One of my fondest High School memories is the time I won the "Student of the Month" award but was unable to pick up the certificate in person because I was suspended at the time. I had some far-left ex-hippie whacko as a Lit. teacher that year, and we got into an unholy screaming match at each other -- I got a three-day vacation and wasn't there the day they announced the award over the schoolwide intercom. This was the first time in the school's 35-year history that this situation had come up.

As far as I know, I'm still the only student in the history of that school to hold this particular record.

Public high school is pretty much jail for kids. That's why I'm all for private and charter schools; hell, even home-schooling is preferable in many school districts.

I'm leaning toward the kid on this one, but without knowing more detail about what transpired, I dunno. Kid coulda gotten crazy, teacher could have been a huge asshole.. (which to me would justify some crazy).

The biggest problem with "zero-tolerance" rules (which is what the cell-phone rule sounds like) is that teachers and administrators don't have to think. There are never any extenuating circumstances, you just follow the rules.

Mom calling from Iraq obviously should be an acceptable extenuating circumstance.

If it was Pat O'Brian though, you should probably just let that go to voice mail.

One day in high school, some friends and I were playing "Magic: the Gathering" in the cafeteria during lunch.

I'll take a moment for you to stop laughing at me.

Anyway, we were using pennies for counters during the game. This attracted the attention of a teacher, who warned us that gambling was not permitted in school. We tried to explain that the pennies were used for their small size and convenience, not their monetary value. We also showed her the cards, explaining that gambling wouldn't even be possible with them. Alas, to no avail: she ordered us to put it away.

Instead, we pretended to keep playing. The teacher came back and threatened detention if we didn't put the cards away. As we did, my friend triumphantly demanded $5 from me. I turned to the teacher and explained, "I bet that you wouldn't again be stupid enough to interrupt something you didn't understand."

Man, did I deserve that detention.

I should read more carefully. Article says kid used profanity after he was taken to the office. Zero-tolerance bs.

sorry about the loose shit.

I like this:

"Kevin got defiant and disorderly," Parham said. "When a kid becomes out of control like that they can either be arrested or suspended for 10 days. Now being that his mother is in Iraq, we're not trying to cause her any undue hardship; he was suspended for 10 days."

Wow. You didn't want to cause Mom any undue hardship, so you only suspend her son for two weeks? You big ol' softie, you.

If I was on the phone with my mom in Iraq, and they decided to take me to to office because I refused to hang up when I was told to by a teacher - I would do ALLOT more than use profanity on my way to the office.

I would make a point of bringing all my friends and all their friends with me, and tell the principal or whatever (DEAN?) where he can shove his rules.

I would also inform him that before he gets himself in the national press for being a HUGE asshole he should re-think fucking with a military kid talking to his military mom in a military town.

These kids should be in class, not on their cell phones. Don't they know there's a war on?!

I would venture to say that if we could have seen video of this transpire like an episode of cops, opinions may be a little different. Ironically, I think in theory the Army would support the school with all that Superior and Subordinate foolishness they have going on in that little organization.

Woo hoo! My hometown made Ace's blog!!

Uh, wait: This is a bad thing.

Cell phones are allowed on campus but may not be used during school hours.



Would someone please explain to these education majors what a cell phone's function is? If they don't want kids using them during school hours, then you ban them from the freakn' school. If you say that the kids can carry them, then they will most likely use them. If you think it's a good idea to let them have for "emergency" purposes, then I would classify a call from your mother, half a world away for a year as an "emergency" call.

From Michelle Malkin's website (the part where they wouldn't let the kid answer the phone when his mother called back may be relevant to his later use of language--it would have been for me!):

"More school follies:

Kevin Francois gave up his lunch break to talk to his mother, but it ended up costing him the rest of the school year.
Francois, a junior at Spencer High School in Columbus, [Ga.], was suspended for disorderly conduct Wednesday after he was told to give up his cell phone at lunch while talking to his mother who is deployed in Iraq, he said.

His mother, Sgt. 1st Class Monique Bates, left in January for a one-year tour and serves with the 203rd Forward Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division. "This is our first time separated like this," said Francois, 17, on Thursday.

When a teacher tried to grab the boy's phone, the call was disconnected. School staff wouldn't let the student answer the phone when the mom tried to call back. He cursed and was disciplined for his disorderly behavior. The boy acknowledges his reaction was wrong.

The administration's response:

"They are really allowed to have those cell phones so that after band or after chorus or after the debate and practices are over they have to coordinate with the parents," said Alfred Parham, assistant principal at Spencer. "They're not supposed to use them for conversating back and forth during school because if they were allowed to do that, they could be text messaging each other for test questions."
Francois said he told the teacher, "This is my mom in Iraq. I'm not about to hang up on my mom."

Smoother "conversating" between the student and administration might have led to a better resolution."

Another case where the morons with matchbox U Masters Degrees lack any fucking common sense. Especially over "zero tolerance" policies.

My nephew just got gigged on similar stupidity. Borrowed his Dad's 2nd car to go to HS while his truck was in the shop , didn't know Dad left two bottles of wine in the back of the car. School security peering into cars in the senior's parking lot found it. Kid was suspended for 10 days despite Dad saying in a formal letter he had left the wine in the car to drop off at a friends place later that day. Also mandated the nephew get 2 days of alchohol and drug counseling at a State class at the cost of 200 bucks. Dad responded with a personal lawsuit against the school administration charging them with anti-Native American bias. (He's 1/4 NA). The school Administration shit. Even more when he said he would happily have his kid do the suspension and do the drug & alcohol rehab as his lawsuit charging systemic racial bias against 3 school administrators went on in Federal Court. Their latest offer is an apology and complete expungement of the incident from my nephews record it he drops the lawsuit...but he is proceeding, and his lawyer just sued to get all state school system disciplinary proceedings for discovery of alcohol in cars on student grounds for the past 5 years, inc. dismissals, to obtain evidence of disparate "racial or gender" treatment. The lawyer is happy with the case - he thinks he may get a fat contingency fee.....

Now, the lawsuit is pure vindictive retaliation after the Administrators blew off my Bro in Law's talking to them taking the blame in favor of screwing my nephew...but Sometimes 2 wrongs do make a right...

I'd like to drag Alfred Parham out to Sand Hill,over at my old alma mater, Mrs. Benning's School For Wayward Boys, and kick his brain damaged ass off the tower.

He doesn't get a safety line.

Hey Branford--

Is that a old and beautiful college in Connecticut? With a big tower?

Please note that the Asst. Principal did state the purpose of cell phones at school. "They are really allowed to have those cell phones so that after band or after chorus or after the debate and practices are over they have to coordinate with the parents," said Alfred Parham, assistant principal at Spencer.

In other words, the cell phone allows you to coordinate with your parents unless the parent is engaged in something trivial - such as a war.

I also cannot believe the Asst. Principal said that the phones were not for "conversating." That's right, don't want anyone to miss out on the great education being delivered in this school. I think the Mark Twain quote is, "First God made idiots. That was for practice. Then he made school boards."

lol! I think elliott's 'school' is right outside Columbus, GA.

Benning School For Boys, Class of '99. 11B OSUT and jump school.

Now in the old days, you could also get jump-qualified in England ('42-45), Japan ('45-51), Bragg (until the early '80's, I think, they still do Jumpmaster and jump refresher for guys like me who have been off status for a zillion years before going to the Eighty-Douchebags), or at Campbell in the 50's and 60's.

According to the White House, Alfred Parham is claiming a non-taxable income for Child Support Records. After this, I would assume that Alfred Parham will reclaim his statement, because everyone can see that he has a State income.

Like i have been saying at other sites, teachers today are much worse then they were 10/20 years ago. its different now. they dont care for our children. they have no compassion in teaching our children the difference between right and wrong. The teen was OUTSIDE on HIS LUNCH BREAK. When i was growing up i asked to use the restroom. My teacher told me NO cause it was CLASS TIME. and i should have gone between classes or lunch. that is the students break from everything. if he choose to talk to his mother on the other side of the world. thats his business. I think the teacher was wrong for following him outside to tell him to get off the phone. Was he hurting anyone... NO.. Was it during CLASS... NO.. Was he bothering anyone or keeping them from learning.. NO.. So what the hell is the BIG DEAL. the teacher should have minded her own business. Damn the boy has already lost his father when he was 5 and now his mother is fighting for all of us and he cant even talk to her on HIS BREAK. thats messed up. Like i was saying things are different in school now. they have gotton out of control with their rules.. 10 years ago i walked into my science teahcers room and asked him to sign a note for me for my other teacher. he was rude and mean and embarrassed me infront of his class. after explaining myself to him infront of everyone he signed my note and as i walked out the door i worded the word asshole with my lips, never said it out loud. i got called into the principles office an hour or so later, he asked if i did it and i said YES. i wasnt going to lie. HE gave me a 3 day vacation. i told him that was UNFAIR cause i never said it to his face or out loud. he said it was still using profanity. and i told him if he suspended me for 3 days i would walk down to his classroom and say it to his face. then i was told if i did that i would be out 7 days. and i would fail for the year. well i wanted out of school fast ... so i bite my tongue and went on my way. i failed science my 4th semster. got A.s 1,2 and 3rd semster.. But an F 4th... i still passed ASSHOLE... But it was stupid.. teachers should show they care, greet with respect and treat people including students the way they would want to be treated. doesnt hurt to break a smile. even my son's teahcers are RUDE. i went to pick him up the otehr day and we knocked on his classroom door to get his folder and we opened it and i saw the look on her face. OMG she is a Bitch. she looked at my son and said "YES" ... is that how we teach our children to greet people? i would have said something but i was being an adult about it. when she handed him the folder back he said thank you .. and i told him that was very nice and he was very respectful. then she said "your welcome" like she reqally wanted to... no love, no caring.. nothing.. she could have cared less. its sad. its very sad. and i wish it wasnt a law to send my child there. cause i would pull him out in a heart beat. anyways i think the school needs to change to NO CELL PHONES ON SCHOOL PROPERTY. So that there is no further problems like this one.

Alfred Parham does not keep his word. Alfred Parham asked me for the child's social security card so that she could get her VA Benefit. The VA offices told me that Alfred Parham has it worded so that our daughter and his step-daughter live with him in Columbus, Georgia. The name of his step-daughter is the name of the same child whom he said that he did not appreciate the mother naming the child that name. This was while we lived as husband and wife in Ft. Ben., GA. All those nights, I use to cry silently because other husbands were home and to think he was with another woman. It was really sad when I was 9 months pregnant still looking for a job and Alfred never turned in my teaching application. That is, I had to complete another application and when I got to the top of the stairs, the secretary ran off (his new wife). There I was on a doctor's bed rest prescription and Alfred was making me go out to work, only to be degraded by the time I actually made it into the employment building.

I never made any comments about teachers and I don't like these basic grammar mistakes beside of my name. Please adjust.

According to the White House, Alfred Parham reported to the Courts a Non-Taxable Income.

According to the White House, Alfred Parham reported to the Courts a Non-Taxable Income.

Alfred Parham was not a Major either.