Part of enforcing rules (a BIG part) is the use of judgement. This is really what people in most professional and administrative positions get paid for. Anyone can enforce rules, but going it correctly require looking at the situation in total, analizing it and then making a judgement. It seems that this is what was lacking here. People who are "just enforcing the rules" are using the world's oldest copout for not trusting their own judgement, and at the same time, trying to cover their ass from any criticism of their judgement by others. This is a big problem in any organization, and the schools are full of it. There have been plenty of examples, like "zero tolerance" policies. They remove any need for judgement, but also any chance for justice.

What is refered to as a "zero tolerance policy" should actually be called the "No Beauracrat Left Behind Policy". No judgement calls to get you into trouble, and if it's not forbidden it's madatory. Saying that they're just enforcing the rules equally is BS, because ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL.
What I found truly stupefing is that Columbus, GA is sitting in front of the gates to Fort Benning. You'ld think they would have contemplated the notion that service families in the area might not be able to fit in their 'template'.
Evidently not.

There are so many things wrong with this scenario it reminds me of a "Keystone Cops" routine. I was being totally sarcastic on Murdoc's site and for that I do not apologize. heh! Mike is absolutely correct; common sense has left the building.

A teacher that forcibly tries to remove anything from a student is precipitating an event. Simply looking for trouble. The school of course fires back with the obligatory "we weren't wrong - we just didn't know" CYA comeback with their statement that they didn't realize th student was talking to his Mom. Yeah right! If that school is anything like our local hi skool then they've got like 10,000 vice-pricipals and administrators falling all over each trying to "enforce the rules" while of course lamenting on not having enough funds to carry on with the arts and band programs. But alas, that is for another rant!

A couple of major issues were missed here. The most important is the fact that admin is supposed to be there for the "chilren" but instead missed an opportunity to counsel. And it definitely looks like this young guy has an anger management problem which is not a good thing when trying to operate in a closed enviroment like a school administrator's mind! The school gestapo should've recognized that something was up but couldn't pull the rule book from their collective arses long enough to begin to even understand a cry for help.

Oh well, at least the administrators can go back to hiding in buses and on roof tops trying to catch students holding hands and other diabolical things that fall under the norm of a $50k salaried position of dignity! Anyone besides me remember being paddled in the hall when I did something as stupid (or worse) than this young man with his attitude? Woke me up in a heartbeat and I guarantee you I didn't do it again. No suspension, no CYA memos, no hoopla, just back to class and try to do the one cheek sneak since sitting on both was not an option!

Oh where oh where has common sense gone?!

I'm going to be real simple here.

Anyone one who deliberately makes life more difficult for a soldier in Iraq or a family member of a solder in Iraq should be jailed.

The boys response to the teacher, was not so much of an action as a reaction. The teacher should have said, "If it is your mom, let me speak to her." Then verified who he was talking with. Grabbing the phone out of his hand was an act that drew a response. The way the school reacted, by suspending the boy for 10 days (and might I add he gets zeroes for each day out)is one of the big problem with schools in America today.

We are suspending students for stupid things and causing them to fall behind. However, at the same time, the school administrator's kids get their little problems sweep under the rug. Things administrators kids do, that would get our kids suspended, get handled quietly in the pricipal's office. It plainly sends a message to the kids that I am better than you, therefore do not have to go by the same rules as you.

We need vouchers people! If a school is failing your child you should have the right to take your child and money and go somewhere you child can get the help they need. Instead of creating Future Business Leaders of America, schools are working to create Future Prisoners of America. Now is the time for action.

When I turned on my computer this morning this report came up on my AOL news site. I was so angry, and thought "good thing I don't live there. ( I have a temper, as GH can attest) I wondered if Mr & Mrs GH had seen this. I pulled up the M.G. and there it was. I must say they are always on the ball. I hope all of you Milbloggers stay on this. Of course the boy was upset. His mother is in Iraq for God's (I mean "goodness") sake. Like she has the option to call at anytime she wants! (Sorry, I just had to vent.)

http://www.mcsdga.net/schools/high/spencer.html
You can email the principal and Asst. principals from the above URL

Here's a comment I just left on Murdoc:

The teacher and the principal were way out of line here. They should have let him talk to his Mom first, especially when she called back, and then made arrangements for future phone calls.

If the student overreacted, then punishment might be called for, but this certainly seems like a situation where the student should be cut some slack, especially since the teacher and the principal were wrong.

Should the principal be suspended for 10 days for not allowing the kid to answer when his Mom called back? If not, then don't throw the book at the kid either.

Coming up with a cell-phone policy isn't as complicated as Murdoc makes it out to be. Make exceptions for emergencies and other unusual circumstances, and tweak as necessary.

Enforcement on the other hand could be tricky, but it will be almost impossible to enforce any cell phone rule without earning the respect of the students in the first place. And that means don't act like a jackass when a kid is trying to talk to his mom in Iraq.

I think the school did over-react on this on. However in today's Stars and Stripes, the article about this story says that this kid was also cussing at the teacher. Now I am sure the exchange went something like this:
Teacher: Get off the phone!
Student: No, It's my mom calling from Iraq!
Teacher: I doesn't matter. The rules say no use of the phone during school.
Student: F*** you. I'm not hanging up on my mom.

Again let me say, I think the school was wrong on this one. But if it was my son and he was cussing at the teacher, I would expect them to punish him, even if it was in defense of me calling from Iraq. Again in this case, I think the punishment was too severe. I really think detention would be more appropriate. I agree that in some cases, such as this one, rules need to be flexible.

Wonder how this would have played out if Mom had taken the big one after the attempted call, and thus it would have been the kid's last chance to talk with her? If the school system is devoid of human judgement for mindless administration, do we really need them? Someone else can fill that position.

I am a class of 2003 Spencer High School Gradute. There is no way this child should have been allowed to re-enter this school. I know the principal and and asst. very well.. Our adminitstration has handled many situations and they know there job very well.. He owes the school, administration, faculty, and alumni very big apology.
Kessler D. Wright, Class of 2003

F that. The kid shouldn't be getting any calls in school. Period.
He was requested to hang up the phone in accordance to the established rule. The rule isn't "No cellular phone use at all. EXCEPT if it's your mother in Iraq." Guess how many more kids will suddenly have mothers in Iraq.
He refused, got disorderly and defiant and used profanity on the way to the office. He deserved what he got plus more.

I wonder if his mother respects the rules her commanding officers give her? If her C.O. told her to hang up the phone, she damned well would have...or at least she better had.

It's idiot people like you all who see no use for rules, let your kids do whatever the hell they want and wind up being idiots in school disregarding rules they don't see as "fair" or "right". Along the same lines are those that think that "everyone should win". Everyone gets a trophy, everyone is a winner. You're breeding mediocrity. Lazy asses that think because the "try" they deserve to get a good grade or a trophy. BULL! Standards are there to be met. If you don't meet them, guess what? You failed!
Can you hear the chants of the kids now: "We're number two! We're number two!"

Rules are standards by which we expect others to act. This kid didn't meet the expectation.

Here's the shocker: I was a high school teacher for two years. I had to get out because I couldn't believe how stupid, lazy, inconsiderate and disrespectful the kids were. They had no regard for rules and had to be "asked" to do work. I blame the parents for all of those traits. On top of all of that, they really didn't even care that they were stupid and had no ambition to do better. The parents didn't care that their kids were idiots either.

This was a South Jersey suburban school district, not some inner-city district.

F you and your "f authority" attitude. Eventually, if everyone starts thinking like you, we'll have an even bigger society of idiots who think they deserve everything for doing nothing.

By the way, this is a quote from the article located at:
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/nation/1158331…
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Parham said the student used profanity when he was taken into the office. He said he tried to work out something with the student. But Francois said he was too frustrated he couldn't answer the phone when his mother called him the second time.

"I even asked Kevin, 'You know we can try to work something out to where if your mother wants to call you she can call you at the school,'" Parham said. "So we've tried to work with Kevin and we're going to continue to try to work with Kevin and his mother and his relatives. In the course of good order and discipline, we have to abide by our policy."
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Yeah, they sound like such serious HARD ASSES, HUH.

You f'ing bunch of liberal cattle.