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My 11 year old granddaughter was suspended from school because her mother gave her a few cough drops to take for her cold. My granddaughter gave one to a friend and now she is being suspended. Cough drops are not illegal to buy in the store by an 11 year so why should she be suspended. What are your thoughts?
I totaly disagree with you, its not that simple. I feel that they should have talked with her about it first and if it happens again then she would suffer the consequences as you stated. She didn't know that she was doing anything wrong and if anyone should be in trouble it should be her mother for giving it to her in the first place.
Did she get an inhouse suspension? Personally, I think they went a little over board. If you gave someone an eraser and they choked on it should they get suspended as well?
What if the friend had choked on the cough drop? Then what?
That's why they have rules.
What if she choked on a piece of gum, or a chip or an apple slice or a raisin, or a .... ?
Your granddaughter was suspended because some school administrators and school boards are incapable of objectively looking at facts and making common sense decisions based on the totality of the circumstances.
Well, to be fair, we're only hearing one side of the story. Was she warned before? Etc. Sounds like there's more to the story here than meets the eye.
If there's not and all she did was give a friend a cough drop, then yeah, that was overkill for punishment. But usually (at least around my neck of the woods) school administrators don't dole out suspensions for relatively petty offenses.
What if she choked on a piece of gum, or a chip or an apple slice or a raisin, or a .... ?
Your granddaughter was suspended because some school administrators and school boards are incapable of objectively looking at facts and making common sense decisions based on the totality of the circumstances.
I respect how hard it is both from the parent and administrator perspective. The problem is not so much that the administrator is incapable of objectively looking at facts (most are), but that the law requires consistent enforcement of school rules. Often, these "silly" (at least I think they seem silly) restrictions have come into place after another parent sued the school district. In order to protect itself from lawsuits, which ultimately cost the taxpayer, the school puts zero-tolerance policies into place in order to cover themselves. That's why the nurse can no longer give out Aspirin without a prescription from a doctor, why students can no longer bring certain things to school. The lawyers determine what presents the biggest liability.
Otherwise here's what could happen: The student who got the cough drop/Advil/whatever from your granddaughter was allergic (unknown to her) and dies or requires medical treatment after ingesting it. Parents sue the school for failing to provide a safe environment. The parents aren't going to say, "Well, it's our daughter's fault for accepting it." Nor will they likely go after the other family. They'll go after the school district because that's where the money is. This is how these policies come to be.
Personally, I think a suspension is a bit much, but on the other hand, I could see how the school might be eager to prove (if sued) that they had worked hard to keep those things off campus. This is one of the results of the society we live in, where someone must always be at fault and no tragedy can be deemed a simple accident.
I totaly disagree with you, its not that simple. I feel that they should have talked with her about it first and if it happens again then she would suffer the consequences as you stated. She didn't know that she was doing anything wrong and if anyone should be in trouble it should be her mother for giving it to her in the first place.
Agree with you here. My guess is that this policy was likely included in the school rules and procedures (usually sent home to parents on the first day.) It's entirely possible that her parents didn't read or recall the policy, but my guess is that it's in there. I agree a suspension seems a bit much. As for the bolded statement, I agree as well, but the school doesn't have the authority to do anything to the mom.
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