I'm sure the friends and families of the people that have been investigated over the last few months would love to be told about it.
Rather than posting an oppinion, however, I thought I'd toss out an example of the reasoning that produced the incident. What follows is a recount of a similar incident and how one of Jeffco's district reps handled it. When you're finished, you're challenged to answer the following: in light of the explaination given, how was the school's descision any more reasonable or rational a choice?
The Post: Yesterday, a 7 year old boy was suspended from school. He was suspended because he brought a pair of fingernail clippers to school. The suspension is for 45 days The school considers this a weapon. They also consider pencils and pens weapons. Why isn't everyone in school suspended. While I realize weapons are a big problem, I don't think a pair of clippers are a weapon. This is as bad as my brother getting suspended for having a firecracker in his pocket. The firecracker had obviously been through the laundry several times and there was no way it was going to go off. He was only suspended for one day though. Back to the little boy. He will be provided with a tutor for 1 hour a day during his suspension. Can anyone say "held back a year". He wont be able to keep up with his class with just one hour a day of help. I think 45 days is unreasonable. If he must be suspended, I think just a day or two is more reasonable.
The Response: The article says a lot, including some of the points I was afraid to take a guess upon.
The two key points are these:
1. The student qualifies for special education. 2. The mother describes him as "hyperactive."
What does that tell us?
All special education students have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) that includes an entire section on behavioral issues. It is created after a series of tests and evaluations by a variety of people. The screening ("staffing") in which the IEP is created (or amended) is attended by a large number of people who have been working with the student and the parents. They and the parents have to sign the IEP to show that they understand it and agree with it. It is extremely thorough.
Go here to download the Jeffco IEP in whatever form you wish: http://204.98.1.2/sped/index.html#down. If you make the choice of the PDF format, you will get most of the supplemental forms with it, linked to the appropriate place. The rest will be available next week--I'm working on it as fast as I can!)
Since almost all of the IEP is prescribed by law, this student's IEP form would be pretty similar to Jeffco's.
If the mother describes him as hyperactive, you can be sure that he is on a behavior plan (see that section in the IEP), and you can be sure that he must have a behavior history, despite what the mother may be saying about him never being in trouble before. When such a student violates a school rule--or state law--that can result in an expulsion, the student must have a "manifestation hearing." The purpose of this hearing is to see if his/her behavior is a "manifestation of the handicapping condition." If it is, then the student is protected from the full imposition of the rule or law. The student gets a 45 day period away from school with some sort of alternative education (the tutoring in this case) instead of the more harsh penalty usually imposed in a case.
The theory is that once a handicapping condition is identified, the school is supposed to help the student overcome it. It is a part of the IEP. That need of a special education student to receive appropriate education has to be balanced, however, with the rest of the school's right to live in a safe environment. Thus, if a student has been shown to have a handicapping condition that makes him prone to violent behavior that could harm others, the school has to walk the tightrope of teaching him to overcome that tendency while providing for the safety of other students. The 45 day period is seen as a balancing act. If the student is too violent to continue in the school, then a permanent alternative environment must be found--at the school's expense.
Note that it is not to the school's advantage to do this. The student's regular education program is already fully paid for; the alternative program is provided at the school's expense and comes from funds the school would rather spend elsewhere. Almost all of what I describe is done in accordance with federal--not state--law. (Ref: PL 94-142)
As I said in an earlier post on this issue, the school has declined to comment because it is not allowed to comment. Again, federal laws prohibit providing information about all students, but they are especially stringent with special education students. For example, even as a high school teacher, I cannot look into a special education student's file without specific permission from an authorized individual, and I have to have a valid reason to do so. (By the way, that is one of the reasons that information about several of the Columbine victims was so sketchy.)
Thus, the parent is free to say anything she wants about the case, whether it is true or not. The school is forbidden to say anything at all about the specific case.
In closing? I noticed with mild amusement somebody thought Cullen's article ("Everything you know about the Columbine shootings is Wrong", Salon Magazine) somehow substantiated a motive throughout all of this. Passionate but ill-informed, holmes.
Dave didn't make any value judgements one way or the other, what he did was add weight to another CHS student's assertion that Dylan had once asked the difference between Fame and Imfamy and wondered if the line was so distinct as people beleive. Cullen's examination of statements relating to Harris' writings taken from his room indicate that he (Eric Harris) was media-conscious during the time he planned the assault.
He didn't want to simply be dismissed as a Jonesboro copycat and was aware that he'd gain stature following the incident and was looking forward to it.
He also had a bit to say about the prom date he couldn't get, not finding a college, etc. Taken at face value, however, the subject of infamy can reasonably be estimated at a grand total of 5-6 lines. Total material for unrelated writings I don't think anyone can make a formal estimate of, but assuming there was a whole page on the subject? That leaves twelve pages, minus the five or six lines mentioned.
He cared enough that he was found with an outdated 'Hit List' on his person when they discovered his body. If he was just a nobody that wanted attention?
They would have found a press statement.
Closing? Life sucks, it's getting worse and some of us aren't as close to the subject as we once were but this notwithstanding? Part of the TcM as well as the other people incidentally investigated (and there were a few) returned to Columbine. There was supposed to be a 'we' in it or something.
Don't kid yourself. The same jocks are pulling the same thing right now, as you read this. The reason you're not hearing about this now is that they already know the price, spent an entire summer paying it.
They're geeks. They're out there. Find one and ask.
Slashdot Mirror
I'm sure the friends and families of the people that have been investigated over the last few months would love to be told about it.
Rather than posting an oppinion, however, I thought I'd toss out an example of the reasoning that produced the incident. What follows is a recount of a similar incident and how one of Jeffco's district reps handled it. When you're finished, you're challenged to answer the following: in light of the explaination given, how was the school's descision any more reasonable or rational a choice?
The Post:
Yesterday, a 7 year old boy was suspended from school. He was suspended because he brought a pair of fingernail clippers to school. The
suspension is for 45 days The school considers this a weapon. They also consider pencils and pens weapons. Why isn't everyone in school suspended. While I realize weapons are a big problem, I don't think a pair of clippers
are a weapon.
This is as bad as my brother getting suspended for having a firecracker in his pocket. The firecracker had obviously been through the laundry several times and there was no way it was going to go off. He was only
suspended for one day though. Back to the little boy. He will be provided with a tutor for 1 hour a
day during his suspension. Can anyone say "held back a year". He wont be able to keep up with his class with just one hour a day of help. I think 45 days is unreasonable. If he must be suspended, I think just a day or two is more reasonable.
The Response:
The article says a lot, including some of the points I was afraid to
take a guess upon.
The two key points are these:
1. The student qualifies for special education.
2. The mother describes him as "hyperactive."
What does that tell us?
All special education students have an Individual Education Plan (IEP)
that includes an entire section on behavioral issues. It is created
after a series of tests and evaluations by a variety of people. The
screening ("staffing") in which the IEP is created (or amended) is
attended by a large number of people who have been working with the
student and the parents. They and the parents have to sign the IEP to
show that they understand it and agree with it. It is extremely
thorough.
Go here to download the Jeffco IEP in whatever form you wish:
http://204.98.1.2/sped/index.html#down. If you make the choice of the
PDF format, you will get most of the supplemental forms with it, linked
to the appropriate place. The rest will be available next week--I'm
working on it as fast as I can!)
Since almost all of the IEP is prescribed by law, this student's IEP
form would be pretty similar to Jeffco's.
If the mother describes him as hyperactive, you can be sure that he is
on a behavior plan (see that section in the IEP), and you can be sure
that he must have a behavior history, despite what the mother may be
saying about him never being in trouble before. When such a student
violates a school rule--or state law--that can result in an expulsion,
the student must have a "manifestation hearing." The purpose of this
hearing is to see if his/her behavior is a "manifestation of the
handicapping condition." If it is, then the student is protected from
the full imposition of the rule or law. The student gets a 45 day
period away from school with some sort of alternative education (the
tutoring in this case) instead of the more harsh penalty usually imposed
in a case.
The theory is that once a handicapping condition is identified, the
school is supposed to help the student overcome it. It is a part of the
IEP. That need of a special education student to receive appropriate
education has to be balanced, however, with the rest of the school's
right to live in a safe environment. Thus, if a student has been shown
to have a handicapping condition that makes him prone to violent
behavior that could harm others, the school has to walk the tightrope of
teaching him to overcome that tendency while providing for the safety of
other students. The 45 day period is seen as a balancing act. If the
student is too violent to continue in the school, then a permanent
alternative environment must be found--at the school's expense.
Note that it is not to the school's advantage to do this. The student's
regular education program is already fully paid for; the alternative
program is provided at the school's expense and comes from funds the
school would rather spend elsewhere. Almost all of what I describe is
done in accordance with federal--not state--law. (Ref: PL 94-142)
As I said in an earlier post on this issue, the school has declined to
comment because it is not allowed to comment. Again, federal laws
prohibit providing information about all students, but they are
especially stringent with special education students. For example, even
as a high school teacher, I cannot look into a special education
student's file without specific permission from an authorized
individual, and I have to have a valid reason to do so. (By the way,
that is one of the reasons that information about several of the
Columbine victims was so sketchy.)
Thus, the parent is free to say anything she wants about the case,
whether it is true or not. The school is forbidden to say anything at
all about the specific case.
In closing?
I noticed with mild amusement somebody thought Cullen's article ("Everything you know about the Columbine shootings is Wrong", Salon Magazine) somehow substantiated a motive throughout all of this. Passionate but ill-informed, holmes.
Dave didn't make any value judgements one way or the other, what he did was add weight to another CHS student's assertion that Dylan had once asked the difference between Fame and Imfamy and wondered if the line was so distinct as people beleive. Cullen's examination of statements relating to Harris' writings taken from his room indicate that he (Eric Harris) was media-conscious during the time he planned the assault.
He didn't want to simply be dismissed as a Jonesboro copycat and was aware that he'd gain stature following the incident and was looking forward to it.
He also had a bit to say about the prom date he couldn't get, not finding a college, etc. Taken at face value, however, the subject of infamy can reasonably be estimated at a grand total of 5-6 lines. Total material for unrelated writings I don't think anyone can make a formal estimate of, but assuming there was a whole page on the subject? That leaves twelve pages, minus the five or six lines mentioned.
He cared enough that he was found with an outdated 'Hit List' on his person when they discovered his body. If he was just a nobody that wanted attention?
They would have found a press statement.
Closing?
Life sucks, it's getting worse and some of us aren't as close to the subject as we once were but this notwithstanding? Part of the TcM as well as the other people incidentally investigated (and there were a few) returned to Columbine. There was supposed to be a 'we' in it or something.
Don't kid yourself. The same jocks are pulling the same thing right now, as you read this. The reason you're not hearing about this now is that they already know the price, spent an entire summer paying it.
They're geeks.
They're out there.
Find one and ask.