(Credit: Adam Jan/AFP/Getty Images)
FLOSSMOOR, Ill. (CBS) — A south suburban family thinks administrators at Homewood-Flossmoor High school went overboard in punishing an honors student.
As WBBM Newsradio’s Regine Schlesinger reports, in late November, Ricky Dunn, 15, was in French class when he lost his lanyard that held his house keys, as well as a Swiss Army-style knife. One of the implements on it was a flathead screwdriver he used to open his iPhone, but it also had a pedicure knife with a blade about 1 1/2 inches long, the SouthtownStar reported.
LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio’s Regine Schlesinger reports
When Dunn went to claim the lanyard from the school’s lost and found, the SouthtownStar reports, the dean of students suspended him for nine days. He was found to have violated the weapons policy of Homewood-Flossmoor Community High School District 233.
The SouthtownStar describes the knife as a fold-out blade, with a sharp side that is used for cutting a callus off a foot.
Dunn says he has never been in trouble before and served the out-of-school suspension from Nov. 23 to Dec. 7, but he worries about having it on his record and what that might do to his future, the newspaper reported.
Dunn’s parents lost an appeal of the suspension, but are still moving to have it removed from his record, the SouthtownStar reported.
11 Comments
On the face of it, this article shows the GROSS stupidity OF SCHOOL OFFICIALS.
What is done, is done, and the persons who rendered the initial decision for this suspension will have to look at themselves in the mirror for the rest of their lives.
COMMON SENSE has taken a real hit!
The Flossmoor community, for allowing this, should rename their Village to “STUPIDVILLE”.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
January 10, 2012 at 9:34 am
Commonsense isn’t alllowed in this world of zero tolerance to anything, except corruption. What was done was stupid, bringing it to school knowing the policy was in existance, and the punishment was totally uncalled for…nine days? Did the policy state nine days or did the kid lip off and gain a couple?
January 10, 2012 at 9:51 am
Get your children out of the government schools people.
Look up Charlotte Iserbyt on YouTube and read her book at:
http://www.deliberatedumbingdown.com/
January 10, 2012 at 10:05 am
I agree it is drastic but think about this. Little Joey is a straight A student, is in boy scouts, etc. Little Tommy is a loser punk who at his age has a criminal record. Now they both bring the same swiss army knife to school and Tommy gets suspended but Joey doesn’t. Isn’t that discrimination? It is stupid but we can’t win. With all the b.s. lawsuits out there I don’t see how to get around it.
January 10, 2012 at 10:21 am
THEY KNEW THE RULES……. U PLAY W/ FIRE U GONNA GET BURNT, NO MATTER HOW DUMB WE THINK ALOT OF RULES R, IF U BREAK EM, U PAY…………….
January 10, 2012 at 10:38 am
Think about it. It could be a state rule for a nine day suspension for having a knife at school. The kid and his parents need to be thankful that he was not kicked out for a year or expelled altogether from all Illinois public high schools. Some states have that rule.
Second, if the kid and his parents are honest when filling out college applications and explain what happend, then he’ll have no problems getting into college. That is going to be the easier route than trying to get it removed from his school record.
January 10, 2012 at 2:34 pm
the dean of students sounds like your typical school employee, (i.e. teachers, deans, principles) they have a degree in education , sometimes they even have several, but lets face it ,they never have COMMON SENSE !
January 10, 2012 at 4:03 pm
if the student was black, better safe than sorry
January 10, 2012 at 4:55 pm
Agreed missy!!! On the other hand, if the kid in question is black, the cries of discrimiantion / racism will be heard soon.
January 10, 2012 at 6:17 pm
So, how is this ZERO TOLERANCE FASCIST SOCIETY that is being created working out for you
January 11, 2012 at 1:22 am
if school say no knives – it means no knives
honor student – also known as I know someone to help be an honor student – plenty of students that never get the ‘honor student’ status who deserve it – pay to play politics
oh by the way – a rule is a rule – read the rules if you can honor student
January 13, 2012 at 10:38 am