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George J. Goodwin... Mr. Zero Tolerance!

I started to comment on this story yesterday, but I decided to give it a day and see if the situation was resolved with a modicum of intelligence.

It hasn’t been, so here we go.

Matthew Walen, a senior at Lansingburgh High School in Troy, N.Y. (and, apparently, a model son and student), was suspended from school for 30 days, for keeping a 2 inch pocket knife locked in his car (it is part of his emergency survival kit).  Mr. Walen is an Eagle Scout, so one must assume that by having an emergency survival kit in his car he is just trying to ‘Be Prepared’.

FoxNews.com reported today that Lansingburgh Central School District Superintendent George J. Goodwin is going to stick by his ruling that tacked on an extra 15 school days to the 5 school day suspension that the school’s assistant principal had handed down.

Lansingburgh Central School District Superintendent George J. Goodwin, 55, said in a written statement that his district “has an established policy of zero tolerance with respect to the possession of weapons of any kind on school property or in school buildings.”

But nowhere in the school district’s rule book, which is published online, is there any mention of a “zero tolerance” policy, leading some to question whether Goodwin, in fact, was compelled to suspend the youth.

Fox points out that there is nothing in the district policies about a “zero tolerance” policy, but what do the district policies actually say about discipline?

How about this:

The best discipline is self-imposed, and students must learn to assume and accept responsibility for their own behavior, as well as the consequences of their misbehavior. District personnel who interact with students are expected to use disciplinary action only when necessary and to place emphasis on the students’ ability to grow in self-discipline.
The Board recognizes the need to make its expectations for student conduct while on school property or engaged in a school function specific and clear. The rules of conduct listed below are intended to do that and focus on safety and respect for the rights and property of others. Students who will not accept responsibility for their won behavior and who violate these school rules will be required to accept the penalties for their conduct.

So, district personnel “are expected to use disciplinary action only when necessary and to place emphasis on the students’ ability to grow in self-discipline” and Mr. Goodwin feels that it is necessary to suspend an Eagle Scout for 20 school days all because the Eagle Scout had a 2 inch pocket knife locked in his car as a part of his emergency survival kit?

I don’t know about anyone else, but it sounds to me like Mr. Goodwin isn’t living up to expectations.

But, I’m not here to condemn Mr. Goodwin for his lack of good sense.

I’m here to help.

First, I’d like to point out that Mr. Goodwin is missing out on a couple of golden opportunities to enforce his image as Mr. Zero Tolerance.  Most cars are equipped with a tire iron, a potentially deadly weapon.  Mr. Goodwin should suspend any student or faculty member found to have one in their vehicle, even if his own car has one.

Second, I noted that their school has baseball and softball teams.  Mr. Goodwin needs to round up all baseball and softball bats right now – didn’t he see The Untouchables?  Doesn’t he know what one person can do to another with a baseball bat?!?

Third, Mr. Goodwin might want to check their shop classes (if they have them).  Many of them are stocked with knives, chisels, saws, and all manner of sharp, pointy, deadly objects.

Finally, I’d like to help anyone who wants express their opinion of his decision to pretend that he has no discretion in the matter.  You can contact him here, but please be respectful (Just because he is using poor judgment doesn’t mean you should, too):

Mr. George J. Goodwin
Superintendent of Schools
Lansingburgh Central School District
576 Fifth Avenue
Troy, New York 12182

Email: ggoodwin@lansingburgh.org
Phone: 518.233.6850
Fax: 518 235.7436

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