Pixiq

A few states are now working on repealing zero tolerance laws because of nonsense like this. Others, like Texas, are sending more armed officers to schools to arrest children who are behaving like, well, children... if you think being wrongfully detained for snapping photos is unconscionable, just look at what can happen to a kid that brings an Advil or Midol to school in a zero tolerance state....

(For those interested, follow "Common Good" on Facebook or check out their blog for stories on zero tolerance and other absurd laws. It is an organization founded by Philip K Howard, who wrote "The Death of Common Sense.")

Sounds like a non-issue and the title is misleading. Student was suspended for violating the electronics policy. He could have been using a smart phone to do research on the 1st Amendment and it would still be a valid suspension. In nearly any school a student can be out the door and to a phone or the office if there were a medical emergency, so the extreme event excuse is also a bit unreasonable. Such emergencies were well handled well before cell phones became prominent.

I saw this a day or two ago and agree that the issue isn't photography. However, the article I read explicitly stated cell phones were not allowed and mase no mention of cameras.

In this case there are TWO issues in play, the substitute teacher's wrongdoing and the violation of a policy. These policies in a high school and below setting can be argued as justifiable and would likely be constitutional as applied to the students.

With all that said the sub should be reprimanded, with at least a few calls that would normally go out to them sent to someone else, and at worst, due to the uncovering of bad behavior of the sub the student shouldn't get more than an hour or two detention. Violation of such a policy while uncovering wrong doing still means the policy was violated but should be mitigated by the other reasonable circumstances.

Zero tolerance = ZERO SENSE and why we tolerate this idiocy is beyond me.

I have to wonder if the same punishment would have been levied if the student had used a stand-alone camera instead of one that is part of a cell phone?

I have always thought that zero-tolerance policies were the stupidest thing ever. In essence, the Administration are saying, "you teachers are too stupid to make a good decision, yet somehow you are smart enough to teach the children."

WTF?!?

All it ends up teaching the children is that authorities need to be circumvented.

So...no educational movies, no computers in the library, no music at the dance, no PA at the game...hell the school brakes it's own policy the moment they turn on the lights.

Hmm why isn't there a zero tolerance policy for teachers sleeping in class then?

Zero-tolerance policies are a method for administrators to adhere to rigid guidelines rather than use critical thinking skills to work through unique situations.

This is why young boys can be suspended for making a "gun" with their fingers and playing cowboys and indians.