8-year-old suspended for sniffing marker

[Kacey]

8-year-old suspended for sniffing marker

Adams School District 50 is defending its decision to punish a third grader for sniffing a Sharpie marker.
<snip>
Harris used a black Sharpie marker to color a small area on the sleeve of his sweatshirt. A teacher sent him to the principal when she noticed him smelling the marker and his clothing.
<snip>
Eathan's father, John Harris, says the school overreacted for treating Eathan as if he was huffing, or inhaling, marker fumes.
<snip>
Benisch [the school's principal] stands by his decision to suspend Harris, saying it sends a clear message about substance abuse.

Uh... right... I realize that there are toxic chemicals in permanent markers (which, according to the article, are no longer present in the school) - but isn't this taking it a bit far? I mean, my school (which is in the next district over) prohibits kids from having permanent markers, but it's because they write on the walls with them.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Well, it could be worse. He could be labeled a sex offender because he gave someone a hug.

 

[MA-Caver]

Gee what next? Expelling pre-schoolers for eating paste?

 

[Kacey]

Well, it could be worse. He could be labeled a sex offender because he gave someone a hug.

Haven't seen that lately... but there was a boy a couple of years ago who was suspended for "exposing himself" - he was 5, and all the toilet stalls were full... since he'd never used a urinal and didn't understand how, he sat on it instead of aiming at it. Another boy came in and saw him, told a teacher about the stupid kindergardner... the teacher came in, hauled the boy to the office, and he was suspended... and "exposing yourself" is a sex offense.

 

[Dave Leverich]

Yeah, all of this 'PC' bs is running in the face of common sense. I blame it on time-outs instead of spankings that these teachers got from their parents in the 60's & 70's.

What kid DIDN"T smell a marker and go 'ewwwww'?

 

[MA-Caver]

Yeah, all of this 'PC' bs is running in the face of common sense. I blame it on time-outs instead of spankings that these teachers got from their parents in the 60's & 70's.

What kid DIDN"T smell a marker and go 'ewwwww'?

The ones that smelled like fruit (black ones were like licorice) :uhyeah:

 

[Fiendlover]

8-year-old suspended for sniffing marker



Uh... right... I realize that there are toxic chemicals in permanent markers (which, according to the article, are no longer present in the school) - but isn't this taking it a bit far? I mean, my school (which is in the next district over) prohibits kids from having permanent markers, but it's because they write on the walls with them.

yeah thats kind of stupid. i mean the kid doesnt know what he was doing he's a third grader. but then again a couple of third graders planned to kill there teacher. so i could be wrong.

 

[newGuy12]

yeah thats kind of stupid. i mean the kid doesnt know what he was doing he's a third grader. but then again a couple of third graders planned to kill there teacher. so i could be wrong.

That is the same school? Are you certain?

 

[Jade Tigress]

8-year-old suspended for sniffing marker



Uh... right... I realize that there are toxic chemicals in permanent markers (which, according to the article, are no longer present in the school) - but isn't this taking it a bit far? I mean, my school (which is in the next district over) prohibits kids from having permanent markers, but it's because they write on the walls with them.

 

[terryl965]

All I can sat is we are going down the wrong path with all of these childern

 

[INDYFIGHTER]

What if he did in fact was using the sweatshirt as a sponge to soak up the maker ink and use it to get high? Kids that age are prone to sniffing markers, huffing paint and choking themselves and each other for a high. What if the kid was actually getting a fix off of it?

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Unbelievable. I have an eight year old and if that were my kid they would be in a new school district or private school or home schooled the next day. (guess who loses out the school because the funds that travel with the child are gone) The principal just way over reacted. This could have been handled easily by saying to the child, "do not sniff that it is not good for you." Child says "okay" and all is well!

 

[Ninjamom]

.....if that were my kid they would be in a new school district or private school or home schooled the next day. (guess who loses out the school because the funds that travel with the child are gone)...

Brian - YOU have found the solution! This is a PERFECT way to control all this PC-run-amuck and 'Zero Tolerance" horse-hooey, PLUS address the issues of educational choice and accountability at the same time!!!!! Just implement a voucher program so that the money really DOES follow the child. Kid changes schools, or is homeschooled, or goes to a private school, the money goes with the student. I GUARANTEE this would bring some level of reasonableness into these types of decisions.

Competition - it works!!

 

[JadecloudAlchemist]

I do not think the child had a drug problem let alone knows what a drug is.
Kids do dumb things all the time well so do adults for that matter.
When I went to school there was a kid who ate Whiteout for a dollar and was sent straight to the hospital to have his Stomach pump.

 

[Andy Moynihan]

Right.


Blah blah blah Anybody who still blindly yadda yadda yadda inevitable societal collapse duh-dah duh-dah duh-dah.

 

[Xue Sheng]

8-year-old suspended for sniffing marker



Uh... right... I realize that there are toxic chemicals in permanent markers (which, according to the article, are no longer present in the school) - but isn't this taking it a bit far? I mean, my school (which is in the next district over) prohibits kids from having permanent markers, but it's because they write on the walls with them.

And please allow me to add

:hb:

 

[Empty Hands]

Yeah, all of this 'PC' bs is running in the face of common sense. I blame it on time-outs instead of spankings that these teachers got from their parents in the 60's & 70's.

This has nothing to do with "PC" or whether or not teachers were spanked, and everything to do with protecting the school from lawsuits.

 

[INDYFIGHTER]

After reading the article I want to pull my earlier comment. I'm sure that was the case here but I wouldn't put it past an eight year old to be using drugs, there are plenty of them doing it. I use to go to elementy school with girls who huffed gas for fun and carved tattoos in their legs with razor blades and pen ink during class.

 

[Hawke]

Zero tolerance laws:

butterknife to school

having an asprin at school

small chain on a tweety bird wallet on school property

nipple ring at the airport

Must be hard to actually think for yourself and make a decision on a case by case basis. Then again nobody wants to accept responsibility if something does go wrong.

Is the Zero Tolerance Laws a reaction from sue happy people? People that live in a fear culture?

 

[jks9199]

What if he did in fact was using the sweatshirt as a sponge to soak up the maker ink and use it to get high? Kids that age are prone to sniffing markers, huffing paint and choking themselves and each other for a high. What if the kid was actually getting a fix off of it?

In my experience... there aren't too many 8-year olds huffing. Yeah, they'll sniff the marker, smell their shoes, and explore a lot of the world that way -- but they're not generally trying to get high.

Heck, when I was in elementary school, we still had dittos. Yeah -- I remember sniffing them, too...

Completely off topic... but I gotta add this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSDJpmQwDVA