Gone Too Far - Suspension

United States
March 8, 2008 10:51am CST
Perhaps school systems are going a little too far now-a-days. My little brother got suspended from school for sticking his tongue out at another little girl...and he is in KINDERGARTEN! Granted, while any parent wouldn't like their child being picked on by another child, are we really going to run up to the school and act like children ourselves by saying that a certain child should be suspended for sticking his tongue out at another student? What kindergarten didn't experience this? It is typical child like behavior...I can understand if he had smacked this little girl or some other physically harmful action...I can understand if he had made a verbal threat to do physical harm, being punished in such a manner...but for sticking his tongue out? It's just absolutely ridiculous! What is the system coming too? Take more time out to worry about the bullies running around the schools picking on others and beating them up then a simple disagreement where one child sticks his or her tongue out at another. Perhaps if the system would quit harping on the petty stuff and pay attention to the more disturbing offenders they could actually prevent tragedies from happening. How sad this has become....What are your views on this? What do you think my mother should have done? What would you have done if your kindergarten child had been suspended from school for sticking out his or her tongue? I know I would discipline my child on being nicer to others...But I would certainly have fought the school district over the matter of something as severe as three day suspension...
1 person likes this
4 responses
• United States
8 Mar 08
This is just plain stupid. And it gets me mad to even read about what happened to your little brother. That is just plain stupid and I don't agree with what they did. Small Children are always doing stuff like that. I understand if that may have led to a fight or something like that but they should have just told him not to do it again and leave it at that.
2 people like this
• United States
8 Mar 08
Thank you. I completely agree with you and not just the fact that it's my little brother, as most would get defensive over a family member, but the same goes for any child. My mom of course would have grounded him for being mean to another student for the rest of the day with no tv or going out to play with his friends. This makes me mad as well...To top it off? The week after the same little girl that he stuck his tongue out at smacked him and left a mark on his face...since no teacher saw the little girl strike him they said that there was nothing they could do about it...How stupid is THAT?
1 person likes this
• United States
8 Mar 08
That is just plain ridiculous. And you know what the same thing happened to my little brother. He would get in trouble and get detention and stuff but when someone hit him or did something to him they wouldn't do anything. Their came a point when I went up to the vice principal and I was so angry that I talked to him in a very stern voice asking him why nobody did anything to the other kids and since that day that I talked to the vice principal they are not giving my brother detention too much and when someone does hit him they actually pay attention. I've known the vice principal since I was in third grade and now i'm 19 so you can see how the vice principal would listen to me. Hopefully the don't do the same thing to your brother because sometimes i've seen that teachers enjoy punishing the same kid over and over again.
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@NeoComp (1316)
• United States
8 Mar 08
Wow I think that is to harsh and to drastic for a young kid. I mean when I was in school we used to stick out our tounges and everything. Now these days, things have changed.. and kids get in trouble for looking at someone wrong.. I think this is way to much. Especially for small kids. I don't know what the world is coming to.
1 person likes this
• United States
8 Mar 08
Neither do I. They are using such unconventional methods in schools now...I don't know what they hope to accomplish through this. They should instead focus more on children with real problems and real aggression issues. Nip this in the butt before it develops into something more serious instead of picking on typical children and giving them a complex of some sort. It's enough to drive a kid nuts....
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@ebberts (784)
• United States
9 Mar 08
Just another example of how things are going wrong. I Unfortunatley spent some time at our school. When my children were attending. I no longer have any in school and that is a blessing. If I thought something needed attention, off to school I went. Just because the school thinks it's right doesn't make it so. Have you thought of starting a petition and taking it to the school board.
• United States
9 Mar 08
You know, this is something I just might have to bring up to my mother and have her do as that is a very good idea. I've not exactly had the experiences of dealing with things like this myself yet as my oldest child is just now in kindergarten. So I have quite a few years left to see how my experiences with the school system is. Obviously though they are certainly not on the right track. It's sad isn't it? Thanks for your reply, terrific idea.
@pumpkinjam (8767)
• United Kingdom
8 Mar 08
That is ridiculous! Kids of that age stick their tongue out. It's just what they do. I think the situation would determine the punishment. Me and my kids stick our tongues out at each other if we're playing so where is the problem? I know some people don't like it and I supposed if it was done in a nasty way then a telling-off would be ok but suspending a little boy (I assume he would be 3 or 4) that's pathetic. I would not punish my kids for that. I'd laugh at the school and find out why they are being so ridiculous instead of dealing with real bullies.
• United States
8 Mar 08
Exactly. Well said. He was five when the incident occurred. I do the same with my children when we play around. Make silly faces at each other, etc. I do tell them not to do things like that in school as it is not appropriate school behavior and not nice to do to another student. I do not think that what my brother did was right. I'm not defending his actions as it was not a nice gesture to make to a little girl but suspension was just going way to far with the situation. They should have instead reprimanded his actions and made my mother aware of it so that she could have dealt with it and talked to him about it. Thank you for your response to this.
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