| Spencer High School | ||||||
 Learning to Believe, Achieve, |
4340 Victory Drive Columbus, GA 31903
Enrollment: 1086 School Facilities |
 Principal Assistant Principals Secretary |
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Posted on 05/06/2005 10:15:07 AM PDT by Responsibility1st
COLUMBUS, Ga. -- A high school student was suspended for 10 days for refusing to end a mobile phone call with his mother, a soldier serving in Iraq, school officials said. The 10-day suspension was issued because Kevin Francois was "defiant and disorderly" and was imposed in lieu of an arrest, Spencer High School assistant principal Alfred Parham said. The confrontation Wednesday began after the 17-year-old junior got a call at lunchtime from his mother, Sgt. 1st Class Monique Bates, who left in January for a one-year tour with the 203rd Forward Support Battalion. Mobile phones are allowed on campus but may not be used during school hours. When a teacher told him to hang up, he refused. He said he told the teacher, "This is my mom in Iraq. I'm not about to hang up on my mom." Parham said the teen's suspension was based on his reaction to the teacher's request. He said the teen used profanity when taken to the office. "Kevin got defiant and disorderly," Parham said. "When a kid becomes out of control like that they can either be arrested or suspended for 10 days. Now being that his mother is in Iraq, we're not trying to cause her any undue hardship; he was suspended for 10 days."
(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...
Somebody get ahold of O-Reilly. School is going to get some heat for this one.
| Spencer High School | ||||||
| Learning to Believe, Achieve, |
4340 Victory Drive Columbus, GA 31903
Enrollment: 1086 School Facilities |
Principal Assistant Principals Secretary |
||||
"Teach grabbed the phone..." If that is the case, the teacher had to have assaulted the student... there was apparently a struggle for the phone during which the phone was disconnected. If so, the teacher had to have touched the student forcefully... that is assault... and if contact was made, battery.
...for the kid to use this as an excuse to allow his grades to go down is just as dumb.
It may not be "an excuse" it may be a fact. I know of school districts where a 10 day suspension requires a one level grade reduction in all classes he is taking.
With such jackasses for leadership at that school, who blames the kid for using some bad language.
He is entitled.
His mom in Iraq gives him a call, probably one of the few he is able to receive from her, and they tell him to turn off the phone.
His reaction was a bit over-the-top, but understandable, and I salute him.
The kid should drop out and just get his GED or HSED at a junior college or something. Screw the public high school nothing but a bunch of commies anyway.
What I don't see is the young man, as soon as he got the call, asking the teacher if he could be excused...his mom was calling from Iraq and could he take the call. Now, if he had, and the teacher refused and this escalated, then yes...I would say the teacher and administration reacted badly...but this young man is old enough to know he should have asked permission first.
He barely ever gets a call from his mom.
If I was the teacher, I would have made an exception.
The spirit of the rule would have made an exception in this case.
I guess the school rules apply to everyone but this young man.
What stopped the kid from walking straight into the principles office, with the line connected and getting approval from the principle to continue the call.
Obviously his Mom was still on the line when he started his defiance. I sure would have hated to hear my Mom's response had she heard me talking to a teacher with disrespect.
Probably handled bad by both parties.
aI emailed the principal ( a female) and appealed to her as a mom and that the kid should have been given a break. As a mom of a son I know they can get POed at little things at that age let alone a mom in Iraq and no dad. The teacher should have lightened up on him and allowed him his few minutes. The soldiers can only call when they can call so he may not talk to her again for a long while. Given students doing all kinds of things in public schools these days this kid deserved a break which I told the Principal.
Why the hell should the kid ask to be excused from lunch?
Read the story closer please. He went outside after receiving the call during his scheduled lunch break.
The boy shouldn't have used profanity, but I would have been extremely angry and showed it, if a teacher had done the same thing to me. The boy had a right to stand up for himself. And yes, I was taught to be respectful. But I was taught that people in authority can also be wrong.
Given the climate in public schools anti Bush anti war etc teacher may have been harder on the kid. She should have told the kid to carry on and thank his mom for her service from the school!
(In fact, there's something familiar about it).
His father died. But don't let that stop you from trying to assume the worst.
I sent an email to the princial at the school, protesting the rigid policy and asking for the staff to re-consider the suspension.
This student reacted in a normal way, in my opinion. The teachers are SUPPOSED to be the adults and react accordingly.
When was the last time you tried to find a teacher in the school cafeteria during lunch to ask permission to leave the building... while your mom in Iraq is on the phone?
That would be a ridiculous requirement.
See 30. What he said.
When a nation is at fullout war, the rules change. See WWII history books.
When your parent is at war, the rules change for those left home.
Shame, Shame, Shame!
This child is sitting at home every night wondering if his mom is alive or dead. The mother is sitting in Iraq defending your, my, and every American's freedom at the expense of being with her child. They are both suffering for you and your staff. How dare anybody be so hateful as to interfere with their few moments together each month. If this mother were to call this kid in the middle of class, your staff should take every care to make sure that he has a quiet place to talk and give him all the time he needs. But to be so mean as to end the call is beyond my comprehension. Then to punish this kid for his response to your staff's hateful and malicious actions in unforgivable. I don't see how you can live with your conscience.
Sincerely,
Chip Cantrell, CPA
Cmon more emails to the school! Get the kid on Hannity or O'Reilly!
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