7 yr old expelled

[Mom-ninja.]

Ignoring the main issue in the article, I'm annoyed at the tone towards home schooling. They make it sound like a prison sentence.

 

Well, I guess there are people for whom it would be like a prison sentence. I just can't imagine me feeling that way, or feeling that my child was behind and missed out on education because he is at home.

 

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/10/06/toy.gun.expelled/index.html?hpt=T1

[Jean in Newcastle]

The issue is that the parents hadn't gone into homeschooling because they wanted to. And despite doing it for a year (did I get that right?) they still don't want to. There has been no attempt by them, it looks like from the brief amount of information we're given, to learn more about homeschooling, to embrace it so that they can do a good job at it etc. They are stuck in a "I'm a victim" loop.

[ondreeuh]

I had the same reaction. The poor child is being homeschooled, thus he is missing out on an education, is falling behind, and although his mother tries to help him with his (first grade?) lessons, she is a terrible teacher and he isn't learning.

 

I understand that they are exaggerating what a hardship this is in order to help their appeal, but I wish they could have just said his mother isn't able to handle homeschooling, and not fault homeschooling itself.

[Gwenhwyfar]

zero intelligence policies hard at work!

 

unfreakingbelievable.

[Gwenhwyfar]

The issue is that the parents hadn't gone into homeschooling because they wanted to. And despite doing it for a year (did I get that right?) they still don't want to. There has been no attempt by them, it looks like from the brief amount of information we're given, to learn more about homeschooling, to embrace it so that they can do a good job at it etc. They are stuck in a "I'm a victim" loop.

 

they DO NOT WANT to homeschool.

their son DOES NOT WANT to homeschool.

 

how could they ever be expected to 'embrace' it?

[angela in ohio]

They chose to keep him out and homeschool him. The school district provided them another option, but they didn't like it.

[Gwenhwyfar]

They chose to keep him out and homeschool him. The school district provided them another option, but they didn't like it.

 

yeah - an "alternative" school.

 

for a seven year old who forgot a toy in his backpack.

[Jean in Newcastle]

they DO NOT WANT to homeschool.

their son DOES NOT WANT to homeschool.

 

how could they ever be expected to 'embrace' it?

 

I don't want to have a chronic illness. My family doesn't want me to have a chronic illness. But it is here. So I tighten my belt and "embrace it" in a sense by learning about it and making the best of it. It's an attitude thing and it's a choice.

[Gwenhwyfar]

I don't want to have a chronic illness. My family doesn't want me to have a chronic illness. But it is here. So I tighten my belt and "embrace it" in a sense by learning about it and making the best of it. It's an attitude thing and it's a choice.

 

it's different though...you weren't given your illness by authority figures who don't seem to understand the phrase "common sense".

[Mom-ninja.]

zero intelligence policies hard at work!

 

 

Ha! Like that one. Zero intelligence policies.

 

 

 

Yes, while they don't have to embrace or love home schooling, the situation in their life is as such. Make the best of it. It doesn't sound like they attempt at all to make the best of it. They are treating home schooling as a hopeless punishment, and that their child is suffering greatly as a result.

 

I would say to the mom, "Pull your big girl pants on, suck in a deep breath, smile, and dive in."

 

You do what you have to do for the sake of your child. You need to home school for a year or so? Then give it the best you've got and make sure your child gets what he needs.

 

He misses his friends? What they can't play in the afternoons or weekends?

 

Make your formal complaints and fight the school system, but in the mean time be a responsible parent and do what needs to be done.

 

I detest finger pointing and whining which is what the parents are doing.

 

Life gives you lemons....make lemonade, or better yet lemon custard pie.

[carolinagirl]

It's kind of ridiculous that the child was expelled for that length of time, but, behind two years before it's all said and done? What are the parents doing? If they're truly homeschooling him, he should be ahead of the game by the time it gets resolved, not behind.

 

I think there's exaggeration on the parents' part to play up how 'wronged' their son is but what they are not realizing is that it's painting them as incompetent and negligent as well. When their child was expelled, it fell on them to ensure he continued to receive an education. If he hasn't, then that part of the fiasco is on their shoulders.

[Impish]

The issue is that the parents hadn't gone into homeschooling because they wanted to. And despite doing it for a year (did I get that right?) they still don't want to. There has been no attempt by them, it looks like from the brief amount of information we're given, to learn more about homeschooling, to embrace it so that they can do a good job at it etc. They are stuck in a "I'm a victim" loop.

 

they DO NOT WANT to homeschool.

their son DOES NOT WANT to homeschool.

 

how could they ever be expected to 'embrace' it?

 

I don't want to have a chronic illness. My family doesn't want me to have a chronic illness. But it is here. So I tighten my belt and "embrace it" in a sense by learning about it and making the best of it. It's an attitude thing and it's a choice.

 

Ha! Like that one. Zero intelligence policies.

 

 

 

Yes, while they don't have to embrace or love home schooling, the situation in their life is as such. Make the best of it. It doesn't sound like they attempt at all to make the best of it. They are treating home schooling as a hopeless punishment, and that their child is suffering greatly as a result.

 

I would say to the mom, "Pull your big girl pants on, suck in a deep breath, smile, and dive in."

 

You do what you have to do for the sake of your child. You need to home school for a year or so? Then give it the best you've got and make sure your child gets what he needs.

 

He misses his friends? What they can't play in the afternoons or weekends?

 

Make your formal complaints and fight the school system, but in the mean time be a responsible parent and do what needs to be done.

 

I detest finger pointing and whining which is what the parents are doing.

 

Life gives you lemons....make lemonade, or better yet lemon custard pie.

:iagree: with all of the above. There's no excuse for the child to be 'two years behind'. None. You do what's best for your kid, always.

 

I didn't want to get up every night for six months with Princess (all my other kids slept through by 6 wks). I didn't want to change dirty diapers.

 

There's lots of things in life that a person doesn't 'want' to do, but you suck it up and do it because you're an adult/ a parent/ a responsible human being.

[Gwenhwyfar]

 

I didn't want to get up every night for six months with Princess (all my other kids slept through by 6 wks). I didn't want to change dirty diapers.

 

 

[/b]

 

but you (i assume) WANTED to have a baby. ;)

 

i can't help it - this story just makes me want to GRRRRRRRRRRRRR

 

that child has been screwed over by a bunch of administrators who've got their heads tucked up their arses.

[Gwenhwyfar]

Ha! Like that one. Zero intelligence policies.

 

 

that's what they really are....

 

i remember a story about a school with a "zero tolerance" policy for 'sexual harassment' ... so they kicked out the six year old who kissed a little girl on the cheek. :thumbdown:

 

 

(wasn't there a another little boy with a teeny tiny lego man 'gun' who also got the boot before?)

[FriedClams]

Deleted.

Edited October 7, 2010 by Kayaking Mom

[Gwenhwyfar]

The kid broke the rules.

 

did he really though?

 

he brought a TOY to school (accidentally, i might add).

 

 

it wasn't a gun. it wasn't a weapon. it was a TOY.

[Dmmetler]

I have to wonder-why didn't they enroll in an online school (I think Florida has Online charters, right?) or a private school if they didn't want to/feel comfortable with homeschooling? I can't imagine there wasn't SOME school option other than an alternative school that wouldn't take a chance on a 7 yr old.

[lionfamily1999]

they DO NOT WANT to homeschool.

their son DOES NOT WANT to homeschool.

 

how could they ever be expected to 'embrace' it?

The way that we embraced homelessness when our house was destroyed during a hurricane. Sure, we could have spent that time poor meing ourselves and our children, but it was our responsibility to do the best we could.

 

These people copped out on their kid.

:iagree: with all of the above. There's no excuse for the child to be 'two years behind'. None. You do what's best for your kid, always.

 

I didn't want to get up every night for six months with Princess (all my other kids slept through by 6 wks). I didn't want to change dirty diapers.

 

There's lots of things in life that a person doesn't 'want' to do, but you suck it up and do it because you're an adult/ a parent/ a responsible human being.

 

:iagree:

but you (i assume) WANTED to have a baby. ;)

 

i can't help it - this story just makes me want to GRRRRRRRRRRRRR

 

that child has been screwed over by a bunch of administrators who've got their heads tucked up their arses.

No, he's been screwed over by his parents. His administrators did what they said they would do in the handbook that his parents (most likely) had to sign at the beginning of the year. This child's PARENTS have let him fall behind because they couldn't be bothered to parent THEIR child.

[lionfamily1999]

I have to wonder-why didn't they enroll in an online school (I think Florida has Online charters, right?) or a private school if they didn't want to/feel comfortable with homeschooling? I can't imagine there wasn't SOME school option other than an alternative school that wouldn't take a chance on a 7 yr old.

Sure there are, TONS AND TONS AND TONS of options.

 

But that would've been work.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Sure there are, TONS AND TONS AND TONS of options.

 

But that would've been work.

 

I agree.

 

(I also agree that these "no tolerance" rules that schools have with no common sense are stupid.)

[Impish]

but you (i assume) WANTED to have a baby. ;)

 

i can't help it - this story just makes me want to GRRRRRRRRRRRRR

 

that child has been screwed over by a bunch of administrators who've got their heads tucked up their arses.

Well, she wasn't 'pre-meditated' :lol:

 

At the same time, you could say the same about this kid's parents. They wanted to be parents, so they should act like them! I still see no excuse for him to be 'behind'. I don't disagree that the administrators have got their heads up their rears, but sounds like the parents have the same issue. Reminds me of a sulky kid, honestly. "Our got kicked out of school for a stupid reason, so we're not going to educate him until he goes back! So there!" *foot stamp* Its the kid that loses.

 

Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if they got charged with 'educational neglect' after this article, and their own admissions in it.

[angela in ohio]

It's important to remember that we have one side of the story. In order to respect the privacy of this student, the school cannot make any comment. The most they could do when asked by the media for comment was to report what had happened in the appeal (which was common knowledge.)

 

For all we know, the student fired it at the teacher's head during a lesson. Seriously, we have NO idea what happened. We have one side of the story.

[lionfamily1999]

I agree.

 

(I also agree that these "no tolerance" rules that schools have with no common sense are stupid.)

What gives me pause is that the "gun" in question fired projectiles. That, imo, is different from a cap gun or a water gun (unloaded, of course). He had a sort of BB gun, or at least a pellet gun and that (imo) makes a big difference.

 

All the same, the parents should be held accountable for him losing that year of education. I don't understand why his expulsion spanned over two school years, but his parents should DEFINITELY be getting some grief for the state of his education.

[Mom-ninja.]

that's what they really are....

 

i remember a story about a school with a "zero tolerance" policy for 'sexual harassment' ... so they kicked out the six year old who kissed a little girl on the cheek. :thumbdown:

 

 

 

I can agree that it is a dumb policy, and that the boy being expelled was harsh, however, that does not change the fact that his parents dropped the ball in making sure their child gets the education he needs.

 

Yes, FL does have a free virtual school.

[Dmmetler]

I wonder if they're homeschooling precisely because they figured it would play better in the press than "Oh, poor baby! He got expelled for bringing a toy gun to school, and now he has to attend this private school down the block".

 

Because, ultimately, it's gotta be easier on a parent who wants to have the kid in school to have him in a school than to do even half-hearted homeschooling. And private schools are struggling for enrollments now. I know the one my daughter attended last year is STILL running ads and trying to enroll students when their parents get frustrated with the public system, when in most years, they're full well before the fall semester starts.

[Gwenhwyfar]

 

No, he's been screwed over by his parents. His administrators did what they said they would do in the handbook that his parents (most likely) had to sign at the beginning of the year. This child's PARENTS have let him fall behind because they couldn't be bothered to parent THEIR child.

 

i'm not saying that his parents shouldn't educate him - don't get me wrong there. it's just that it makes me angry that they were FORCED into that situation because of a little 7 year old boy forgetting a TOY in his backpack. (or even if he had intentionally taken it - which he said he didn't, and considering the number of 'how did that get in there' experiences i've had with purses and backpacks and such, i can believe it!)

[Harriet Vane]

Ha! Like that one. Zero intelligence policies.

 

 

 

Yes, while they don't have to embrace or love home schooling, the situation in their life is as such. Make the best of it. It doesn't sound like they attempt at all to make the best of it. They are treating home schooling as a hopeless punishment, and that their child is suffering greatly as a result.

 

I would say to the mom, "Pull your big girl pants on, suck in a deep breath, smile, and dive in."

 

You do what you have to do for the sake of your child. You need to home school for a year or so? Then give it the best you've got and make sure your child gets what he needs.

 

He misses his friends? What they can't play in the afternoons or weekends?

 

Make your formal complaints and fight the school system, but in the mean time be a responsible parent and do what needs to be done.

 

I detest finger pointing and whining which is what the parents are doing.

 

Life gives you lemons....make lemonade, or better yet lemon custard pie.

:iagree:

[Danestress]

They chose to keep him out and homeschool him. The school district provided them another option, but they didn't like it.

 

 

You don't put a 7 year old in an alternative school because of something like this. Many children in that school are there because they can not be educated with other children because of their behavior problems. No way does this normal 7 year old belong there.

 

And homeschooling should be a choice - not an only option because a school won't provide a viable option for a normal child. This wasn't for a week of suspension. He's heading into his second year.

 

I think it's insane and I think these parents are right to be angry. I think bringing national attention is exactly what they should be doing. Let the public see how the school board is operating. It's ridiculous.

 

I've represented a child in a similar case in juvenile court. He had a box cutter in his bag, which was not okay. Big mistake. But he was so young (younger than 7) that he could not even sign his name on the court documents. He could only write his first name in the most labored of hand writing.

 

You should have seen the judge's face when I took it up to him. Nice kid, dumb mistake, stupid way of pursuing the problem.

 

He dismissed it, of course, as any reasonable judge would. The problem here is that the school board has this ridiculous power and no ability to use common sense in enforcing the rules.

[lionfamily1999]

I wonder if they're homeschooling precisely because they figured it would play better in the press than "Oh, poor baby! He got expelled for bringing a toy gun to school, and now he has to attend this private school down the block".

 

Because, ultimately, it's gotta be easier on a parent who wants to have the kid in school to have him in a school than to do even half-hearted homeschooling. And private schools are struggling for enrollments now. I know the one my daughter attended last year is STILL running ads and trying to enroll students when their parents get frustrated with the public system, when in most years, they're full well before the fall semester starts.

It sounds like they still consider him enrolled at that school. So, while the article implies they are homeschooling, my money's on you won't find even a cheap workbook from the Dollar Store in that house.

[lionfamily1999]

i'm not saying that his parents shouldn't educate him - don't get me wrong there. it's just that it makes me angry that they were FORCED into that situation because of a little 7 year old boy forgetting a TOY in his backpack. (or even if he had intentionally taken it - which he said he didn't, and considering the number of 'how did that get in there' experiences i've had with purses and backpacks and such, i can believe it!)

A toy that fired projectiles in the back pack of a child that, imo, should have had his parents looking into his bag.

 

:shrug:

 

Maybe I over did it when my dcs were in school, but I went through book bags every evening and packed them up in the mornings. We read through the hand book together, so that they would know the rules they were promising to follow. I just see mediocre parenting all over this. Everyone knows there are these rediculous zero tolerance policies, why in the world don't they take them seriously?!?

[Parrothead]

I can agree that it is a dumb policy, and that the boy being expelled was harsh, however, that does not change the fact that his parents dropped the ball in making sure their child gets the education he needs.

 

Yes, FL does have a free virtual school.

Not only does FL have free virtual school, Florida homeschoolers have some kind of year end evaluation that must be done.

 

I'm not sure what the state could do if the evaluation shows lack of progress since the state has expelled the kid from public school. Can the state force private school on a family? Would the state have to financially compensate the forcing of private school? Probably not since the virtual school option exists. The whole thing would probably end up being battled out in the courts.

[angela in ohio]

What gives me pause is that the "gun" in question fired projectiles. That, imo, is different from a cap gun or a water gun (unloaded, of course). He had a sort of BB gun, or at least a pellet gun and that (imo) makes a big difference.

 

All the same, the parents should be held accountable for him losing that year of education. I don't understand why his expulsion spanned over two school years, but his parents should DEFINITELY be getting some grief for the state of his education.

 

From the video, you can tell that it's an airsoft gun. That's not really a "toy," even if the parents choose to call it one and even if the teacher mistakenly called it one. At the local sporting goods store, you must be 18 to purchase one. And it appears it was loaded from the description given. An airsoft gun is similar to a BB gun. It can break the skin if shot at close range, and it will permanently damage eyes.

Edited October 6, 2010 by angela in ohio

[Gwenhwyfar]

A toy that fired projectiles in the back pack of a child that, imo, should have had his parents looking into his bag.

 

:shrug:

 

Maybe I over did it when my dcs were in school, but I went through book bags every evening and packed them up in the mornings.

 

one monday morning my ds (7 at the time, as it happened) went off to school with a damp bathing suit in the front pouch of his backpack -- because sunday evening we'd been to the pool and used that backpack. i specifically tucked the wet suit into the POUCH because his dry clean hoody was in the main part. anyway, monday morning & all it's ensuing chaos (lol) came around and grabbed the backpack and stuffed in his lunchbag and communication book....totally forgot the wet suit in the front.

 

a few weeks ago, i opened my purse at the store to get my wallet out and one of my bras was in it. yes, bra. :laugh: ....i hate wearing them, so i tend to yank them off when i'm home and sometimes they're just sort of 'around'. that day i was doing a last minute quick tidy as i was also rounding up my stuff to leave the house (shades, phone, couple paper bills, bag of gummies, pile of change, etc) & shoving it in my purse. somehow tidy & toss things into purse collided and the bra went in there.

 

 

my daughter cracked up laughing the other day after she watched me set my camera in the fridge beside the ketchup, cleaning up after supper.

 

yes, my family does call me scatter brained. :tongue_smilie:

 

but these sorts of things happen.

 

[at least...i assume it isn't just me! right?!?]

[angela in ohio]

He dismissed it, of course, as any reasonable judge would. The problem here is that the school board has this ridiculous power and no ability to use common sense in enforcing the rules.

 

The law is state-wide. The minimum expulsion in one year (in this case, that spans over two school years.) If people don't agree with the rule, they need to change it at the state level by voting or contacting those whom they voted for. It seems like adding a clause for age, as other states apparently do, would be the wisest thing to do.

[LibraryLover]

He's 7, and he doesn't look 'behind' to me. He reads pretty well, and he is shown doing school work at the computer with his mother. The Brain Book is shown in the first few seconds of the clip...so they do have dollar store work books + in the household. ;) They don't seem like they are 'dropping the ball' at all.

 

How is he behind? He seems pretty bright and so do his parents (who also seem like loving people). The dad speaks the truth.

 

Why should a little guy go to an alternative school for troubled kids?

[FloridaLisa]

Florida schools. Gotta love 'em.

 

Just got a call from dh saying I'll probably receive a call from a co-worker's friend. Seems the child isn't succeeding in math b/c, well, kids are skateboarding in class and the teacher can't control it. Principal suggeted the parent pull the child and homeschool math. The parent teaches at the school. :001_huh:

 

I <3 knowing that my just-increased property taxes are being so wisely stewarded.

 

Lisa

[Gwenhwyfar]

ok so i just watched the video (had only read the article before) and they said that because it "fired projectiles" it was a "class A weapon".

 

(even though the written report says toy)

 

huh?

 

that's it? they designate it "class A" (which seems to imply weapon/etc and the lady later said it means 'fire arms' to people) solely because it "fires projectiles"?

 

so based on that.... my ds12's nerf guns are "class A weapons"? or my dd13's homemade slingshot? (which can fire craft bells quite well, i might say LOL)

 

meh. once again, no common sense.

 

(technically a hollow pen loaded with spitballs "fires projectiles".)

 

this could have been so simple. take the toy away for the day, send it home with a note "please don't let your son bring this toy to school".

 

anyone else remember losing toys/etc at school? they often went into THE DRAWER. i lost a barbie into THE DRAWER. and silly putty. and more than one book that i'd been hiding behind my math text. :tongue_smilie:

[Mom22ns]

If you ask me its the parent's fault not the school's.

 

It sounds to me like the kid had an airsoft gun or something similar. While they are fun and we shoot them at each other all the time, we do wear eye protection when we do it. When we bought the first one for my son we gave him stern warnings - if you ever take this to school, they will call it a gun and you will be kicked out (he was in ps then). He gave me the old "I know, I know". If it was clear to me, it should have been clear to those parents. There have been many kids kicked out of school and I even heard about a teen ARRESTED, for having an airsoft gun in his car on the school parking lot. Someone saw it and called the police. They arrested him even though it was a toy and he was expelled. I don't think being 7 or that it isn't a lethal toy changes the fact he broke a clearly stated rule. Is it a stupid rule that is overkill, yes. But everyone knows it's there, you have to play by it.

[LibraryLover]

As soon as I saw the header, I thought "Gotta be Florida".

 

There is even a game:

 

http://mhxcguitarist.tripod.com/id5.html

 

 

 

 

Florida schools. Gotta love 'em.

 

Just got a call from dh saying I'll probably receive a call from a co-worker's friend. Seems the child isn't succeeding in math b/c, well, kids are skateboarding in class and the teacher can't control it. Principal suggeted the parent pull the child and homeschool math. The parent teaches at the school. :001_huh:

 

I <3 knowing that my just-increased property taxes are being so wisely stewarded.

 

Lisa

[Gwenhwyfar]

He's 7, and he doesn't look 'behind' to me. He reads pretty well, and he is shown doing school work at the computer with his mother. The Brain Book is shown in the first few seconds of the clip...so they do have dollar store work books + in the household. ;) They don't seem like they are 'dropping the ball' at all.

 

How is he behind? He seems pretty bright and so do his parents (who also seem like loving people). The dad speaks the truth.

 

Why should a little guy go to an alternative school for troubled kids?

:iagree:

 

(i think he might be 8 now though, not that it changes anything)

 

PLUS - home education comes in many styles. i know many people who don't believe in 'formal' academics until 10+. (and that's not even considering life-led-learning, etc.)

[angela in ohio]

so based on that.... my ds12's nerf guns are "class A weapons"? or my dd13's homemade slingshot? (which can fire craft bells quite well, i might say LOL)

:

 

No, this is different. An airsoft gun will do more damage than a Nerf gun (though dh's eye was once scratched by a Nerf gun dart. :001_huh:) An airsoft gun isn't a toy, and a 7 year old should not have had access to one without supervision.

 

Here's how I think it went down...

 

The boy showed the gun to another student (I found that in another article online,) and the student told the teacher who then found the gun and suspended the boy (this article said that he was suspended, then expelled) for having a "toy" gun. The administrators then found out what it really was (not a toy) and decided they had to expel under the state rules. The parents lawyered up, claimed no responsibility (sometimes an apology or at least an admission of some wrong doing will help,) and made the district mad. Then everyone stopped thinking or trying to work it out.

 

That's just my theory from watching these types of cases from both sides.

[LibraryLover]

:iagree: Just put me in the Germany or Florida? categoy.

 

As for 'formal education' and being 'behind', put me in the Norway Camp.

 

women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/families/article2392738.ece

 

Of course, I might rather want to Party With The Sparkling Martins.

 

thesparklingmartins.blogspot.com/

 

:iagree:

 

(i think he might be 8 now though, not that it changes anything)

 

PLUS - home education comes in many styles. i know many people who don't believe in 'formal' academics until 10+. (and that's not even considering life-led-learning, etc.)

Edited October 6, 2010 by LibraryLover

[lionfamily1999]

From the video, you can tell that it's an airsoft gun. That's not really a "toy," even if the parents choose to call it one and even if the teacher mistakenly called it one. At the local sporting goods store, you must be 18 to purchase one. And it appears it was loaded from the description given. An airsoft gun is similar to a BB gun. It can break the skin if shot at close range, and it will permanently damage eyes.

That's what I was thinking.

 

one monday morning my ds (7 at the time, as it happened) went off to school with a damp bathing suit in the front pouch of his backpack -- because sunday evening we'd been to the pool and used that backpack. i specifically tucked the wet suit into the POUCH because his dry clean hoody was in the main part. anyway, monday morning & all it's ensuing chaos (lol) came around and grabbed the backpack and stuffed in his lunchbag and communication book....totally forgot the wet suit in the front.

 

a few weeks ago, i opened my purse at the store to get my wallet out and one of my bras was in it. yes, bra. :laugh: ....i hate wearing them, so i tend to yank them off when i'm home and sometimes they're just sort of 'around'. that day i was doing a last minute quick tidy as i was also rounding up my stuff to leave the house (shades, phone, couple paper bills, bag of gummies, pile of change, etc) & shoving it in my purse. somehow tidy & toss things into purse collided and the bra went in there.

 

 

my daughter cracked up laughing the other day after she watched me set my camera in the fridge beside the ketchup, cleaning up after supper.

 

yes, my family does call me scatter brained. :tongue_smilie:

 

but these sorts of things happen.

 

[at least...i assume it isn't just me! right?!?]

No, you're not alone ;) All the same, if your child had a "toy" that you had to be eighteen to purchase, wouldn't you be a little more careful about where that toy was?

He's 7, and he doesn't look 'behind' to me. He reads pretty well, and he is shown doing school work at the computer with his mother. The Brain Book is shown in the first few seconds of the clip...so they do have dollar store work books + in the household. ;) They don't seem like they are 'dropping the ball' at all.

 

How is he behind? He seems pretty bright and so do his parents (who also seem like loving people). The dad speaks the truth.

 

Why should a little guy go to an alternative school for troubled kids?

I was going by what the parents had to say. If they are educating him, then why are they short changing themselves?!?

ok so i just watched the video (had only read the article before) and they said that because it "fired projectiles" it was a "class A weapon".

 

(even though the written report says toy)

 

huh?

 

that's it? they designate it "class A" (which seems to imply weapon/etc and the lady later said it means 'fire arms' to people) solely because it "fires projectiles"?

 

so based on that.... my ds12's nerf guns are "class A weapons"? or my dd13's homemade slingshot? (which can fire craft bells quite well, i might say LOL)

 

meh. once again, no common sense.

 

(technically a hollow pen loaded with spitballs "fires projectiles".)

 

this could have been so simple. take the toy away for the day, send it home with a note "please don't let your son bring this toy to school".

 

anyone else remember losing toys/etc at school? they often went into THE DRAWER. i lost a barbie into THE DRAWER. and silly putty. and more than one book that i'd been hiding behind my math text. :tongue_smilie:

Read the post I quoted above, this isn't just a nerf gun. This is the same as my ds bringing his bb gun with him.

:iagree:

 

(i think he might be 8 now though, not that it changes anything)

 

PLUS - home education comes in many styles. i know many people who don't believe in 'formal' academics until 10+. (and that's not even considering life-led-learning, etc.)

The way the parents were portraying this, it did not sound as though they were doing anything. I was wrong.

[Laurie4b]

one monday morning my ds (7 at the time, as it happened) went off to school with a damp bathing suit in the front pouch of his backpack -- because sunday evening we'd been to the pool and used that backpack. i specifically tucked the wet suit into the POUCH because his dry clean hoody was in the main part. anyway, monday morning & all it's ensuing chaos (lol) came around and grabbed the backpack and stuffed in his lunchbag and communication book....totally forgot the wet suit in the front.

 

a few weeks ago, i opened my purse at the store to get my wallet out and one of my bras was in it. yes, bra. :laugh: ....i hate wearing them, so i tend to yank them off when i'm home and sometimes they're just sort of 'around'. that day i was doing a last minute quick tidy as i was also rounding up my stuff to leave the house (shades, phone, couple paper bills, bag of gummies, pile of change, etc) & shoving it in my purse. somehow tidy & toss things into purse collided and the bra went in there.

 

 

my daughter cracked up laughing the other day after she watched me set my camera in the fridge beside the ketchup, cleaning up after supper.

 

yes, my family does call me scatter brained. :tongue_smilie:

 

but these sorts of things happen.

 

[at least...i assume it isn't just me! right?!?]

 

Yes, well... I, too, make mistakes as a parent, but perhaps the rest of the parents here don't. My kids do dumb stuff, too--on a regular basis. I don't really think mistakes deserve punishment, though; I think the appropriate response is teaching and helping them to learn so that they can avoid similar mistakes.

 

I am stunned at the blanket condemnation by people on this board towards the parents. Did those of you who are condeming the parents read the article? It cleverly said that the kid "may find himself two years behind." For all we know, he could be on grade level. That sentence was a piece of editorializing.

 

It says the parents are homeschooling him.

 

They don't want to send him to an alternative school for "troubled" kids (read kids who have been expelled for actual weapons, etc.) that houses kids through 12th grade. I wouldn't send my 7 year old there, either. I've worked in similar educational institutions.

 

They are not keeping him from social contact--he plays sports still.

 

They are not doing anything wrong. For all we know, he may be attending the virtual school.

 

The parents are ESL. That is going to make it harder (and depending on their level of education) perhaps impossible to homeschool their child to grade level (though we don't really know how he is doing with respect to grade level). I have tutored ESL kids for years. The parents of the kids I tutor try very hard to help them with their work, but they aren't able to provide the same help that our tutoring program can provide and the English is one of the main reasons. It's possible that these parents are in the same boat.

 

Why the jump to blame and condemn the parents in all this? It's not based on what's actually written in the article.

 

The parents are saying that the policy is wrong. I agree with them.

 

The parents don't think homeschooling is the right choice for their child. I totally support their right to decide that a public school education is the best option for their child. A free public education is currently a right in this country. They believe that their child has unfairly been deprived of that right. I agree with them.

 

 

I agree with the parents on the assinine nature of the punishment. When there are unjust laws and punishments, it is the right and duty of good citizens to take a stand against them. Since when is that whining? Why is that not a form of making lemonade? I commend them for standing up to the mindlessness of policies like that. Zeron tolerance policies are assinine. I love Gwynfhr's phrase: zero intelligence policies. I hope that catches on!

Edited October 6, 2010 by Laurie4b

[LibraryLover]

 

I am stunned at the blanket condemnation by people on this board towards the parents. Did those of you who are condeming the parents read the article? It cleverly said that the kid "may find himself two years behind." For all we know, he could be on grade level. That sentence was a piece of editorializing.

 

It says the parents are homeschooling him.

 

QUOTE]

 

 

Thank you. If people click on the link in the OP, you can see that they are very much 'doing something'.

[angela in ohio]

zero intelligence policies

 

That is the usual term for them in libertarian circles. ;)

[VBoulden]

Obviously the school isn't going to let the kid back in... (or did I miss something?)

 

So these loving, concerned parents can choose #1- sue and let their child's poor education help their case or #2- sue and do what they need to do to make sure he is learning what he needs to learn...

 

I am glad the article mentions how much his mom IS doing... Depending on the school he was in and how much the mom really is doing, her son may be getting as much or even more attention than he would if he were in class.

 

I don't have a lot of sympathy for moms who play the fiddle and whine about how hard it is to educate their kids at home themselves... obviously, I wouldn't understand where they are coming from... not one bit. ;) But, I will give this mom the benefit of the doubt... I don't know her situation... and you all who pointed that our are right to say so.

Edited October 7, 2010 by VBoulden

[Garga]

I wonder about the parent's financial/work situation. They indicate that they are having trouble homeschooling the boy. Maybe they both work full time to pay the bills? Maybe they only have the evenings and weekends to do school with their son (which is why he misses his friends--he's doing school while the other kids are home in the evening?) Yes, there are lots of hsers (on this board) where both parents work full time. And I'm sure they'd say it's not easy!

 

While I wish I could hear the parents say that they're stepping up the plate and giving him an awesome education, there may be very real road blocks for them to provide the education for him. For example, if they're ESL, then could they have a very rocky road ahead of them. If they can barely speak our language...where are they going to get hs materials that they can read and teach from?

 

It's not impossible, but at the same time, I think they might have more than the average troubles that homeschoolers have. Homeschooling was thrust upon them suddenly, and they may be very ill prepared. If they didn't know anything about homeschooling, or the different styles of homeschooling (classical, CM, etc.), and if they didn't know where to get supplies...or ANYTHING, then they had to start from the ground up, without any prep time.

 

And I can see them being frustrated, especially if they'd hoped to just squeeze out one year of homeschool, flying by the seat of their pants, but are now realizing it will be TWO years. (Maybe they received their lemons, made their lemonade, but there's no more juice left for the 2nd year.)

Edited October 7, 2010 by Garga

[LibraryLover]

Did you click the link? The entire family, including the boy, is obvioulsy quite intelligent, and the father is doing a bang-up job articulating (in English) this insantiy.

 

I wonder about the parent's financial/work situation. They indicate that they are having trouble homeschooling the boy. Maybe they both work full time to pay the bills? Maybe they only have the evenings and weekends to do school with their son (which is why he misses his friends--he's doing school while the other kids are home in the evening?) Yes, there are lots of hsers (on this board) where both parents work full time. And I'm sure they'd say it's not easy!

 

While I wish I could hear the parents say that they're stepping up the plate and giving him an awesome education, there may be very real road blocks for them to provide the education for him. For example, if they're ESL, then could they have a very rocky road ahead of them. If they can barely speak our language...where are they going to get hs materials that they can read and teach from?

 

It's not impossible, but at the same time, I think they might have more than the average troubles that homeschoolers have. Homeschooling was thrust upon them suddenly, and they may be very ill prepared. If they didn't know anything about homeschooling, or the different styles of homeschooling (classical, CM, etc.), and if they didn't know where to get supplies...or ANYTHING, then they had to start from the ground up, without any prep time.

 

And I can see them being frustrated, especially if they'd hoped to just squeeze out one year of homeschool, flying by the seat of their pants, but are now realizing it will be TWO years. (Maybe they received their lemons, made their lemonade, but there's no more juice left for the 2nd year.)

Edited October 7, 2010 by LibraryLover

[Garga]

Did you click the link? The entire family, including the boy, is obvioulsy quite intelligent, and the father is doing a bang-up job articulating (in English) this insantiy.

 

Yes I did click the link. Then why did a PP poster talk about them being ESL? And did it talk about their jobs/time available to school him? I was just wondering those things. I didn't see the answers to some of my questions in the article.

 

So, if these are people who...

 

1. think homeschooling is just awful (and a lot of people do.)

2. both have full time jobs

3. don't speak good English (could have been interpreted for the article...and speaking it is different from reading it)

4. they were in it for the short haul, but now it's turning into a long haul

 

....well, then I can see them having a pretty big problem with this whole thing. Especially since the first year of hs-ing can be a big pain, and these people totally weren't prepared.

Edited October 7, 2010 by Garga