Like the fact that this has nothing to do with the Boy Scouts in any way?
I wonder why you chose a Boy-Scout hit-piece to make a thread on.
I chose to share the story I came across. Reading the rules for posting in this section, I saw that I had to use the title of the news story as my title. If it would have been up to me, I would have changed it.
I have nothing against the Boy Scouts. However, I can see the point the news agency was going for in using the boy scout angle, even if I don't agree with it. The tool that the knife was on was given to him for his involvement in the boy scouts. The use of this information was to help put a little perspective in the story, biased toward the child, by the news agency.
I've seen and own a few of these tools. Was the "knife" a dull utensil or was it a sharp blade?
You're still leaving out critical details.
If it was a mere dull utensil, then the school is wrong.
If it holds an edge, the school is right and he deserves the suspension.
I don't agree. The intent of the child was important for a couple of reasons. First, the tool had multiple parts so it could be used without even pulling the knife out. From the account that is provided, the intent of the child to bring the tool was along the lines of he wanted to show off something he felt he should be proud of and/or get as much use as he could out of his newest possession. Second, intent is even considered in adult laws, so why should it be ignored on rules that we have for our children? If a person accidentally kills someone then it is a far less punishment than if the person did it on purpose. Also, the boy was described as a child who loved school, and the parents even had a character witness for him. If there was a history of violence concerning the boy or a reason for someone to suspect that he really did intend harm to someone at school, then the punishment would be justified. Another thing that matters is that in Delaware, where this occurred, it was just recently ruled that exceptions could be made to policies on knives when the punishment was expulsion.
Now the parents should have made it clear that he couldn't take the tool to school because of the knife, but even parents make mistakes. I don't see a problem with some parent/teacher/child counseling and some small punishment for the child but 45 days in reform school is too harsh. And to help prevent cases like this from occurring in the future, the school could give students, especially younger students, more clarification on what things would be considered weapons, including those that a child might bring in for some innocent reason. Letters to parents detailing this might be good too.
Considering the state has made exceptions in other cases where intent was taken into consideration, it shouldn't be too much to ask that an exception be made in this case.