Zero Tolerance Policies

satv365 · #1 (**permalink**) 09-20-2007, 11:20 PM

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Washington D.C. – The Libertarian Party is asking the Cobb County School District to reexamine its zero tolerance policy for weapons after school officials pursue felony charges against a second student for accidentally having a knife on school property. "What we're looking at here is a zero tolerance policy being used to prosecute students for felonies when exceptions clearly need to be made," says Shane Cory, executive director of the national Libertarian Party. "The circumstances of both cases indicate these young men had no ill-intent with the knives they were caught having in their vehicles, yet the zero tolerance policy of the Cobb County School District will see that these students are charged with felonies. Their lives and academic careers will undoubtedly suffer greatly because the school officials refuse to use common sense with regards to weapon possession. This is wrong, and Cobb County needs to fix it."

"Once again, the Cobb County School District exhibits its collective absence of reasoning in choosing to waste time, money and a young man’s reputation so it can look tough on crime by making an example of a young man whose crime appears to be obeying that old Boy Scout motto: 'Be prepared,'" says Georgia Libertarian Party Executive Director David Chastain. "The lesson here is to first 'be prepared' for the long arm of the law to reach into every facet of your life. This is not your grandfather’s America."

Libertarian National Committee member and former Georgia Congressman Bob Barr issued a press release slamming school officials for what he called "an unthinking, stupid, and vindictive exercise of government power."

"The student posed no threat to anyone, and he was not using the knife in any threatening manner," Barr noted. "In fact, he was not using the knife at all - it was simply in his car. Trying to ruin a student's career before it even begins, by treating such an innocuous activity as having a Swiss Army pocketknife in a car, is nothing short of an unthinking, stupid, and vindictive exercise of government power.”

Barr, a former U.S. Attorney, is calling for District Attorney Pat Head and Solicitor Barry Morgan to drop charges against 12th grade student, Wilford Ray Chandler, Jr., who is the student charged with a felony for having a three-inch Swiss Army knife in his car.

"The point of the matter is this: Zero tolerance policies do nothing to prevent school violence," Cory continues. "Unfortunately, good students like Wilford Chandler, Jr. are the innocent victims of a failed and useless policy."

The Libertarian Party is America's third largest political party, founded in 1971 as an alternative to the two main political parties. You can find more information on the Libertarian Party by visiting Official Website of the Libertarian National Committee, or by emailing them at media@lp.org. The Libertarian Party proudly stands for smaller government, lower taxes and more freedom.

Once again Zero Tollerance policies in public schools ruin a young persons life. Public Schools at there best, folks.

freedomlover · #2 (**permalink**) 09-21-2007, 08:33 AM

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Originally Posted by satv365

Once again Zero Tollerance policies in public schools ruin a young persons life. Public Schools at there best, folks.

satv365, I believe this is a very important topic. Why is it that we tend to go overboard with this zero tolerance crap. My son was received an in school suspension when he was in 2nd or 3rd grade, for DRAWING a dragon with a knife. NO SHIT. The kids that are committing the school shootings and such, are not the ones that would openly come to school with a gun rack and guns in their back window. And is not your car private property, even if it is sitting on public property? This is setting dangerous precedence.

satv365 · #3 (**permalink**) 09-26-2007, 08:36 PM

Well, they do nothing to stop violent crime. They punish severely for simple mistakes, like walking down the haul with a housekey in your hands, or accidently having a keychain knife in your pocket.

I think it would be prudent to rexamine the justification for zero tolerance policies in Public Schools.

justme · #4 (**permalink**) 09-26-2007, 08:54 PM

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Originally Posted by satv365

Well, they do nothing to stop violent crime. They punish severely for simple mistakes, like walking down the haul with a housekey in your hands, or accidently having a keychain knife in your pocket.

I think it would be prudent to rexamine the justification for zero tolerance policies in Public Schools.

There are many horror stories about how zero tolerance has been misused.
I think the original justification was to try to equally enforce the rules.
School administrators had leeway to match the punishment to the offender. This didn't sit well with some. There were abuses then too, but administrators at least could use some logic.
So to remove any appearance of arbitrary enforcement, a straight A kid never in trouble is subject to the same discipline as the kid who rarely attends school, has been busted many times, and just generally doesn't care.
All in the name of "fairness."
Sucks, don't it?

#5 (**permalink**) 10-29-2007, 08:48 AM

zero tolerance is why i am at home today

ONEWHITEDUCK · #6 (**permalink**) 10-29-2007, 09:12 AM

SHOOT EM ON SITE

ZERO TOLERANCE IS BULLY-ISM

FUCK THOSE BULLIES

THEY ARE CIA MIND CLOWNS

CIA-MEDIA PROJECT OPERATION MOCKINGBIRD IS GOVERNMENT PROPAGANDA | Free Speech TV Community: Participatory Media

http://www.arguewitheveryone.com/245495-post37.html

I'M GONNA SINK YOUR CIA BRAINWASHED SHIP OF FOOLS

ya shitdick smellycunts better GO WASH THE SHIT OFF

ChrisXP · #7 (**permalink**) 10-29-2007, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by satv365

Once again Zero Tollerance policies in public schools ruin a young persons life. Public Schools at there best, folks.

Okay, how about a terrorist "accidently" bringing a knife to the airport. Will you fight for his rights, too?

Nope.

So what's the real difference here? It's not Johnny getting caught with his hand in the cookie jar, but an agenda of "I can carry any weapon I please". Meanwhile claim at the same time (to get past the responsibility problem of excess), "guns don't kill people, people do".

Guns were designed, made and used by people to kill. Their whole existence isn't to sit on a shelf to offer protection collecting dust.

If they exist, man has a special responsibility to treat such weapons with extreme care. If they're in possession of a kid on property where they're not allowed, like with adults, they'll have to face the same penalties.

The law is clear -- you don't bring weapons to school.

As for the "zero tolerance policy" blame parents for schools doing the discipline that they themselves aren't doing. In my day, if I acted up in school my parents put on record that after the spanking, they want to be notified. Let's just put it this way, no better discipline comes from home. That's what's missing in all of this, because 20 years ago Johnny wasn't bringing his .22 to class, let alone his hunting knife (baseball bats, yes, but he left the weapons at home). And these were your "good o' boys".

Back then folks respected space, not trespassed against another's. Not due to the fear of Johnny killing Jack, but because Johnny and Jack knew the letter of the law at home, and that was enough to keep both from killing each other.

satv365 · #8 (**permalink**) 10-30-2007, 03:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisXP

Okay, how about a terrorist "accidently" bringing a knife to the airport. Will you fight for his rights, too?

Nope.

So what's the real difference here? It's not Johnny getting caught with his hand in the cookie jar, but an agenda of "I can carry any weapon I please". Meanwhile claim at the same time (to get past the responsibility problem of excess), "guns don't kill people, people do".

Guns were designed, made and used by people to kill. Their whole existence isn't to sit on a shelf to offer protection collecting dust.

If they exist, man has a special responsibility to treat such weapons with extreme care. If they're in possession of a kid on property where they're not allowed, like with adults, they'll have to face the same penalties.

The law is clear -- you don't bring weapons to school.

As for the "zero tolerance policy" blame parents for schools doing the discipline that they themselves aren't doing. In my day, if I acted up in school my parents put on record that after the spanking, they want to be notified. Let's just put it this way, no better discipline comes from home. That's what's missing in all of this, because 20 years ago Johnny wasn't bringing his .22 to class, let alone his hunting knife (baseball bats, yes, but he left the weapons at home). And these were your "good o' boys".

Back then folks respected space, not trespassed against another's. Not due to the fear of Johnny killing Jack, but because Johnny and Jack knew the letter of the law at home, and that was enough to keep both from killing each other.

Idiotic, this is about public schools severely and overly harsh punishing a young kid for having a knife in his car. Nothing to do with terrorism, idiot.

Joe_King · #9 (**permalink**) 10-30-2007, 03:58 AM

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Originally Posted by justme

There are many horror stories about how zero tolerance has been misused.

like the other "Zero Tolerance" slant .... like giving 11 year olds birth control

This knife stuff ... it's part of the "Disarm America" mentality

it is agenda based - cut and dried!

Realist1 · #10 (**permalink**) 10-30-2007, 05:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by satv365

Idiotic, this is about public schools severely and overly harsh punishing a young kid for having a knife in his car. Nothing to do with terrorism, idiot.

Sure...I suppose you can't see the danger to the entire School with a boy having a 3" Swiss Pocket Knife locked in his car.

Next you'll try an tell us that it's perfectly "normal" for boys to have spit-wad and rubber-band fights...This is a very dangerous path to follow.