Posted on 03/25/2005 10:05:00 AM PST by KidGlock
Principal apologizes for smoking at school
PROVIDENCE, R.I., March 25 (UPI) -- A Providence high school principal who suspended a student for posting a picture of her smoking on his Web site has apologized to the student body.
Eliazar Velasquez, 17, caught Elaine Almagno lighting up on the grounds of Central High School, a violation both of Rhode Island state law and school district policy, the Providence Journal reported. She ordered him to remove the photograph from his Web site and suspended him when he refused.
On Tuesday, the sophomore was offered reinstatement but only if he complied with the removal order. On Wednesday, Superintendent of Schools Melody Johnson went public, saying that Almagno, "a veteran administrator with a 25-year unblemished record," had made a mistake.
Johnson said that she ordered Central High officials to remove the suspension from Velasquez's record and that Almagno had apologized over the intercom for smoking on school grounds.
Velasquez told the newspaper that, when he returned to school, the vice principal advised him to find some better way of expressing disagreements and that Almagno did not speak to him at all.
So, if the student sees the principal beat the crap out of a teacher, he should mind his own business? Same logic; she's telling them to obey the law, then flagrantly breaks it when it's convenient for her.
Unquestioning blind obedience to an arbitrary authority is a hallmark of liberals. Think about it.
None.
"I got a ticket for smoking on school property last summer. I took my friends kids to the school parking lot so they could play with their RC cars."
Dang, a ticket? A friendly, "could you not smoke that on school grounds?" would have been nice.
She is an adult he is not.
Because children are not adults and need to respect their elders. Her smoking is NONE of his business.
Thanks LLSS, I was beginning to worry that there was nobody with traditional values of respect for authority and a person's privacy means anything.
A child sees an adult rob and kill another adult in a public parking lot. Under your logic, the child should mind his own business and not tell anyone, because "they're a child, and not an adult."
Yeah. Great logic there, buddy.
Well, my grandparents have promised me that there used to be a time when children respected their elders. And other adults enforced that teaching unlike some we see today sticking up for the child.
Why are you bringing up outrageous examples that should be dictated by common sense? common sense will get you a long way in this life, buddy.
"child should mind his own business and not tell anyone"
I don't raze no tattle tales in my house. You keep your lips shut!
What happened to "zero-tolerance?" I mean, if it was student that was caught smoking all heck would break loose as the student would likely be arrested and hauled away.
Obviously, the majority of people on this thread do not agree with you. The point is that this person is supposed to be a moral example to the kids, promoted herself as a moral example, and then goes and flagrantly breaks a well-publicized law. Whether her action was assault, vandalism, fraud, theft, or simply smoking where not permitted by law, it doesn't matter; the fact is that someone who is supposed to promote and uphold the law was seen to break it. The kid took the morally right actions of reporting the violation after gathering photographic proof. Where the kid went wrong was distributing the information to all and sundry in the school, but perhaps he didn't think the school board would listen to him (they probably wouldn't) and went this route instead.
So, let's see. Kid sees principal break the law, reports it to higher authority (in this case, the public that employs the principal through tax dollars). Kid's doing the right thing. Not reporting it would be morally and ethically wrong - like the principal's revenge after being exposed for the hypocrite and criminal (yes, criminal) she is.
Respect isn't something that is just given to 'elders'. It is earned. Not to say the adult didn't earn the respect of her position, but she was doing something wrong.
To compare child molestation to smoking is off the wall too. This story is about the punishment of an individual for catching someone else doing something wrong and getting punished for it themselves. Only the radicals or sarcastic are saying 'hang the Principal'.
First of all, it's a SHE. Second of all, SHE most certainly did have reason to apologize. Like the law or not, how in the world can the ultimate authority of the school tell students to obey rules and the law when she refuses to do it herself?
Then, for her to suspend the kid simply because she was caught red-handed is beyond petty. Not only should she apologize, I think firing her would set an excellent example of what happens to people who break the law and try to bully whistle blowers.
Oh no, the majority of people on this particular thread don't agree with me...should I go into permanent seclusion? My feelings are hurt. You have more friends than me. I am going to tell my mommy!
You have your opinion and I have mine. Let us leave it at that.
lol....nice analogy.
Respect what? Breaking the law and then telling kids to obey the rules or they'll be punished? That certainly does not deserve anyone's respect. She had obviously been seen smoking on school grounds before, so this kid decided to get actual proof. Personally, I think the kid is a hero and should be applauded.
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