Okay, there has GOT to be more to this story. Surely, even in Canadian schools, principals have more important things to think about than whether students cross against the light:
A Grade 12 student at Anderson Collegiate was given a one-day suspension by the vice-principal for allegedly jaywalking after school.
Kelly Simo, 17, said the streetlights at Anderson and Crawforth streets, a block north of the school, were yellow and then turned red when she was halfway through the intersection as she walked home Feb. 4.
"The next morning when I went to school, she called me down to the office...and (said), 'I have to suspend you for jaywalking,'" Kelly said, adding vice principal Pauline Langmaid insisted the light was red when she went across the street. She was told to stay home on Friday, Feb. 6. She complied with the suspension, but her mother is battling the school over what she calls a "ludicrous" decision.
I'm not Canadian, but I have to say - EH? How the fark did the school even KNOW that Ms. Simo jaywalked? She wasn't given a ticket, so the police weren't involved. Did a crossing guard rat her out? And why should the school care?
Ms. Simo's mom was pretty pointed in her rejoinder to the principal:
Jackie Simo, the girl's mother, said Ms. Langmaid told her it was a "safety issue" and the school would have to set an example for its junior students.
"I said, 'You've got to be kidding. There are kids in (schools) with drugs, weapons, alcohol, violence...but you're suspending her because she crossed the light?' said Ms. Simo.
"What I was told was the school day does not end until my daughter is in the house. I laughed and said, 'So if my daughter gets hit by a car, is mugged, raped...assaulted, is the school going to accept responsibility because she has not walked in (my) door?'"
"What I was told was, 'Let's not get carried away...'
Yes, let's not. That means not issuing suspensions for jaywalking, for heaven's sakes. I mean, in some cities (NYC, I'm thinking of you here), jaywalking is an art. Why shouldn't students be able to get in on the fun?
Plus, it's just creepy that a school administrator would say, "the school day does not end" until the students actually reach home. That's not comforting, unless you thought 1984 was a really fun book.
(Thanks to Devoted Reader Greg M. for the link.)
Posted by kswygert at July 27, 2004 07:03 PM