However, lack of principles is, and to me, that is what the school policy enforcers have. They just need to admit that they went overboard and look at that "big picture"; then, get busy a rewrite the ridiculous policy.

"Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk"

[ilovetv]

Because of the school boards and administrators who cannot think or will not think...I'm really glad we are DONE with this B.S. Our kids could see right thru this kind of stupidity, and the LAZINESS of not taking into account the individual circumstances.

Parents have to be their own kids' first and best teachers, regardless of how good their schools might be.

"I've never let my schooling interfere with my education." - Mark Twain

[buggyone]

As for the girl who called her friend to pick her up - why didn't she call her parents instead of having her honor roll friend come to the party and then possibly try to sneak her home without Mom or Dad knowing? Well, the honor roll friend was abetting the drunk girl, wasn't she - therefore, she deserved some punishment, too.

We all know there is more to this story than the snippet that was on the news.

Zero tolerance rules seldom work. They have to be tempered with common sense and practical judgement.