Zero tolerance requires zero intelligence?

United States
May 31, 2007 1:17pm CST
I saw this on a t-shirt somebody was wearing while I rode the bus one day: ZERO tolerance requires ZERO intelligence! I asked the teen-aged guy wearing it what it meant, and he said he and his friends had a bunch of them made a couple of years ago in protest supporting a kid who was suspended from school for possessing a gun on the premises, even though he had found a younger kid with it, took it from him, unloaded it, and was bringing it to the school for the express purpose of turning it in to the principle's office because his parents weren't home. An agreement was ultimately reached and the kid left the district, but he still wears the shirt to his college classes often. I told him that was a cool story, and thanked him. What do you think?
4 people like this
3 responses
4ftfingers
@4ftfingers (1310)
•
31 May 07
I think that's absolutely right. A few months ago my brother witnessed a car accident. As it's recently become illegal to use your phone while driving, he pulled up by the side of the road and phoned the police to let them know about the accident. After taking down all the details the woman on the other end turned her attention to the fact that she could hear cars going passed and so he must be by a road (which was obvious anyway - him having just witnessed a car accident) and so she started asking him if he was driving. The woman just kept on and on at him, 'are you sure?... I can hear cars going passed... you know it is illegal don't you...' and so on. My brother was quite offended, who would be stupid enough to do that? And if he was stupid enough to be doing it she would only be distracting him more by asking so many questions. I think because it's recently become illegal they think it's something they can easily catch people out on.
2 people like this
oldiebut
@oldiebut (859)
• Canada
31 May 07
Interesting story and quite thought provoking. zero tolerance treats everything in a black and white fashion suitable only for dullards like Bush. the real world is composed of shades of grey. One of my rare +s awarded for an interesting thread.
2 people like this
anonymili
@anonymili (3138)
•
31 May 07
Wow what a shocking story. The kid was trying to do the right thing and he gets suspended from school for it, sends out a great example to other kids doesn't it? NOT! Situations like this only ensure that other kids won't get involved for fear of similar treatment from their schools or adults in general. x
2 people like this