In particular, under the new code of conduct, consequences for school fights vary by the role of each student in the fight. Those who incite the fight face harsher penalties than those who only respond to it. But even those who respond still face some discipline, which in middle and high school can include one to three days of in-school suspension. By comparison, students who initiate or are mutual participants in a fight get a mandatory one day in-school suspension and could face up to five days.
via Revised Code Of Conduct Passed By Duval School Board Without Self-Defense Provision | WJCT NEWS.
A little background first. Initially the argument about this code of conduct was because one of those involved wanted no penalties for those who were the target of an attack and defended themselves. Now, since apparently Duval County School Supervisors are “sensitive” somebody immediately labeled self-defense with the “horrifying” moniker of Stand Your Ground sending people into paroxysms of fear, politically correctness and snuffing the basic concept of defending oneself.
And here is the final product before us. We have idiots complaining that the we Gun Nuts were blaming the victims of rape because we have the strange notion that one of the best methods out there to stop a rapist is the proper placement of bullets through their vital organs but yet, here we see that if a kid defends himself from a bully, he is as bad as his attacker and he will be punished.
I have to think that this kind of mentality at school, this idea that they have to be all equally victims and equally punished for actions that deviate from the mandated norm is nothing more than programming kids to be good little subservient individuals to grow up believing that the fundamental human right of defending life is but a mere privilege granted by the Government whenever it sees fit; it is nothing else but our old friend Monopoly on Killing.
And as an afterthought, raising and collecting a herd of kids, training them to be perfect little victims has to be tempting when one of the kids is not really material for victim but an innate predator who decides that killing them might be a darn a good idea.
This is nothing new unfortunately. It was standard policy when I was in Jr. High back in the 80’s that ALL participants in an altercation were punished no matter their role.
Yep, same in the ’60s when I was in high school. I was kicked out for a scuffle in my home room, but had a little respect from the bullies when I got back.
I’m OK with it, provided “all” are punished equally.
And there must be at least one Teacher or Administrator “involved,” since they were either supervising or (even worse) not supervising the students that fought.
That adult should also receive a suspension equal to that of the LEAST severely punished student. Without pay, of course.
That should help them see the wisdom of not punishing the victim.
Just another reason why my kid is going to a private school. Public schools are a complete and unfix-able mess.
Sometimes there is no cure of stupid.
“But Ms. Jones, he tried to give me a swirly, so I hit him.”
“What?”
“He grabbed me by the hair and tried to dunk me face first into a used toilet.”
“Johnny, violence is never acceptable, you just need to learn to hold your breath longer.”
I went through this when I was on the school board.
Interestingly enough, the ONLY person in the “Code of Conduct” committee who didn’t agree with me that a kid sometimes HAS to fight back to stay safe was the unmarried female principal with no kids who grew up as an only child. . .