Ohio teen expects to be suspended for violating school rules.

[donesprague]

The misleading headline said:

“Ohio teen expects to be suspended for trip to prom”

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_school_dance_flap

It is obvious that the student isn’t to be suspended for going to another schools prom. He might be suspended for violating school rules. The article slants the news to promote a distorted perspective.

The Heritage Christian School “in northwest Ohio forbids dancing, rock music and hand holding.” That is very clear. If the student wants to attend the Heritage Christian School , he must follow the school rules. If he doesn’t like the school rules, he doesn’t have to go to that school. If he wants to do stuff that is done in public schools, he should go to a public school.

“Officials at the Heritage Christian School in Findlay had warned 17-year-old Tyler Frost that he would be suspended and prohibited from attending graduation if he went to the Saturday dance.”

Frost says he went to the dance because he wanted to experience the prom and didn't think it was wrong. So, the student wanted to attend public school functions because he didn’t agree with the policy of the school he attended.

Frost's stepfather says the rules shouldn't apply outside of school and he may take legal action if Frost is suspended. If the stepfather and the student don’t like the Heritage Christian School education and rules, they should be happy to completely drop out of the Heritage Christian School and go to public school. If they like the education the Heritage Christian School provided, they should be happy to obey the rules instead of trying to change them to be like the public school the don’t want to attend.

The suspension is just for the final exams and graduation ceremony. The student still has the opportunity to get a diploma from the Heritage Christian School instead of one from public school. That doesn’t make any sense. The student and his step father want the education and diploma from the Heritage Christian School instead of the education and diploma from a public school but they want the Heritage Christian School to change to become like the public schools.

OH SNAP. It just came to me. It seems that they just want to stop the type of education and rules the Heritage Christian School provides. That is all it can be. They aren’t being forced to attend the Heritage Christian School because it is an optional choice. If they can force the Heritage Christian School to be like the public schools, they will be eliminating the choice for other students. They will be forcing other to accept the education and rules of public schools. It seems that a better headline might be

Student and step father attempt to eliminate freedom of choice provided by private schools that compete with public schools.

[brouski]

It seems their ingenious plan to sabotage the Christian school is coming to fruition.

MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[Safiel]

From the schools own web page in response to the incident:

Second, at the beginning of the school year, every family must sign a statement of cooperation. Students in 7th through 12th grades must also sign it. It doesn’t say that you have to agree with them, but that we will all abide by them.

I must side with the school on this. The parents AND the student agreed to and signed this policy. They signed a CONTRACT. The school is acting entirely in its rights.

I personally think the school's policy is entirely 8th century and **** retentive. But this family AGREED to it. If they don't like it, find another Christian School or home school

[Safiel]

http://www.heritagefindlay.org/
http://www.heritagefindlay.org/index.cfm?i=6416&mid=1000&id=199128

Links to the schools main page and their response to this situation, respectfully.

[Talk2Bill]

Rules are rules, I was in a Christan school in the 2nd grade and I knew I was not allowed to dance.

This kid knew the rules, and even if he did not, even if there was no 'statement of cooperation' the rules are still in place. (if i had to guess they are only there to remove any argument of 'i did not know.' and maybe to allow the school to keep the unused pro=rated tuition)

this kids only options are to accept the punishment and get over it or withdraw from that school.

[donesprague]

SNIP

But this family AGREED to it. If they don't like it, find another Christian School or home school

Or they could go to public school and get what the are trying to push on the Christian School and the other students.

[laserlipo]

Hi all,
I also agree that rule are rules. But if don't have idea about the rules what i do. By mistake i have broken some rules than. And Teen have no idea about rules, how they follow rules.
I think this matter has to be submitted to court...


(http://www.laserlipoguide.com/)

[nortman]

I don't see how the school can police what happens at other school's functions and hold their students accountable for things that they do away from school. I would think that a school that tried to do that would find their enrollment disappear. They might want to reconsider their stand.

[Talk2Bill]

Hi all,
I also agree that rule are rules. But if don't have idea about the rules what i do. By mistake i have broken some rules than. And Teen have no idea about rules, how they follow rules.
I think this matter has to be submitted to court...



ignorance is not an defense. and he knew.

[Talk2Bill]

I don't see how the school can police what happens at other school's functions and hold their students accountable for things that they do away from school. I would think that a school that tried to do that would find their enrollment disappear. They might want to reconsider their stand.

it is a private school and there are MANY schools that have the same kind of rules. 30 years ago I was in such a school (i was 7) and we were all aware of the rules.

[sgtmac_46]

They did sign a contract.....the school is within it's rights to enforce that agreement.....asinine though it may seem.

[donesprague]

Hi all,
I also agree that rule are rules. But if don't have idea about the rules what i do. By mistake i have broken some rules than. And Teen have no idea about rules, how they follow rules.
I think this matter has to be submitted to court...


(http://www.laserlipoguide.com/)

Many great inventions were made because the person didn't know it couldn't be done.

The kid and his parents knew the rules. They supposedly liked all the rules except those they didn't like. Hiding behind the claim they didn't know the rules is a tired old fools game.

[nortman]

They did sign a contract.....the school is within it's rights to enforce that agreement.....asinine though it may seem.
Agreed to both parts of your statement.

[Greyclouds]

They did sign a contract.....the school is within it's rights to enforce that agreement.....asinine though it may seem.

agreed.

[chris13]

My kids go to a Christian school as well. We all had to read the Rules on Conduct and sign a paper attesting we did read them and agree to abide by them. And there are rules that apply to off-campus behavior.
It goes under that general heading of things that reflect badly on the school. Many employers have agreements like that as well.
And it is most definitely a case of "If you don't like it then you don't have to go." Private schools are a choice. It's stupid to pay that kind of money and then ignore the rules and risk expulsion and forfeit of the tuition.

[angelicmadrigal]

I must side with the school on this. The parents AND the student agreed to and signed this policy. They signed a CONTRACT. The school is acting entirely in its rights.

I personally think the school's policy is entirely 8th century and **** retentive. But this family AGREED to it. If they don't like it, find another Christian School or home school

And that's why the parents were STUPID to sign it. Honestly, I wouldn't send my kid to a school with such backward way of thinking.

Also, this town is very close to where I live and work, and I'll just say that school doesn't represent the value system of 90% of the people I run into on a daily basis, so WHY someone would send thier kid to that school I have NO idea.

Let me also mention that I applaud the kid for giving that school the good old middle finger in the face. However, you have to take the consequences when you do such things.

[Apatriot]

I don't see how the school can police what happens at other school's functions and hold their students accountable for things that they do away from school. I would think that a school that tried to do that would find their enrollment disappear. They might want to reconsider their stand.

They probably get most of their business from people who approve of their actions. I doubt this will have any effect on their enrollment.

[djdudley]

I am sorry, I didn't see where off campus hand holding, dancing and rock music are covered. Sounds like all of this is only for the Heritage School campus ONLY. Once a student walks off the campus, those rules should not apply. It is like telling employees what they can do outside the job (of course unless there is conflict of interest). Did I miss something?

[Apatriot]

I am sorry, I didn't see where off campus hand holding, dancing and rock music are covered. Sounds like all of this is only for the Heritage School campus ONLY. Once a student walks off the campus, those rules should not apply. It is like telling employees what they can do outside the job (of course unless there is conflict of interest). Did I miss something?

Well, they would define it as a conflict of interest. For a Heritage School student to be seen publically sinning, is the equivalent of seeing a Miller Brewery Company employee drinking Coors. (and the courts have held up a case where a beer company fired an employee for publically drinking a competitive brand at a bar).

It's a private school. They can enforce the rules they want.

[Talk2Bill]

I am sorry, I didn't see where off campus hand holding, dancing and rock music are covered. Sounds like all of this is only for the Heritage School campus ONLY. Once a student walks off the campus, those rules should not apply. It is like telling employees what they can do outside the job (of course unless there is conflict of interest). Did I miss something?

a private school can punish any student for anything it wants, anywhere it happens whether or not it was a listed infraction. The Christan school i attended sure punished kids for off campus conduct.

[Talk2Bill]

Well, they would define it as a conflict of interest. For a Heritage School student to be seen publically sinning, is the equivalent of seeing a Miller Brewery Company employee drinking Coors. (and the courts have held up a case where a beer company fired an employee for publically drinking a competitive brand at a bar).

It's a private school. They can enforce the rules they want.

i good friend of the family was fired after 25 years of service to one supermarket for going into another supermarket. They wanted to sue but they learned of employee at will. He managed to get unemployment (the store had not paid into it so the store got in trouble anyway). But yeah, a private school is much like working in an At Will state.

the contract MIGHT allow for a refund of the tuition... but even that would be hard to get.

[ogibillm]

it gets a little dicey when you think about whether the rules applied to off campus activities...

but a school that forbids dancing, rock music, and hand holding... i think Kevin Bacon might have a thing or two to say about that.

[samurai7]

Rules are rules, I was in a Christan school in the 2nd grade and I knew I was not allowed to dance.

This kid knew the rules, and even if he did not, even if there was no 'statement of cooperation' the rules are still in place. (if i had to guess they are only there to remove any argument of 'i did not know.' and maybe to allow the school to keep the unused pro=rated tuition)

this kids only options are to accept the punishment and get over it or withdraw from that school.

I wouldn't have had my kid sign such a silly rule.

For pity sake, Ecclesiastes says there is a TIME TO DANCE.

David danced with all his might before the Lord. Dancing is not verboten in the Bible. :rolleyes:

And kids are kids. I don't care what they sign in Kiddygarten, by the time they are a senior they are going to change their minds.

The school is being ridiculous in thinking they can control the kid's entire life.

When public schools try to stop kids from having prayer groups and other things outside of school we cry foul, and rightly so. Why should this be any different?

This was clearly outside the school's zone of authority. It's none of their business. The parents should sue.