The West Virginia eighth-grader who was suspended and arrested in late April after he refused to remove a t-shirt supporting the National Rifle Association appeared in court this week and was formally charged with obstructing an officer.
As CBS affiliate WTRF reports, 14-year-old Jared Marcum now faces a $500 fine and a maximum of one year in prison.
The boy’s father, Allen Lardieri, is not pleased.
“Me, I’m more of a fighter and so is Jared and eventually we’re going to get through this,” Lardieri told WTRF. “I don’t think it should have ever gotten this far.”
“Every aspect of this is just totally wrong,” Lardieri added. “He has no background of anything criminal up until now and it just seems like nobody wants to admit they’re wrong.”
Officials at Logan Middle School in Logan County, West Va. maintain that Marcum, who has since completed eighth grade, was suspended for one day because he caused a disruption after a teacher asked him to remove a shirt emblazoned with a hunting rifle and the statement “protect your right.”
“She said, ‘Are you supposed to wear that in school?’” Marcum had previously explained in an interview with local station, WOWK-TV. “I said, ‘I don’t see why I shouldn’t.’”
In a move The Daily Caller can only characterize as courageous, Marcum returned to school after his suspension wearing exactly the same shirt. Students across the rural county showed their support for Marcum by wearing similar shirts on that day as well. (RELATED: Eighth-grader arrested over NRA shirt returns to school in same shirt)
There are no accounts of any additional arrests or suspensions when Marcum returned to school.
Lardieri has claimed that police in Logan City (pop. 1,779) threatened to charge Marcum with making terroristic threats during the incident that led to his arrest.
In legal documents obtained by the CBS station, the arresting officer, James Adkins, reportedly fails to inform the court about any terrorist threats or any violent action. Instead, Adkins asserts that the 14-year-old boy did not follow his orders to stop talking. This verbosity somehow prevented Adkins from performing his police duties.
“In my view of the facts, Jared didn’t do anything wrong,” Ben White, Marcum’s attorney, opined, according to WTRF. “I think Officer Adkins could have done something differently.”
White has previously asserted that his client was exercising his free speech rights by wearing the shirt.
The school district’s policy doesn’t prohibit shirts promoting Second Amendment rights.
Logan police and the prosecuting attorney, Michael White, declined to answer questions.
Nevermind, I missed the second to last line. Still the kid was being an idiot. He verbally sparred with an officer(Good idea, yell at someone that can arrest you for the smallest thing) And he aggravated the situation further by coming back with the same shirt. But just because it doesnt ban shirts that promote second amendment, doesn't mean it doesn't ban shirts with guns on them.
Wow, none of that adds up at all. Makes you wonder what the real issue is and by the sound of that article it looks like it was Officer Adkins having a bad day.
The school district’s policy doesn’t prohibit shirts promoting Second Amendment rights.
It didn't.
Instead, Adkins asserts that the 14-year-old boy did not follow his orders to stop talking. This verbosity somehow prevented Adkins from performing his police duties.
It seems like the officer and the kid exchanged some verbal sparring, though. Probably a case of "Shut up, kid" that went to far.
Manchu wrote: Wow, none of that adds up at all. Makes you wonder what the real issue is and by the sound of that article it looks like it was Officer Adkins having a bad day.
That's the vibe I was getting too. Having the Police called was a little bit much, but from what is reported the officer's actions appear somewhat less than reasonable, especially threatening to charge him with a terrorist offence.
I hope the DA realises that this case is a vote loser.
In legal documents obtained by the CBS station, the arresting officer, James Adkins, reportedly fails to inform the court about any terrorist threats or any violent action. Instead, Adkins asserts that the 14-year-old boy did not follow his orders to stop talking. This verbosity somehow prevented Adkins from performing his police duties.
.
Well I can vouch that its generally iompossible to get 14 year olds to stop talking once they start....
It almost seems to me like the goal here is not teaching, but instead displaying dominance and enforcing the expectation in the youth that they should cow to authority figures. I mean, there is, like, literally NO shirt I can think of that should interfere with teaching math, science, English, history, or any other topic you could possibly think of.
I think this is a case of "He that makes too much noise gets the big stick."
daedalus wrote: It almost seems to me like the goal here is not teaching, but instead displaying dominance and enforcing the expectation in the youth that they should cow to authority figures. I mean, there is, like, literally NO shirt I can think of that should interfere with teaching math, science, English, history, or any other topic you could possibly think of.
I think this is a case of "He that makes too much noise gets the big stick."
I think a shirt that says, "Feth Teachers" might disrupt the classroom... (these exist to an extent on spreadshirt), but other than that fringe case, you're right.
daedalus wrote: It almost seems to me like the goal here is not teaching, but instead displaying dominance and enforcing the expectation in the youth that they should cow to authority figures. I mean, there is, like, literally NO shirt I can think of that should interfere with teaching math, science, English, history, or any other topic you could possibly think of.
I think this is a case of "He that makes too much noise gets the big stick."
First, School has always been "Submit to authority"
Also there are shirts. Like one where theere are naked women on it. Or gang color shirts. Or shirts that have threats.
daedalus wrote: It almost seems to me like the goal here is not teaching, but instead displaying dominance and enforcing the expectation in the youth that they should cow to authority figures. I mean, there is, like, literally NO shirt I can think of that should interfere with teaching math, science, English, history, or any other topic you could possibly think of.
I think this is a case of "He that makes too much noise gets the big stick."
First, School has always been "Submit to authority"
Also there are shirts. Like one where theere are naked women on it. Or gang color shirts. Or shirts that have threats.
Even if you are in the right, it's never a good idea to pop off to the police.
Do what they say and if they're violating your rights get a lawyer and sue the gak out of them. Escalating the situation is never going to work out in your favor.
Monster Rain wrote: Even if you are in the right, it's never a good idea to pop off to the police.
Do what they say and if they're violating your rights get a lawyer and sue the gak out of them. Escalating the situation is never going to work out in your favor.
Also, as far as I know, children only have limited access to most constitutional rights. Still, I'm curious about what exactly was said between the two of them.
Blue and red shirts are indeed banned in my area, to save students from getting shot.
The second shirt,Well it has a threat. It is not something i would like my students to wear. It is a shirt the espouses violent thoughts.
Also I though of another shirt that is distracting, low cut spaghetti straps on girls and fishnet shirts.
daedalus wrote: It almost seems to me like the goal here is not teaching, but instead displaying dominance and enforcing the expectation in the youth that they should cow to authority figures. I mean, there is, like, literally NO shirt I can think of that should interfere with teaching math, science, English, history, or any other topic you could possibly think of.
I think this is a case of "He that makes too much noise gets the big stick."
I went to a private catholic high school (at least it was a mixed school), and that kid would've been sent home all the same. It was against the school conduct code to have any weapon, any replica of weapon, or any weapon depicted on our clothes.
And no, school is about teaching. It's just hard to do when you have 30+ monkeys trying to compete with you for authority.
Also, the 2nd Amendment is the right to bear arm, not the right to bear depiction of said arm.
Also schools have a right to impliment and enforce a dress code. As my rather wayward brother found out if you wear a shirt that says "feth you" to school they will get mad.
Blue and red shirts are indeed banned in my area, to save students from getting shot.
The second shirt,Well it has a threat. It is not something i would like my students to wear. It is a shirt the espouses violent thoughts.
Also I though of another shirt that is distracting, low cut spaghetti straps on girls and fishnet shirts.
Thats why I advocate school uniforms comprising burlap sacks with holes cut in them, and shoes made of ziplock bags and string.
Blue and red shirts are indeed banned in my area, to save students from getting shot.
The second shirt,Well it has a threat. It is not something i would like my students to wear. It is a shirt the espouses violent thoughts.
Also I though of another shirt that is distracting, low cut spaghetti straps on girls and fishnet shirts.
But at the same time should people be banned from wearing black, yellow, gold, grey, or even green shirts? Because those colors are the identifiers for at least a dozen different gangs in the United States, the only reason why red and blue are not allowed at your school was because of the prominent population and violence of Bloods and Crypts. Which is a smart thing to do where such stuff is popular, too bad that over here in Ohio, I'm allowed to black and gold shirts, and no one would mistake me for a Latin King... Not to mention that most Bloods and Crypts don't wear those colors as overtly as they did, why? Because it made them too easy to spot...
No, banning clothes on the account of color is a dumb idea, I spent 10 years at a catholic school (K to 9) where I had to wear a uniform, and then I went to high school for 3 years that one year had said no gang symbols, no guns (explicitly written of course), no violence, cursing, etc... but our mascot has pistols, so my Junior year he lost his guns and became a big purple gay cowboy, and then senior year he magically got his guns back but we were still told no guns on stuff. Unlike the school in question here, my school said no guns... this one didn't, it shouldn't be an issue.
daedalus wrote: You're thinking too small. Horsehair robes and wooden plank/hemp rope sandals. And extensive instruction in Latin. It builds character.
By "Latin," I assume you mean "Low Gothic."
Thought For The Day: Vanity is the seed of treason.
No, banning clothes on the account of color is a dumb idea, I spent 10 years at a catholic school (K to 9) where I had to wear a uniform, and then I went to high school for 3 years that one year had said no gang symbols, no guns (explicitly written of course), no violence, cursing, etc... but our mascot has pistols, so my Junior year he lost his guns and became a big purple gay cowboy, and then senior year he magically got his guns back but we were still told no guns on stuff. Unlike the school in question here, my school said no guns... this one didn't, it shouldn't be an issue.
I disagree, Gangs in certain places are a big problem(AKA my school) where certain colors would get you killed, heck you where also not allowed to wear the nummer 13 because it is a number of another gang. Students can and have gotten killed that had the wrong colors on, no gang affiliation at all.
No, banning clothes on the account of color is a dumb idea, I spent 10 years at a catholic school (K to 9) where I had to wear a uniform, and then I went to high school for 3 years that one year had said no gang symbols, no guns (explicitly written of course), no violence, cursing, etc... but our mascot has pistols, so my Junior year he lost his guns and became a big purple gay cowboy, and then senior year he magically got his guns back but we were still told no guns on stuff. Unlike the school in question here, my school said no guns... this one didn't, it shouldn't be an issue.
I disagree, Gangs in certain places are a big problem(AKA my school) where certain colors would get you killed, heck you where also not allowed to wear the number 13 because it is a number of another gang. Students can and have gotten killed that had the wrong colors on, no gang affiliation at all.
If the kids know about gang violence why would they willing wear the colors of a gang they're not affiliated with?
It doesn't sound to me like the problem here is that this kid's rights were infringed. I'm sure the officer was not there to back up the school's decision to punish the kid for his shirt. He was called in to do his job, and it sounds to me like the kid got cocky and didn't want to cooperate. This case is of two different issues that need to be handled separately. This family can easily file a civil suit against the school for the shirt incident. That is completely within their rights. But this kid needs to learn that when you are talking to a police officer, you shut your mouth so they can figure out what is going on. These people are acting like this is a case of police brutality or something, which from the information given, I would say it isn't. I think a $500 and max year in jail is harsh, and it won't happen, but this kid does need to learn to respect authority figures or he will never be successful as an adult.
Then again, as an American I could just say that this must be that der president Barack HUSSEIN Obama that just wants to give all our jobs to the terrorists and hand our country over. We have to protect ourselves I'll tell you what. Imma get me my pickup truck and go down to that der school and give that liberal, bellyaching teacher a dose of freedom. I'll tell you what. And then we can all go down to the river and drink some light beers. Gotta be light since the Mrs. say I gotta lose weight on account of my diabetes. 'Murica- don't tread on me.
I don't want to go through the Spartan school of dating... Nothing says "I know how to woo a woman" like getting the newbie drunk and raping him, so he does the same thing to his wife... At least this is what I heard on a tangent from a history professor, but they're all quacks.
No, banning clothes on the account of color is a dumb idea, I spent 10 years at a catholic school (K to 9) where I had to wear a uniform, and then I went to high school for 3 years that one year had said no gang symbols, no guns (explicitly written of course), no violence, cursing, etc... but our mascot has pistols, so my Junior year he lost his guns and became a big purple gay cowboy, and then senior year he magically got his guns back but we were still told no guns on stuff. Unlike the school in question here, my school said no guns... this one didn't, it shouldn't be an issue.
I disagree, Gangs in certain places are a big problem(AKA my school) where certain colors would get you killed, heck you where also not allowed to wear the number 13 because it is a number of another gang. Students can and have gotten killed that had the wrong colors on, no gang affiliation at all.
If the kids know about gang violence why would they willing wear the colors of a gang they're not affiliated with?
daedalus wrote: It almost seems to me like the goal here is not teaching, but instead displaying dominance and enforcing the expectation in the youth that they should cow to authority figures. I mean, there is, like, literally NO shirt I can think of that should interfere with teaching math, science, English, history, or any other topic you could possibly think of.
I think this is a case of "He that makes too much noise gets the big stick."
That's the purpose of most American school districts. They don't want thinkers, they want drones.
daedalus wrote: It almost seems to me like the goal here is not teaching, but instead displaying dominance and enforcing the expectation in the youth that they should cow to authority figures. I mean, there is, like, literally NO shirt I can think of that should interfere with teaching math, science, English, history, or any other topic you could possibly think of.
I think this is a case of "He that makes too much noise gets the big stick."
That's the purpose of most American school districts. They don't want thinkers, they want drones.
They are correctly preparing you to enter the workforce then.
Technically since it is a public school and thus a government agency, they may not infringe on his freedom of speech. Also his arrest is then unlawful and he would be in the right to resist.
I am not saying he is right or wrong.. but public schools are notorious for having "policies" that are unlawful.
Officials love to forget these basic constitutional rights still apply to minors.
Shadowseer_Kim wrote: Technically since it is a public school and thus a government agency, they may not infringe on his freedom of speech. Also his arrest is then unlawful and he would be in the right to resist.
As much as I empathize with this kid... freedom of speech doesn't work like that.
Shadowseer_Kim wrote: Technically since it is a public school and thus a government agency, they may not infringe on his freedom of speech. Also his arrest is then unlawful and he would be in the right to resist.
I am not saying he is right or wrong.. but public schools are notorious for having "policies" that are unlawful.
Officials love to forget these basic constitutional rights still apply to minors.
HAhahaha, Tell me then, why cant I carry a gun on campus?
Rights do not apply in school. If something is not conductive to learning, Then it has no place in school. IF you have people espousing political rants in classes, nothing can get done.
Quite frankly i find shirts that have a political statement tasteless, keep your political thought to yourself unless the conversation goes that way.
you are actually allowed to carry a gun on most college campuses based on constitution of the state that funds said school. Oregon is a prime example of this. the state constitution says explicitly that NO public run entity of local government shall bar a citizen from the right to carry a firearm, except as law written by the state senate/house.
However, Oregon run colleges almost all have a "policy" that says you are not allowed to carry even if you are licensed and conceal it.
It is against the constitution, yet they do it in hopes no one challenges them.
Shadowseer_Kim wrote: Technically since it is a public school and thus a government agency, they may not infringe on his freedom of speech. Also his arrest is then unlawful and he would be in the right to resist.
I am not saying he is right or wrong.. but public schools are notorious for having "policies" that are unlawful.
Officials love to forget these basic constitutional rights still apply to minors.
Actually, you're right and what I posted earlier was totally wrong. I accurately remembered the case, but I misremembered the verdict. So yeah, what I said earlier - he totally should fight this.
Shadowseer_Kim wrote: Technically since it is a public school and thus a government agency, they may not infringe on his freedom of speech. Also his arrest is then unlawful and he would be in the right to resist.
I am not saying he is right or wrong.. but public schools are notorious for having "policies" that are unlawful.
Officials love to forget these basic constitutional rights still apply to minors.
Actually, you're right and what I posted earlier was totally wrong. I accurately remembered the case, but I misremembered the verdict. So yeah, what I said earlier - he totally should fight this.
Well huh... consider my opinions changed... he should definitely fight this.
Well, Theoretically someone like the ACLU can take it up.
I still think the kid wearing a shirt with a gun on it was stupid, then become confrontational at the arrest.
I still think the whole issue is stupid. What's next banning baseball bats on shirts, knives, forks, granola, sharp edges of counters, spartan nipple rings , frazzleds' quick but erotic feel ups.... everything is potentially dangerous.
The West Virginia eighth-grader arrested after refusing a teacher's demand he remove a National Rifle Association T-shirt he wore to school won't face criminal charges after all.
Jared Marcum, 14, was charged with obstruction following the April 18 incident after police who were called to Logan Middle School school said he refused to stop talking. The case generated national headlines, as Marcum's family and attorney, Ben White, claimed the demand that he remove the NRA shirt violated his right to freedom of speech. On Thursday, Logan County Circuit Judge Eric O'Briant signed an order dismissing the charge.
"It should have come sooner but it's done and we don't have to have that concern anymore about him having a criminal record."
Marcum's mother, Tanya Lardieri, told WOWK that she was overcome with emotion after signing a dismissal order relating to the charge. The boy’s father, Allen Lardieri, said the couple is just glad Eric’s legal troubles are behind him.
"It should have come sooner but it's done and we don't have to have that concern anymore about him having a criminal record,” Allen Lardieri told WOWK. "I'm just glad that it's over. His mother is glad it's over."
After he was charged, Marcum faced up to a year in jail and a $500 fine. Although the charge related to the boy's behavior after the incident began, White said the school's unreasonable demand that he take off the shirt caused the situation to get out of control.
"We at this point believe that Jared acted as mature as a 14-year-old child can act with the pressure that was put on him," White told The Associated Press.
The school's dress code gives wide enforcement discretion to educators.
“If in the judgment of the administration, a student is dressed inappropriately, the student will be required to change clothes or cover up inappropriate clothing before returning to classes,” the code reads.
After Marcum was arrested, students throughout Logan County wore similar NRA shirts in a show of solidarity. And on Monday, the boy was summoned back to court as prosecutors sought to have a gag order imposed on him and his family. They claimed Jared and his father talking to the press about the case was not in the boy's interest, a rationale his own attorney rejected.
"We were here because the prosecution filed a motion for a gag order," White said on Monday. "My opinion is because, seemingly, they want to take it out of the court of public opinion."
But on Thursday, after reviewing statements from the arresting officer and the school's principal, White said he and a prosecutor agreed that creating a criminal record for Marcum wasn't a good idea.
"I didn't think it would go this far because, honestly, I don't see a problem with [the shirt],” Jared Marcum told WOWK in April. “There shouldn't be a problem with this."
daedalus wrote: It almost seems to me like the goal here is not teaching, but instead displaying dominance and enforcing the expectation in the youth that they should cow to authority figures. I mean, there is, like, literally NO shirt I can think of that should interfere with teaching math, science, English, history, or any other topic you could possibly think of.
I think this is a case of "He that makes too much noise gets the big stick."
Gentleman_Jellyfish wrote: I guess giving a 14 year old a criminal record for being a meanie to a grown man just wasn't the kind of publicity they wanted.
Just the thing your political opponents love for ammo
Bullockist wrote: I still think the whole issue is stupid. What's next banning baseball bats on shirts, knives, forks, granola, sharp edges of counters, spartan nipple rings , frazzleds' quick but erotic feel ups.... everything is potentially dangerous.
Kids need to be aware of the shape their Pop Tart makes when they eat it, remember. That can get them suspended, also.
Highschool kids with strong political opinions are the worst. But the school officials and that policeman were supposed to be the adults here, and the way they allowed the situation to escalate is kind of ridiculous.
daedalus wrote: I mean, there is, like, literally NO shirt I can think of that should interfere with teaching math, science, English, history, or any other topic you could possibly think of.
But there are shirts that might interfere with the psychology of a person teaching any of the above.
Should that happen? No, but it does.
sebster wrote: Highschool kids with strong political opinions are the worst.
Especially when they want to debate you on the basis of the ill-considered opinions of their parents.
daedalus wrote: I mean, there is, like, literally NO shirt I can think of that should interfere with teaching math, science, English, history, or any other topic you could possibly think of.
But there are shirts that might interfere with the psychology of a person teaching any of the above.
Should that happen? No, but it does.
Someone who would be that bothered by a t-shirt probably shouldn't be teaching professionally. What a student has on their t-shirt is likely going to be the least of your worries.
dogma wrote: Especially when they want to debate you on the basis of the ill-considered opinions of their parents.
Oh yeah. I mean that shirt basically boils down to a kid who really wants to have someone debate him over his pet political issue, on which I'm sure he's got all kinds of canned lines learned from his parents ready to roll out.
Automatically Appended Next Post:
Hordini wrote: Someone who would be that bothered by a t-shirt probably shouldn't be teaching professionally. What a student has on their t-shirt is likely going to be the least of your worries.
Meh, schools are bureaucracies and bureaucracies have rules. And often the rules of a bureaucracy are based around 'doing something' over some issue of the day. Banning shirts with pictures of guns on them is barely scratching the surface of stupid rules.
Ultimately, the point is that teachers need to be a step ahead of kids, and able to resolve situations like this without letting it escalate like this.
I think part of the problem is kids now a days want to escalate things. proper parenting is lacking now. I almost started a thread on children's poor manners to see what everyone else thought.
yellowfever wrote: I think part of the problem is kids now a days want to escalate things. proper parenting is lacking now. I almost started a thread on children's poor manners to see what everyone else thought.
pro-NRA is considered escalation?
Dude... really?
I mean, I can see t-shirts like these could be disruptive:
But support to the NRA? Let's flip it... how about a t-shirt supporting the Brady Campaign?
I think that the kid turned it into a shouting match and freedom of speech thing is escalating the conflict. He should have, IMO, just followed directions and the rules. rather then waste peoples time. If he did this at a job he would be fired
Well....bad thing is....we don't have him jail for 90+ days like the kid that made the threat on another thread......we lost 90+ days of free labor on this kid....
hotsauceman1 wrote: I think that the kid turned it into a shouting match and freedom of speech thing is escalating the conflict. He should have, IMO, just followed directions and the rules. rather then waste peoples time. If he did this at a job he would be fired
Yup. Fired. Not arrested. Because it might be in violation of the rules, but wearing a shirt is not in violation of the law.
Truly though, we should all keep our heads down, follow the rules, and pick up that can when told. Things would be better that way.
hotsauceman1 wrote: No, what im saying that if it is over something as stupid as a shirt, the kid should have just followed directions.
But if it's over something as stupid as a shirt, surely the police need not get involved? What happened to detentions, getting sent to the principal's office, getting sent home, etc?
Unless it wasn't really over something as stupid as a shirt, and it was really about picking up that can.
No, wearing a political shirt is just a particularly boring bit of gak stirring by a student.
The escalation came after that, when the student refused to take off the shirt, and wanted to argue over it with everyone, up to and including a police officer. Now, everyone else involved escalated the situation, because they ended up just arguing with the kid, rather than sorting this issue out by being, you know, smarter than a highschool kid.
But the kid still deserves his share of the blame for wanting to cause a fuss in the first place, and then trying to make that fuss as big and annoying for everyone as possible. I mean, I get the idea about standing up for your rights and blah blah blah, but there's also a hell of a lot to be said for leaving that stuff for issues that actually matter.
The moment the cop is doing something that you think is wrong is not the time to fight it. Let the cop screw up and then drag him through the courts later. Whatever he might be doing wrong will simply result in a charge of resisting/causing a disturbance/whatever that will cause you a headache for a long time after it is over.
No, wearing a political shirt is just a particularly boring bit of gak stirring by a student.
The escalation came after that, when the student refused to take off the shirt, and wanted to argue over it with everyone, up to and including a police officer. Now, everyone else involved escalated the situation, because they ended up just arguing with the kid, rather than sorting this issue out by being, you know, smarter than a highschool kid.
But the kid still deserves his share of the blame for wanting to cause a fuss in the first place, and then trying to make that fuss as big and annoying for everyone as possible. I mean, I get the idea about standing up for your rights and blah blah blah, but there's also a hell of a lot to be said for leaving that stuff for issues that actually matter.
The school should've SENT HIS ASS HOME or make his parent pick him up.
No, wearing a political shirt is just a particularly boring bit of gak stirring by a student.
The escalation came after that, when the student refused to take off the shirt, and wanted to argue over it with everyone, up to and including a police officer. Now, everyone else involved escalated the situation, because they ended up just arguing with the kid, rather than sorting this issue out by being, you know, smarter than a highschool kid.
But the kid still deserves his share of the blame for wanting to cause a fuss in the first place, and then trying to make that fuss as big and annoying for everyone as possible. I mean, I get the idea about standing up for your rights and blah blah blah, but there's also a hell of a lot to be said for leaving that stuff for issues that actually matter.
The school should've SENT HIS ASS HOME or make his parent pick him up.
Not call the po-po.
And when the po-po showed up the student should not have argued with them.
And when the po-po showed up the student should not have argued with them.
So who really escalated this?
Remember... who's the adult here?
If you want to blame an adult then blame the parents for not showing their kid the "don't talk to cops" video on YouTube.
Look... we're never going to see eye-to-eye on these sorts of things.
The SCHOOL has an obligation to discipline this kid.
To me, calling the po-po is the absolute wrong thing to do. Call his fething parents and have them pick him up.
Even then, the po-po should've realized that this is a 14 yo kid acting out. The po-po should've told the school. "he's not breaking any laws... it's not my job to enforce your school's rules, deal with him yourself".
EDIT: one thing I'm not real clear on is... when did this confrontation with the po-po occur? After the suspension when the kid came back with the same t-shirt?
whembly wrote: The school should've SENT HIS ASS HOME or make his parent pick him up.
Not call the po-po.
The school should have done many things differently. Honestly, letting it escalate to the point where the parents were called and the kid got sent home for the day should probably have been seen as a regretable escalation. Convincing the kid to simply wear another shirt for the day would have been ideal.
So, as I already said, the school should wear a lot of the blame for what happened, especially because they're the adults. But in situations as dumb as this it's possible that everyone involved can be criticised, and ultimately that kid set about fighting a pointless battle for no good reason at all, and then set about escalating on each possible opportunity.
Land of the Free my ass! BTW happy Independence Day. Where I live I'm not allowed to set off fireworks and I have to get permission for my government to install a dishwasher in my home.
had said yes to my offer I could have mopped up and launched elephants at Carthage by spring...er what?
