Posted on 04/03/2006 10:02:15 AM PDT by Abathar
INDIANAPOLIS -- A school principal in Indianapolis suspended an eighth-grader for 10 days and recommended he be expelled for carrying a pocket knife, even though the boy said he had forgotten the weapon was in his coat pocket and turned it over to school officials as soon as he entered the building.
An expulsion hearing has been scheduled for April 10.
Elliot Voge, 14, told Stoneybrook Middle School principal Jimmy Meadows he forgot that he had left the Swiss Army knife in his pocket after using it to whittle wood last month. The next day, just after he was dropped off at school by a classmate's mother, he said he discovered the knife in his coat and immediately went to the office.
Nevertheless, Meadows suspended him and recommended expulsion. The action stunned the boy's parents, who hired a lawyer to represent him at the hearing next week.
The Principal and school administrators need to be strung up the flagpole for this one.
SUE SUE SUE!!!!!!
This states that during this process he was a model student. That is somewhat different from what you posted.
He even described Elliots as a "model student" in his expulsion recommendation.
It's subtle, but sometimes the details matter down the road.
I think if a few parents started showing up at Board meetings of the local school board with a long rail a bucket of tar and feathers, it might get someone's attention.
If not, then carry out the threat and see if that does.
I carried a folding knife with a five inch blade. Wore holes in the pockets of my jeans. The high school principal once asked to see it...he gave me tips on keeping it sharp.
Folding lockblades in sheaths were commonplace. No one was ever hurt by a knife while I was in high school, and there were probably hundreds of them there, every day.
The next day, just after he was dropped off at school by a classmate's mother, he said he discovered the knife in his coat and immediately went to the office.
Nevertheless, Meadows suspended him and recommended expulsion
Fourteen is not to early to learn the Warden is not on your side.
I've carried a pocketknife ever day since I was 8 years old.
That's third grade, for those of you in Rio Linda.
Prior to the 9/11 atrocity, and subsequent TSA stupidity, I carried it on commercial aircraft.
I still have that knife, although it's worn out and long since retired.
The attitude you display is symptomatic of the wussification and infantilization of America. Yeah, let's ban everything that might possibly be perceived as 'dangerous' or 'ugly'. Let's prevent anyone from learning any sort of responsible behaviour. Let's treat everyone like a mentally retarded criminal. If they don't like it, and act up, we can always pump them full of drugs.
Expelling this kid from the control-freak environment of a modern public school is actually doing him a favour. It might give him a better chance of growing up to be a responsible, mature, intelligent man instead of the sort of effeminate moron that some people seem to insist on raising.
We disagree. What a surprise. And still my life goes on.
We all had gun racks in our trucks and carried, at least, a .22 or a shotgun all the time. Right out in the open.
No one was ever shot. In fact, I don't think anyone would have been stupid enough to mess with our school.
Geez, you are impossible. If you can read that story with all the details from BOTH sides and still not believe the principal is a total moron, I give up.
Gotta agree. The principal sounds like an utter dipshit.
Why?
How did we ever make it out alive in the 1950's. On some days I would wear my scout uniform and had a pocket knive hanging off the belt.
I don't think the thought of using it as a weapon ever occured to me.
What have we done to our children?
it would be gratifying if the hearing were to result in the firing of the principal for being a brainless twit, who should not be allowed near sharp objects or children.
I also noted that if everything the boy says is 100% accurate, I hope he gets everything he deserves. At no point did I defend the principal or his actions. He may very well be wrong--if so, he should be fired. I'd just rather let someone closer to the situation who is in a position to hear all the facts to judge the situation rather than lil ol me sitting here at my computer.
Seriously why does anyone take the word a newspaper at total face value when we've seen over and over how stories are manipulated.
I'm cynical because I've been taught to be this way by my experiences with media. They are out there to sell papers, not report the news.
And Homeschooling!!!
We love it - and wouldn't have it any other way.
Chris
Because kids make stupid decisions every day.
If it was one of the ones we had as Boy Scouts, you could take apart a plane with one of those things.
And eat dinner with it afterwards.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
