Student arrested for assaulting teacher over cell phone (Post, Howe: renting, insurance)

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by mlassoff

So you think when they wrote the felonious assault laws wrist grabbing was what they had in mind? Really?

I bet if I contacted my representative-- whom I actually know on a first name basis-- his reaction would likely be the same as mine. But since most politicians are more interested in getting reelected then legislating in a way that makes sense, you'll never see any "get tough on crime" law get repealed because the it costs votes...

Sometimes what an the people want is influence by media and ignorance versus sound judgement for what is best. Majority rules isn't as simple as it would seem...

Well the way to find out is to research the legislative history. Since no one is paying me to do that and honestly, I don't really care that much, I won't be heading to the law library or the capitol. However, I imagine that kid's defender will be. BTW, they wouldn't necessarily have to repeal the law, they could just amend it to leave teachers out.

[austinite45]

Originally Posted by mlassoff

So you think when they wrote the felonious assault laws wrist grabbing was what they had in mind? Really?

Absolutely. It should be immediately obvious if you'll spend a few minutes reading it. (common sense required!)

I bet if I contacted my representative-- whom I actually know on a first name basis-- his reaction would likely be the same as mine. But since most politicians are more interested in getting reelected then legislating in a way that makes sense, you'll never see any "get tough on crime" law get repealed because the it costs votes...

in that case I'll bet that as soon as you get out of his sight, he'll cast reflections on your motive and IQ, and joke about your criminal records with his staff.

Sometimes what an the people want is influence by media and ignorance versus sound judgement for what is best. Majority rules isn't as simple as it would seem...

Irrelevant to present discussion. Physically assaulting a public school teacher must be dealt with severely. What kind of message would the DA be sending by treating the assailant above the law? I think you are a contributor to the rising crimes in Austin.

[AGA]

As for taking away sports, extra-curricular stuff etc...I just wonder if he is even involved in that....If I had to guess I would say no.

I think it's just as easy for a "good" involved, kid to react poorly as any other kid. I don't agree with this guess. There is no way to know.

If you think only "good" kids play football, you might want to watch some video of what happened after the Oregon game earlier this week.

Believe me....I am not one to say "good" kids don't do bad things (as a mom I learned a long time ago to never say never)!
I am just making a guess based on what little information I have seen/read and my own personal experiences with adolescent males.

[austinite45]

Originally Posted by austin-steve

I agree.

I think for many students, unfortunately, the cell phone is almost an attachment of themselves. It's very personal. Perhaps they react as some of us would if someone picked up our wallet. Instinctlively, impulsively.

using your (il)logic, if a 17 year old student was being arrested by police at his home, the father or mother would be justified to take out a gun and shoot the officers - instinctively, impulsively! hey, it's more than an "attachment"!

thanks for the laugh.

THL - I think this is why, even though semantically you are correct that grabbing up the phone was not a "physical" act, it registers for some as a similar invasion of personal space.

what if it registers for some as a lethal threat requiring deadly force as a response???

Like I've said all along:
1) There is no excuse for the student's behavior and he deserves serious discipline, but not felony charges.

should Texas enforce YOUR law or the state law?

2) The teacher could/should have followed a "hand it over" tactic instead of grabbing it up, and thus the situation could have escalated in controlled stages instead of what happened.

same old lame argument. The student was at fault at EVERY stage. how about a dozen "shoulda/coulda" on that?

I predict the charges will be dropped and the policy for confiscating phones will change, and perhaps the policy for even having phones at school should change.

Steve

why stop there? predict Texas will become an even *****tier criminal state with more student criminals, sink to the bottom of ranking on education.

well, actually I think Texas is already at the bottom on that front. good work steve!

[austinite45]

Originally Posted by mlassoff

I am willing to bet whether the teacher was male or female didn't enter the kids mind. He reacted... poorly. Would he have done the same with a male teacher? Who knows?

gee, what if you are willing to bet that "the kid" was trying to demonstrate how not to respond to teacher's confiscating a cellphone from a disruptive student? Should the principal write "the kid" a thank-you letter?

I'm sure it was all impulsive and unplanned...

how can you be so sure? what constitutes "unplanned"? what kind of planning is required to grab the hand of the teacher and squeeze it?

I know that teachers shouldn't be snatching items away from students whether they are male or female. If a student refuses to hand over a disallowed item, discipline should escalate. But no one should be getting physical.

oh, so now you are also trying to rewrite the rules of the school?

This is by no means an excuse for the students behavior.

everything you've written so far has been an excuse!!!

[AGA]

Just curious to see if anyone has heard information since this first happened.

[ATX Homeboy]

First, the kid breaks the rules by having the phone out and on, then he breaks the law by putting his hands on someone. Anyone see a cycle of delinquency?

The teacher was within her rights to press charges against the 17 year old "child."

I wonder how everyone would have responded if it had been the other way around. Ie: teacher grabbing a kid.

Don't teachers have civil rights also? Or at the very least to do their job without being manhandled, molested, grabbed, pushed, punched, kicked, etc.?

[whymeidontknow]

The kid was correct to defend his personal property and the teacher should be reprimanded for her obvious misjudgment of the situation.

[Jennibc]

I am reading the book the "The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement" right now and it posits an explanation for this kind of behavior.

[oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots]

Does anyone know the outcome of this?