Should my DS be suspended?

On Friday on the way to school, my DS (5th grader) and his best friend got into a fight. DS pushed the other child and the other child punched my DS 3 times-including the eye that he injured a few weeks ago. This happened at least 5 blocks from the school. When my DS arrived at school his teacher saw his swollen eye and sent him to the school nurse for ice. It was there where he told them what happened. I got a call in the AFTERNOON about what happened and was told that both the kids involved were to be suspended for one day (Monday) because the school has a no tolerance policy. I was under the impression from the asst principal that this happened on school grounds at a later time and didnt question the suspension. On the way home my DS and this child patched things up and are back to being "best friends". When my DS came home he told me the entire story including the fact that it happened in the am, before school started and 5 blocks from school. When I called back the school both the principal and asst principal were gone for the weekend already! He also said the asst principal made him feel like a "criminal" (his words) and kept on interrogating him because she said she believed he punched the child as well even though both DS and the other child both said that my DS only pushed-never punched. (not that that is any better but still was less violent and the other child was not injured) My DS couldnt sleep at all on Friday night because he was still upset by the way the asst principal treated him!

Do you think I should contest the suspension? My DS does have learning disability and any time he misses just puts him back. I wouldnt have a problem with it if it happened on school grounds.

your child started the fight, so if your school has a zero tolerance for that sort of thing he should be suspended. A child tried to start a fight with my son when he was younger by taunting him. Even though it was not on school grounds, the principal told me that every student has the right to come to school in peace, and the boy that instigated (if the fight had indeed happened) would be the one to be suspened. If you boy was not pushing the other the fight would have never happened.

I don't see how they can do this if it wasn't on school grounds. I would call and find out. Not sure how you can contest it if he is too be on suspension Monday. Unless you get a hold of someone before school starts and they let him come on or they just remove it from his record.

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Originally Posted by cathych

your child started the fight, so if your school has a zero tolerance for that sort of thing he should be suspended. A child tried to start a fight with my son when he was younger by taunting him. Even though it was not on school grounds, the principal told me that every student has the right to come to school in peace, and the boy that instigated (if the fight had indeed happened) would be the one to be suspened. If you boy was not pushing the other the fight would have never happened.

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I understand the zero tolerance on school ground but how can they make it stick if it didn't happen on the grounds? So if something happens on a week end then the school can also do something about it?

On what grounds could you appeal? Your ds admitted he started the fight. be grateful that hopefully he learned his lesson & this is a one time thing.

Ok just supposing that the school argeed with you & recinded the suspension, do you not realize that the parents of the other boy could go to the police & press assult charges against your ds.

I would be grateful that all he received was a 1 day suspension from school. Yes i do realize that "boys will be boys" but your ds started the fight when he put his hands on the other kid.

In our district a child can be suspended if they are causing trouble during school hours, to or from school. it does not matter if they are on school property or not. Kids get into fights all the time at bus stops and those are school property.

If my kids started a fight with another child, being suspended from school would be the least of their worries.

Yes - I believe both should accept the one day suspension. The zero tolerance policy extends to off site because the children were enroute to school. It would also apply if they had been on their way home.
Learning disability or not, the children need to learn that that sort of behavior, however innocent, is not acceptable.

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Originally Posted by buttrfli

In our district a child can be suspended if they are causing trouble during school hours, to or from school. it does not matter if they are on school property or not. Kids get into fights all the time at bus stops and those are school property.

If my kids started a fight with another child, being suspended from school would be the least of their worries.

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Yes, I agree. I know you son regrets his actions and this will hopefully be a learning experience so that he doesn't do it again. I realize that one day missing school might hurt him, but not as much as thinking he can get away with fighting.

I have to agree with most that posted above. And I would hope that on your son's day of suspension he is punished at home as well. I understand that he came out on the losing end of the fight, but he did start it and hopefully in the future he will remember what happened last time and he'll think twice before putting his hands on someone else.

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Originally Posted by vicky122

but how can they make it stick if it didn't happen on the grounds

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I'm not sure about other places, but where I live, the school conduct book states that the schools are responsible for the children from the time they leave home until they get to the school and the same for on the way home, I had to deal with it myself when my son got jumped by five others a couple of years ago.

I wish our school had the same policy. I had to take my son off the bus because he was being teased and hit (once) and since it was more than 10 feet from the bus stop, the school wouldn't do anything.