EASTON -- Maryland's Board of Education ruled Tuesday that Talbot County Public Schools' personnel failed to use appropriate discretion last spring when two lacrosse players were suspended for possessing a penknife and a lighter for repairing sports equipment.
The state board ruled that the local Board of Education violated the law when it affirmed TCPS Superintendent Dr. Karen Salmon's suspension of the players, Casey Edsall and Graham Dennis.
Dennis, who had scissors, a 2-inch folding penknife, a screwdriver and a Leatherman multi-tool in his lacrosse bag, was arrested by Easton police at the site of a search. He was handcuffed, fingerprinted and charged with possession of a deadly weapon. The charge was later dismissed by Talbot prosecutors.
Edsall's bag had a butane lighter used to seal cut strings on his lacrosse stick. School personnel called the lighter an "explosive device."
8 comments:
When the teachers and the school board members are stupider than the students and the parents, isn't it time to get rid of the school and board staff?
And these people are in charge of educating our children.....the kids have more common sense than they do!
This Karen Salmon sounds like a real loser.
Obviously she cannot make good decisions.
Neither can the school "student services supervisor" which is a euphemism for an armed law enforcement officer.
Neither can the school principle David Stofa.
What is even worse is when decent level minded people pleaded for appropriate measured justice, these education "experts" pushed back even harder to intimidate and harass with all malice. They should all be fired. Actually, They should face trial for this abuse because the whole premise is a non issue.
The school administration and board of ed. should be hanging their heads in shame. This was handled in the worst possible way. Apparently Dr. Karen Salmon's PhD couldn't teach her any common sense. Peolpe like this should not be in education.
Those young men when filing for their college selections should do a retake on those suspensions and find out if they have been completely erased.Given the incompentant staff there they will have revenge on their minds.
Zero tolerance = Zero common sense.
This will stay with these young men for the rest of their lives.Ask the Duke lacrosse players,it ruined their lives.The BOA of Talbot County along with the others involved have no shame or feel they did anything wrong.If so apoligies would have been made.
I live in Montgomery Co. but grew up in Easton. This county's system is the same kind of "zero tolerance," lack of common sense operation. What makes the Easton incident stand out is the presumption of guilt and demeaning arrest that occurred before the facts were reviewed. Compound that with the totally arrogant attitude exhibited by the school board and superintendent in the weeks following. Clearly there was an over reaction and rush to judgement. At the very least, the "adults" should be placed on unpaid leave for 10 days and a record placed in their files by the state board. And the superintendent should be escorted by police from her office in full view of the public. Finally, I hope the students consider legal action against the Talbot school Board for the embarrassment they and their families have had to endure and will continue to endure long after the headlines go away.
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