The Island Packet Online: The school on Hilton Head Island has suspended a 10 year old boy for violating their zero-tolerance rule on weapons in the school.
What did he do you ask. Did he bring a gun or a knife to school? No it was something far worse… The blade out of his broken pencil sharpener. His pencil sharpener broke so he dared to think that it would be alright if he tried to use the blade to sharpen his pencils.
How dare he bring such an obviously lethal device into the school. He should be arrested.
Well… Close. There is a police report here. (Editor’s Note: The handwriting on page 2 of the police report is reporter Daniel Brownstein’s note pertaining to a separate story. It does not relate to this story.)
The following letter was written by Principal Jill McAden and sent home with students to parents on Sept. 11, 2008:
Dear Parents,
On Tuesday, September 9, a ten year old student at our school brought the metal blade from a pencil sharpener to his classroom. The pencil sharpener was altered at home and the blade was brought to school. Though students are allowed to bring pencil sharpeners to school, it was evident that a detached blade could have created a dangerous setting for the student and/or other children.
The student was referred to the principal’s office with the blade. The sheriff’s department responded and documented the incident in a report. The parent was contacted for a conference and took the student home. The student went home with his mother and was suspended for Wednesday, September 10 for inappropriate behavior. The School District’s Office of Student Services was contacted immediately and is working with the family to address the child’s needs.
The article published in the media on Thursday, September 11 contained several inaccuracies. One inaccuracy is the implication that the student’s pencil sharpener accidently broke at school. Other inaccuracies cannot be specified in consideration of student confidentiality.
We take great pride in assuring our parents that we have a safe school. We are updating you so that if you read or hear about the incident, you will know the facts.
Thank you for continuing to work with us to ensure a safe campus.
Sincerely,
Jill McAden
“The School District’s Office of Student Services was contacted immediately and is working with the family to address the child’s needs.” –So trot down to the store and buy the kid a new sharpener, and buy him a new pencil while you’re about it. (The one he has is only about an inch long.)
District spokesman Randy Wall said school administrators are stuck in the precarious position between the district’s zero tolerance policy against having weapons at school and common sense.
“We’re always going to do something to make sure the child understands the seriousness of having something that could potentially harm another student, but we’re going to be reasonable,” he said.
The boy was suspended for at least two days and could face other disciplinary actions and this bureaucratic buffoon says they’re being reasonable?????
