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"I had a kid accidentally bring a pocket knife that the aides saw at recess. The principal talked to him about bringning knives to school and reiterated that we didn't do that. His mom was called. The student said he was sorry (he did feel bad). His mom told him to not do that again (that wouldn't be the case with some parents who would find some way to blame someone else) and promised he wouldn't bring it again."

(Meanwhile in a parallel universe ....)

Two weeks later, the kid brings that same pocket knife back to school, gets in a fight, and stabs another student in the eye, blinding him in that eye for life. The mother sues. The previous incident comes out in court testimony. The press goes crazy. The community is incredulous -- why didn't the principal do something before? Why wasn't this kid suspended? This could have been avoided!

Can't you just see the headlines?

So, the school gets sued for millions and the principal loses his cushy six-figure income because he gave the kid a break.

But it was all worth it because the principal exercised the "spirit of the law". Not in today's world, amigo. Those days are long gone.

paulsen wrote:

(Meanwhile in a parallel universe ....)

Two weeks later, the kid brings that same pocket knife back to school, gets in a fight, and stabs another student in the eye, blinding him in that eye for life. The mother sues. The previous incident comes out in court testimony. The press goes crazy. The community is incredulous -- why didn't the principal do something before? Why wasn't this kid suspended? This could have been avoided!

Can't you just see the headlines?
So, the school gets sued for millions and the principal loses his cushy six-figure income because he gave the kid a break.

But it was all worth it because the principal exercised the "spirit of the law". Not in today's world, amigo. Those days are long gone.

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Parallel universe paulsen? BS.
-- This type of thing is happening in ~your~ world amigo, one that communitarian people like you have fashioned.

In rational days, back only 50 years ago or so, every kid that wanted to had a pocket knife, and because they did it was no big deal.
-- Sure, at times there were fights that involved knives, but the kids that used knives lost face and were ostracized as cheap hoods. -- Not to speak of ending up in reform school or jail.

But thats all changed now. -- The robertaulsen's of the world rule, prohibiting everything. Solving nothing.

Two weeks later, the kid brings that same pocket knife back to school, gets in a fight, and stabs another student in the eye, blinding him in that eye for life. The mother sues. The previous incident comes out in court testimony. The press goes crazy. The community is incredulous -- why didn't the principal do something before? Why wasn't this kid suspended? This could have been avoided! Can't you just see the headlines? So, the school gets sued for millions and the principal loses his cushy six-figure income because he gave the kid a break. But it was all worth it because the principal exercised the "spirit of the law". Not in today's world, amigo. Those days are long gone.

Hey, don't forget we're on the same side here. I just about forgot. This happened in FIRST GRADE so I can't apply it to this or EVERY situation as some like to do.

If anything your statement reaffirms that often in education, you are darned if you do and darned if you don't, especially with some out there ready to pounce on any little negative morsel they can find.

BTW--no principal around here makes a six-figure income. In fact, here they probably make less than some teachers in some areas.

I respect you enough not to argue with you here. I probably would have handled it differently, but as you hinted at--people will use it for their own purposes in hindsight especially in a negative-loving MSM.

Thanks for the comments.