Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
They're not being punished for protesting. They're being punished for skipping school.
If it's an issue they are passionate about, then they should be willing to take the punishment that comes with it. If not, protest on their own time.
Good lesson for those kids - freedom comes at a cost.
According to a friend of mine who works for our district, the policy was thus:
Missing class(es) for the protest would be considered an excused absence, keeping in mind there is a limit on excused absences other than for documented illness, court appearances, etc. Staff that wanted to participate needed to take PTO.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MinivanDriver
I'm pointing out that, as far as protests are concerned, it is empty and shallow in nature. And, quite frankly if you are deterred from protesting because of what some people on message board think, then your commitment to the cause is already subject to serious question. In that sense, you've just proved my point. I'm pretty sure that the marchers in Selma weren't terribly interested in what other people thought of the protest.
Do you want to create change in the world? Then a symbolic 17-minute disruption of classes isn't how you do it. I mean, what are the school administrators supposed to do about it anyway?
The administrators can express their opinions to their representatives in the state houses, congress, etc. And they can vote. They're the ones who have to deal with this stuff, not these NRA folks who talk about second amendment rights.
According to a friend of mine who works for our district, the policy was thus:
Missing class(es) for the protest would be considered an excused absence, keeping in mind there is a limit on excused absences other than for documented illness, court appearances, etc. Staff that wanted to participate needed to take PTO.
So does that just apply to this protest, or is that any protest?
When this walkout was announced there was no agenda attached, it was stated that the goal was to make Congress aware that students expect them to sit down at the table to discuss the issue and work toward solutions. But in reading the news reports today, apparently there is a bullet-point list of actions that the "students" are calling on Congress to take.
So if a student is concerned about school shootings but doesn't agree with the agenda released in conjunction with this protest, will he or she be excused for staging a separate protest on a different date?
A local school district got out in front of the protest. They advised the parents via the phone contact line that the protest would be orderly. Students were expected to remain on campus, to maintain a quiet presence, and return to the school building in an orderly fashion. The announcement assured the parents that there would be "police presence" during the protest.
Smarter than "threatening" consequences for protesting. These are children who feel helpless in the face of the possibility of death while attending school. They want to feel that adults will do something to help protect them. They are using the only means they have to call attention to their distress.
Our administrators wisely recognize this and have afforded the students the right to "peaceably assemble" as guaranteed in the First Amendment.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
