Texas school expels 13-year-old because he stood up to a bully

wordpress ^ | October 16, 2012 | Dan from Squirrel Hill

[grundle]

Dan from Squirrel Hill's Blog

Texas school expels 13-year-old because he stood up to a bully

ABC News reports:

A Texas dad who recently returned from a year in Afghanistan spent his time at home picketing his son’s middle school after the teen was sent to another school for standing up to a bully he says had been harassing him for years.

Randy Duke, who trains police officers in Afghanistan, has found himself spending his days back in Victoria, Texas, wedged between two pieces of poster board with the phrase “BULLYING VICTIMS ARE PUNISHED HERE” emblazoned on each side. The 48-year-old dad spent hours each day wearing the signs and picketing outside of Cade Middle School.

“The school administration assessed the situation, and gave what I believe was a harsh punishment,” Duke told ABC News. “They looked at this as a fight — which it was not. Had it been, in-school suspension would be an appropriate punishment.”

Duke’s 13-year-old son Max said he hit his breaking point after another student stomped on one of the expert paper airplanes Max had made and given to a classmate with special needs.

“My son said, ‘why would you do that?’ and the kid shoved my son. Max shoved back, and an altercation continued,” Duke said. “Max has been working hard to stay away from him, since he had been confronted by him and other kids before. They would use racial slurs – saying ‘we don’t like you because you’re white.’”

Accodring to Duke, a teacher said both Max and the other teen were able to get blows in. After the fight was broken up, Max was subjected to the school’s policy on fights within the school — a two-day suspension, after which he was sent to Victoria’s Mitchell Guidance Center – an alternate school where students are sent through metal detectors, given pat-downs before entering and even have their fingernails checked.

So, after the school refused to protect this innocent student from a bully, the kid stood up for himself. For defending himself, he was suspended for two days, expelled, and sent to an alternative school for violent thugs that has metal detectors and patdowns.

This is horrible. The people in charge of his original school are evil.

[Jonty30]

Pull him out entirely and homeschool.

The fact that he is kept in the system keeps the money in the system.

[TheZMan]

“Zero tolerance” should be renamed “Zero intelligence”.

[2banana]

In a 2banana run school...

Put these two guys in a ring. Heavy weight boxing gloves and head protection.

Let them beat away at each other.

At the end of the “fight” - shake hands and go back to class.

Fight again and we will repeat this at 0500AM after a 6 mile run. I can do this all year if you guys still want to fight.

[heylady]

Texas has quite a few private Christian schools. You sometimes have to make difficult choices in life. What is more important to spend my money on..material things or my child’s education?

[Mr. K]

I hope some local private school gives this kid a full scholarship

[Noumenon]

What the hell is wrong with Texas?

[cpdiii]

“Zero tolerance” should be renamed “Zero intelligence”.

Yes it is. My son was jumped by two dudes in high school (ten years ago). He took them both down. At this point if he wanted he could have seriously hurt them. He did not. However, he was punished "for fighting." He was put in alternative school for a few weeks. He had no history of problems or fighting at school.

I went to see the principal and asked him what my son was supposed to do? The answer was "dodge the blows" and or run. If you do that in High School you will be labeled a coward and your life will become a living hell day after day. I then asked the Principal if I came across his desk and started a Texas sized ass whipping on him would he "dodge the blows" or fight? It would take security a few minutes to get there and he sure as hell could not run.

He looked nervous and said nothing. I informed him that his non answer made it clear that my son did the right thing.

I went home and told my son that he did the right thing and I would back him again if it happens again.

[Repulican Donkey]

If the story unfolded as described in the article, the school district is violating state law. In 2005 (I think) the Texas Legislature amended the education code to allow for self defense as an affirmative defense. I’m a retired administrator in Texas with 20+ years experience. To follow the amended law a school must apply the same measures against all for fighting or turn the incident over to law enforcement as assault by the instigator. Then the school punishes the instigator.

[Bikkuri]

I remember, in the 6th grade... I had been bullied for years by an individual (I had never fought back before). Anyway, the 6th grade couch hated me because, at the time, I didn’t do any sports and was the scrawniest kid in that grade.

One time (and only one time ;)) that guy pushed me during P.E. and the couch saw it. He was giddy because he saw this as a chance to see me get my butt kicked...

He strapped us both up with boxing gloves.. everyone gathered around (cheering for the bully).. and I beat the holy crap out of him.. I had him screaming on the ground and they had to pull me off of him.

Coach still hated me, but the bully never messed with me again.

Mostly happy ending ;)

**Same coach, same year; At the beginning of the school year he told us that whoever made the most progress doing the bench-press would get a trophy at the end of the year. I weighed about 62 pounds and benched 80 pounds at the beginning of the year. By the end of the year I was benching 120 pounds (I know, doesn’t sound much, but was for me) ;)
**He never gave me the trophy (I was the biggest improvement, and I still remember the look of disgust on his face when I won.. Oh well

[MrEdd]

Here's a better idea.

2Banana puts little kid in ring with a bully to be pummeled.

MrEdd, who really was a street fighter in Kin village thirty years ago (while stationed at Schwab with 3/4) crushes 2bananas trachea and cracks one of his vertebrae, just for old time sakes.

I can do this all day too, and did until NIS got all pissy.

The kid has a right to self defense, and I have the right to defend another. You want to put the kid in for a beating you need to pony up for one too.

[MarineBrat]

Catholic Schools in Texas

[Repulican Donkey]

OK, the truth is that most Texas school districts are terrified of Quannel X, the Black Muslims or just the sheer power of the gang bangers roaming our schools. The inmates are running the institution.

[Bikkuri]

couch -> coach
hehe

[Persevero]

Good for dad! Way to stick up for his boy.

And yeah, home school him. Starve the beast.

[TribalPrincess2U]

Not a damn thing! Texas has laws but some idiots refuse to follow those laws. No different then any other state.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

They would use racial slurs – saying ‘we don’t like you because you’re white.’”

And there it is. The 'new' protected class cannot be disciplined or even admonished. The white victim class is the preferred target.

[Noumenon]

Seems that you’ve got more than a few infestations of liberal/progressive types down there. Nothing that a little malathion and the judicious application of flamethrowers can’t cure.

[HailReagan78]

Get your kids the hell out of public schools..Stop feeding the beast.

[TribalPrincess2U]

You are correct there.