Skittle Sale Suspension
Michael Sheridan, an 8th grade student in New Haven Connecticut, bought some skittles from a classmate in school. For doing so he was suspended, stripped of his title as class Vice President, and banned from attending a dinner for honors students as reported in this CNN story. According to the school district, selling or buying candy is against it’s wellness policy instated in 2003. Michael said he didn’t know about the policy.
OK, rules are rules. If candy trafficking is against the rules, then punishment is in order and ignorance of the law is not a defense. But a suspension, removal from ‘office’, and being banned from a dinner for honor’s students? Doesn’t that seem a bit much? Obviously the kid has some things going for him to be elected to office and to be an honors student. I’m all for discipline and enforcing the rules, and this suggests that if it were something more serious they would be all over it, but I’m not sure a candy crime warrants such a stiff penalty.
The superintendent supports the principal’s action but says he’s looking into the suspension.
UPDATE: According to his mother, the suspension has been rescinded and Michael has been reinstated as VP.
That has to be one of the craziest things I have read in a very long time.
Very long time.
thanks for the update on the story.
It’s amazing to see how good schools do at overreacting. I can see the point of making sure rules are followed, but they do tend to get heavy handed. It is especially good to know that most of the punishment has been reversed by more level-headed people.
Thanks for the update. It still irks me that it happened in the first place. Our children need positive reinforcement, not this kind of harassment. School is hard enough!
The school in this case went way over board with the discipline.
Wow, that’s crazy. Things have really changed since I was in school. If we brought something to school we were supposed to, it was confiscated. (Never did get my little Troll doll back from Sister Theresa Rosa.)
They’re acting like these kids were dealing hardcore drugs. Hello? It’s candy. Take it away and toss it out. Be done with it.
Definitely an over reaction by the school and I’m glad to see that calmer heads prevailed and he was reinstated.