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 ...
And kids that blindly follow authority turn into lemmings.
Respect has to be earned. GOOD authority figures EARN respect, not simply demand it because they are a mid-level bureaucrat with a title.
There is no way to someone "nicely" to end their call to their mother in a warzone, short of it being an absolute emergency.
MUSCOGEE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT
COLUMBUS, GEORGIA
MEDIA RELEASE
MEDIA RELEASE FROM DR. JOHN A. PHILLIPS, JR..
SUPERINTENDENT
MUSCOGEE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT
The Muscogee County School District has over 3700 military students enrolled. We have a long and strong relationship with Ft. Benning. Spencer High School has the greatest number of military students of any of our schools. All of our counselors have received training in supporting students whose parents have been deployed, and military personnel serve as Partners in Education in over half of our schools.
When the Spencer teacher approached the young man about using a cell phone on campus, contrary to Board of Education policy which is designed to preserve instructional time and decorum in our schools, the young man did not tell the teacher he was speaking to his mother in Iraq. He indicated he would not comply with a request to turn over his cell phone and used profanity. The teacher escorted the young man to the office, where assistant principals tried to get him to calm himself and to cease the use of profanity. It was only at this point that administrators learned he was talking to his mother in Iraq.
The Guidance Department at Spencer High School has arranged for a number of students to receive calls from parents who are deployed. They would have been happy to do this for this young man. The issue here was not so much the use of the cell phone as it was the choices the young man made in handling the situation. We are empathetic to all students whose parents serve in the armed forces; we do have behavior standards which we uphold.
The school has been in touch with personnel from Ft. Benning. We are endeavoring to have the young man readmitted after a three day suspension, which was the first option for him. It was only after greater defiance and profanity that the suspension was extended. We will ask that the student and his guardian sign a behavior contract indicating that he will comply with the same standards of behavior which apply to all of our students. We will continue to be sensitive to the needs of students whose parents serve our country.
06 May 2005
Contact: Dr. Billy Kendall – (706) 649-0514 – bkendall@mcsdga.net
Yeah. And he'll likely beat the hell out of you the first chance he gets.
And, you'll have deserved it.
Yes, after the negative publicity.
If you want your kids swearing at principals and acting out - that's your deal.
The kid already admitted he was partially at fault. I doubt he will be 'swearing at principals' again.
The school staff, on the other hand, has not admitted to its fault yet. Nevertheless, if the local media keeps the pressure, the teacher and the principal will come around and admit that they also over-reacted.
My father-in-law entered Europe just after D-Day. You are old enough to understand how important this is.
If he had been able to telephone his family from France during WWII, and some idiot teacher...
Let me know where I can donate my money to help this family.
They're catchin' holy hell!!!
We are endeavoring to have the young man readmitted after a three day suspension
That's good news. A 10-day suspension would have been too detrimental to his grades.
This poor kid has bigger problems than his mean teacher.
Absolutely right!!!!! The school showed no compassion, common sense, or decency. Total idiots.
Now that you have your sorry a** sufficiently covered.....I issue a collective "bite me". Your response to this was so off the mark. Since when do parents need to call their kids AFTER SETTING UP AN APPOINTMENT the the school administration? Be prepared, I have a feeling this is nowhere near over (which I know you're so hoping!)
The mother of a very proud child I am sure!!!
We will ask that the student and his guardian sign a behavior contract indicating that he will comply with the same standards of behavior which apply to all of our students. We will continue to be sensitive to the needs of students whose parents serve our country.
Can you guess what I would do, when requested to sign a contract like this?
I think the first letters would be Y and F...
Well, if you don't care for your son enough that only having one phone call a month hurts you to the innermost being, then I guess you would have reacted like that.
You would be a horrible parent, and I hope you aren't one. I feel for your kid if you are.
Btw, notice that the school is already backing down. A 3-day suspension is being offered, instead of the original punishment lasting 10 days.
A shorter suspension will allow this young man to take tests and quizzes necessary to keep his grades up.
You are correct about the headline. You are wrong with your rant. The kid got a call from his mom. His school is assinine, like you!
That's all I need to know.
You obviously don't know anymore than you need to.
It was an order that was unworthy of being followed.
It's time they quit letting the inmates run the asylum.
We can start with the inmates in mid-level bureaucratic positions of authority.
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