Suspended from school

Today my 11 year old son got suspended from school for 2 days because while walking to school he found a pocket knife in the grass and showed a group of his friends once he got to school. While I understand the need for zero tolerance for weapons at school, it makes me sad that it has to be like this. I miss how it used to be back when I was growing up. Carrying a pocket knife back then was a coming of age thing for boys. Now it's a major big deal and it goes on his permanent school record. I remember when he was in kindergarten they had show and tell and he took this play gun he got for Christmas and the next thing I know the principal is calling me at work as if it was a life threatening situation. He was 5. He wasnt looking at it as a weapon, he just wanted to show off the cool thing he got for xmas. Sad that it has to be this way now.

While I think I get your point, it is sad that times have changed so much, I think we have a responsibility as parents to talk to our kids about these things. My daughter would never pick up a knife or anything else off of the ground, though if an adult was in proximity she would let them know it was there. Maybe they wouldn't hurt someone with it but another student could take it or there could be an accident, any scenario could be plausible. You have to educate them about safety and explain why these kinds of rules are in place. It would be nice if the world were a clean safe place, where you could trust everyone, but you can't and it isn't. I hope you explained to him why what happened, happened.

I agree, Bob. I just think it's sad that times have got so bad that we have to have such a thing like this in place.

Yes, I did, Beautiful Chaos.

Yes, it is the same child who accidently burned our house down. He knew then that playing with fire, matches, etc was wrong and life threatening. Just as he knows that he should not be picking up other peoples things whether he "found" it or not. I raise my child alone and cant be there for every situation he might come across. I teach him right from wrong and hope that when he is away from me that he takes those teachings with him. That is not always the case though. He is ADHD and I keep him involved in sports and afterschool activities to help teach him self disclipline. I put him in counseling when he set a fire work off in the house. I am actively involved with his education and speak with the school regularly to see how he is doing and if there are any problem areas. I just cant seem to get him to control his initial impulses or him to understand the severity of what some of his actions can be. I dont know what I am doing wrong. The counselor and ADHD specialist say that it is a symptom of his ADHD that he has no impulse control. I say that is crap. There was no such thing as ADHD or meds for it years ago, and kids were taught to control themselves or suffer the consequences.

^ I agree Amanda. That was actually going to be my point in posting an answer.

I remember when I was little & my parents would remind me to never pick up anything off the street, like dead animals, needles & pocket knives. And I wouldn't. I did once find a pocket knife myself AT school, not on my way, so I did pick it up (with sleeves, lol) & took it into the office to give to a teacher because I knew what my parents had told me about them & what some kid might get the idea to do. Even though I wanted to keep it I took it in anyways, rather safe than sorry. I told my parents when I got home. Whatever happened to such great advice?

At least nothing happened, thank God! I agree with a zero tolerance for weapons in school, naturally, & think it was fair of them to suspend your son; NOT as a punishment but as a lesson for him to learn for the future. I understand what you're saying about it being sad that it has now had to be introduced as a rule, I for one have always figured that it was just common sense. Sadly though our children are being mislead. The rule is now there for a clear purpose & is fair.

When my friend was 13 a similar thing hapened to her. She found a pocket knife in the grass on the school field. She picke it up and put it in her locker. It was there for a few weeks until her friend looked in her locker when she opened it and saw it. Then she told the principal and my friend got expelled from our Jr.High and put into an alternative school across town.

I agree there should eb a zero tolerance, but come on...expelling her without even giving her a warnng or even talking to her abut it and giving her a chance. I think that is going a little too far.

Many pissed off parents like you Vs one or two injuries/fatalities.

Which one would you choose.

"I agree there should eb a zero tolerance, but come on...expelling her without even giving her a warnng or even talking to her abut it and giving her a chance. I think that is going a little too far."

What was the point of taking it and putting it in her locker? 2 weeks of chances to turn it in to someone, but she just let it sit there. Actions have consequences.

^^Many pissed off parents like you Vs one or two injuries/fatalities.

I am not a pissed off parent. I dont feel like I came off like that at all in any part of my post. I even said that I agree with zero tolerance for weapons in schools. I agree with the suspension and that my son was in the wrong. I was just wishing back to a time when things werent like that, like when I was a kid in the 70's. I do not disagree with the schools decision to suspend my son for 2 days. If you read my original post, I state that while I agree with it, I wish that we didnt live in a time where it is like that.

I so agree with you. I find it so sad being young and growing up in a society where all i can experience is the stories of a basically violence free era in schools.

i go to a great school now and am doing grade 12 but in my previous school there were cases of grade 5's bringing knives and various other weapons to school. unlike your son who found the knife so didn't actually have violent intentions at my old school there were for ever really seriously fights that really didn't have the best endings.

the school also had a huge drug problem. at the end of my grade 7 year out of over 100 students less than 20 were left due to the amount that had been expelled. it was so sad, those were my friends who began their downward spiral in life at such a young age.

when my school finally began realizing that there was a serious problem they became slightly stricter (though it didn't last) a guy came 2 school high and stabbed his best friend in the head with scissors. I hated everyday being in that school, was so depressed and walking home each day from school was the worst.

so i really do find it tragic how the youth of today have 2 suffer because of others.