wow.... if u take out Josh's name and put mine (i dont wanna give it out really)

it is the same exact story with the exception of he took his life. :(.
I had a brother and sister go to college and that is my #1 goal once im out of high school.
This story saddens me so much, I agree with everything Josh's mom says. Publicly the S.B should get blown up? i think so...


After hearing that story does anyone think FCPS did not play a rather large role in determining this kids fate? geeze..

These ruthless and sadistic FCPS Hearing Officers are truly a despicale lot. Bunch of Goddamn Gestapo thugs.

What an enormously sad story! Sounds like this kid needed some help---maybe not a lot---maybe just some counseling.... Sounds like FCPS felt a really hard line must be taken---and, sometimes that's right. But there has to be some intelligence and judgment! Not all kids are the same! Very sad!

Sad scarcely begins to describe this wholly avoidable tragedy.

Dart Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sad scarcely begins to describe this wholly
> avoidable tragedy.

This is the saddest thing. My heart aches for the pain this kid went through and the pain his parents are feeling now. I hope and pray that someone learns something from this tragedy.

Sorrowful ending that could have been avoided if FCPS did the right thing.

They failed to do their job, therefore a kid dies.

How did FCPS fail to do their job? Smoking dope is illegal...maybe it shouldn't be, but it currently is. I don't think FCPS has the authority to legalize pot even if they wanted to.

If I've learned anything about kids, it's that threats and warnings are meaningless. If you tell them that x will happen if they do y, then x HAS to happen when they do y! Otherwise, they laugh at you and brag to their friends that they "got over".

This kid gets caught with pot at one school and gets another chance at another school and what's he do? He gets caught again! Then he kills himself so he doesn't have to go to Mountain View....too fucking bad.

The old saying, IF YOU CAN'T DO THE TIME, DON'T DO THE CRIME! has never been more true.

Sounds like he made his choices and created his own consequences.

Why did he continue to use marijuana? Why did he steal food from the cafeteria (FCPS lost over $5 million due to food theft last year)? Could he not afford to pay for a meal? Or did he feel rules do not apply to him?

Suicide is a wonderful thing, and I highly recommend it!

Just think if Charles Manson, Ted Bundy, the Tech shooter and millions of others had offed themselves in their teens? A LOT of other lives would have been saved!

Tragedy in FCPS Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Dart Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Sad scarcely begins to describe this wholly
> > avoidable tragedy.
>
> This is the saddest thing. My heart aches for the
> pain this kid went through and the pain his
> parents are feeling now. I hope and pray that
> someone learns something from this tragedy.
>
> Sorrowful ending that could have been avoided if
> FCPS did the right thing.
>
> They failed to do their job, therefore a kid dies.

Very easy to blame the schools, but:
1.student and parents know the rules , no secret clauses or regs.
2. student breaks rules and gets caught.
3. student gets adminstratively placed and staff at new school make sure he gets fresh start and feels welcome
4. student apparently not very impressed by first set of consequences and disappointment he has delivered to his parents decides to resume old habits and gets caught
5.Student unfortunately is unable to take personal responsibility

The interesting part is that even after the second incident the student would have still been able to stay in the school system (no one gets permanently expelled in Fairfax, very popular myth though), particullarly for a minor drug offense.
So how is the school system responsible?

What was the alternate course of action FCPS could have taken?

Suicide is a wonderful thing, and I highly recommend it!

Just think if Al Gore, and Bill Clinton had offed themselves in their teens! They are both admitted pot users just like the teen!!!

Sounds like the Nazi Hearings Officers hounded this kid ruthlessly foor minor offenses.

Why did he continue to use marijuana? (like Al Gore and Bill Clinton did in their youth) Why did he (gasp!) steal food from the cafeteria Gasp (FCPS lost over $5 million due to food theft last year-let's expel them all including the teachers who steal food)? Could they all not afford to pay for a meal? Or did they feel rules do not apply to him?

T FCPS Nazis did their job as Hitler and Himmler would have approved. Smoking dope is illega and Al Gore and Bill Clinton both did it...maybe it shouldn't be, but it currently is. I don't think FCPS has the ability to exercise common decency even if they wanted to.

If I've learned anything about FCPS Nazis, it's that threats and warnings are meaningless. If you tell them that x will happen if they do y, then x HAS to happen when they do y! Otherwise, they laugh at you and brag to their friends that they "got anther one".

These Nazis catch a kid with pot at one school and brutalize him and he gets caught again at another school and what do they do? Ruthlessly brutalize him again! Then he kills himself because these gutless nazi bullies emotinally destroy him again....they are putird scum.

The old saying, FCPS HEARINS OFFICERS ARE FILTHY NAZI BULLYING TERRORIZING SCUM has never been more true!

Very easy to blame the kid, but:
1. Al Gore and Bill Clinton both used pot as teens
2. 35% of Fairfax High School Seniors admitt to using pot.
3. Some Fairfax County Principals used Pot as teens
4. FBI had to drop pot use as an employment screen because soo many applicants ADMITTED too using pot as teens
5.Yet Nazi FCPS Hearin Officers are is unable to take personal responsibility for their brutal Gestapo tactics

If a kid is caught with drugs or alcohol, they should have to spend more time at school, not less. Make them do community service hours. It seems counterintuitive to take them out of school and kick them off a sports team when these are two activities that will keep them off the street and may provide discipline that they don't get at home.

Gore and Clinton used marijuana, so it must be fine. FCPS should never expect students to pay for food. Taxpayers can pay for all the food.

In fact, let's not require FCPS to enforce any rules or laws. Students should do whatever they feel like doing. It helps them become future leaders of our country.

oaktonmom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If a kid is caught with drugs or alcohol, they
> should have to spend more time at school, not
> less. Make them do community service hours. It
> seems counterintuitive to take them out of school
> and kick them off a sports team when these are two
> activities that will keep them off the street and
> may provide discipline that they don't get at
> home.


EXACTLy, instead of pulling them away from everything and everyone they know put them on drug tests and community service.

imitation of life Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Gore and Clinton used marijuana, so it must be
> fine. FCPS should never expect students to pay
> for food. Taxpayers can pay for all the food.
>
> In fact, let's not require FCPS to enforce any
> rules or laws. Students should do whatever they
> feel like doing. It helps them become future
> leaders of our country.


you are an idiot. discipline for stealing food, discipline for smoking marijuana/possession on school grounds. but don't rip them from their surroundings and life as they know it.

Gore and Clinton used marijuana so it must mean using pot demands the death penalty. FCPS should expect students to pay for food and impose the death penalty for swiping a banana. Taxpayers can pay for all the trial and execution costs.


In fact, let's require FCPS to impose the death penalty for any and all infractions. FCPS adminisrators should continue to terrorize and brutalize students like the Gestapo terrorized and brutalized Jews. It helps them become current leaders of our country.

imitatioon of life Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Gore and Clinton used marijuana so it must mean
> using pot demands the death penalty. FCPS should
> expect students to pay for food and impose the
> death penalty for swiping a banana. Taxpayers can
> pay for all the trial and execution costs.
>
>
> In fact, let's require FCPS to impose the death
> penalty for any and all infractions. FCPS
> adminisrators should continue to terrorize and
> brutalize students like the Gestapo terrorized and
> brutalized Jews. It helps them become current
> leaders of our country.


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."
Attachments:

meloyomamma

Gravis wrote:

Gore and Clinton used marijuana so it must mean
> using pot demands the death penalty. FCPS should
> expect students to pay for food and impose the
> death penalty for swiping a banana. Taxpayers can
> pay for all the trial and execution costs.
>
>
> In fact, let's require FCPS to impose the death
> penalty for any and all infractions. FCPS
> adminisrators should continue to terrorize and
> brutalize students like the Gestapo terrorized and
> brutalized Jews. It helps them become current
> leaders of our country.

Melodramatic

_________________________________


Calling that that melodramatic is melodramatic.

I love it when we bring in the cats.

is this even a true story?

there does not appear to be any news report about this alleged suicide???

The Connection newspaper ran an article, but it doesn't say much:

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=327011&paper=71&cat=105

prob cuz hes a minor? just a thought

Thomas More Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> WingNut Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> You're not just wrong, you're an idiot.
>
> This kid was happy, popular and highly regarded by
> college coaches.
>
> His fall into hopelessness was sudden, unexpected
> and entirely avoidable had the vice principal been
> more interested in helping him make good choices
> instead of destroying kids.
>
> I've dealt with this assistant principal for 6
> years. He has no business around high school
> kids. The sooner he leaves education the better
> off our nations youth will be.


Arrington or Harrington, something like that. He may be facing some corrective action, up to and including termination.

Tragedy in FCPS Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Dart Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Sad scarcely begins to describe this wholly
> > avoidable tragedy.
>
> This is the saddest thing. My heart aches for the
> pain this kid went through and the pain his
> parents are feeling now. I hope and pray that
> someone learns something from this tragedy.
>
> Sorrowful ending that could have been avoided if
> FCPS did the right thing.
>
> They failed to do their job, therefore a kid dies.

All of the FCPS staff who had anything to do with this kids death need to be dismissed ASAP. This includes Dale and the school board.

How do they sleep at night when they know that they failed to do their job.

First, my heart goes out to those parents.
Second, when my student was busted, they had gone off campus to smoke and was found with just an empty baggie. The policeman that I spoke with said that he would have just given my son a stong lecture and a slap on the hand if it were up to him. It was the FCPS' rules that made the punishment so strong. We didn't push back because we felt it would be worse for my son if we did. In hind sight, I wish that we had fought back with everything we had and even now wish that there were some way, we as parents could join together and find a way to get out kids thru this mess.

Luckily for us, my student got his s...tuff together and graduated from one of the alternative high schools. His buddy was transfered to Herndon. Like I said, we're lucky... I got to go to his high school and college graduation. My prayers are for Josh's family.

I think the guy you mean is Tim Arrington @ 703 715 4514...

Been there Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The policeman that I spoke with
> said that he would have just given my son a stong
> lecture and a slap on the hand if it were up to
> him. It was the FCPS' rules that made the
> punishment so strong. We didn't push back because
> we felt it would be worse for my son if we did.
> In hind sight, I wish that we had fought back with
> everything we had and even now wish that there
> were some way, we as parents could join together
> and find a way to get out kids thru this mess.
>
> Your hesitation and reluctance to "fight" the tyranny of FCPS is what keeps them going. many parents say they fear retaliation toward their kids if they speak up or even criticize this school district.

The sooner that parents realize that FCPS uses these scare tactics and intimidation should make us all angry.

We must stand up for this child-there will be other deaths if we continue to let these people to destroy our children emotionally.

Look for an article in The Washington Post in the next few days talking about Josh's death and the senseless policies of zero tolerance. Let's shine a spotlight on Jack Dale and Eileen Grattan and make them explain their role in this avoidable tragedy.

I betcha a zillion trillion dollars that those bullying hardass Hearings Officers will act like little whipped puppies if indeed, they are interviewed by the Post. Goddamn cowards.

Why blame it on FCPS? Obviously the answer lies at the source, and the source would be White people. Yes, white people who are commissioned and governing the state of virginia and FCPS are in charge of these kinds of proclamations.

White people no longer care, why? Because, there's people out there sharing the same air with them and are supposedly considered to be their equal. Have you guessed it yet? Yes, minorities. How shameful you whites set an establishment up to ensnare minorities, and in doing so, you ensnare your own. So sad, so sad.

tubby Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> How did FCPS fail to do their job? Smoking dope
> is illegal...maybe it shouldn't be, but it
> currently is. I don't think FCPS has the
> authority to legalize pot even if they wanted to.

Please point to the poster that suggested that FCPS legalize pot-or is this your hairbrained idea?

>
> If I've learned anything about kids, it's that
> threats and warnings are meaningless. If you tell
> them that x will happen if they do y, then x HAS
> to happen when they do y! Otherwise, they laugh
> at you and brag to their friends that they "got
> over".

Do you have kids? I doubt it. You sound like a bitter childless teacher or ex-teacher. Most kids do respond to discipline and consequences but they must not be arbitrary and capricious (a practice FCPS uses daily). Most civilized people, including child psychologists will tell you that suspensions and expulsions are meaningless and accomplish NOTHING. They actually do more harm than good.
>
> This kid gets caught with pot at one school and
> gets another chance at another school and what's
> he do? He gets caught again!



30% of FCPS admit to pot use during high school years-lets throw them all out! And don't forget to drug test the staff and teachers while you're on your inquisition!!
Then he kills
> himself so he doesn't have to go to Mountain
> View....

It is unclear whether Mountain View was being offered. Josh might very well have been looking at NO SCHOOL and TOTAL seperation from his life.

too fucking bad.

Tubby-you better pray that you are perfect.

>
> The old saying, IF YOU CAN'T DO THE TIME, DON'T DO
> THE CRIME! has never been more true.

He was 16 for goodness sake. Are you an idiot?

Not all white people are to blame. Except this guy and his friends, of course.
Attachments:

It is hard to believe that one week ago, we buried our son. Although today ended up being a fairly warm and sunny day, it began cloudy, grey and raining. A week ago, we made the trip to the cemetery and it was bright and sunny. God must've known that my heart could not have handled a day like today.

I have posted more pictures of the burial service, as many of my family members who were not able to come have been reading this blog. I also posted two picture that were taken yesterday, when Gillian and my dear friend, Roxanne went to visit Josh. Rox bought this beautiful wind chime - especially for him.

I've had many random thought this week that I thought I would share. One night, there was a steady rain. As I opened the door to let the dogs out, I thought about where Josh's body was resting. We had decided to pay a bit more for a vault rather than a grave liner as it is supposed to be airtight and waterproof. As I looked at the steady rain that night, I just hoped that it was waterproof, just like was promised.

I have also thought about the items that we placed with him. He has his favorite slippers on, his infamous sunglasses, a baby quilt that I had made for him that he never wanted washed, a yellow lacrosse ball, and a football that his uncle has just bought for this very purpose. It is interesting that the kids had items of their own that they felt should be with him. At the viewing, I heard that one of his teammates had brought a football and had all the players sign in. It is this football that ultimately ended up with him. Josh loved sunflower seeds and so someone else had brought a small packet to give to him. He liked wearing hemp-type band around his neck or wrist, so I am told that this was put in the casket. And lastly, his best friend gave me a small picture of his baby girl, Giselle.

This week has also been one of necessary errands. I went to the funeral home on Friday to pick up the death certificates. One of many decisions that needed to be made the day after his death was how many certificates we needed. We were told that each one is an additional $12 so one should be sure to order enough but not too much. We ordered three - I think this will be enough. I had never seen one of these before; it was heartbreaking to read some of the facts.

Education: 10th
Marital Status: Never married (and never will be)
Last Occupation: Student
Kind of Business or Industry: High School
I was by myself and had a good cry.

I'll play with you for a bit..

Shouldn't it be the Chinese president who should be tugging on the White president and not the other way around?

Second of all, what has White people done for me?

you are not alone Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The sooner that parents realize that FCPS uses
> these scare tactics and intimidation should make
> us all angry.
>
> We must stand up for this child-there will be
> other deaths if we continue to let these people to
> destroy our children emotionally.
>
> Look for an article in The Washington Post in the
> next few days talking about Josh's death and the
> senseless policies of zero tolerance. Let's shine
> a spotlight on Jack Dale and Eileen Grattan and
> make them explain their role in this avoidable
> tragedy.

the media has a policy about not publishing suicides of people that arent already in the spotlight. this policy is for the sake of the family.


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

FCPS: It’s Illegal To Make Websites!
Posted in Internet, Real World

Yeah, yeah. I make websites. Once upon a time, I ran a huge network of over 50 proxy websites. They were cool and all, but eventually they absorbed a ton of server usage and, since there really wasn’t much of a ROI given that I couldn’t find an ad network that could fulfill the “should-be-doing-work-rather-than-browsing-blocked-websites” demographic, I wasn’t making sufficient money. The CTR with Adsense was hopeless, not to mention that each proxy, one by one, started getting blocked by the big guys. By ‘big guys’ I mean Websense and rest of the shit ton of “Network Security” softwares. So there really was no light at the end of the tunnel, and I shut them all down.

Anyways, just a few weeks ago, I made a new proxy. A private proxy, nothing of commercial value, but one that I, along with a small group of friends, would personally use. It was called “Afnani’s Moo Proxy”, and was located at robertafnani.com/moo/ (now offline, but if you really care you can check it out at robertafnani.com/mooold/).

Before long, a lot of people in my school, and even other schools in the area caught wind of it, and basically everyone at Langley HS started using it. How could I tell, you ask? Well, it’s kinda obvious with Awstats shows only a few unique IP addresses accessing the site, yet a shit ton of pageloads and gigabytes upon gigabytes of bandwidth usage. Great. I made a proxy on my domain name and now its the shit everyone’s talking about. I must be a badass now.



This is when everything starts to go raw. Just the other day, I was pulled into an administrator’s office (whose name shall be undisclosed), and slapped in the face with a possible suspension. I am accused of violating my rights as a student, and intentionally attempting to disturb the learning environment of students in my school.

I was accused of breaking the law. Of providing a means for students to do illegal activities in school. And I got all the blame. Supposedly, if students were reading instructions, and I quote, on “how to make a bomb”, I’m the one who should be facing criminal prosecution, as I’m the one who provided all the means for retrieving the information.

Of course, I tried to argue my way out of it. Proxies are perfectly legal to create. I can do whatever the hell I want outside of school, especially if it involves my job, which takes part mostly on the Internet.

Much to my dismay, however, apparently I have no rights at FCPS schools. I asked the administrator and the tech guy (who, if I may add, is a great guy, and not the one at fault here) to point out on the Student Network Access Agreement what policy/rule I violated. They refused to, because there was no law that made what I did ‘illegal’. I wasn’t hacking the network, I wasn’t dickin’ around with the hardware; I made a damn website, and no where on the entire agreement does it say anything about not being able to make websites outside of school.

Being the one with lower hand, I had to submit to their will, so as to not get into any more trouble. In the end, my computer account at school was banned, but the verbal abuse and harassment to me was worse. Hell, I was pulled out of class during my final exam for the first semester of Philosophy, so who knows what grade I’m going to be getting on that test. And I was facing a possible suspension from the school premises for doing this.

I’m the little man in this situation: my school thinks they have all the power in the world, and there’s nothing I can do about it. I am now forced to take all my proxies offline, otherwise I face “repeat network abuse” and will get in a LOT of trouble (recommendation for expulsion, anyone?).

Langley High School has no right to do this. Suppose “robertafnani.com” wasn’t the domain for this proxy. I’m damn sure the IT guys wouldn’t WHOIS the proxy and attempt to arrest/accuse the owner of commiting a crime. I feel as though I am discriminated against, and that my school’s actions against me were unjust. They’re abusing their power and if I can’t get any help from the press, then there’s no stopping this administration.

Worst part is that now I’m tagged as being a ‘computer hacker’ and a ‘potential threat’ to the school system. A mass email was sent out from the administrator who accused me of this to all the teachers, administrators, librarians, etc in the entire school, which basically says I’m a criminal and I need to be watched when getting within a 10-foot radius of a computer.

I find it unfair that Fairfax County Public Schools feels they can impose this kind of totalitarianism on me, I’m now a criminal for making proxies. For making a website. A legal website. On my private server. Outside of school. Great.

God help me.



Somebody help me sort thru all this crap. Are the FCPS administrators the bullies or the students????

it was David Goldberg

FCPS administrators are the bullies. contact all your newspapers (idk local papers around langley) and write editorials, get family members to write, blow up the fcps administrators for who they are. the 2nd letter of the alphabet itches

FCPS prohibits employees from soliciting money from their students for their personal benefit.....hmmmmmmmmm.....




TBP All-Star TEAM Camp and Individual Camp

July 29th to August 2nd, 2009

Longwood University, Farmville, VA.

COST: $415


This will be our 23rd year at Longwood. Teams from Oakton, Marshall, Lake Braddock, Dominion and Broad Run attended last year.

Other school in Northern Virginia may attend this year. We are able to accept a limited number (10) of Individual players - grades 8 through 12 that are not affiliated with the teams in attendance. They will compete in all individual activities including stations, factories, 10n 1, 3on 3 as well as drill work. During games they will be assigned to a team or if we have enough will play together in the three scheduled games each day. This is a very intense camp with over 10 hours on the court each day. It is only for the serious player.


$415 smackers!!!! Teams are attending from Oakton, Marshall, and Lake Braddock. This has been going on for years-and nobody in FCPS has stopped it.

Why?

Employees break the rules and Dale and School Board look the other way.

Students are held to a higher standard.

What I don't understand is why didn't this kid's parents fight the first rap with piles of money and superlawyers? Is there a pocket of poverty within Langley High School's boundaries....I sure didn't think so.

Normally people with mega-bucks don't take any shit from two bit County bureaucrats. You notice that Langley is never in any "boundary studies" or redistrictings....FCPS is afraid of those people and their lawyers!

So why did the kid ever go to SouthLakes in the first place?


Anyhow, I ain't buying this bullshit that FCPS "killed" this kid. You have to be mentally ill to off yourself....it totally defies the most basic human instinct: self preservation. If he didn't kill himself over this, he would have killed himself over something else...a girl or whatever.

This kids was a train wreck waiting to happen. Fortunately FCPS kicked him out before he went postal in a school.

hey, "you are not alone"...you mentioned this story will be coming in the Washington Post soon...

can you post the date when you see it? I would really like to read about it.

Also, who is this Eileen Grattan chick? What is her background? Typically those who work in the hearing office are former assistant principals looking for an easy 9-5.

I have seen salaries for other school systems posted on line. Why isn't this done for FCPS? FCPS likes to put everything else on line (in every language) and on that stupid Red Apple 21 program. Shouldn't we all see where our valuable tax dollars are wasted?

FCPS Regulation 8424 dated 6/19/08 states the following:

Participants Fees:

Booster Clubs and PTAs managing after-school and weekend programs during the school year in FCPS facilities may charge participants a MAXIMUM of $10 per hour.


Westfield High School Off Season Quarterback Training Camps:

Sponsored by Westfield Athletic Boosters and Brian Day

Camp #1: Monday, 3/23 thru Wednesday, 3/25 (3 days)
session A: 6-7pm $70

3 days for one hour a day equals 3 hours for $70. That is $23 an hour even though FCPS Reg says max is $10.


See Westfield principal or athletic director for refunds kids!!!

tubby Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What I don't understand is why didn't this kid's
> parents fight the first rap with piles of money
> and superlawyers? Is there a pocket of poverty
> within Langley High School's boundaries....I sure
> didn't think so.


Really, Tubby, I thought you had more street smarts than this....

Don't you get it? It's fixed. The hearings are a pre-determined outcome, there is no due process in FCPS.

Once a principal makes an expulsion recommendation, the hearing office upholds it-100% of the time. They either expel the kid or they hold it in abeyance which means you are on probation until you graduate. The slightest screw up (attendance, poor grades, etc) and you are booted out for good.

Ask Eileen Grattan how many expulsion recommendations are overturned. I bet you a six-pack it is ZERO.
>
> Normally people with mega-bucks don't take any
> shit from two bit County bureaucrats. You notice
> that Langley is never in any "boundary studies" or
> redistrictings....FCPS is afraid of those people
> and their lawyers!

A lawyer is a waste of money. The outcome is pre-determined.
>
> So why did the kid ever go to SouthLakes in the
> first place?


Underenrolled school.
>
>
> Anyhow, I ain't buying this bullshit that FCPS
> "killed" this kid. You have to be mentally ill to
> off yourself....it totally defies the most basic
> human instinct: self preservation. If he didn't
> kill himself over this, he would have killed
> himself over something else...a girl or whatever.


13% of FCPS students answered the survey that they considered suicide at one point.

This FCPS nazi Hearing Officers are a train wreck which continues to happen. Fortunately they will be kicked out before they bully another helpless teen into suicide.

I do feel sorry for the kid's family. It's sad when someone takes his/her own life.

However, the parent admitted that the kid was moved to another high school because of the marijuana.

Then at the new high school, he was caught with marijuana a second time.

I'm just saying....

Pot use!!!! Gasp!!!! Like Bill Clinton, Barak Obama, Al Gore, George W. Bush, 35% of high school students (expel 'em all!) and countless adult professinals. Little common sense would be appreciated...

This school board has no common sense and neither does Dale. The big question is, what could they have done so that this student would not kill himself.
Have a heart? Treat the student the way they would like to be treated if they had the same problem?

His death was caused by them. Way to go FCPS.

Truth Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This school board has no common sense and neither
> does Dale. The big question is, what could they
> have done so that this student would not kill
> himself.

it's not like the kid sent a letter saying "this punishment is too harsh so now im going to kill myself!" how many times has something like this happened in the past? honestly, i believe the kid had other issues to go along with this because kids dont go around killing themselves over disciplinary actions like this. however, some kids do kill themselves for reasons unrelated to school policy.

in short, you are attacking the wrong issue because there is a good chance that if it wasnt this it would have been something else that upset him like breaking up with a girlfriend that lead to his suicide.

#  Five Stages Of Grief

    * 1. Denial and Isolation.
    * 2. Anger.
    * 3. Bargaining.
    * 4. Depression.
    * 5. Acceptance.

"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."
Attachments:

Gravis Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > it's not like the kid sent a letter saying "this punishment is too harsh so now im going to kill myself!"< <

Actually he did leave a note pointing at the disciplinary action as being a principal source of his desperation. That information has already been posted on this thread. But don't let that interfere with your diagnosis, Dr. Frist.

> > in short, you are attacking the wrong issue because there is a good chance that if it wasnt this it would have been something else that upset him like breaking up with a girlfriend that lead to his suicide.< <

Every time you post this bovine excrement, you reconfirm for all the world your fundamental cruelty and narcissism. This is heartless, mean and does nothing but inflict pain and suffering on his family and friends. Please stop the baseless speculation.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/01/2009 09:34AM by Thomas More.

Gravis Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Truth Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > This school board has no common sense and
> neither
> > does Dale. The big question is, what could they
> > have done so that this student would not kill
> > himself.
>
> it's not like the kid sent a letter saying "this
> punishment is too harsh so now im going to kill
> myself!" how many times has something like this
> happened in the past? honestly, i believe the kid
> had other issues to go along with this because
> kids dont go around killing themselves over
> disciplinary actions like this. however, some
> kids do kill themselves for reasons unrelated to
> school policy.
>
> in short, you are attacking the wrong issue
> because there is a good chance that if it wasnt
> this it would have been something else that upset
> him like breaking up with a girlfriend that lead
> to his suicide.
>
> # Five Stages Of Grief
>
> * 1. Denial and Isolation.
> * 2. Anger.
> * 3. Bargaining.
> * 4. Depression.
> * 5. Acceptance.


OMG, Gravis is turning into a human being!!!

Expulsion from school is pretty traumatic. No school, friends cut-off, no sports. Your are in total isolation. Add in the guilt he was carrying for hurting his parents, his high achieving siblings, etc. No doubt, this could lead to a suicide.

From what I hear, Josh was popular, well liked, happy, and emotionally well until the expulsion-it definitely was the tipping point. I read a study recently (I will try to find it to cite the source), that attributed 20% of suicides/attempts to expulsions.

These kids in Fairfax County are under a tremendous amount of stress to do well and go to good colleges. I also read that there have been 11 suicides in Fairfax County by kids just this year-I am trying to verify.

FCPS needs to take ownership of their role in this kid's death. It is irresponsible for them not to acknowledge the harm they do to these kids in the disciplinary process. They treat these kids with cruelty and no compassion at all.

I have seen it first hand, unfortunately. It is not something FCPS should be proud of.

Thomas More Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Gravis Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > > it's not like the kid sent a letter saying
> "this punishment is too harsh so now im going to
> kill myself!"< <
>
> Actually he did leave a note pointing at the
> disciplinary action as being a principal source of
> his desperation. That information has already
> been posted on this thread.

no, i meant he didnt send a letter saying he would kill himself, they ignored it and then he killed himself. it doesnt take captain obvious to realize that this played a role in his suicide.


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

Gravis you are an idiot and to make comments like that just prove it.

The FCPS hearing offices need to stop hurting these kids and use better techniques for discipline. How does removing a child from one school and putting them into another school solve anything? They should be inindated with education and be forced to talk to their peers and classmates about their mistakes. Common sense needs to be used in disciplining theses kids.

Come on. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Gravis you are an idiot and to make comments like
> that just prove it.
>
> The FCPS hearing offices need to stop hurting
> these kids and use better techniques for
> discipline. How does removing a child from one
> school and putting them into another school solve
> anything?

i never said that i approved or disapproved of the actions of anyone or any group involved in this matter. do not try my patience.


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

Florida Teacher Who Held Vote to Kick Autistic Child Out of Class Loses Reinstatement Bid
Wednesday, April 01, 2009



PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. —

A kindergarten teacher who held a vote to kick a 5-year-old autistic student from the classroom lost her appeal for reinstatement.

An administrative law judge Tuesday upheld the St. Lucie School Board's decision to suspend Wendy Portillo for a year without pay and remove her tenure.


The school district determined that Portillo violated the state's code of ethics for teachers and school board rules in May 2008 when she allegedly asked the class to vote whether the boy should stay in the classroom. The student, who was in the process of being diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, had been referred twice to the principal for discipline problems.

He lost the vote 14-to-2.

Hundreds of parents of autistic children signed an online petition to get Portillo fired for her alleged tactics that mirrored the reality show “Survivor.”

Gravis is right!

Why are people in such shock and outrage over the school transfer? From what I've read there were TWO pot busts and another petty thing for stealing food from the cafeteria.Now while this kid was obviously distraught- how could he be surprised and how could he not have one friend strong minded enough to just say "It sucks but its not the end of the world-you'll get through it"??

You people whoo claim to be friends of the deceased should be asking yourselves why you weren't there to support this young man when he was going through something tough, but obviously survivable.

Is it the bosses fault you get fired and kill yourself? Is it your girlfriends fault she breaks up with you and you kill yourself?

I know there are some durable students at FCPS but you guys are acting like a bunch of little girls in the drama club.

Mourn the dead, help the living and move forward.

AND - I would probably not transfer the kid to another school for what he did, but he clearly had issues and tragically overreacted,


Quit blaming teachers, bosses, government and "Mommy and Daddy" for your problems.
What are you fairies going to do if something really bad happens to you??

Local/StateTeacher suspended for dragging studentMonday, March 30, 2009 | 11:16 PM RALEIGH (WTVD) -- A first grader is recovering from rug burns after she says her teacher dragged her.
It happened last week at Preeminent Charter School in southeast Raleigh.
Eyewitness News has learned that the student, a 6-year-old girl, threw some blocks at another student in class and was told to go out in the hall.
According to school officials, the girl threw a tantrum and was acting violently, kicking and screaming.
Officials say her teacher couldn't get her to calm down and at some point, the teacher "grabbed her foot and did drag her down the hall" into the principal's office.
The hall is carpeted, which left the girl with marks and rug burns on her body.
The charter school is run by National Heritage Academies, which is based in Michigan.
A spokeswoman there says the teacher was suspended Thursday and Friday, given a written warning and she apologized to the girl's family.
"Our discipline policy never condones using physical force to restrain a child," a spokeswoman said. "She did show poor judgment in how she handled it."
The teacher is said to have an excellent reputation and is known as one of the school's stand-out performers, which factored into why she was suspended rather than fired, the official says.
The girl, according to her father, is still in some pain as of Monday, but she has returned to class.
And after spending some time in the classroom observing the teacher, her father says he has decided to leave his daughter in the class for now. But an investigation is ongoing.

(Copyright ©2009 WTVD-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

You people who claim to be friends of the nazi Hearing Officers should be asking yourselves why you weren't there to urge decency and honesty in these heartless ruthless wretches when they were inflicting their unique brand of psychological torture on defenseless children.


Quit blaming the students, victims, and "Mommy and Daddy" for the gross cruelty and injustices perpetrated by the nazi FCPS Hearing Office.

And what are you phony, posturing, blowhard holier-than-thou faggots going to do when you are the victims of their nazi brutality?


Mourn the dead, and hold these nazi bullying scum fully accountable.

How do you suggest we hold them accountable? The school board oversees the hearing office and no one oversees the school board, I think you can figure that out by now. Whats the recourse?

Why not do a better job at including minorities into the school system, or let me guess, education is only for Whites.

*****

I carry a very,very heavy cross with a White Jesus nailed to it.

WingNut Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Gravis is right!

oh no, people agreeing with me has to be a sign of the apocalypse.


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

LOL, I think its funny, White people know everything I say is true, and its irking the shit out of them. Wow who ever knew self-inflicted guilt could eat a person alive

the kid was a bitch if he killed himself over getting busted for pot.
a grade-A bitch

the nazi administrators were bitches if they drve him to kill himself over getting busted for pot.
grade-A bitches

KoreanThinkTank Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> LOL, I think its funny, White people know
> everything I say is true, and its irking the shit
> out of them. Wow who ever knew self-inflicted
> guilt could eat a person alive


hahaha... this dude korean is the dumbest dude in the world. dawg leave USA if u dis-like white people so much. No one would care if u left, and nothing you say is true.

...go back to the 1850s

Skylar, Reece, and Trey Schnippel are responsible for the deaths of at least 250 people.

heroin isnt even dangerous. cigaretttes are worse

NutWing Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You people who claim to be friends of the nazi
> Hearing Officers should be asking yourselves why
> you weren't there to urge decency and honesty in
> these heartless ruthless wretches when they were
> inflicting their unique brand of psychological
> torture on defenseless children.
>
>
> Quit blaming the students, victims, and "Mommy and
> Daddy" for the gross cruelty and injustices
> perpetrated by the nazi FCPS Hearing Office.
>
> And what are you phony, posturing, blowhard
> holier-than-thou faggots going to do when you are
> the victims of their nazi brutality?
>
>
> Mourn the dead, and hold these nazi bullying scum
> fully accountable.

Dale and this nazi staff must be replaced before another student dies.

I make the following suggestion to the SB:

We need a public meeting in order to review all SB rules regarding zero tolerance and their procedures before another students dies.

More on this:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/04/AR2009040402596.html

ZT I agree, how do we do it? How do we get the School Board to talk about this? They talk about grades and sleep issues, this is WAY more important

"We need a public meeting in order to review all SB rules regarding zero tolerance and their procedures before another students dies."


An excellent suggestin...press on

I'm sick of this "blame everyone else" society we live in!!

For fuck's sake, actions have consequences..that idea has been repeated several times on this board already.


If you can't handle the punishment for doing something you knew damn well you shouldn't have been doing in the first place- don't do it!



There are always solutions other than suicide (suicide should NEVER be an option). Had the expulsion taken place, he could have gone to a private school, maybe considered a home schooling system or maybe even taken online courses. From what I've read, it sounds like his parent's were even considering moving.

We'll never know now, but perhaps he could have thrived in a new school system or even from private schooling.




I could go on all day about this, but I wont...


I think FCPS needs to take a serious look at their zero-policy procedure and change it for the better.

And as sad as the entire situation is, I still strongly believe that we are all in control of our own decisions.


No one else should be blamed for this young man's suicide.

I'm sick of this "blame everyone else but the culprits" society we live in!!

For fuck's sake, actions have consequences..that idea has most certainly been repeated several times on this board already.


If you you are a gutless lazy lying nazi FCPS Hearing Officer recklessly abusing harmless kids because you are too stupid and incompetent to do an honest job... quit and find another job!



There are always solutions other than cruel abuses ( being driven to suicide should NEVER be an option). When the expulsion would have taken place(remember, the "Appeals" office rejects student appeals at at rate of 100%) place,the needless, excessive, vicious, torments would have been complete. From what I've read, it sounds like his parent's were even driven to considering moving.

We'll never know now, but perhaps he could have thrived the same school system where many of the administrators did exactly what he did in their own youth.




I could go on all day about this, but I wont...


I think FCPS needs to take a serious look at their zero-policy procedure and change it for the better.

And as sad as the entire situation is, I still strongly believe that we are all in control of our own decisions.


No one else should be blamed for this young man's suicide other than the FCPS Hearins Officers..

FYI,

Unbending Rules on Drugs in Schools Drive One Teen to the Breaking Point

By Marc Fisher
Sunday, April 5, 2009; C01



J osh Anderson had just finished four homework assignments. He did his laundry. He watched TV with his mother -- "House," which he had Tivo'd for viewing that night. He played with the dogs. Then, at his mom's urging, he went up to bed. It was 12:30, and the next day, March 19, was a big one: Josh was scheduled for a hearing that probably would end with his expulsion from the Fairfax County school system.

The Andersons weren't blind to what got Josh into this pickle. He had been caught leaving campus, going to Taco Bell with a friend. When the boys returned to South Lakes High in Reston, an assistant principal confronted them in the parking lot, smelled marijuana and had the car searched. This was the second time in two years that Josh, a junior, had been found with pot.

"I really have been working hard on this," Josh wrote to the hearing officers. "I can't believe I'm putting my parents through this now. I can't believe how selfish and stupid I've been. . . . I'm honestly going to try my hardest to fix this."

The Andersons were told that Josh would be barred from any regular Fairfax high school and might be tossed out of the system entirely. His parents were looking into private schools or moving.

But there would be no hearing, no new school, no more visits from college football coaches asking about Josh's talents.

When Sue Anderson went into her son's room the next morning, he was dead. Without a word to his girlfriend, parents, psychologist, coach or teachers, Josh Anderson, 17, had killed himself.

He left a note, just two lines. "Why does it have to be like this?" And, to his girlfriend, "I love you."

There is little anger in Tim and Sue Anderson's voices now. Waves of grief strike at random intervals. Their eyes water when they look up the stairs toward Josh's room in their house in Vienna. They don't want to sue anyone. They praise coaches and teachers at South Lakes who did what they could to help their boy. But they have come to believe that the system did Josh a terrible wrong, that the zero-tolerance mentality contradicts the goal of educating or helping an immature adolescent.

"No one can ever answer whether Fairfax County was responsible for what Josh did," says Tim Anderson. "But they pushed him closer to the edge than he needed to be." The parents know their son's often-silent manner masked emotional troubles, but he had been in counseling, both through the school system and privately, and no one saw this coming. The trauma of facing expulsion, the Andersons believe, was just too much for their son.

In Fairfax, possession of marijuana on school grounds means automatic suspension and a recommendation of expulsion. "There's no discretion at the school level," says Paul Regnier, spokesman for the system. "Virginia law requires that if there's possession of marijuana on school grounds, the student must be expelled unless there are special circumstances."

The Andersons' living room is a makeshift shrine to a boy everyone half expects to be there the next morning. Josh's football helmets frame the coffee table, which is crowded with his photos. A friend collected dozens of Facebook tributes and made a book for his parents. More than a thousand people -- many of them kids from South Lakes and Langley, which Josh attended before he was caught with pot the first time -- attended the funeral. The kids still come by, some just to sit in Josh's room. Some ask if they can take something to remember him by.

It can seem like mere chance that those kids are here and Josh is a collection of memories. (Sue is recording those at http://rememberingjosh.blogspot.com). "If they searched every backpack and car at Langley and South Lakes, what portion of the students would be suspended and sent to other schools?" Sue asks.

The county's survey of students from eighth to 12th grades suggests that the number would be large: 22 percent said they have used marijuana, 10 percent within the past 30 days.

Tim and Sue "don't in any way condone what Josh did," the father says. "It was totally boneheaded, and he should have been punished." But Fairfax's rules make no distinction between a kid who is using drugs and one who is dealing. The Andersons say a system that immediately escalates a case to the county level strips families and schools of the chance to work together to help a teen.

State law requires drug cases to be handled at the central hearing office, says Fairfax School Board member Jane Strauss. "The zero-tolerance structure is a response to the choices voters have made and to the huge outcry for dealing with drugs on school grounds. The tighter expectations used to be in the private schools. But starting in the early 1980s, there were much tougher rules in the public schools. Now, the toughest rules are in public schools, while there's more give in the private schools."

The goal, Strauss says, "is to save souls, to help kids get through adolescence." In Josh's case, which Strauss would not discuss, his parents say the counseling programs he was assigned to were helpful. But Strauss concedes that "I cannot say there are the very best therapeutic situations available for all children" in the system. "We try, but there are unfortunate tragic situations."

That, of course, is not good enough. Parents of kids who do wrong will always argue that schools should be at least as flexible and understanding of adolescents as we are of adults who commit similar offenses. And parents of other kids at those schools will always contend that those who bring drugs to school need to be dealt with in clear, strong terms.

The system's job is both to punish and to educate. Zero-tolerance rules make life easier for bureaucrats and lawyers, but they make no sense in the jumbled world of teenagers. Some kids are poisonous to their peers and need to be removed for the good of all. Others need an individualized blend of punishment, counseling and connection with the people who know them best -- in some cases, at their own school.

"I'm sure I'll ask myself what I could have done until the day I die," Sue Anderson says. "Maybe we could have done more, but the policies right now are one-size-fits-all, designed to get rid of hard-core drug dealers. It's too late for us, frankly, but are we treating these kids as we would like to be treated?"

I will give them this much, the Anderson's have built an awesome PR machine around this. Getting Marc Fisher to take up your case in WaPo is saying something.

However, I really wish that people would stop responding as if Josh was somehow being unfairly targeted or persecuted. He knew what he was doing was wrong and was caught...twice...and FCPS followed long-established policy with regarding to punishment. Dozens, possibly hundreds, of FCPS students receive the same treatment every year, yet we do not hear about chronic suicides among this group. I feel for Josh's family, I really do, but there is probably a lot more going on here than they are able to admit or acknowledge.

Between ZT, 6 point grading scale, high schoolers going to school in the dark 6 months of the year, make work home work and too many other issues, you wind up concluding that FCPS is a system organized for the purpose of destroying as many young lives as possible.

However, I really wish that people would stop responding as if the FCPS Hearings Office is being unfairly targeted or persecuted. They knew what they were doing was wrong and they did it to...LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES...and FCPS followed long-established cruel, mindless, Nazi bullying tactics with regarding to punishment. Dozens, possibly hundreds, of FCPS students receive the same treatment every year, and we hear similar tale of abuse and injustice from this group. I feel for Josh's family, I really do, and there is certainly a lot more going on here than they are able to understand.

Gravis wrote:


"the media has a policy about not publishing suicides of people that arent already in the spotlight. this policy is for the sake of the family."

Ignorant blowhard jackass.

Madison Tom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> However, I really wish that people would stop
> responding as if the FCPS Hearings Office is being
> unfairly targeted or persecuted. They knew what
> they were doing was wrong and they did it
> to...LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES...and FCPS
> followed long-established cruel, mindless, Nazi
> bullying tactics with regarding to punishment.
> Dozens, possibly hundreds, of FCPS students
> receive the same treatment every year, and we hear
> similar tale of abuse and injustice from this
> group. I feel for Josh's family, I really do, and
> there is certainly a lot more going on here than
> they are able to understand.

This post might be a bit veered off, but it has to do with the one of the FCPS' policies, attendance. Has anyone else received letters warning them of their children's attendance how many times their child has been tardy or absent, etc?
I received a letter from my daughter's high school showing her attendance record. All of her late arrivals and absences were excused (due to dr appts or being sick but never late). The letter reminded me of consequences if 3 absences or late arrivals were unexcused. I showed the letter to my daughter and she said that it was rather alittle extreme about the attendance policy that some people she knows at school have problems just trying to follow the policy FCPS has laid out for the students. She asked why did the assistant principal send out the letter like that? She also heard about Josh and what happened to him. She said she couldn't understand why FCPS had to impose an expulsion hearing and asked if our authoritative figures have actually smoked pot when they were teens. Our hearts go out to Josh' parents and Josh and their family.

Madison Tom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> However, I really wish that people would stop
> responding as if the FCPS Hearings Office is being
> unfairly targeted or persecuted. They knew what
> they were doing was wrong and they did it
> to...LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES...and FCPS
> followed long-established cruel, mindless, Nazi
> bullying tactics with regarding to punishment.
> Dozens, possibly hundreds, of FCPS students
> receive the same treatment every year, and we hear
> similar tale of abuse and injustice from this
> group. I feel for Josh's family, I really do, and
> there is certainly a lot more going on here than
> they are able to understand.


How are the actions of the FCPS hearings office wrong if they are following the penalties as outlined in the SR&R? You continue to suggest that they are a vigilant force that is acting independent of established guidelines, principles and standards. If you don't like the SR&R, work with the SB to change them.

FYI Tom, I suggest nothing, I say it outright: the Hearings Office is a mob of lalwless, vicious, gutless bullying tynannical cowards.

Frap Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> FYI Tom, I suggest nothing, I say it outright:
> the Hearings Office is a mob of lalwless, vicious,
> gutless bullying tynannical cowards.


OK...still, it is opinion, not fact.

Which definition of mob are you accusing them of..."a large or disorderly crowd" or "a criminal set (i.e., the mafia)"? This should be good!

Lawless (or 'lalwless' as you like to spell it)? Do you mean that they are acting unilaterally without regard for established standards and practices? Is the SR&R not signed by parents and students alike each year?

Gutless and bullying because you feel that they actively seek out the weak and innocent simply to inflict mental anguish for their own enjoyment? Maybe they conspire with other agencies, plant evidence, or sell drugs to students in order to entrap them? That's it...FCPS continued to give Josh drugs, forcing him to smoke pot.

Cowards? According to Merriam-Webster a coward is "a person who shows fear or timidity" and frankly, based on your description of events, the hearing office acts with impunity and disregard for any higher authority...the exact opposite of cowards.

Really, the passion for your crusade is admirable, but if you were sincere and had any real facts to support this I would expect to see you making your case to the school board. What's that? These are just wild ramblings from a delusional malcontent?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/05/2009 08:48PM by TomMadison.

Frap Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> FYI Tom, I suggest nothing, I say it outright:
> the Hearings Office is a mob of lalwless, vicious,
> gutless bullying tynannical cowards.

You got it right. Great post.

TY Cowards.

Tom, I repeat, I suggest nothing but I say it outright: the Hearings Office is a mob of lawless, vicious, gutless bullying tyrananical cowards. And I add that despite the misuided passion you have for your crusade, (would be nice if you weren't such a poor speller and clumsy grammarian though) if you were sincere and had any real facts at all to support your fatuous blatherings, I would expect to see you making your case to the school board. What's that? Your meaningless prattle are just a collection of reckless wild ramblings from an ignorant, frustrated, irrelevant, delusional malcontent? More's the pity, jackass.

So...in your opinion there is a direct cause and effect relationship between the actions of the Hearings Office and Josh's suicide? Fascinating! If this is true, why don't we see dozens or hundreds of expelled/administratively placed students dead as a result of suicide each school year? Could it be because Josh was just a really messed up kid with issues that went well beyond his pot habit and that his parents were too self-absorbed or delusional to see this? What makes Josh's case so special? It seems to me that it is the result of an effective PR campaign based on innuendo and misdirection.

I'll wait...but I expect to hear back "I suggest nothing but I say it outright: the Hearings Office is a mob of lawless, vicious, gutless bullying tyrananical cowards."

Any chance that you are related to Neen from the old redistricting thread?

So...in your opinion there is no direct cause and effect relationship between the actions of the Hearings Office and Josh's suicide? Fascinating! If this is true, why don't we see dozens or hundreds of expelled/administratively placed and deleriously happy students publicly praising the FCPS Hearing Office each school year??!!!? Could it be because the FCPS Hearing Office is staffed with dishonest, cruel, nasty, ruthless, ugly human beings so hateful that they are utterly disdainful of justice, fairness, and truth? What makes the FCPS Hearing Officers so special? It seems to me that it is the result of an effective PR campaign based on innuendo and misdirection coming from the FCPS.

I'll wait...but I expect to hear back "Josh was bad, his parents were evil, the FCPS Hearing Officers have the wisdom of Solomon etc. etc.

And any chance that you are related to Neen from the old redistricting thread?

Contributing factor? Possibly, but a straight line, as in the determination of the Hearing Officer all by itself led to Josh killing himself? Seems like a stretch to me.

Why do you keep painting this as a black and white issue? Hearing Officers = evil, Josh = innocent victim? Seems like there are lots of shades of gray here.

I also have to wonder...if the Hearings Office is so out of control, why don't we have organized groups like Fairgrade and SLEEP demanding that the school board take action?

> I also have to wonder...if the Hearings Office is
> so out of control, why don't we have organized
> groups like Fairgrade and SLEEP demanding that the
> school board take action?

We don't have organized groups because parents are embarrassed that their student screwed up so they don't talk about it or they are silent because they feel that if it gets out, their student will be penalized even more, that any chance that their student will be able to get back into school will vanish. Been there, didn't speak to anyone, much less try to organize a group to take action.

geeneEY Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> We don't have organized groups because parents are
> embarrassed that their student screwed up so they
> don't talk about it or they are silent because
> they feel that if it gets out, their student will
> be penalized even more, that any chance that their
> student will be able to get back into school will
> vanish. Been there, didn't speak to anyone, much
> less try to organize a group to take action.


This should concern every FCPS parent, not just those whose children have been the victim of the Hearings Office. Fairgrade did not simply engage parents of high school students. Make the case that every one is at risk and action is necessary. The SB cannot take retaliatory action against everyone. While they may try, FCPS cannot take away your 1st amendment right to free speech and stifle dissent. This forum, while cathartic, is not going to develop the necessary credibility and gravitas to effect meaningful change.

At the high school level, the school nurse can't dispense anything after 2:20. Yet the buildings and fields are busy until 9pm. So that's almost 7 hours in which a kid can't even take an ibuprofen? Seems silly.

I, for one, don't think we should be holding just FCPS accountable. We should also be demanding answers from the company that made the rope he hung himself with. Rope is dangerous, and it's obviously becoming a hot new fad to "hang yourself" with "rope." The government should step in and force these CARELESS ROPE-MAKERS to design a product that will dissolve when it comes in contact with human skin. It's the only way to be sure.

Once I we you get your money from suing the Rope Company, we'll then sue whoever made whatever he tied the other end of the rope to. The government needs to step in and stop these CARELESS WHATEVER-MAKERS that are designing products sturdy enough to support the weight of a rope and child.

If he did it with a bedsheet, even better; then I we you can sue everyone that's in the bed linen industry, period. Bed Bath & Beyond, Wal-Mart, Sears, people who make pillow cases, people who manufacture the textiles used for pillow cases, people who pick the cotton used to manufacture the textiles used for pillow cases...

The sky's the limit when you completely reject the notion of personal accountability! Hurry, parents, or your precious snowflake might be the next to get all dead from these EVIL ROPE OR BED LINEN CORPORATIONS.

Do we know if the victim was an illegal immigrant or minority? The race card could really help the case.

--------------------------------------------------------------
13 4826 0948 82695 25847. Yes.

"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."