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Randy Cassingham's BlogHistorical Details and Author's Notes from This is True®
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Another ZT Success Story
I've long railed against Zero Tolerance in True, with the first such story appearing way back in 1997. And there have been plenty more since.
Free Weird Newsletter
There has been an update to the ZT story in the 19 July 2009 issue about high school coach Brad Young. Before getting to that, here's the story:
Selective Enforcement
When Brad Young, 44, the softball coach at Walkersville (Maryland) High School, hosted an end-of-season party for his team, his house became an extension of Frederick County Public Schools property, the school district says. And since some of the parents brought beer to the party -- no students drank it, Young didn't have any, and no parents became inebriated -- the coach violated the district's "zero tolerance" drug-free, alcohol-free and tobacco-free policy for having alcohol on "school property" and has been fired. Young was a coach at the school for five years, and since he has another job as a financial planner, donated his school salary to his team -- buying them uniforms and jackets, equipment, and throwing parties. In that time he said he was never given a copy of the school policy that would have made his house school property because he was engaged in "official duties." Young says such a policy could apply just about anywhere. "The superintendent could be at a Chamber of Commerce meeting sitting next to someone with an alcoholic beverage," Young said. "She's there in her official capacity as school superintendent and she's representing the school system. Is she in violation of this policy and will she get fired?" A district spokeswoman refused to consider the scenario, saying only "I'm not going to interpret policy." (Frederick News-Post) ...Then I will: Yes, and No.
The update: Young was probably smart to posit a scenario about the Superintendent. Sure enough, she has overturned the principal's decision to fire him. It took a month for it to hit the papers (Supt. Linda Burgee said she was "curious as to why this is just now in the news. Mr. Young received my decision the first week of August." -- yet she didn't hold a press conference on the subject until September 3.)
The bottom line, though, is some people, even school district employees, do have the guts and the common sense to say so when zero tolerance dictates something that's out and out wrong. And society -- all of us -- need to acknowledge it when they go out on a limb and reverse such decisions long after they've been forgotten by the short-attention-span public. There are far too few of these decisions, but with the recent anti-ZT Supreme Court decision, the tide may have subtly turned.
It didn't hurt that Burgee got more than 1,000 letters and e-mails supporting Young: public pressure works! When people ask me what THEY can do to fight ZT, I keep saying the same thing: make your voice heard! Tell the people that are destroying lives under the color of ZT that it's wrong, and must be corrected. And if they don't listen, tell their boss -- or vote them out, in the case of elected officials. Your voice does matter. Because if the public officials don't hear from you, they figure you don't care.
So, Supt. Burgee: kudos for doing the right thing. Next time, though, issue a press release right away, will you? Because you can bet there will be a next time!
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Most Recent Comments
Posted by Rodney, Auckland, New Zealand on September 30, 2009:
Actually, most rules are for people who do not think, not just ZT rules. If everybody thought things through, there would be no need for rules against assaults, thefts, driving dangerously and many other things that foolish people engage in. And all such rules can become absurd when the they are allowed to over-ride commonsense. The attitude of "Rules are rules, however absurd the outcome" is for mental cowards, whether the rules are ZT rules or otherwise. Someone, I am not sure who, once said: "Rules are made for the guidance of wise men and the blind obedience of fools" (or something similar).
In a sane society, the only rules that would be needed would be those that set out protocols, such as which side of the road to drive on, how to work out your tax bill, or the procedures for holding an election. But society is still a long way from approaching this ideal.
Posted by Julie Smith, England on September 30, 2009:
You really only need two rules in a school or in life in general. Respect yourself and Respect others. After that the only other rules needed are to cover conventions of living, such as which side of the road to drive on etc. That is probably too simple for fans of ZT, they might have to think.
Posted by Laura, New Market, MD on October 30, 2009:
I live about 10 minutes from this school, and I am happy to see that ZT issues can be worked out in my school district! It is a relief to know that while these crazy policies are still in place, at least the administrators are willing to listen and change their minds. Maybe soon they will all start to think for themselves without having to be prodded to do the right thing. Wow!
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Don't get your hopes up; these things take time! -rc