Zero Tolerance = Zero Commonn Sense

Words fail me...

Three Virginia Beach seventh graders learned their fates Tuesday morning when they were suspended for shooting airsoft guns on private property.

Got that? Private friggin' property! What business is it of the school district's concerning acts that take place on private property?

During a hearing with a disciplinary committee Tuesday morning, Aidan Clark, Khalid Caraballo and a third friend were given long-term suspensions in a unanimous vote. The suspensions will last until June, but a hearing will be held January 27 to determine if they will be allowed back in school sooner.

Like thousands of others in Hampton Roads, Caraballo and Clark play with airsoft guns. The boys were suspended because they shot two other friends who were with them while playing with the guns as they waited for the school bus September 12.

The two seventh graders say they never went to the bus stop with the guns; they fired the airsoft guns while on Caraballo's private property.

The bus stop in question is 70 yards from the Caraballo's front yard.

"We see the bus come. We put the gun down. We did not take the airsoft gun to the bus stop. We did not take the gun to school," Khalid explained.

Police are not charging anyone in this case. They would not discuss the specifics of their investigation because the people involved are juveniles.

Khalid said he's concerned for his future with the suspension on his school record.

"It's terrible. I won't get the chance to go to a good college.  It's on your school record. The school said I had possession of a firearm. They aren't going to ask me any questions. They are going to think it was a real gun, and I was trying to hurt someone.  They will say 'oh, we can't accept you.' "

Virginia Beach School Board Chairman Daniel Edwards attached a letter defending the school's disciplinary actions against the boys: "Yet somehow student safety has taken a back seat in the intense media coverage of this case. This is not an example of a public educator overreaching. This was not zero tolerance at all. This was a measured response to a threat to student safety."

Oh please! A threat to student safety?!? From an AIRSOFT gun!?! GMAFB!!! If the police aren't concerned about it, why is the school?

And since when does the school board oversee student behavior on private property. If one of those kids smooched a girl in his back yard would the school district charge him with sexual harassment? Where do they draw the line? When does this nonsense stop?

There are, of course, two sides to every story. The full article goes on to make some points that at least partially run counter to the above comments. But when you boil it all down, three kids received excessively harsh punishment from the school district for minor mischief that took place on private property.

Should the kids get 'counseled'? Sure.

Should they be suspended? Hell no.

I've said it before, and I'll probably still be saying it as I'm lowered into my grave:

There is nothing so uncommon as common sense.