Well, you can’t have it both ways. Everyone is crying about bullying these days…many times on Babble posts saying A, B or C is bullying. So yeah, I would say this falls in. We could split hairs and say a one day suspension might be more appropriate, but, I think, generally it’s fair if you really want to send a message that any kind of bullying won’t be tolerated. I think there are enough petty distractions in schools these days and enough problems where a zero tolerance line might be OK.

I agree with the above poster. I’ve heard complaints about things that are less aggressive than that (eye rolling) that are bullying, and anyone who thinks that nine year olds aren’t capable of bullying doesn’t have or know kids.

I think the punishment is excessive, it seems like a behavior that should require a trip to the office and whatever the child receives based on how many times they’ve been there instead of a special no tolerance punishment.

@GP: Zero tolerance is faulty though, as it serves to punish the child who had the misfortune of being the target. In our district, both the perpetrator AND the victim are suspended with it going on their permanent records- EVEN IF the victim just stood there and let themselves be pummeled.
I’ve always taught my kids it is their constitutional right to defend themselves, and their minor status does not, in any way, negate that right. And their father and I will support them and ave our own statements inserted in their records if the needs ever arises. So far, so good. Our eldest was jumped i the bathroom one day and turned around and bloodied the kid’s nose. He suffered no further bullying issues. But he was never one to look for a confrontation either. But we taught him to not back down either.
@Danielle: I agree with this part::”T he incident stands to force us to contemplate whether we are becoming so hypersensitive to the tragic stories of school bullies that we are on high alert and possibly taking child behavior and misinterpreting it. If anything, we need to put pressure on the kids who are really bullying and tormenting other kids in school.”

No kidding! IT reads in the School Handbook AND the letter they send in that the police will be called and BOTH the perp and victim will be taken to the station for pick up by their parents as well.
By the time our 12 and nearly 10 yr old get to high school, the oldest might be on the force anyway, LOL! He’d actually make a good liaison for the high school.

As Deira pointed out it’s hard to really know whether this was just kids pulling jokes on each other or bullying. If he really was doing it to pick on another kid then it should be considered bullying, especially if that kid already has to put up with frequent teasing from classmates. That type of behavior definitely needs to be addressed, but I’m not sure suspension was the best way.

Zero Tolerance Policies just make it so that administrators don’t have to even attempt to use their brains. It makes them appear really ‘effin’ stupid, as though they’re not able to effectively discern between a Tylenol and a syringe full of heroin or a “kick me” sign made by a 9 year old and assault. I would be offended if my employer had so little faith in my cognitive abilities and I can’t for the life of me understand why administrators aren’t taking a stand against these ridiculous policies. Do they feel powerless? Or is it easier to not have to think?

@Linda TOR- those rules are put in place so that parents can’t come back and SUE us for not doing everything to protect the students. We’re not “effin” stupid.

No what they ought to do is the kids who get caught bullying should spend their suspension days in Juvenile Hall sitting in on their school classes so they can see what their lives could be like if they continue. Yea it sounds awful, but hey, if you scare a kid bad enough then they won’t do it again. And the part about the punishing the victim is true, That’s how it was in every school I went to, no it’s not fair, but it’s only in times where there are fights, verbal, physical, etc. I know if I or my child is or was going to be suspended for something it surely will be worth the punishment, not going to stand by and be pummeled by someone to receive the same sentence as my perpetrator.