Do you think the punisment fits the crime?

Question

My step-son and two other boys were standing behind a teacher in their class room acting like they were humping her. They were all suspended for two weeks. The school officials are holding a meeting to determine the final punishment which will either be suspension for the rest of the semester or expelled for the rest of the year. They are saying that they are treating it as sexual harassment. Do you think it is harsh punishment or exactly what they deserve? All the boys involved have never been in any trouble at school.

Answer 1

I think the boys have to be held accountable, but stupidity shouldn't be a pass to avoiding punishment. School disricts are cracking down because they are simply responding to pressure to address issues aggressively hence they are accussed of being lax. Furthermore, there are more pressure on schools to maintain a health learning environment that is condusive to achieving better school performance schools and meeting federal no child left behind requirements.
Two weeks suspension seems pretty tough, but full suspension or expulsion seems a little harse. Kids do stupid things. I would say hold them responsible in some way but don't screw up their academic careers.

Answer 2

I think the boys were completely out of line to say the least. Yes, I think it was sexual harassment and being expelled is a just punishment. I'm sorry this has happened to your step son but it's not like he gave the teacher "rabbit ears" behind her back. Their behavior was vulgar.

Answer 3

Sexual harassment is a serious thing. If they would have the audacity to do something like that to their teacher, who knows what they would do, if given the opportunity, with a girl their own age. I'm betting these consequences aren't out of the blue. Isn't there a student handbook with rules and punishments for his school? That should outline the punishments for different behaviors.

Answer 4

well I think the punishment fits the crime if they are suspended for the two weeks since they didn't actually touch her but them being expelled would be too much of a punishment because they aren't going to learn anything being out of school every child needs to finish their education. Maybe they can send them to another school to finish the school year.

Answer 5

They are getting exactly what they deserve. Saying the boys involved have never been in any trouble before is probally a joke. Probally more appropriate to say they have never been caught before. What they done is no respect for a teacher and shame on them.

Answer 6

I work in the school system myself. Personally, sending them home (however long it may be) is not a punishment for anything.Parents work...Kids fend for themselves. They schoul dbe left in scholl and just punishment found that way...There are several things to do...Stay after and help the maids do floors, work in the cafiteria, write essays on different cases of sexual harrassment...The list goes in...And not for one day but weeks...This will teach them more than sitting at home.

Answer 7

I think the punishment is far too harsh. They sound too youing to even know the difference.

To expel them would basically deprive them of the opportunity to learn from the mistake. I believe that you can only learn the mistake if you understand what you've done wrong AND have been given a second chance.

Answer 8

You know teaching in an inner city high school was listed a few years ago as the job in the United States with the highest tension. My wife was a teacher for many years and loved what she did. She received several best teacher competitions over the years and was nominated many more times as well. She taught immigrant children in Miami, and classes of predominantly Black children in the sea islands of South Carolina. It was all a labor a love, but she finally had to leave the classroom after decades, because the children of this generation are a lost generation. The parents are no longer the supportive people that once said the teacher is right, and told the child to straighten up and get over it. Oh she is a human being and makes mistakes, all teachers are, but when there is no longer the respect for teachers that was there was down through the centuries, then the foundation is being built on sand. As soon as the usual waves of hardship and trial crash upon that foundation it will simply wash away. Just as sand does, and these kids, who will soon be adults, will loose their way, and search it out in easier ways of coping, including drugs and alcohol. The Bible says, “Spare the rod and spoil the child.” That does not always mean a physical stick to hit the child, but does infer that discipline must prevail when raising children. I raised four kids up and it was the hardest thing I ever did. But their success as professional people even exceeding my wife and mine is truly the crowning aspect of my life’s work. I work in a jail and I see it every day. There is the story of a nicely intentioned man visiting China, who while walking alone and came upon a mulberry tree. It was filled with hundreds, even thousands of cocoons. As he watched one butterfly struggle to get out of its cocoon and he was so distressed that it had to struggle so much. However, it finally emerged and spread its wings and flew off, a brilliant shiny winged creature. He got a wonderful idea. He would help these creatures emerge easier and cause them not to have to struggle so much. At least the ones near the bottom of the tree where he could reach. As each new butterfly, slowly broke through its cocoon he took a small sharp knife he carried and easily split the cocoon so that it would allow the butterfly to emerge without a struggle. As he ran around the tree cutting the cocoons on the lowest branches, he was met by his friend, who was a native of this area. The man ran up to him and said, "What are you doing...?" "I am freeing these butterfly so they can get out easier and faster." "Ohhhhhhh!" said the native who knew that these people came to China and always wanted to make things easier for the people too. "Look around you and see what you have done," He told the visitor. Not one of the freed butterflies was flying. However, all that were freed from their cocoons fell to the ground and were struggling with the dirt that began to cover their wet bodies. Not one of them had spread their wings. Nevertheless, another butterfly struggled out of its cocoon in the slightly higher branches and open its beautiful wings to fly off easily. Then the native told the sophisticated visitor. The struggle enables the fluid in the butterfly's body to be squeezed into the veins in its wings, which allows it to spread these wings and fly as it was meant too. Look, all of the ones you have "helped" are dying in the sand unable to fly. The moral is that struggle, and hardship are a part of life. Life is a journey. The destination is not as important as the journey is. If we do not struggle, we are not as well prepared to remain persistent and strive to meet our dreams. If pampered our dreams will seem too hard and will be abandoned, and we will die struggling in the dirt. It is not intelligence, it is not privilege, it is not desire that brings us to the completion of our dreams by life's end, it is persistence. “Perspiration not inspiration” is the key. Stop trying this story of your son and his friend on this and other medium. Let it happen to them and support the authorities whether they are right or wrong in your view. Everything is not always fair in the real world. The lesson this will teach your son will be far more important to his development then if you win this and make his struggle easier now. Personally, I believe that her peers and administrators should support the teacher or there will be chaos in the school. The sacrifice of your child’s and your pride is a small price to pay in order for the rest of the children to know this kind of mocking, belittling behavior will not be tolerated. Finally, what would you do if this same educator went behind your child’s back and make the finger circling her temple sign of him being crazy while he was not looking. If he eventually heard the other children laughing, and making fun of him, and he finally saw what she was doing, and reported it to you. Would you not want to run into the school administrator and say that was so unprofessional, I think she should be relieved of her position, and you would probably be right, but so is she, even though he is a child. That behavior should never be tolerated. My daughter is currently an assistant principal in an inner city middle school out west. Before that, she was Dean of Discipline. Trust me she also feels that the teacher and school board are right in this case, and I support her too.

Answer 9

What do expect when the US government plays God by killing POOR murderers and not the rich ones.
Also, justice has a harsh arm these days in the land of NO FORGIVENESS
embitterment and harsh apathy.
Dont you agree?
Pray.