Posted on 09/15/2006 2:50:40 PM PDT by Trust but Verify
Student suspended over 'popper' By Paul Sloth
RACINE - Five-year-old Quinn Lucier didn't know what he was getting himself into when he took the "popper" out of his older brother's drawer.
It seemed innocent enough bringing what he figured was a toy to Jerstand-Agerholm Elementary School on Monday. When he pulled the strings on the popper - a pull-apart novelty firework - the ensuing loud pop startled his teacher and earned Lucier a trip to the principal's office and a four-day suspension.
Quinn's parents were fuming Wednesday about their son's punishment, which they don't believe fits the crime.
The school principal, Cecilia Holley-Young, suspended Quinn, a kindergartner, for four days and told his mother, Rachel, that district policy required she call the police because the popper qualifies as an explosive device.
Rachel Lucier thought the school's response was extreme. She said she understands her son shouldn't have brought the popper to school, but she doesn't agree with the severity of the punishment, especially the principal saying she would call the police.
"I don't want it on his record, either elementary (school) or police wise," Lucier said. "I'm just worried, anything he does later in life, if this is going to come back to haunt him. Is he going to be considered the bad boy?" Ann Laing, an area superintendent for Racine Unified, said Holley-Young suspended the 5-year-old based on her reading of the school district's "Code of Student Responsibilities and Rights" and her investigation into the situation.
Laing said the school district does not have a zero-tolerance policy and principals have latitude with how they apply punishments in these kinds of situations.
Under the school district's "code," the suggested discipline guidelines for a minor or first incident involving use of a "pyrotechnics device" range from a detention up to a suspension.
Expulsion is a suggested option for serious or repeat offenses.
School officials and Quinn's parents have a different interpretation of what the boy brought to school.
Quinn's parents described it as a popper on a string.
The principal called it a pyrotechnic device that exploded.
"The parents seem to think it was harmless," Laing said. "The principal and the teacher thought it was harmful."
Laing said Holley-Young routinely calls the police for more serious matters. She has one contact person in the Racine Police Department she calls for issues like this, partly to get advice, partly to see what to do, Laing said.
Laing said she didn't think the Luciers had to worry that their son would have a police record. Normally, when police officers come to school to talk with a child, it's to get a point across to the child.
Ultimately, the police were not contacted, according Sgt. Steve Madsen of the Racine Police Department. Fireworks that "pop" or fly through the air generally violate the city's fireworks ordinance and can result in a municipal citation, he said.
Rachel Lucier still thinks the school went too far.
"I understand there's a code of (conduct), but there should be some consideration for age," Rachel Lucier said. "There's got to be a line where there are different actions for different ages."
The Luciers have a few options.
They may appeal the suspension to the district's student services department, which would review the appeal. The parents also may file a parent complaint form, which would be reviewed by the student services department.
"Most families that disagree strongly (with a suspension) usually do follow through with the appeal process," Laing said.
Quinn could have the suspension cleared from his record after a successful appeal.
Rachel Lucier said she and her husband plan to file a complaint and contest their son's suspension.
Some FReepers might be familiar with the 'popper' in question. It is a small pouch of some type of 'explosive' with a string at either end that when pulled causes the thing to pop. It is very similar to those little paper things that pop when you throw them to the ground.
Note, the school actually considered calling the police.
Overreaction.
it's a quagmire..the education system must redeploy to okinawa immediately..
in all honesty, this punishment is WAY overboard..just sit him down and tell him not to do it again..it probably scared him as much as everyone else..
idiot principal.
Good Grief! We used to tie those to EVERYTHING when I was in school. Our teachers expected a pop when they opened their desk drawers. I would never make it through school today.
My daughter is 5; she would not at all understand what she had done wrong, they play with these at birthdays. The suspension is absurd. You tell the kid this is not the place to play with those and that should have been it. Call the police, my goodness, some teachers and administrators should be locked up.
"district policy required she call the police because the popper qualifies as an explosive device."
All she had to do was NOT call the popper an explosive device! Read: The Death of Common Sense. This should have a page in there all it's own.
I'm rolling on the floor laughing, not with the principal, but at her.
I'm sorry, these excellent public schools that so many defend just slay me.
NO EXPLOSIVE DEVICES. (ROTFL) (snapping fingers is up to individual authorities)
What it should state and make parents sign is a statement acknowledging that no individuality is allowed. And especially no BOY STUFF.
I understand order has to be kept, so don't tell me. Especially if one is warehousing 20-30 small children in a room.
(still laughing)
I hope my state finally passes the school vouchers. At least we have some charter schools here, but it would be nice to have full school choice.
Zero Tolerance=Zero Common Sense
"........popper qualifies as an explosive device."
thats like saying my 36 inch TV qualifies for a drive-in movie.
What a friggin' joke. Homeschool them youngin's!!!
So, does the entire school get suspended if the cafeteria serves beans that day?
OMFG, what the hell has happened to the US? We're raising a generation of wimps. My entire school, K-12, would have been suspended these days, with our water guns, dart gun wars, and dreaded exposive devices such as pop-pops.
I love the zero tolerance idiocy of government educrats. It never ceases to amaze me that the people who are supposed teach us information we need to function in society and how to think, refuse to use any of that material themselves.
my 1st grader has to have a see thru backpack and they are always making him sell stuff and i don't make him sell nothing...seems they spend more time raising money than they do learning....what a mess...
>Note, the school actually considered calling the police.<
The da--ed bullies! This is a "no tolerance" policy taken four days too far.
That is a really good one. Made me laugh. Thanks.
I remember bringing cap guns to school. Imagine what would happen to me now (gun and 'explosives').
The teacher is a total moron.
While they're obsessing about this non-event, there are a couple of losers up in Green Bay planning Columbine Deux, which I'd like to point out, was handled impeccably by the school and law enforcement there.
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