Student Suspended For Packing Beer Can In School Lunch Bag
A Texas high school student who accidentally packed a beer in his lunch bag was suspended for three days and sent off to an alternative school.
The suspension and transfer were imposed even though Chaz Seale, a junior, disclosed to his teacher at Livingston High School that he accidentally grabbed a beer can rather than a soda from the fridge at home. The teacher then reported it to the principal. “I gave it to the teacher, thinking I wouldn’t get in trouble, and I got in trouble,” Chaz, 17, said.
No good deed goes unpunished perhaps.
Originally officials assigned Seale to the alternative school for two months, but his mother Christi appealed, and the punishment was reduced to 30 days at the other venue. Christi maintains her son was merely running late and grabbed the wrong beverage.
On the Stand with Chaz Facebook page, Christi has vowed to keep fighting against what she considers excessive punishment for an honest mistake:
“…The school policy dictates the number of days…. With that said Chaz could have been suspended and went to 1 day of DAEP and LISD would have been in compliance with the TEA. Where I am outraged is the 60 days and then the reduction to the 30. They should have him out of DAEP and back in regular classes so he can have the proper education. They are more worried about their internal policies than what is best for MY child. For that I will take my last breath fighting this!!!…”
In a statement, the Livingston School District said that The principal of Livingston High School followed appropriate LISD administrative procedures and protocol LISD encourages any parent who is in disagreement with an administrative decision to seek relief through the appellate process as provided through Livingston ISD policies.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jJ9H3Y6DqI
Given the suspension and 30-day “exile” (which presumably goes on his permanent record) of the Texas teen for accidentally bringing a beer to school, do you think this is yet another example of an unreasonable application of a zero tolerance policy?
[top image via Shutterstock]
