After hearing about the case of the six year old that was labeled a threat and suspended from school for having his boyscout utensil with him, almost immediately there is another case of zero-tolerance policies not working.

An Eagle Scout, Matthew Whalen of Troy, New York was suspended for 20 days for keeping a 2-inch pocketknife inside a survival kit in his vehicle. He said that he turned the knife in to an administrator after another student told school officials about the knife.

A hearing by the school board will be held on his case but it is doubtful that his sentence will be lifted. This is a problem for Matthew, as missing so many days of school presents problems for his chances of attending West Point.

This time, a zero-tolerance policy could possibly ruin career opportunities for this guy. A policy is not constructive if it ruins the lives of law abiding people, and it cannot be acceptable. Zero-tolerance policies are promoting a one size fits all policy which does not work. Cases should be judged on a case by case basis.

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Tags: eagle scout, education, knife, policy, school, zero-tolerance

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Posted in Education Issues The News by Stephen No Comments Yet