No slack for pencil sharpener

[Tony]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/2171872 ...full story


When she was growing up in South Korea, Sumi Lough says, she used the traditional pencil sharpener that all children there used: a 2-inch-long blade that folds into a small handle.

Now a resident of Katy, Lough went to a school supply store while visiting Seoul, South Korea, and bought one of the sharpeners for her daughter to use.

But what may be considered a routine item for schoolchildren there was alarming enough in the Katy school district to get Lough's 13-year-old daughter in deep trouble. School officials viewed it as a potential weapon.


This is all over the radio in Houston today. I think it's absolutely absurd. This poor girl is yet another victim of the stupidity known as the "zero tolerance" policy.

[Grammatron]

Originally posted by Tony
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/2171872 ...full story




This is all over the radio in Houston today. I think it's absolutely absurd. This poor girl is yet another victim of the stupidity known as the "zero tolerance" policy.
:mad:

This is very stupid. Yes, there are good reasons to suspend/expel kids who bring weapons to school. However, this should be done on case by case bases. This kind of policy (zero tolerance) has no place in school.

[shuize]

Originally posted by Tony
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/2171872 ...full story




This is all over the radio in Houston today. I think it's absolutely absurd. This poor girl is yet another victim of the stupidity known as the "zero tolerance" policy.

I remember a case in Georgia in which prosecutors tried to convict a 9 year old for a "weapon at school" violation for bringing a butter knife to school.

First the schools overreact and call the police. The officers don't know what to do so they kick the case over to the D.A.'s office to decide. Unfortunately, "weapon at school" cases are so political that no prosecutor who wants to keep his job will dismiss one. It usually takes a judge to finally say, "No, a butter knife is not a weapon under the statute."

After Columbine, however, even judges are nervous about dismissing dumb cases.

[Nikk]

Well if the mother bought the knife thingy in Seoul she must have brought it back on the plane violating god knows what laws in the process. The family are clearly seasoned criminals who need to be taught a lesson. :D

[AmateurScientist]

I'm just surprised that so far no one seems to have blamed it on lawyers. Clearly, it's all their fault.

AS

[Richard G]

Zero tolerance = zero common sense.

[Zep]

I'm certainly no fan of "zero tolerance" and this is decidedly silly, but imagine the stink if someone had taken it from the desk where it was left out and HAD used it as a weapon!

[ZeeGerman]

Originally posted by AmateurScientist
I'm just surprised that so far no one seems to have blamed it on lawyers. Clearly, it's all their fault.

AS

No problem.

IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT AS!

There you are.

Zee

[Jon_in_london]

Originally posted by AmateurScientist
I'm just surprised that so far no one seems to have blamed it on lawyers. Clearly, it's all their fault.

AS

I concurr.........

[Ian Osborne]

Originally posted by Zep
I'm certainly no fan of "zero tolerance" and this is decidedly silly, but imagine the stink if someone had taken it from the desk where it was left out and HAD used it as a weapon!

No one's suggesting she should be allowed to keep it in school - from the article, "Paster said the Loughs have no objection to the school's banning the pencil sharpener, but want their daughter treated fairly". It's the school's sense of proportion that's in question, not its right to ban a potentially-dangerous item from its premises.