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 ...
Mine too. Do what is right. You will always know you have done the right thing regardless of the temporary discomfort.
I would hope that you would have known better than to call during school hours. And I would hope you;d teach your kids enough respect for authority that swearing at a principal was not an option.
Lets just forgive all the bad behavior of the families of deployed troops because of the stress. God forbid they have to follow the same rules as everyone else.
Me: I'd buy the principal dinner when I got home, and apologize for creating such a stir, but then again, unless it was an emergency, I wouldn't have been calling during the school day anyway.
The principal even offered to make alternate arrangements to let the mom CALL THE SCHOOL DIRECTLY and get the kid to a phone. They are not heartless idiots - they just cannot allow poor behavior. Nither would I. Nither should any of you.
FR has seriously changed from independent thinking Constitutionalists to a RINO and born again forum. Hell I am born again and a serious Republican but I still have the ability to think independently. Maybe they are right about flouride in the water!
I've been there. Everywhere from Rota, to Bahrain, to Dubai, to Hong Kong, Tokyo, Singapore, Guam .. the list goes on.
You do have a choice. It is YOUR responsibility to know what time it is back home - and to be respectful of the rules. I didn't call my family at work or school, and I don;t see why anyone else needs to.
I scheduled my calls in advance, and had an alternate time in case we missed it. Bad behavior is bad behavior. The mom and the kid should BOTH know better.
And bud if there was some reason the parent needed to call then - screw the school.
You definitely won't make any progress if you can't understand this issue.
***
I understand the issue...you and I however have a difference of opinion regarding it. But instead of treating me and my opinion with a little respect, you would rather jump all over me. Seems I'm the one who has made "progress." By your words to me, you show you haven't made any...or perhaps you have regressed to a second childhood.
Treat me right...I'll treat you right.
If I was the state you would SUCK IT UP.
I'm with you. I hated the authority crap in high school and had some similar reactions to it on a couple occasions. My reactions were not about something this important. The school figure that reached for the phone would have been smacked down if that was me in this guy's shoes.
Absolute Authority and Zero Tolerance.......From the people who brought you Stalin, Hitler and Mussolini to name a few. Deal me out.
When you can get a chance to call your family, even if it is at 3:00 AM in the morning, you do so!
On the issue of the kid being rude to his teacher....
My two kids would have received the "wrath of God", once I got home, if they had abused their teacher. If they were in the wrong, I can assure you, they would never be that stupid ever again.
Believe me, as a parent, I can deal with this type of issue much better than any teacher could. I do use corporal punishment, when that is the appropriate method!
It is impossible to live within the military and not learn to respect authority.
However, there are some times when you must stand up and say "NO!"
This is one of those cases, and the kid did the right thing.
22 years in. We dont always get to pick the time we call.
The suspension runs up til almost the last day of classes. I wonder if he'll even make it to his final exams.
gotta punish the kid doncha know. anything to show their displeasure with the war and Bush. it's stupid, they should be supporting him sine chis mom is supporting their ungrateful backsides.
You know, there was a time in America when teachers like this could be drafted.....
The "kid" is 17 years old, Einstein.
If you read the article his Dad passed away when he was five. And let me tell you something. He got out of control because the people of authority are stupid and rigid. He was talking to his Mother outside the building on his lunch hour in Iraq.Bumping your common sense comment.According to the article he told the teacher what was going on and when she caused the call to be disconnected he got frustrated. I DON'T BLAME HIM. Then, when the phone rang again and they wouldn't let him answer, that's when he used profanity. SO WOULD I. It's called common sense, and the education system has NONE OF IT.
At the age of 18, you will no longer be arrested for child abuse.
A 17 year old can still be spanked. And if you do it in public, in front of his friends, he will learn a lesson that lasts a life time.
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