student (bullying, lawsuit, punishment, parents)

[Elizabeth Puscasu]

On Sunday while playing in the neighborhood park my eleven year old son hit one of his schoolmates in the eye with a dart. On Monday the school councellor suspended my son from going out in the school yard for recess til the end of the school year (nine more weeks) for this Sunday incident which did not happen on school premises or school time... is this right?

Now the boy and his Arab family are thretening to gang up and beat my son up. What should I do to protect y son and his rights?

Thanks.

Concerned & sleepless mom.

[Henna]

Wow, they are Arabs? You are really in trouble.

I mean, if they were Jews, blacks, or hispanics, then no problem. But you know - Al Qaeda is probably about to get involved. Is the kid's name Osama by any chance?

[Henna]

Originally Posted by Henna

Wow, they are Arabs? You are really in trouble.

I mean, if they were Jews, blacks, or hispanics, then no problem. But you know - Al Qaeda is probably about to get involved. Is the kid's name Osama by any chance?

OK, now that this thread has been moved I see that no one will know me now in Parenting since I usually only post in NYC, and people may not understand my heavy sarcasm.

My point is, Elizabeth, that your post smacks of bias towards Arabs. Maybe your son has picked up on that and that sparked the dart incident. Perhaps the son's teacher has too and that sparked the playground suspension.

If you're being threatened, you should call the police. But you should also think about your bias and address that as well.

[findinghope]

why is he being punished in school for something that happened off of school grounds and on a sunday? i think something is not right here--i would call the school board

[mrstewart]

That is an inappropriate punishment and the school has no reason to get involved. Do you have an open dialogue with the administration? Maybe you should make contact on the other childs behalf.

Is your son's eye ok?

[sskkc]

I wonder if the kid hadn't been a "minority" if this action would've been taken. I know how you're feeling, which is part of why we moved to Colorado.

In NM, my son (at age 7) was attacked, during lunch recess, by 3 other boys (non provoked). My son is white, the other boys were not. My son was told there was "nothing they could do". I took pictures when he got home and called the police. I showed up in the principal's office asking if something would've been done differently if my child hadn't been the only white person in the equation. (Even the lunchroom supervisor was "non white".) The lunchroom sup said there was "no proof". So I asked them to call in other kids as witnesses (I had already called their parents the night before), and handed over the photos I had taken when he got home from school the day before. I asked the police officer if it would've been considered a "hate crime" if the races were reversed (he said it would've been automatic), and if I could press charges against the children, the lunchroom sup, the teacher he reported it to originally and the principal.

At that point in the conversation, the principal decided to suspend the 3 boys for 3 days.

Far cry from "nothing we can do". Though if the races would've been reversed, they would've been talking expulsion, criminal charges and a lawsuit. There is a serious discrimination problem in this country that is being ignored.

[mari4him]

Originally Posted by Elizabeth Puscasu

On Sunday while playing in the neighborhood park my eleven year old son hit one of his schoolmates in the eye with a dart. On Monday the school councellor suspended my son from going out in the school yard for recess til the end of the school year (nine more weeks) for this Sunday incident which did not happen on school premises or school time... is this right?

Now the boy and his Arab family are thretening to gang up and beat my son up. What should I do to protect y son and his rights?

Thanks.

Concerned & sleepless mom.

The incident that happened at the park is a bit vague. Was it by accident that your child hit the other child in the eye with the dart? Was it intentional? Were they simply playing together and an accident occured? Or was there some history to this occurence such as teasing or bullying from the other child to yours or yours to the other child?

These things all make a difference as to potential reasons why the school reacted the way they have. If it was simply an accident, nothing specific leading up to it and no history between the two boys, then the school is definately over-reacting and imposing an unnecessary consequence upon your child. However, if it was not merely an accident and if there is some history between your child and this other child, the school may just be responding to a concern and potentially trying to protect the other child. Quite possibly at the request of the other child's parents.

Since this incident occured at a park, on a Sunday. How did the school find out about it anyway? Did the other child's parents inform the school of the incident out of concern for their child's well being?

It's kind of hard to give an opinion on whether or not the school is acting appropriately or inappropriately in this situation or give suggestions as to what you can do when there some missing information or history.

[camping!]

Originally Posted by mari4him

The incident that happened at the park is a bit vague. Was it by accident that your child hit the other child in the eye with the dart? Was it intentional? Were they simply playing together and an accident occured? Or was there some history to this occurence such as teasing or bullying from the other child to yours or yours to the other child?

These things all make a difference as to potential reasons why the school reacted the way they have. If it was simply an accident, nothing specific leading up to it and no history between the two boys, then the school is definately over-reacting and imposing an unnecessary consequence upon your child. However, if it was not merely an accident and if there is some history between your child and this other child, the school may just be responding to a concern and potentially trying to protect the other child. Quite possibly at the request of the other child's parents.

Since this incident occured at a park, on a Sunday. How did the school find out about it anyway? Did the other child's parents inform the school of the incident out of concern for their child's well being?

It's kind of hard to give an opinion on whether or not the school is acting appropriately or inappropriately in this situation or give suggestions as to what you can do when there some missing information or history.

Excellent points! You are right, if the dart in the eye was intentional, then yes the school should suspend the son, if not place him in a different school altogether.

[pushkinswife]

Originally Posted by Elizabeth Puscasu

On Sunday while playing in the neighborhood park my eleven year old son hit one of his schoolmates in the eye with a dart. On Monday the school councellor suspended my son from going out in the school yard for recess til the end of the school year (nine more weeks) for this Sunday incident which did not happen on school premises or school time... is this right?

Now the boy and his Arab family are thretening to gang up and beat my son up. What should I do to protect y son and his rights?

Thanks.

Concerned & sleepless mom.

I hope you are not making biased statements like this in front of your son.

[findinghope]

but the incident did not take place on school grounds nor during a week day!!