Read this! You kids will not be able to work on your farm anymore!!

[chickened]

I think in order to punish someone that it must be willful, malicious, and proven not an assumption. My son's intent was to help his buddy.

I think it is easier for the principal to do it this way but not correct.

It would be like an employee of a bank leaving the door open and someone else robbing the bank and then punish the employee for robbery.

In hindsight my son should have taken it into the classroom but ultimately the kid that left it outside was at fault.

I would offer a reward. My son defends this boy and his twin brother at times because they receive a lot of teasing about their parents. I think the principal should investigate this a little more and catch the kid that did it.

 

[zzGypsy]

in your bank analogy, the employee has some responsibility, but not for robbery. likely a punishable oversight for not having executed his required duties, though.

just my take on it...

the boy who's books they were has responsibility - he forgot them
your son has responsibility - he took responsibility for the books and didn't leave them in a secure location.
whoever did the dirty deed has responsibility for actually damaging the books and should be identified and punished, in addition to replacing the books.
however, should the culprit not be found, I'd split the $80 cost between the other two boys...
the loss resulted from the books being unsupervised.

your son did half the right thing... a learning moment about what taking responsibility means... it means finishing the job. and perhaps you can trot out a proverb about where the road paved with good intentions leads to...

and BTW, I think the Principal is wrong. his priority should be catching the delinquents that did the damage. and then making them repay your son and the other boy for the books. and making sure there's some other punishment for the delinquents too.

just my opinion.

 

[chickened]

in your bank analogy, the employee has some responsibility, but not for robbery. likely a punishable oversight for not having executed his required duties, though.

just my take on it...

the boy who's books they were has responsibility - he forgot them
your son has responsibility - he took responsibility for the books and didn't leave them in a secure location.
whoever did the dirty deed has responsibility for actually damaging the books and should be identified and punished, in addition to replacing the books.
however, should the culprit not be found, I'd split the $80 cost between the other two boys...
the loss resulted from the books being unsupervised.

your son did half the right thing... a learning moment about what taking responsibility means... it means finishing the job. and perhaps you can trot out a proverb about where the road paved with good intentions leads to...

and BTW, I think the Principal is wrong. his priority should be catching the delinquents that did the damage. and then making them repay your son and the other boy for the books. and making sure there's some other punishment for the delinquents too.

just my opinion.

I agree, I actually will offer to pay a portion of the cost. And suggest they try to catch the kid. Kids talk and it should not be that difficult.

 

[zzGypsy]

I agree, I actually will offer to pay a portion of the cost. And suggest they try to catch the kid. Kids talk and it should not be that difficult.

yeah, if you've done something like that it's for effect... and there's no effect unless you tell people and laugh about it...

 

[dainerra]

So, if my neighbor borrows my lawnmower and leaves the key in it on my front lawn, it's not his fault that it was stolen? Sorry, when you take responsibility for someone else's property, then YOU are responsible for what happens to it. Even elementary school children should know that. If the books had been stolen after the friend left them out, then the friend's parents would be responsible for the money. BUT, they didn't get stolen after the friend left them behind. They were stolen after the son left them sitting outside a classroom. In my book, that makes it the 2nd kids fault. Yes, in a perfect world, the criminal will be caught and he will have to pay for the books. Until then, the last person to take responsibility for the books has to pay for them.

 

[SherrieT]

Quote:
It's more like your friend rented a car and lost the keys. You found the keys and put them in the ignition of the rental car. Thief found the keys in the car and drove off.

 

[Serama Newbee]

They just need more people on unemployment so they can blame all the more more problems on the other side.. This is the Change we voted for. Maybe he meant less change in my pocket.

 

[hemet dennis]

Soon that's all we will have is change in our pockets.

 

[SherrieT]

They just need more people on unemployment so they can blame all the more more problems on the other side.. This is the Change we voted for. Maybe he meant less change in my pocket.

The times in my life when I became unemployed I took any job that was offered, including....wait for it.......McDonalds. What I didn't do was sit on my rear and blame the President.

I worked, kept looking for a better job and, amazingly enough, always found one. And I didn't give credit to the President for that also.

 

[chickened]

The times in my life when I became unemployed I took any job that was offered, including....wait for it.......McDonalds. What I didn't do was sit on my rear and blame the President.

I worked, kept looking for a better job and, amazingly enough, always found one. And I didn't give credit to the President for that also.

You are obviously not a whiner nor are you lazy or too good to take a job others turn thier nose up at. Good for you.