Stupid is as stupid does (Score 1)

Okay, Gumps lead the school system. Why would you want to fight to have the kid reinstated? Seems to me that going back to the same environment is going to provoke more of the same *because* this child is seen as *different*. To the dad, I am certain a lot of Geeky parents reading the post are sympathizing with you. I am. No parent wants to see his kid abused or wronged. The idea here is to help this boy grow into a strong adult. How many of us want to tell off our bosses, or project managers, when they are unreasonable? We often don't walk around issuing threats -- we find a new job, we improve ourselves, we ignore it, we eventually take the Pointy-Haired Boss's job. :-) There are lots of ways around a bad situation, and that's what the boy needs to hear from an adult. That's our No. 1 job as parents: To give our kids the tools they need to survive as adults. I think, however, before the boy becomes a *victim* and we start asserting that rights were violated, and counting out all the wrongs (and there were wrongs, no one disputes that), it's also important to consider the boy's role in these events. Telling someone that you are going to shoot them, maim them, or otherwise injure them and you *aren't* a law-enforcement officer is a stupid idea. The boy made a serious threat. Kids are dumb. They say hurtful things because they are dumb. Kids make mistakes. And like any other sort of pack mentality, kids are going to go after someone who is different from them. It's too bad that an adult didn't step in earlier to stop the classroom or school-day abuse. Facts are, though, that as parents we have to gird our kids against the slings and arrows that the rest of society is going to shoot at them. We tell our 9-year-old daily that it's okay to be different, it's okay to be unpopular, and it's okay to get out of a hostile situation. No one should be abused, and the school failed the boy in that regard. The boy didn't use his brain to get out of the situation in a dignified or elegant manner either. When one is different, often times more expected of that person. It's important to use that brain to understand humans as well as machines. Here are my recommendations, for what they are worth. We've fought against a school board and elementary school for our 9-year-old, and changing teachers was the right solution for us. We also had to do a lot of outside legwork, so be prepared. --Professional counseling would be first on my list if he were my son. He needs to learn to deal with abusive people and bullies. Plus, it would give him a healthy outlet because this is a stressful time. --Homeschooling is a great option if you are home, can hire someone to come in, or can get into a community homeschool program. The kids socialize, take field trips, and have a rigorous curriculum. There are lots of web resources. Do a Google or Yahoo! search on Homeschooling. --Montessori education may be an option. Church-based private schools also may work, depending upon your religious preference. --Think about enrolling him in a college-level continuing education class, or give him some sort of alternative peek at what education *can* be. Museums, libraries, user-group meetings, sometimes offer special weekend classes. Sign him up for a professional workshop for that matter. --If you reinstate, or return to public school, ask for a younger teacher or one not-long out of college. Sometimes younger teachers are more willing to try novel classroom-management techniques. --The ACLU is a wonderful organization, which has done outstanding social work. My question is: Whose civil rights were violated? And what purpose does it serve to bring national media attention to a bunch of school bullies? --Maintain focus on the issue. If you think the school and school board needs reform, great. Then, keep the boy out of it. If you think the boy was victimized, be clear about the *crime*. --Keep your dignity about you. Good luck.