GRR (long personal rant)

[GoddessOfGuinness]

My son got to school today, was taken aside, frisked, locker-searched, and lectured to by the principal along with a bunch of his friends (10-15 kids in all), because there was a rumor floating around the school that one of them had said something about having a Columbine-type incident at school.

Naturally, the rumor freaked out a number of parents, who insisted that this sort of action needed to be taken to protect their kids. While they're a racially diverse group, my son's friends are mostly white (the minority in the school), all are into the "Goth" style of dress, and they're all basically good kids who don't fit in with the average crowd at school.

No weapons were found. No plans were found. No hate lists, to-kill lists, or destructive action of the day lists were found.

What I want to know is, where the f#@k were these administrators when my son was being beaten in the hall on the way to class in November? And why haven't they arrested the one kid he was actually able to identify in a spurious lineup? I only told them I wanted to press charges 4 times.

It seems to me that this sort of action would only serve to make a group of socially isolated teens angrier; and could even incite them to commit some act of violence since it seems to be expected of them.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

1. Does anyone have ANY explanation for this?

Since you brought race into it, what race is the principal?

My sincerest apologies to your son.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

2. Thank you for your sympathy...

The school is predominantly black; and while it's an issue in some ways, it's really not amongst my son and his friends. Their agenda isn't about race...it's about "Goth". I'm glad he has the opportunity to experience being a minority.

I guess what bothers me about it is that these are people whom I always thought understood what it's like to be different, and celebrated their uniqueness in fashion, music, literature, and art. Yet these same people have no tolerance for this group of kids, who are also different, and express their uniqueness in their way.

The principal, who is white and around age 50, makes a point of putting them down because of their clothing, seemingly forgetting what "long-haired hippie freaks" went through in the 60s and 70s.

What is it about human beings that leads us to cling to our fear of people we don't understand instead of simply learning about them?

[SarahB]

3. That's awful!

I'd be livid. I'm so sorry for what happened to your son. Something must be done. :grr:

[Rabrrrrrr]

4. I'm so angry,

I can't respond other than to say that I'm really, really angry about this.

Utter bullshit.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

5. I think you should call them and ask them that

It is shit..one is a rumor, the other is battery.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

6. I'm beyond talking about it...

I'm seeing a lawyer on Thursday.

My son's dealings with this school and the school system have been a complex maze of lies, incompetence and negligence. I could write a book about it.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

7. Good...meritorious lawsuits are very effective in altering poor behavior