A buss on the bus
In the Alexander (N.Y.) Central School District bus last month, a 6-year-old girl kissed a boy on the school bus, and the girl was suspended from riding the bus for three days, The Buffalo News says. Alexander Elementary School Principal Matthew Stroud says the student violated the student code of conduct and bus rules, which require each student to stay in his or her seat and not bother fellow students. The girl’s father, while not approving of his daughter’s actions, says he thinks school officials overreacted.
Do you think the school’s punishment of the girl was appropriate?
Leave a comment.
January 8th, 2008 @ 9:16 am
This is utterly ridiculous to treat a 6-year old in this manner!
January 8th, 2008 @ 11:03 am
An administrator from Maryland writes:
“Welcome to Absurdistan. This type of reaction could only come from the Education Establishment, who adhere to stupid concepts. That a 6-year-old child, no matter how precocious, could be held to a standard of conduct that only an adult could understand is beyond the pale. This is a notion so absurd that only the self-anointed elite could believe it. I fear for the future of this country.”
January 8th, 2008 @ 11:06 am
The punishment was too harsh. The parents should have handled it by explaining to the girl why that may not be appropriate behavior. The school should have done nothing.
January 8th, 2008 @ 12:44 pm
A school employee from South Dakota writes:
“I have yet to think that the consequences for an offense that has made the paper are appropriate for the circumstances. Otherwise I don’t think they would be in print. Yes, you have to enforce the code of conduct for
appropriate behavior. But do the same consequences that apply to a 14-year-old need to apply to a 6-year-old? I think not. They are very different in their understanding of the results of the behavior and need to be dealt with differently. And how many 6-year-olds are going to understand that because I kissed someone I have to miss school for 3 days? Her attitude toward sexuality will be skewed and closeted. Or it just won’t make any sense and she’ll not understand what she did wrong, and it will change her overall behavior for the worse. I hope the parents make very clear to the child what happened what her part in that was–what was wrong with the behavior and what was just overreaching bounds of reality.
January 8th, 2008 @ 1:08 pm
A management consultant from Texas writes:
“No! A 6-year-old is a child. Kids express affection at that age, not sexuality. Let kids be kids. More important, school administrators, to include board members, need to develop some brains, guts, and hearts. Leaders are expected to make decisions, not rely upon ‘zero tolerance’ to make them. Unfortunately, many school leaders completely abrogate their responsibilities to lead and govern. Hence, we have girls suspended for giving another girl a Midol for her cramps, an honor student expelled because he moved his grandmother over the weekend and a table knife remained under one of the boards in his pick-up body and was seen and reported. These and similar incidents are both OUTRAGEOUS AND RIDICULOUS!
If leaders don’t understand that they have a responsibility to govern wisely, then they can be replaced by a computer programmed with all the applicable rules!”
January 9th, 2008 @ 12:00 pm
A reader from an architecture firm in Wisconsin writes:
“A 6-year-old kissing another 6-year-oold? (insert sarcastic tone here) What next? Give me a break! Do we as adults even understand the concept of innocence anymore? Are we so bombarded with smut on TV, video games and in movies that we can’t even distinguish between a simple display of pure – and guiltless – affection and lewd behavior? This is an outrage! Clearly, New York state needs to rethink their priorities. The punishment absolutely is not appropriate. And I have to say that the reason stated for the Yes camp is unsettling as well. Really - how were her actions inappropriate?”
January 12th, 2008 @ 10:48 pm
Has it crossed anyone who has read this article that perhaps there is “more to the story” than the reporter knows about? School officials are usually bound by confidentiality rules whereas parents are not. Give them the benefit of the doubt and LET IT GO!
January 15th, 2008 @ 12:43 pm
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that this policy should not apply to a 6-year-old.