Author Topic: Student Suspended Over Call From Mom in Iraq (Read 863 times)

Maverick · « **Reply #15 on:** May 07, 2005, 10:34:23 AM »

It sounds like the suspension wasn't for the phone call but his reaction later on. I wouldn't really base much on the "sound bite" from the press on this. FWIW a later news release said a very significant number of students have parents on deployment right now.

Here is a quote out of the article that suggests it wasn't the phone call that got him suspended.

Quote: Parham said the teen's suspension was based on his reaction to the teacher's request. He said the teen used profanity when taken to the office.

"Kevin got defiant and disorderly,'' Parham said. "When a kid becomes out of control like that they can either be arrested or suspended for 10 days. Now being that his mother is in Iraq, we're not trying to cause her any undue hardship; he was suspended for 10 days.'' Endquote.

DREDIOCK · « **Reply #16 on:** May 07, 2005, 12:30:53 PM »

But would you have reacted differently?

Alot would depend on how the teacher was being but I doubt very much I would have been willing to hang up either no matter what the teacher had to say about it.

Teacher may have been being an A-Hole about it him/herself.

Whats not mentioned is that the teacher might have said or did to possably cause the kid to act that way.

I know I myself had one case where I myself told a teacher that if found him outside of school I was going to open up a can of butt whoop on him in a very serious way.

20+ years later now and in hindisght looking back at the incident and t6he circumstances surrounding it. I'd do it all over again exactly the same way.

Gunslinger · « **Reply #17 on:** May 07, 2005, 12:42:31 PM »

The article I read said he was not suspended for talking on the phone but was suspended for getting offensive and threatening to the teacher who told him to hang up.

Of course I might get a little offensive too if the teachers weren't being reasonable. I think it would be reasonable to make an exception in this case due to the circumstances. Not letting a kid talk to his mom whome he hasn't seen in months would be more detrimental to him than allowing him to break with school policy.

Fishu · « **Reply #18 on:** May 07, 2005, 12:48:25 PM »

http://www.hitechcreations.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=150069

eskimo2 · « **Reply #19 on:** May 07, 2005, 01:09:48 PM »

If the school would have let him continue his call because he said, “This is my mom in Iraq. I'm not about to hang up on my mom.'', by the end of the week every kid in the school would be on their phone whenever they wanted, also claiming: “This is my mom in Iraq. I'm not about to hang up on my mom.''

Regardless of the kid’s reason for being upset, he threw a fit.

Also, it’s important to understand the school’s demographics;

Spencer High School
General Information
Total Enrollment: 1,070
Free-Lunch Students: 357
Reduced-Price Lunch Students: 116
Ave. Completion Rate: 57%

http://www.school-stats.com/GA/MUSCOGEE/SPENCER_HIGH_SCHOOL.html

eskimo

Creamo · « **Reply #20 on:** May 07, 2005, 01:31:45 PM »

If his mother acts so defiant, getting the liberal media pity-train under circumstances that she may feel unjust, unfair, or whatever treatment in Iraq, her fellow soldiers may die.

Punch the little **** in the head for acting like a punk after the fact, suspend him for 10 days, and tell him to grow a pair.

End of a lame story.

rpm · « **Reply #21 on:** May 07, 2005, 01:48:07 PM »

As I said in the other thread... Conservatives should be all in favor of the teacher and the punishment. Zero Tolerance was YOUR bright idea.

Gunslinger · « **Reply #22 on:** May 07, 2005, 01:49:57 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by rpm
As I said in the other thread... Conservatives should be all in favor of the teacher and the punishment. Zero Tolerance was YOUR bright idea.

do you think 10 days suspension for a student geting unruley towards a teacher is to harsh a punisment?

rpm · « **Reply #23 on:** May 07, 2005, 01:58:28 PM »

Why yes I do. Seems the school does as well.

Quote

CNN) -- A Columbus, Georgia, student will return to class Monday after spending three days at home for an incident that began when his mother, a soldier serving in Iraq, called his cell phone while he was at school.

Kevin Francois was initially suspended for 10 days for what Spencer High School officials said was his use of profanity after a teacher interrupted a cell phone conversation he was having with his mother.

Her name is Sgt. 1st Class Monique Bates, The Associated Press reported.

The suspension gained national attention Friday, prompting a flood of e-mails to school officials. By Friday afternoon, they told Francois his 10-day suspension would be shortened to the three already served.

"All I want to do is just go back to school," Francois said.

Muscogee County School District Superintendent John Phillips Jr. said Friday the suspension was not because of the phone call, but the result of Francois' reaction to the teacher interrupting it.

"The suspension was really incidental to the telephone, it was the behavior of the student, using profanity, screaming at the teacher," Phillips said.

"He became very belligerent and very threatening to her" when she asked him to turn over the phone, Phillips said.

"He said he was 17 years old and he would do what he wanted to do," Phillips told CNN-affiliate WTVM.

The teacher took him to the principal's office, where "he became very unruly and out of control," said Phillips. "It was escalating to a point where they were getting ready to call security."

Francois disputed the school's version of the story.

"I was just talking to them and they wouldn't listen to me about talking to my mom," he said. "I didn't curse at them."

Francois received the call from his mother, who left for duty in Iraq in January, during a lunch break.

Phillips said Francois did not tell the teacher he was talking to his mother in Iraq.

"I'm sure if she was aware of that, she would have acted much differently in dealing with the matter," Phillips said.

Phillips said the school, which is located near Fort Benning, often arranges for students to receive calls from parents who are deployed. More than 3,700 students in the district come from military families.

Francois lives with an aunt while his mother is deployed, the superintendent said.

The student knew it was against school policy to use a cell phone on school grounds, he added.

"We try to protect instructional time. We try to make sure the environment in the school is appropriate," Phillips said. "The young man knows what the rules and regulations are."

They should have put him in alternative classes, not give him a vacation.

Gunslinger · « **Reply #24 on:** May 07, 2005, 02:04:02 PM »

being close to Ft Benning it does sound like the school overeacted but the kids behavior didn't help one bit. He threw a fit and he's lucky they are letting him back in so early. He was still in the wrong no matter what the circumstances "I'm 17 I'll do what I want" doesnt cut it.

Well good for him and the school.

Raider179 · « **Reply #25 on:** May 07, 2005, 02:44:39 PM »

Teacher says he didn't tell her the call was from his mom in iraq. So he shoulda cooled his jets and explained. My guess is he went ape-****. Another overplayed media story that makes teachers look bad when they are just not being respected. My parents wouldn't give a rat's bellybutton if they were over in Iraq, if I cussed out a teacher or school administrator, I would be counting the days till they got home cause that would have been my ass.

FUNKED1 · « **Reply #26 on:** May 07, 2005, 03:49:43 PM »

The real question is where's dad?

Fishu · « **Reply #27 on:** May 07, 2005, 05:20:12 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by FUNKED1
The real question is where's dad?

An another article said his dad had died several years ago, thats where he is.

YUCCA · « **Reply #28 on:** May 07, 2005, 05:25:52 PM »

Was his lunch hour right? I'd tell the teacher to *** off too.

Pongo · « **Reply #29 on:** May 07, 2005, 05:26:45 PM »

He should have been imediatly excused from class to talk to his mom.
The guy is 17 years old has'nt seen his mom in 4 months and Iraq is lit up worse then ever right now.