Randy Cassingham's Blog

Posted by Bronwyn, Norfolk, VA on November 15, 2008:

Sadly, I'm not surprised that something as innocent as an art project was "mistaken" for a gang-related sign. I know someone who brought a squirt gun to school and was written up for carrying it because it was a "fake weapon", and the school confiscated it. The squirt gun in question was two inches high and shaped like a pink elephant.

Posted by Ian - Harrison NY on November 15, 2008:

Schools are the worst. But this is an example of where an attorney and a lawsuit make sense. People and institutions will take the safe road -- downside to not doing anything -- "what if he kills someone". Downside to zero tolerance and political correctness -- none. The lawyer and the lawsuit create the down side.

Ignore common sense and it will hurt your pocketbook. Sometimes that is the only way. (Of course just as ZT is misused, so are lawsuits, but that does not mean that each has its place. Lawsuits can allow for common sense to be brought into the mix).

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I have indeed encouraged lawsuits in some previous ZT cases. Indeed that threat may make the idiocrats think twice. -rc

Posted by Moongrim, Veneta Oregon on November 15, 2008:

Coulda, woulda, shoulda.

Tis amazing what we can rationalize away when we use those rejoinders.

And what home room school teacher "knows" so much about Gang Tattoos?

It 'could' be a possibility that any home room school teacher who does know so much about gang tattoos, 'might' actually be a member of a Gang?

It 'could' happen! Perhaps this teacher needs some closer scrutiny!

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My guess: she got a one-hour "training" on gangs, and figured she could use it on this kid. When the cop said "huh uh", that should have been the end of it. -rc

Posted by Eric, Athens AL on November 15, 2008:

When will "zero tolerance" equal "100% outrage"? At 40 years old, I feel as though I am living in a surreal world these days. I wonder where if these ZT people just appeared, or if they were amongst us all along because I don't remember having zero tolerance of this extreme when I was growing up -- yet I turned out JUST FINE.

Unfortunately this will turn out like everything else, and instead of fixing the problem (by outright correction and/or elimination of the root of the problem, we'll simply mask it with another layer of bureaucracy and hope it goes away (either with more laws or by throwing money at the problem) ...

Posted by Richard, Salina,KS on November 15, 2008:

I agree, all the teachers that have no common sense should be fired. If that had happened to my son I would have made sure that the teacher would never teach anywhere anymore.

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Threats like that will get you ...everywhere! Teachers need to know that there are parents who care, and that will not put up with such garbage. That's what I mean by a righteous lawsuit! -rc

Posted by Jack - NE on November 15, 2008:

Back when I ran for Congress, I coined this simple equation:

ZT=IA

Zero Tolerance Equals Infinite Absurdity

It's only going to get worse in the coming years.

Posted by Juanita, Washington on November 15, 2008:

And that's why I homeschool. All four of my college-aged homeschooled offspring are now in college, doing exceptionally well academically, and unscathed by the lunacy of zero tolerance. Whew.

Posted by Amanda, Atlanta, GA on November 15, 2008:

I can't help but wonder if Pevey even bothered talking to the art teacher, Lloyd Harold, before going into panic mode. Surely a little communication between teachers might have prevented such an overblown response...but I suppose I shouldn't say "surely," since ZT seems designed to thwart all reasonable assumptions about logical behavior.

Posted by Gerald. Orfordville,WI on November 15, 2008:

While it may be fun to run the asylum at times, How ignorant does a person have to be to lose their job for lack of common sense? Obviously, a lot more ignorance is allowed in our teachers than the drivers who yank trailers around for a living!

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I'm guessing you know of what you speak. How sad that you're surely correct. -rc

Posted by Bill - Huntisville, Texas on November 15, 2008:

Zero Tolerance was created by those "educators" who have ZERO BRAINS!

Because they do not have the knowledge/skills necessary to judge ANY situation, they have bullied the school systems into Zero Tolerance which removes ALL responsibility for the teacher.

The BAR Association has created another means of controlling the people. Scare everyone into SUING for anything. So the school systems escape consequences by Zero Tolerance'ing all situations that MAY lead to some form of responsibility.

SHEEPLE - you should learn this term. It applies to anyone/everyone who decides to let someone else run their lives. By refusing to take any responsibility for your own actions, and allowing others to do the same, you are one of the SHEEPLE. Those who do as they are told by "those who have gov't jobs" without liability.

We need to get back to the basics where I must personally defend my actions. If I attack someone either verbally or physically then I must suffer the consequences.

This does NOT mean that KIDS must pay the price of an adult! Nowadays, we are charging kids with adult crimes. When did this start? Why? Because we are too lazy to make our own kids behave so we allow them to get so bad that OTHERS must punish them?

THINK ABOUT YOUR OWN ACTIONS & how they will affect others.