She is better off with the home schooling. Do what you have to do to get her through it. Public schools are hopeless. Nothing good to say about the whole zero tolerance deal. Too many stories like yours out there where an otherwise good student gets caught up in something like that over Tylenol or asprin. I can maybe see it for weapons, depending on the schools definition of weapon. Heck when I was in high school, we all carried pocket knives, and some of us always had a shotgun in the truck. Better times, I guess.

 

She is better off with the home schooling. Do what you have to do to get her through it. Public schools are hopeless. Nothing good to say about the whole zero tolerance deal. Too many stories like yours out there where an otherwise good student gets caught up in something like that over Tylenol or aspirin. I can maybe see it for weapons, depending on the schools definition of weapon. Heck when I was in high school, we all carried pocket knives, and some of us always had a shotgun in the truck. Better times, I guess.

X2!...Schools today are not as they were back in the day. These days the system is messed up,big-time. Yes she should have know better,though you did the right thing. No matter what anyone else thinks.
Remember,this is over a couple of pill's. Not a going on problem,that she has been hiding from you. For a couple of pills,they want to treat her like a criminal. I will state this again,you did the right thing.

 

Common sense is not common, especially in the public school systems...

 

Remember, kids will lie to parents even little angels.

 

True...... but even little angels deserve a trial by jury before being sent to school jail for 60 days.... Schools think they don't have to follow the Bill of Rights.....

 

zero tolerance means 0. what part of that dont you or her understand. dont hate the game,hate the player. if she was soooooo sick,she should have called you or went to the nurse, but NO,she went to the local school drug dealer it sounds like. and no, im not trying to be a AH or a SM here, ive been through the same BS with my son.

 

Dang Soap, how's that old saying go? "bad news travels in 3's" Sounds like you and Kathy are due for a round of better luck for sure. Sure hope the home schooling works out for Shelby. I certainly would have done the same thing had that scenario played out with our daughter. Will she still be able to graduate and get her diploma with all of her classmates? It appears that the public school systems have absolutely no common sense these days.

 

most all school districts have a "zero tolerance" policy when it comes to drugs on campus. usually, the drug in question doesn't even need to be a controlled substance, or even a prescription drug for that matter, for the school to act (or overreact). students even sharing their zyrtec at school run the risk of big trouble from the administration should they be caught.

"zero tolerance" policies are a tool of the ignorant. nothing is so black and white as to not consider and weigh the evidence objectively.

nevertheless, shelby sounds like she's old enough to have known better. never take a drug of any sort without knowing exactly what it is first.

 

Hey Irid, your compassion for this kid who made a mistake is heart warming! Yes, she showed poor judgement. With all of the warnings and threats of zero tolerance of drugs in school she should have known better. Good thing none of us made stupid mistakes as kids!!! The point is that the punishment doesn't fit the crime. Three day suspension, yeah, that sounds reasonable, but 60 days in the "slammer" is excessive in my book. By the way, real nice asking the question maybe this "lil girl was not after the Buzz"! Lots of class to show your fellow 2 cooler!

 

my son did the same with 6 months probation to boot. i fully understand what you guys are saying.by the way,every parent would like to think their kids don't do drugs? some do,some dont.

 

I think there maybe an underlying issue you are not wanting to admit to. She took some pills from a POS because she did not feel well. Come on Man. Like others have said, not trying to be an AH or jerk about it, but sometimes parents are blinded by their little angels and don't want to admit there may be something else going on.

I hate she had to go thru the whole ordeal but had she called you or mom, this would have not happened. She willingly took some pills. Even if it had been aspirin, she would have gotten in trouble because the kids cannot have any meds unless they go thru the nurse. It would not have been as bad but still she would have gotten in trouble.

What the heck did she think she was taking???????

Come on man!!!! The story just smells fishy to me, but what do I know. I hope it all turns out OK.

 

I think there maybe an underlying issue you are not wanting to admit to. She took some pills from a POS because she did not feel well. Come on Man. Like others have said, not trying to be an AH or jerk about it, but sometimes parents are blinded by their little angels and don't want to admit there may be something else going on.

I hate she had to go thru the whole ordeal but had she called you or mom, this would have not happened. She willingly took some pills. Even if it had been aspirin, she would have gotten in trouble because the kids cannot have any meds unless they go thru the nurse. It would not have been as bad but still she would have gotten in trouble.

What the heck did she think she was taking???????

Come on man!!!! The story just smells fishy to me, but what do I know. I hope it all turns out OK.

I don't think that anyone here has said that she is 100% innocent.....

It's the punishment that we are questioning.... how long it is and how it is handed out! With no legal trial...

 

The main issue here is,the punishment is way to extreme. Just as the court system is with crimnals. Put the guy who stole a pack of cigarettes in jail for five years. Let the violent criminal out on bond,so while he's out on bond. He can commit another offense. I know it's per-say,to teach a valuable lesson. Though a weeks suspension would be just cause. I think lots of laws today are front to back and all screwed up to say the least.

 

If her story is true, then likely the punishment was to harsh. But the story sounds fishy to me and I doubt she had no idea what she was taking.

We don't know what the disposition of the POS is, but I am sure he got it just as bad if not worse. Your comparison to the court system is flawed because we be don't know what happened to the POS.

 

Wow, thats crazy. We did all sorts of crazy stuff in HS. Whatever happenned to just getting suspended for a week or two?

 

Wow, that's crazy. We did all sorts of crazy stuff in HS. Whatever happened to just getting suspended for a week or two?

X2!

 

dont do the crime if you cant do the time! it is a little harsh, but? hopefully she learns from this

 

X2...I would rest easier knowing that my daughter broke the rules while knowingly taking Tramadol (which isn't that powerful), rather than just taking something someone gave her not knowing *** it was. If this is what she did, I think she might really need an intervention...Jus Sayin.

 

overreaction by school

it happens

 

It might all turn out for the better. If it was my daughter I would make her finish school in a strict private school. She would have a chance to make new friends that would probably come from better families in private school anyway. It sounds like she may have some bad friends in the public system.

 

Thank God she is ok and I send prayers .

 

She knew what she was taking, drug test her. You might be surprised what you find.

 

I'm going to get that new vaccine to prevent Shingles. I hear it's a bear to suffer through.

Tramadol, while working for some, isn't very strong or very abusable. It's not even controlled in some places.

High schoolers do trade pills. Most of us know teenagers.

I think a more appropriate penalty, would be 3 days suspension, and a 2 day drug avoidance/education class.

Home School or private school and be done with Public schools. Good Luck to her.

 

X2!

 

I understand the skepticism. It's easy to be cynical in today's society what with all of the broken homes and absentee parents which is a leading cause of the drugs and violence in our schools. Of course when I read some of y'alls posts my first reaction was anger, but I really do understand where you're coming from.

All I can say is:
A.) we are not those parents
B.) if you knew this girl the way we do, deep in your heart, you would not be saying some of those things.

I know drug use and abuse. I've stared it straight in the eye. She made a really stupid and potentially life threatening choice. It showed a total lack of judgement. Kids do **** like that. I know I did. But she is not a drug user or abuser.

Bottom line is we did what we felt was the right thing to do. As much as the school system, and some of you, would like to paint this as either black or white, it's not. And to be honest, I really couldn't care less about what anyone thinks.

As far as zero tolerance policies, what they actually do is take the decision making power away from the the individual school officials. It allows them to hide behind the policy and avoid using their own judgement, because "if I do it for your daughter, I've got to do it for all 3000 students on this campus and I just can't do that." Real quote from the principal.

It's actually the perfect policy for a machine that is only designed to spit out numbers and could not care less about the individual student. As I said in the thread earlier this week about the schools not getting bail out money, I am not talking about the wonderful people who stand at the front of the classroom; I'm talking about the public education machine. It needs to be dismantled, completely.

Kathy and I both feel that if this is the worst phone call we ever get about her, we will be truly blessed.

To all of those who have offered support and understanding here; Thank you!

To those who feel differently; ok...

 

I understand the skepticism. It's easy to be cynical in today's society what with all of the broken homes and absentee parents which is a leading cause of the drugs and violence in our schools. Of course when I read some of y'alls posts my first reaction was anger, but I really do understand where you're coming from.

All I can say is:
A.) we are not those parents
B.) if you knew this girl the way we do, deep in your heart, you would not be saying some of those things.

I know drug use and abuse. I've stared it straight in the eye. She made a really stupid and potentially life threatening choice. It showed a total lack of judgement. Kids do **** like that. I know I did. But she is not a drug user or abuser.

Bottom line is we did what we felt was the right thing to do. As much as the school system, and some of you, would like to paint this as either black or white, it's not. And to be honest, I really couldn't care less about what anyone thinks.

As far as zero tolerance policies, what they actually do is take the decision making power away from the the individual school officials. It allows them to hide behind the policy and avoid using their own judgement, because "if I do it for your daughter, I've got to do it for all 3000 students on this campus and I just can't do that." Real quote from the principal.

It's actually the perfect policy for a machine that is only designed to spit out numbers and could not care less about the individual student. As I said in the thread earlier this week about the schools not getting bail out money, I am not talking about the wonderful people who stand at the front of the classroom; I'm talking about the public education machine. It needs to be dismantled, completely.

Kathy and I both feel that if this is the worst phone call we ever get about her, we will be truly blessed.

To all of those who have offered support and understanding here; Thank you!

To those who feel differently; ok...

then why did you ask?? turn blind eye to it and it just may bite you in the butt.

 

my bad, you didn't ask for nothing.

 

you asked for comments once you hit the send button...

punishment was draconian and uncalled for

kuddos for going the homeschool route

private schools will just have better drugs, not necessarily less

like others have stated I'd be really concerned with the fact that she took 2 pills not knowing what they were... I'd consider it "normal" for a kid that age to take 1 pill if she knew what it was... not good, but normal... I'm sure she's a great kid but from my experience the guy who gave her the pills most likely at least told her what effects to expect from the pills... but I guess thats just speculation

 

private schools will just have better drugs, not necessarily less

Parents with more money and less time for their kids...you just move from pot at most schools up to heroin at the "richer" ones.

 

I expected comments of all sorts; This is 2cool after all. LOL!

Did not request them, but certainly expected them.

 

Some of y'all are amazingly cynical!!

I am guessing that those that are saying every kid is a druggie has not been around one. Its pretty obvious. Those parents that are in denial, know darn well they are OR are having issues of their own.

Lets just say, you did good taking her outta the public screwel system. It sucks. I will probably try to keep my kids (whenever the time comes) out of it!

 

I am home schooled I like it but you can push a kid to hard.

 

Haven't ya'll learned not to argue with these 20 something year olds yet. They know it all. I did when I was that age.

My parents knew everything that was going on at my school 40 something years ago. Might be saying something about your parents there.

 

Haven't ya'll learned not to argue with these 20 something year olds yet. They know it all. I did when I was that age.

Considering you haven't been in high school since the wheel was invented, you are of course an authority on the subject.

 

Im not ignorant and think that because someone attends a private school they have a higher chance at more upscale drugs. Its about the most retarded thing I have heard, someone is watching too much late night TV. Those kids without a pot to **** in find a way to get into hardcore drugs just the same as the rich kids. Only difference is one gets money from mom and dad and the other one finds a way, whether it be selling drugs to finance it or many other options they have to come up with the little extra money it takes to get their foot in the door. It happens at every school regardless of the parents income, find one high school that doesnt have a drug problem....

 

Some poor kid stealing spare change to buy 10 dollars in crack and a 17 year old kid making 20,000 off a rave selling ecstasy are exactly the same. My mistake. Like I said, this isn't hypotheticals. This isn't some story from dateline. I saw it.

 

Woo hoo, I knew this would stir it up. Im not in denial, I saw it happen. 2 of my boys were at SMBA. I saw parents dump their kids there and maybe see them twice a year. There was alcohol and drugs, I knew it, I saw it. There were kids kicked out of public school and the parents had the money to put them in private. Didnt solve anything , they just brought the problems with them till they got kick out of there. I wasnt blind or stupid or nieve or in denial. But my kids were home every night, I knew who their friends were and what they were into. I grew up in the 60's and 70's drug culture, I know the profile. They are adults now. They survived me being in their sh!t and I survived them trying to con me.

We are not the far apart at all in our thinking. What am I saying? I just agreed with an Aggie.

Troutomatic, Same with me, my parents didnt have a clue. I decided I wasnt going to be like that. Ive had that conversation with my sons. Dad what did you do? Did you do ___ ? Or did you do ___? A lot of my past Im not proud of so we will just let that dog sleep. My answer was , I can neither confirm or deny that, I dont want to give you any ideas, and you will just have to keep wondering because it is going to the grave.