Keep in mind that suspension is not the same as expulsion and that any academic work that a student misses while on suspension for a disciplinary matter is allowed to be made up (i.e. missing tests and homework while not in school).
maybe where you live. in the schools I attended, and in all the schools my children attended(or are attending now). a suspension is an unexcused absence and it's up to the discression of the teacher as to if the work or tests can be made up (usually not in highschool, more leanent in lower grades).
I had quite a bit of experience with suspensions in highschool and inschool suspensions (or detentions) where considered excused absenses and could be made up, but if you where banned from school property and functions you where generally out of luck.
the problem with these policies is they remove thought. in the first example the girl was having a asthma attack and couldn't find her meds, the other kid knew her well (was her boyfriend after all), he knew they where on the same medication, that a Dr had proscribed that medication, and that he had it and she needed it. at the very least he saved her from an uncomfortable attack and at the worst he could very well have saved her life. he should be comended for quick thinking not punished for using his wits.
it's not as if he was sharing a vicodin perscription with a budy who claimed a headache, but the school is treating it as if he did. any reasonable person can see the difference in the situation but a zero tolarance policy just says don't think, suspend them.
maybe one of the major problems with our public education system is that more and more it tends to discourage individual thought in particular and thinking in general.
btw- we have the same type of zero tolorance drug policys here. they won't allow my daughter to keep tums in her purse for heartburn. but to recieve a bit of extra cash from advertisers, the schools sent sample packs home with elementarty school students (all students k-5), these had coupons for lots of products and many samples, at least 5 of these samples where OTC drugs labled 'keep away from children' but aparently 'zero tolorance' only is aplied to children, when adults who should know better make a mistake and "deliver a dangerous drug" they are much more understanding as none of the administrators who set up the deal or the teachers who delivered the drugs recieved any sort of suspensions or discipline of any kind. what kind of an example do they expect to be when they punish kids for not being able to live upto a standard that they can't even reach.
