Cub Scout kid gets suspended out of school

[DianeB]

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Contrary to popular belief, violence can and does solve problems. I was a tomboy. Both of my sisters were girly-girls. There were some catty little things that thought they could harass my sisters. When the teachers didn't do anything about it other than 'peer counselling', which more or less meant my sisters 'apologizing' to the bullies for 'offending' them, well, that's where I came in.

Bullies at heart are cowards. They pick on those they view as weak and lesser. When confronted by someone stronger, they back down.

In school I had a reputation as 'dangerous'. (I swear, you blow up one trash can....). I had no problem cultivating that reputation if it meant nobody picked on my sisters.


When my son is old enough for school, I will teach him what I believe. If he throws the first punch, his butt is grass when he gets home. But if he is defending himself, I will back him every step of the way and may the gods have mercy on any school administrator that tries to make an example of him.

Any object that can or is used ot threaten or hurt themselves or another is considered a weapon. The rubberband crossbows and a sharpened pencil can also beconsidered weapons.

As for the bullying I had in school, I am very glad I didn't hit back. I met the bully and her mother later on as a young adult. I found out that she was severely abused by her drunk father. Her and her mother narrowly escaped with their lives. This is not an excuse for her actions. With that going on at home, if I had hit her who knows what would have happened to her. I also became causal friends with ther mom - I would talk to her when I went running in the morning. Her daughter was able to change her life and become a better person.

I am glad that I have kept my integrity. I did not become one of them. Though I am not perfect, the circumstances that I held my temper have always turned out better than the ones I did not. As I have grown older I have learned that peace begets peace and violence begets violence.

I was raised in a religous household and taught to turn the other check. So I try to take the highroad. It can be difficult, but that is not what is important. What is important is the longterm goal of peace.

 

[Eggs4Sale]

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[GrayDragon]

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Defending yourself neither costs you your integrity or makes you one of them.

As I have grown older I have learned that peace begets peace and violence begets violence.

As I've gotten older, I continue to find this only holds true when dealing with rational, sane people. Sadly, there are folks in the world who are truly toxic and others who will see trying to take the peaceful road as a sign of weakness. The numbers vary, but at least one percent of the folks out there are on some level sociopaths.

It is indeed a sad thing that history has shown us, but the simple fact is that pacifism alone has never worked.​

 

[PurpleChicken]

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Defending yourself neither costs you your integrity or makes you one of them.

As I have grown older I have learned that peace begets peace and violence begets violence.

As I've gotten older, I continue to find this only holds true when dealing with rational, sane people. Sadly, there are folks in the world who are truly toxic and others who will see trying to take the peaceful road as a sign of weakness. The numbers vary, but at least one percent of the folks out there are on some level sociopaths.

It is indeed a sad thing that history has shown us, but the simple fact is that pacifism alone has never worked.​

Very well said. Some people are just toxic and are a threat, no matter what their story is.


Turning the other cheek is a very misunderstood concept but I'm not going to go into that here and go off topic.


I was bullied at times in school and internalized that anger which came out in other ways. The times I fought back, whether I won or lost the fight, were always very "releasing" for the lack of a better word.

I also bullied some as a kid and once or twice those kids fought back and taught ME a lesson.


Sorry to go off topic but this is a great discussion.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

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Yes, Cub Scouting can be a very good program, but at 6 he is too young for Cub Scouts.

Wolf is boys who have completed 1st grade or are 8 years old. Bear is for boys who have completed 2nd grade or are 9. If he is IN 1st grade he may possibly be a Tiger Cub, which is to Cub Scouts as Cub Scouts are to Boy Scouts.

Children should not have knives at school. Period. Regardless of their reasoning for having it. Regardless of their age.

Back when my 96 year old aunt was a principal she had a large pocket knife collection that she had obtained from kids who brought knives to school over the years(she began teaching in 1935, I believe). To the best of my knowledge, she never returned a knife, although I suppose if a parent had come and asked she might have given it to them.

Pocket knives are a tool, and part of using a tool is being able to use it safely. I would trust a non-sharp dinner knife to a 6 year old child during a supervised meal; no way would I trust a sharp knife of any sort to a 6 year old who was not under close one-on-one supervision from a responsible adult.

 

[PurpleChicken]

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Yes, Cub Scouting can be a very good program, but at 6 he is too young for Cub Scouts.

Wolf is boys who have completed 1st grade or are 8 years old. Bear is for boys who have completed 2nd grade or are 9. If he is IN 1st grade he may possibly be a Tiger Cub, which is to Cub Scouts as Cub Scouts are to Boy Scouts.

My step son started as a Wolf when he was 7 and entering 2nd grade. I tend to mix up ages and levels.

A child could actually be 6 and in the second grade if he turns 7 by December 31st. I was 5 when I started 1st grade.

Our Tiger Scouts were all part of the same Pack. Our Pack (116 Beacon Falls, CT) encompassed Tigers up to Webelo 2

 

[mom'sfolly]

I've got an active cub and a boy scout.

The cubscout progression is exactly what Ridgerunner posted; so a 6 year-old first grader would be a Tiger, and that would be part of a regular cup scout pack.

As for the zero tolerance rules, they make it easy for teachers and administers to do their jobs without the endless discussions of guilt, prejudice, bias, or dislike of a particular student. This is the same thing that mandatory sentences in criminal cases. I don't like mandatory sentencing or zero tolerance because there is no room for wisdom and experience. A six-year-old with an fork/knife/spoon dining implement is very different from a troubled teenager with Columbine leanings. A wise and experienced person would know the difference.

 

[debilorrah]

Y'all know they revolked his suspension, right? Tiger is 6 years old and different sporting goods stores sell those items, so he could have received it from anyone.

 

[chickaddict]

I was a Bear leader for a few years(3rd graders). The boys need to be Webelos before they can earn the safety badge that allows for a knife of any kind.

for a 1rst grader a suspension probably would have been more appropriate - expelling seems extreme for this situation