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Unbelieveable. This kid, a troublemaker, is whining because he got a worse punishment for a) starting the fight and b) inflicting far greater damage. And the parents would rather scream racism than deal with the fact that their son is seriously troubled and is heading toward more (at least he was not criminally prosecuted). You know, I'm black, and somehow I managed to go through thirteen years of schooling without a single suspension. This kid could have too if he stayed out of trouble and his parents woke up and dealt with their son's problems.

Cases like this are why I didn't become a teacher, as much as I liked the other aspects of the work.

Cases like this are why I didn't become a teacher

I did become a teacher and, in fact, taught at a predominantly black college in Dallas. At least, I taught there until a kid entered my office with a knife in hand and told me that my assignments were too challenging and that I was interferring with his right to an education.

He went to jail. I went to Florida.

I'm black, and somehow I managed to go through thirteen years of schooling without a single suspension.

I'm white, and I lost count of how many times I was suspended in high school. I guess you and I blow their hypothesis out of the water, huh?

And the parents would rather scream racism than deal with the fact that their son is seriously troubled and is heading toward more (at least he was not criminally prosecuted). You know, I'm black, and somehow I managed to go through thirteen years of schooling without a single suspension. This kid could have too if he stayed out of trouble and his parents woke up and dealt with their son's problems.

Cases like this are why I didn't become a teacher, as much as I liked the other aspects of the work.

Thanks for your post here, LWalk18. I know many black kids manage to get through school without throwing a punch, but I also know many of the ones who do will scream racism -- and, threaten a law$uit -- and, suddenly, that parent(s) finds the time to come to $chool when there was never any time to do so before.

Also, see the link in my reply #1, as this is a serious porblem, and is the reason why some experienced teachers are now leaving the teaching profession. Thanks again for your post.

You know, I'm black, and somehow I managed to go through thirteen years of schooling without a single suspension. This kid could have too if he stayed out of trouble and his parents woke up and dealt with their son's problems.

Sounds to me more like a "content of character" issue than a "color of skin" one. And your kids won't be a problem for the system, either. I pray that they are treated fairly.

The other kid was suspended for defending himself, it appears. But if you don't defend yourself you risk worse injury, not to mention becoming a target in the future.

This kid, a troublemaker, is whining because he got a worse punishment

My natural instincts are to agree but I have just had a run in with the school system and now believe there may be more to the story.