Friday, July 10, 2009
Does The School Committee Know What’s Best?
Last night, the Weymouth School Committee undoubtedly set out to prove that they know what’s best for our children by negating the “reduced” penalty, as the Patriot Ledger put it, set forth by the High School Principle and Athletic Director. In their infinite wisdom they’re determined to send a clear message that Weymouth doesn’t tolerate underage alcohol abuse by creating a penalty twice as strict as 90% of all the schools in Massachusetts. We here in Wahey country think the message the committee wants to send more likely can be interpreted to mean “who’s better than us?”
Consider first that the High School Principle this School Committee helped hire, has a PHD, and that he was consulted by one of the most successful coaches in Weymouth school sports history, and they together decided that the policy practiced by 90% of the schools in Massachusetts with the blessing of the MIAA was sufficient enough of a penalty. And who is closer to the student’s situation than their instructor in determining the severity of the mistake and therefore using discretion in doling out penalties? Then of course, it is no secret that no tolerance policy and severe punishment do nothing to solve the drug and alcohol problem. The harsher policy will most certainly ruin the life of some young person when all that may have been required was understanding guidance.
So unlike the Patriot Ledger’s misinformation on a “reduced” penalty, we would prefer to call it a correction to a bad penalty. The only message being sent by the School Committee here is that they wish to limit the powers of those that have been trained to teach and guide our youth and that dictation rather than education is the best policy.
POSTED BY STAN on July 10, 2009
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