Pubdate: Wed, 19 Nov 2003
Source: Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO)
Copyright: 2003, Denver Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.rockymountainnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/371
Author: Greg Knight

IS IT 'ZERO TOLERANCE' OR 'ZERO COMMON SENSE'?

There was a recent news story out of the Houston area that I feel has 
implications here as it relates to school districts' "zero tolerance" policies.

Last month a Houston high school student had an asthma attack. She had 
forgotten her inhaler and was in danger of having a major attack, possibly 
putting her life at risk. Her boyfriend, who used the same type of asthma 
medicine, offered his inhaler to her. However, the school nurse reported 
the boyfriend as providing a "dangerous drug" under the school's "zero 
tolerance" regulations. The boy was charged with a crime and suspended from 
school for three days.

As it turns out, the criminal charges have been dropped, but he has been 
expelled from school until Christmas. This is an outrage! These "zero 
tolerance" policies are a joke if one cannot use some common sense.

Here was a well-meaning kid, trying to help his girlfriend in danger for 
her life and he gets expelled.

How can we expect kids to grow up and make responsible decisions as adults 
when we take away their right to make responsible decisions in school? The 
War on Drugs is a failure and is hurting those who had no intention of 
being on the battlefield.

Greg Knight

Denver
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens