matt weighs in

I first read this story on Friday morning and thought there has to be more to it. Kids don’t just get suspended for buying souvenir swords on a trip. A quick Google search Friday night after putting Elliot to bed led me to this discussion going on at www.topix.com, including comments by kids from Eagan and Apple Valley claiming to have been on the trip.

I assume that since it was a school-sponsored trip, the administration felt all rules for school grounds expanded wherever the students’ traveled in Europe. They had swords in their possession, which could be weapons, therefore the administration ruled they had to be suspended.

I’m not sure I can agree with this, since I will also assume that they were allowed some free time to explore on their own. Also, the swords were apparently in taped-up boxes ready to be shipped home. Other students had to have snitched on them, but if the boxes were taped, how did officials determine what was inside? Was there also an invasion of privacy here?

The kids and parents had to sign some kind of waiver to go on the trip. I would be very interested in reading this waiver, as it did specify policy on alcohol and weapons. I think the schools are really going out of their way to enforce their zero-tolerance policy in this situation. How is it showing favoritism, as some would argue, to these students if the administration would have ruled that what they did was ok?

I just cannot wrap my head around seeing that this decision was right, and your comments to help me understand are welcome. The swords were in a frggin’ box, for cryin’ out loud.

My dad was a superintendent of schools for our district for about 25 years, so it will be interesting to get an insider’s point of view on this. What are your thoughts? I guess the redeeming part of this story, if there is one, is that the kids get to continue their studies at home, so the senior should still be able to attend college in the fall.