Some would say there's a certain inherent fairness in "zero tolerance" drug policies that approach every situation with equal levels of panicked overreaction. But as this story shows, zero tolerance is nothing more than a prescription for unfathomable cruelty.
TROPHY CLUB, Texas - Administrators at Byron Nelson High School in Trophy Club suspended a 16-year-old boy on Tuesday because his eyes were bloodshot and they thought he might have been smoking marijuana.
The teen said he was not high. Instead his eyes were red because he had been grieving the loss of his murdered father.
Kyler Robertson’s father was stabbed to death on Sunday. His mother honored his wishes and let him go to school on Tuesday to be with his friends. [MyFoxdw.com]
Wow, that sounds pretty bad, but surely the school officials chilled out once they were made aware of the situation:
Kyler was allowed to return to class after he showed school administrators a copy of his negative test results.
The teen’s mom still wants an apology from administrators and she wants the district to remove the suspension from his permanent record. She is in the process of appealing it.
“We had other things to do this week than worry about a three day window for an appeal, a two hour window for a drug test and my son’s reputation and high school career,” she said.
The marijuana debate is characterized by constant conflict over whether prohibition funds drug cartels, wastes police resources, and rejects potential tax revenue. If only we could somehow measure the totality of cruel and stupid acts carried out independently on a daily basis by self-righteous morons who believe they're helping solve the drug problem by treating innocent people like trash.
Torture
Torturing kids to save them from drugs has been going on since the '70s. Just ask Betty Sembler about the "Straight" program. That's what the Drug Free America Foundation was called before their teen rehabs were shut down because of all the abuse.
I've asked many supporters of this program and its descendants how they justify the high rates of suicide and PTSD among the kids there. Their response is often something like, "It's worth it if it saves even one life."
I think these people know how much damage they're doing. They just think it's a fair price to pay. After all, those kids are just "druggies" who will wind up dead anyway. At least that's their warped logic.
"If only we could somehow
"If only we could somehow measure the totality of cruel and stupid acts carried out independently on a daily basis by self-righteous morons who believe they're helping solve the drug problem by treating innocent people like trash."
There are no words to describe the impact of that sentence, except "Bulls-eye!"
Drug warriors = bad. M'kay?
fuck the straight program
yeah i have something to say about that straight program, my friend was order into the straight program when he was 14 years old and didnt get out for 2 years aperentlly. they fucked him up so bad. to make a long story short. i know i dont have any data to support my claim. but i believe ever since my friend was in that program he literally changed. and no i wasnt one of his pot buddys out smoking behind school. anyways hes's now a pedophile now. Don't worrie he's in state prison he's not out roming the streets. but i seriouslly think with our justice system for sending him to the straight program has more than likely deluilted his mind. he different before now he's just seems like a failed government labrat.
Give Me Freedom or Give me Death
We will Suceed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R36CixkIaIc
Kyler Robertson’s Future
It would be interesting to follow up on Kyler Robertson’s progress in ten years or so to see how this episode has affected his appreciation for the American education system. My guess is it won’t be much of a love affair.
People Kyler’s age tend to believe no one is on their side, that it’s entirely up to them to take on a decrepit government that abuses them and treats them like a commodity. That belief would be incorrect.
Kyler Robertson has many fellow travelers, fellow victims he can join with to crush prohibition and its root causes.
Welcome to the revolution, Kyler.
Giordano
Brainwashed
To many programs that our government sponsors are nothing more than forms of brainwashing and the dumbing down of educated Americans. Zero tolerance is an impossible task. This whole situation with this boy was inexcusably mishandled by the school's authorities. It is obvious by some comments just how important an education is, but it is even more important that kids learn that a large portion of what they are being taught is brainwashing and has no basis in the truth or reality. Socialism, environmental zealotry, drug control, animals equal to humans. Somehow this madness needs to come under control.
Isn't this the kind of shit
Isn't this the kind of shit that makes people turn to drugs and booze in the first place? Jesus Christ.
If that's how the "morally enlightened" officials behave, I'd smoke everyday just to be nothing like those guys.
And I've never smoked in my life!
WTF
Have we now added hay fever to the list of 'probable causes' for drug testing?
Student: I would have passed that exam if I had stayed up late and studied, but I was afraid that I'd be suspended for showing up with bloodshot eyes before I'd get a chance to take the exam, so I decided to just go to bed early and let the chips fall where they may.
Enjoy.
How...
How does this fit in with the 'save the children' campaign?
Another victory for intolerance and stupidity
Red eyes.Think about that for one second.How totally paranoid does a person have to be to be checking for bloodshot eyes?How many reasons are there for a persons eyes to be bloodshot?This is Orwellian groupthink run amok.I wonder if the person that centered the kid out had visions of staff alertness awards dancing in their head?You have to feel sorry for kids today.They have so many things to worry about,not the least of which is having your dad shanked to death.Sex can kill you for crissakes.I think Hunter H Thompson had a quote about it.Anyway,they sure don't need adults following them around perusing their eyeballs.Next it'll be pupil checks with a graph.Glad my time on this sick little planet's about done.You guys can take it from here.Good luck with that.
WHAT the h***
This is very intimidating. Just because you have bloodshot eyes doesn't not mean you are high with drugs. I agree with the mother. The administrator should do a public apology and should remove that suspension from his records. I will be following this Robertson's issue.
the crime of having red eyes
I was having a problem with insomnia and fatigue when I rode my bike to work (long hard ride/no car). I arrived there and people were looking at me like I was a criminal. I saw in the mirror that my eyes were red. So I would explain by saying I was really exhausted and had a hard ride to work. I remember the cold unbelieving unyielding hard look in their eyes. It hurt. And I was treated like a pariah at that job because evidently my eyes were red a lot. Just every day things like that just hurt. I was so socially sensitive as it was. My total sympathy goes out to the mother and her son whos eyes were red at school who now has to clear up his reputation and his record-especially during such a hard time in their lives.
Maybe they can get away with something like this in Texas
but I'm pretty sure they could get their ass sued off in a lot of places. From reading the Fox news account of this, it sure sounds like they pressed on with the suspension even after knowing of the death. The only option they gave the mother was for her to get her son drug tested (so at her own expense?), to prove his innocence, which she did. Then not even an apology afterwards, not even an insincere one to try to avoid a lawsuit. What strange, cruel people these drug warriors seem to be, waging war on their own children, brothers and sisters, and parents. They're the spiritual descendents of the 'Christians' who burned so many 'witches' alive, on crosses if you can imagine.
It starts in the Home
I think we need to establish a strong moral values foundation within the home. How a child was brought up can determine the kind of person he/she becomes when he/she grows up. We also need to educate them more about the dangers of abusing drugs. It's sad that people involve in drugs are getting younger. I don't think torture is the solution to protect kids from drugs. Good communication between parents and their children will really help.
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