Lyndsay Benefiel's mother gave her pepper spray for protection during her long walk to Severna Park High School. But after she was turned in last week by a former friend for having it on school property, the 16-year-old was suspended, is being referred to juvenile authorities and could be charged with possession of a weapon on school property.
Her suspension and a case involving two Talbot County lacrosse players last month have focused attention on the zero-tolerance policies enforced by some school systems in Maryland. Such disciplinary policies are being criticized by experts and parents, who say they punish students too harshly for small infractions.
In some cases, students have been kept out of Maryland schools for long periods, without access to an education, and have been charged criminally.
Jane Sundius, director of education and youth development programs at Open Society Institute — Baltimore, said children should be held responsible for their actions, but "suspension is not an effective mechanism because it disconnects students from the school."
6 comments:
Some of these school administrators have a screw loose!
I don't understand how school administrators cannot have an exception policy regarding this particular situation. Maybe they should institute a program where kids in this situation turn their pepper spray into administration during school hours, but are still able to protect themselves on the walk to and from school.
dont bring pepper spray. dont like the rules, enroll into another school. better yet, home school.
@8:58
We're not talking about a "weapon" that can kill. Only a tool that can help prevent a potentially harmful situation from happening. You either don't have children or you lack common sense.
I have been out of high school for less then ten years. I carried a knife in my pocket, had my hunting riffle in the truck. I never had any problems at school. Then again the school admin had some common sence about the situation. Just think about the Vo-tech students and what they need to have with them for the class they are taking everyday.
8:58 You are an idiot. I guess you havent read on the news about child abductions. This society we live in today isnt what it used to be. Someone carrying peeper spray to protect themselves is a right. I would hate to see something happen to a girl in a situation like that. Then people like you would wonder how come she didnt have something to protect herself. Get a life. These school shoul offer things like this to the students walking to and from school. Some schools give out condoms to the student for protection why not pepper spray.
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