Post by markesq on Apr 12, 2018 8:50:34 GMT -5
Excuse the long thread, but I'd be curious to get your learned opinions on a situation with my son. I'm trying to decide whether to make a (bigger) fuss or just take it as a life lesson and remember to pick my battles carefully.
Facts: my son ("Son"), aged 13, at middle school, was sitting at his desk when another kid ("Kid") walks up to him and shoves him. Son stands and pushes him back, in an attempt to walk away (or so he says!). Kid then knees Son in the stomach. Son knees Kid in the balls, ending the fight/assault.
Important: there is no disagreement or dispute as to who started it, or what happened. Kid admitted he started it, the school didn't question or doubt that. Also, Son says he doesn't know what provoked the incident.
Result: both Son and Kid get in-school suspension and have to miss an educational field trip.
Below is a sequence of emails from yesterday between me and the Asst Principal who assessed the punishment.
Me to her:
I am writing to address your assessment of in-school suspension for my son, Henry Pryor. Given the undisputed circumstances, my wife and I feel it is entirely inappropriate that he be punished for defending himself during an assault. That punishment is more than just a suspension, but means he misses out on a school trip.
As I understand it, the facts are not in dispute: the other child approached Henry as he was sitting waiting for class to begin. The other student, while standing, pushed Henry. Henry pushed him in return, and stood to remove himself from the situation. At that time, the other student kneed Henry in the stomach. This constitutes an assault, in law and per your policies. Henry, as was his right, kneed the student back, and the incident ended. (The fact that Henry's response was more effective seems to be being used against him -- by law, his use of force was reasonable under the circumstances, he is not expected to use exactly the same force as the person assaulting him.)
Your district policies expressly state: "A student w ho is a victim of bullying and who used reasonable self -defense in response to the bullying shall not be subject to disciplinary
action." (FFI Local, 227901.)
Bullying is defined by your policies as: "engaging in... physical conduct that occurs on school property, at a school-sponsored or school-related activity, or in a vehicle operated by the District and that:
1. Has the effect or will have the effect of physically harming a student, damaging a student’s property, or placing a student in reasonable fear of harm to the student’s person or of damage to the student’s property." (FFI Legal, 227901.)
Clearly the other student committed an act of bullying and your punishment of Henry for defending himself is in violation of your own policies. His punishment seems particularly unjust given that the boy who assaulted him received the same discipline.
My wife and I therefore ask that the suspension be lifted, his record reflect no discipline for this matter, and he be allowed to go on the school trip. If you would like us to come in and speak with you in person, we would be happy to do so.
Thank you for your attention.
Her to me:
Thank you for emailing your concern. As far as the in school suspension, anytime that students come into physical contact with each other, in this case pushing and the knee to the stomach or groin area, a consequence will be assigned. I am copying our campus p0lice, Officer Zardiackas, in this email. Please feel free to contact him if you would like to file any assault charges.
Muchas gracias,
Patti
Me to her:
Thank you for your prompt reply. Would you be able to explain to me why your practices are in direct contravention of the policy, as I read it? (And please feel free to let me know if I’m wrongly citing AISD policy, I’m far from infallible.) I appreciate that it’s easier for a school to have a knee-jerk, “zero tolerance,” response to an incident but the district’s policy states that such a response is wrong.
Would you also please explain why the aggressor’s punishment is the same as my son’s? And thank you for the name of the SRO, but I am not looking to cause problems for the other boy, just looking for mine to be treated fairly.
One other point: we feel that by treating both boys the same you, as educators, are sending the wrong message. Henry is being told: let someone assault you or you’ll get in trouble; and the other boy is being told: go ahead and assault someone, your victim will get punished too! I deal with assault every day of my life as a felony prosecutor and I can assure you that not once have I ever charged two people in a physical altercation with a crime. Likewise, the police don’t show up to an assault and arrest the aggressor and victim. That would make no more sense than you punishing Henry for being assaulted.
If an in-person meeting would help, please let me know. If you are unwilling or unable to rescind the punishment please let me know and I will redirect my inquiries. At the very least, please delay the suspension (set for tomorrow) while we address this.
No word back from her yet. So, should I escalate and make a fuss? Storm in a tea cup? I'm annoyed by the unfairness of the equal punishment, the fact of punishment for Son, the laziness of the school in just punishing both, and the lack of coherent, logical response.
Thanks!
Facts: my son ("Son"), aged 13, at middle school, was sitting at his desk when another kid ("Kid") walks up to him and shoves him. Son stands and pushes him back, in an attempt to walk away (or so he says!). Kid then knees Son in the stomach. Son knees Kid in the balls, ending the fight/assault.
Important: there is no disagreement or dispute as to who started it, or what happened. Kid admitted he started it, the school didn't question or doubt that. Also, Son says he doesn't know what provoked the incident.
Result: both Son and Kid get in-school suspension and have to miss an educational field trip.
Below is a sequence of emails from yesterday between me and the Asst Principal who assessed the punishment.
Me to her:
I am writing to address your assessment of in-school suspension for my son, Henry Pryor. Given the undisputed circumstances, my wife and I feel it is entirely inappropriate that he be punished for defending himself during an assault. That punishment is more than just a suspension, but means he misses out on a school trip.
As I understand it, the facts are not in dispute: the other child approached Henry as he was sitting waiting for class to begin. The other student, while standing, pushed Henry. Henry pushed him in return, and stood to remove himself from the situation. At that time, the other student kneed Henry in the stomach. This constitutes an assault, in law and per your policies. Henry, as was his right, kneed the student back, and the incident ended. (The fact that Henry's response was more effective seems to be being used against him -- by law, his use of force was reasonable under the circumstances, he is not expected to use exactly the same force as the person assaulting him.)
Your district policies expressly state: "A student w ho is a victim of bullying and who used reasonable self -defense in response to the bullying shall not be subject to disciplinary
action." (FFI Local, 227901.)
Bullying is defined by your policies as: "engaging in... physical conduct that occurs on school property, at a school-sponsored or school-related activity, or in a vehicle operated by the District and that:
1. Has the effect or will have the effect of physically harming a student, damaging a student’s property, or placing a student in reasonable fear of harm to the student’s person or of damage to the student’s property." (FFI Legal, 227901.)
Clearly the other student committed an act of bullying and your punishment of Henry for defending himself is in violation of your own policies. His punishment seems particularly unjust given that the boy who assaulted him received the same discipline.
My wife and I therefore ask that the suspension be lifted, his record reflect no discipline for this matter, and he be allowed to go on the school trip. If you would like us to come in and speak with you in person, we would be happy to do so.
Thank you for your attention.
Her to me:
Thank you for emailing your concern. As far as the in school suspension, anytime that students come into physical contact with each other, in this case pushing and the knee to the stomach or groin area, a consequence will be assigned. I am copying our campus p0lice, Officer Zardiackas, in this email. Please feel free to contact him if you would like to file any assault charges.
Muchas gracias,
Patti
Me to her:
Thank you for your prompt reply. Would you be able to explain to me why your practices are in direct contravention of the policy, as I read it? (And please feel free to let me know if I’m wrongly citing AISD policy, I’m far from infallible.) I appreciate that it’s easier for a school to have a knee-jerk, “zero tolerance,” response to an incident but the district’s policy states that such a response is wrong.
Would you also please explain why the aggressor’s punishment is the same as my son’s? And thank you for the name of the SRO, but I am not looking to cause problems for the other boy, just looking for mine to be treated fairly.
One other point: we feel that by treating both boys the same you, as educators, are sending the wrong message. Henry is being told: let someone assault you or you’ll get in trouble; and the other boy is being told: go ahead and assault someone, your victim will get punished too! I deal with assault every day of my life as a felony prosecutor and I can assure you that not once have I ever charged two people in a physical altercation with a crime. Likewise, the police don’t show up to an assault and arrest the aggressor and victim. That would make no more sense than you punishing Henry for being assaulted.
If an in-person meeting would help, please let me know. If you are unwilling or unable to rescind the punishment please let me know and I will redirect my inquiries. At the very least, please delay the suspension (set for tomorrow) while we address this.
No word back from her yet. So, should I escalate and make a fuss? Storm in a tea cup? I'm annoyed by the unfairness of the equal punishment, the fact of punishment for Son, the laziness of the school in just punishing both, and the lack of coherent, logical response.
Thanks!