Blindone's Blog

Have you seen the report in the news recently about the HS kids in Belleville who were expelled because of pictures that they posted on MySpace?

Unless there were details that were not released to the public; no threats to the school were made or inferred; yet the superintendent felt that it was necessary to take action against he students: because the schools handbook says that he can. HUH?! The pictures were taken off campus, not posted using school property and yet the super felt that he had the jurisdiction and authority to take action against these students.

The guns, "drugs' and money were assumed to be real (by the super). Because the handbook says that even if the students are caught with a "toy" gun resembling the real thing they can be expelled.

My take on this rule, is that if they are caught in the possession while on campus. Not in the private sector. As reported, this event did not occur on campus and as far as I’m concerned outside of any “authority” that the super has. In my opinion this is what I would call being a vigilante. And that is wrong.

Here’s the other side to this point: what would be the difference if my son showed similar pictures of he and his friends having an Air soft fight? Would they fall under the same vigilante justice? I can guarantee that he and his friends pose an awesome sight when they are all dressed up for battle. They take their fights quite seriously and enjoy a safe and eventful time. (of course I get stuck with plastic bb’s all over my yard)

You can bet that if such an event were to cross my path: them getting expelled for being in possession of something resembling a gun; that this school system would be encountering one very rabid father.

I wholly understand the need for vigilance when it comes to the threat of gun violence in the school arena (and outside of that for that matter). But lets get focused here, a school superintendent does not have the authority to make law based judgment calls outside of the school system. That is why we have police and a proper justice system.

If a threat was made against the school then fine, otherwise the police should shoulder the responsibility of handling the investigation and prosecution; not the school system.