www.esryle.comLOCAL NEWS ACROSS THE NATION
Posted on 10/11/2004 10:47:14 AM PDT by esryle
WILMINGTON, N.C. -- A North Carolina teenager may have to go to jail for using foul language with a high school teacher.
Glenn Gattis and his parents don't deny that he cursed or has had other disciplinary problems at Ashley High School in Wilmington. But they said the misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct is an overreaction.
The 17-year-old Gattis said he became frustrated and used bad language when he got in trouble for being late to class again. He said he was ultimately stopped by deputies working as school resource officers, who gave him a citation for using language meant to provoke violence. He was also suspended for three days.
Gattis' mother said she could understand if her son had to serve detention at school. But he could get up to 30 days in jail. The family has hired a lawyer to fight the charge.
School officials aren't commenting.
If the swearing was really loud, persistant, extreme, and close-in-your-face, I could see it being justified.
I'm not sure I want to completely defend jail-time for swearing, but this kid seems like someone who should not be in the school. Get him out, and watch the other children benefit. If jail-time for swearing is the easiest way to get him out of the school, then I say go for it.
This stuff makes the news? Starting around age 13, they've been giving out tickets for language for years around here. I thought the one issued for a misuse of the word "asphalt" was taking it a bit overboard.
That boy needed an ass whipping a long time ago. Too late now I fear
Ah,.....U.N. British anti-social laws in effect in U.S. colonial states.
/freedom of speech?
At least he didn't get docked 25 drivers points.
Amen! And a $20K fine (or whatever it was). If Jr. loses by less than 25 points, at least WE'LL know who the REAL champion was!!!!!!!!!!!!
If the swearing in school was AUDIBLE, I could see this being justified.
At some point, we must take back our society from the barbarians, and those whose education in civic behavior is absent.
BINGO!
The perfect point!
He would have gotten probably two of them in my day (Yes, I'm old) One from the school and one from the parents and probably expelled (Not detention)
It never happened and I cannot imagine it ever happening.
True.
I was lucky enough to have one of the best public school educations in the world because at that time (previous century) our great loving & lovable teachers didn't take even a microgram of crap from any potential troublemakers.
My 13 year old grandson was suspended for the same offence. I explained to him the legal definition of "assault", which does not include laying hands on another but only putting that person in fear that you will, and okay, I cheated by telling him the American penalty (Canada has no penalties for any crime other than a stern finger-wag from a judge) and what happened to Dale Jr. But then I told his mother that it might be a good idea if SHE would set a better example in her own language. I daresay that brat's mother probably taught him to curse before he could say Mama and Dadda.
Our public school has done a better job of kicking out students.
My son went to private school from k-2nd grade. They had kids with real discipline problems. One of the kids who has been in and out of the hospital for pscychiatric problems, the private school just let the kid in with all the other kids, and never really handled the situation. He finally left the school because his parents got divorced and couldn't pay the tuition.
In public school, after a few months in a regular school, he was placed in a school for kids with behavior (and other) problems. The special ed school had small classes, aids, and therapist to help these kids.
We've now been in public school for several years and a kid in kindergarten was kicked out after he kicked some parents. Another kid who was a transfer student was kicked out of the school. The school wasn't her neighborhood school, so they could kick her back to her neighborhood school. Several kids have beens suspended for cussing.
I've been impressed with the discipline at my kid's public school (and it's even in California).
I trust that since foul language is illegal, there won't be any of it used by the officers or guards in the jail where this kid is to be confined??
You've got that right!!
Manners are so overlooked.
Glenn Gattis and his parents don't deny that he cursed or has had other disciplinary problems at Ashley High School in Wilmington. But they said the misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct is an overreaction.
He’s only a student, and everybody knows that laws are only intended for adults. < / sarcasm>
Maybe we would have fewer discipline problems in our schools if the dear little innocent children were held to the same standard in the school as they are on the street. Even physical attacks are commonly dealt with by the school – by issuing a sharp reprimand (usually to both the assailant and the victim) or at the most detention. What’s wrong with enforcing the law inside the school?
I am waiting for the day (hoping for it) when other students in class file suit against these disruptive troublemakers for theft of educational class time.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.