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"Nathan Pemberton, a third-grader at West Elementary School in Colorado Springs, was suspended Tuesday following a physical altercation with another student, Fox affiliate KDVR-TV reported."
"One kid kicked me in the back, then punched me in the face. Then I punched him in the face and then I got in trouble," the boy told the station."
"If a student is involved in a physical altercation on school property, they are automatically suspended," the statement said. "District 11 schools employ many anti-bullying teaching techniques … and none of these methods include violence or retaliation."
Absurd. One of the reasons to get your kids out of the public school system. Times are crazy and its probably going to get a lot worse before it gets better.
I was going to say the same thing - I always got sent to detention for defending myself - I got into fights - but never started any of them - if you hit me then you got hit back. Somehow the teacher and/or principal never saw the first blow being thrown but always saw me throw a punch.
Got ISS once or twice - but never outright suspended.
The school should investigate to determine who started the altercation - punishing the kid who was defending himself solves nothing - he will be targeted again - and will end up being labeled as a troublemaker while the real problem kids continue on a path that will end in a prison cell.
Zero Tolerance? Kids not allowed to defend themselves? Immediate suspension?
Yes.
I specifically remember our guidance counsulars in middle school having an assembly and stating that anyone who throws a hit in a fight, even if defending themselves, would be automatically suspended, with no question.
It's good then that I was so involved in martial arts, because everyone was too afraid to pick a fight with me.
It comes down to one 3rd graders word against another. That's the crux and why schools do things the way they do. If my son got suspended for punching someone who "started it" I'd just roll with it but let the school know that if anyone went after my son again on their watch there would be trouble.
Why don't more parents sue the heck out of their child's school for things like this? Every child has a right to defend him or herself against physical harm, and no child should be unfairly punished for self-defense. It's a wonder that lawyers aren't having a field day with this - just think of all those deep pockets they could raid...lol.
One of the reasons to get your kids out of the public school system.
Quite a few private schools will summarily expel students for "fighting," without much regard as to who started what or why.
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