'Taking Two' Talk Of Town; Student Punished For Keeping Extra Soda From Machine

KOAT-TV/DT Albuquerque ^ | 11.3.03

[mhking]

RIO RANCHO, N.M. -- A Rio Rancho teen was slapped with an in-school suspension for taking both sodas that came out of a vending machine, when he had only paid for one.

That story, first reported on KOAT Action 7 News, was the talk of the town Thursday. It was the buzz on morning radio, topped local newscasts and was the talk of parents in the Rio Rancho School District.

On Monday, Rio Rancho student Mason Kisner, 12, said he bought a can of pop at a school vending machine, and instead of getting one can, he received two.

Kisner said he spread the word, and other students tried to get in on the deal. A teacher who saw Kisner getting the two sodas on Monday told him not to do it again. But Kisner said the teacher saw him get another two sodas for the price of one on Tuesday.

The boy said the teacher called him a thief and accused him of trying to teach other students how to steal. He was written up, given a two-day in-school suspension and the incident will appear on his permanent school record.

"I'm flabbergasted, bewildered, dumbfounded. I can't think of another word to describe how I feel about this incident," said Edward Kisner, the boy's father. "What kind of character is this showing Mason?"

"It makes me feel very sad that I'm going to be thought as a thief later on in my life," Mason Kisner said. "Heck, I might not get in a good college or get a good job because on my permanent record it will say that when I was a kid, I stole."

Rio Rancho Public Schools issued a written statement: "On Monday a teacher observed Mason manipulating the soft drink machine at the school. The teacher advised Mason that getting two sodas for the price of one is the equivalent to stealing. When the teacher observed Mason doing the same thing again on Tuesday, she wrote him up."

However, according to Pepsi Cola, which distributes the machines, a problem like this one with a vending machine is usually a programming error. A company representative said the student could not have manipulated the machine from the outside.

"I'm very disappointed I haven't gotten a phone call from the school rescinding Mason's suspension at this point," said Edward Kisner. "You know, when you say you're wrong, it's not a sign of weakness."

[T Minus Four]

...or they wouldn't give you a car because your money was too wrinkled?

[em2vn]

No the teacher could not have done that. It would have made sense and it is prohibited in public schools for teachers to possess any type of sense.

[JohnSmithee]

When I was in High School some of the athletes (myself included) started a fad of reaching up into soda machines and pulling down the cans. Some machines were tougher than others, but that was part of the fun. As far as I know no one ever got in trouble.

[BraveMan]

"I'm flabbergasted, bewildered, dumbfounded. I can't think of another word to describe how I feel about this incident," said Edward Kisner, the boy's father. "What kind of character is this showing Mason?"

Somebody needs to give dear old dad a clue . . .

[Vesuvian]

You were lucky.

When I was in college, my roommate tried that- one night at 2 am he went to another building to get a soda, when he realized he forgot to bring money. So he got an idea- he reached up into the machine and pulled out a free soda. Shocked and pleased, he reached up again and took another. Never having heard about quitting when ahead, he tried it once more when the mechanism slammed shut on his hand. He escaped with many stitches and he was banned from the dorms.

Guess he also never heard about the third time being the charm either ; )

[texas booster]

My life sentence working for a major soda company was commuted years ago. If a machine messed up, then the route driver paid for it out of his pocket. Not the company. I have paid for many, many free sodas through the years. I also cultivated a network of friends that would keep an eye on the machines to let me know if something like this happened.

I am sure that Pepsi has a large service force to go out and maintain these machines. All it takes is a call and they come out within 24 hours, sooner for malfunctions that cost the company money. The number is usually located on the machine with a label.

Having said that, let's look at it from different points of view - starting with the route driver. If the machine messes up, the driver pays. Since most machines at schools are serviced AT LEAST every two days, then all someone had to do was to call service or leave him a note. OOO signs also work.

From the kids perspective - He put his money in, and it drops out two sodas. If he didn't put his arm up the product chute to jimmy the vend arms, use a string or otherwise intentionally steal the product, then he did nothing wrong. It is not his fault that machines break. It just happens. Using the machine the next day is not a crime - what is he to do, never use that machine again until Pepsi sends him a personalized invitation that it is now working OK?

Here's the problem - the same punishment is meted out for a 50 cent "crime" as it would be for a $1000 crime. Since the students' records are "sealed", then to outsiders it looks the same as a smash and grab. This is a much different crime and doesn't even need to be mentioned. Find the route driver and send him 50 cents.

School rules are not the same as a court finding you guilty, but they can punish a student out of proportion to anything that a student has done. And he has no way to fight back.

[somemoreequalthanothers]

I thought I'd seen alot, but posters passing judgement on a boy taking an extra soda from a machine? Hell, I've been ripped off so many times by vending machines I'll give this kid my imaginary tokens and he's good for life!

[BlueMoose]

How about the boy in San Antonio that found the phone books had a coupon from $ 500.00 off on the purchase of a new car? He went to all the phone booths in town collected enough coupons to purchase a new car for his mother. The dealership said he could only use one coupon. The judge said if that’s the case it must be written on the coupon. These coupons had no restrictions or expiration date.

When I go to a soda machine the button says $1.25. No where does it say how many bottles I will get for my $1.25. I would hope that the machine gives the correct amount. If I’m only to get one bottle it should so state. It looks to me like what ever it gives me is mine unless so stated.

[Bogey78O]

A friend of mine in college found a flaw in a debit system LSU used where between certain hours at night it would not deduct points from your debit card.

Needless to say he made all his purchases at vending machines at those times.

[Prodigal Son]

The judge said if that’s the case it must be written on the coupon. These coupons had no restrictions or expiration date.

Wow. So, did the kid get the car in the end?

And actually, would it not have worked out (sort of) monetarily for the dealer either way? Ok, he doesn't get all the customers carrying all the different coupons but mathematically, he would've knocked off the amount for those coupons when totalled up together if used by different customers as he would've if he had to cut one big bonus for one customer holding many coupons. (those coupons wouldn't be used again)

[luckystarmom]

The teacher also could have unplugged the machine.

[BlueMoose]

Yes, He got the car.

[Dog Gone]

"Heck, I might not get in a good college or get a good job because on my permanent record it will say that when I was a kid, I stole."

I've hired a lot of people, and never once did I try to find out what was in the permanent school record of someone when they were 12 years old.

[Bob J]

I almost feel bad except the guy running the machines was sticking it to us for 6 months on the other side of the base in a different class where the machine would only take bills and wouldn't dispense any change.

How often did you use this machine?

[Bob J]

Instead of keeping all of them, I just took two, and gave the rest to some friends after they finished track-and-field practice.

Good. Because keeping them all wouldn't be right.

[Bob J]

If I get two from a machine, the vendor will surely not go broke.

Really? How do you figure that?

[Bob J]

The next time I buy a car I will insist the dealer give me two because surely, he won't go broke.

[somemoreequalthanothers]

The vendor will not go broke because he has ripped ME off more than enough to compensate for it.

[somemoreequalthanothers]

It wouldn't work for the dealer because the $500 savings, when used one at a time, isn't real. The initial price is just inflated $500. It's like the "cash back" deals on new automobiles. There is no savings. They inflate the price three grand, give us three grand cash back, (but there is no cash, it just goes towards the purchase price) and some people think they have really scored something.

[fishbabe]

i love the fact that libs love moral relativity,till they say its wrong and then they are AGHAST that you would do something wrong,and a perfect example is burning music cd's off the internet....