My Two Cents
Students denied civil rights at schools

My name is Janet Stephens and I am a citizen of Gulf Breeze, Fla. I have three children ages 17, 16 and 12.

In our school district children are afforded no protection under the constitution of the USA! I am speaking of Zero tolerance polices.

At Gulf Breeze High School every child, even learning disabled, are denied simple liberties that we as adults take for granted everyday. Such as the right to remain silent, the right to have a parent or legal counsel present, for that matter there is no advocate for the students allowed at all! I understand the need for protection of our children and schools, as I am a loving Mother. My 17-year-old learning-disabled son Jonathan was questioned or interrogated approximately three and a half hours, the whole time begging them to call his mother to help him, every time this request was denied!

When a police officer puts on his uniform and attaches his badge he is required to follow the law. An officer of the law should not perform illegal questioning, bullying, degrading, chastising a child, and forcibly removing the keys of a child and illegal searches. In our case, they interrogated my child until he admitted to doing something that he did not do, participating in drug usage to make them stop. In addition to my disabled child, this also includes my 16-year-old, Justin as well, at a different time however.

Stephens

Now think about this, my learning disabled and my other son, interrogated so severely that they admitted using drugs. Both when safely in my care said they had to say that they did so they would leave them alone. Jonathan had to be hospitalized after this incident and passed blood and urine drug screen tests, Justin passed as well. They then suspended Justin for ten days for lying about getting high even though they bullied him into admitting he had done something, when in fact he didn't! Jonathan told them that the night prior to this questioning he had allowed a boy that didn't have money to get into the softball game to sit in his truck. When he had returned to his vehicle to retrieve his girl friends jacket, that's when he caught him smoking pot. Jon kicked him out of his vehicle doing exactly what he had been taught to do, not realizing that when he startled the boy he had dropped a little in the passenger floor. That boy was expelled and even though Jon had not participated, he was still expelled too! Since when did it become the schools job to be judge and jury?

See, my son couldn't be arrested, the law says he had to be aware of constructive possession and not only was he unaware; he tested negative for all substances. My 17-year-old son tried to kill himself that same day and by the grace of God he failed! He had to be hospitalized for three days until he was stabilized. He is now diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and mood disorders.

It's time to give our children the same rights that the law affords murderers and rapists! When I asked about their civil rights, I was told under 18 you have none! That same afternoon I asked an officer if I popped a 15-year-old upside his head what would happen. His immediate response was you would be arrested for assault on a minor. I then asked, so minors under 18 do have civil rights?

He quickly replied "Of course, why you think the Department of Children and Families is so o v e rwhelmed?"

Here in the State of Florida we have an extremely high drop out rate. How many were expelled and how many were unfortunately successful with their attempt at suicide? Not every child has a mom like me that will fight against insurmountable odds to fix this sort of injustice. We enforce our children to say the pledge of allegiance, but why when there isn't liberty and justice for all? The past dean promised Jon, (and I have it on tape) and the school board, that as soon as Jon was allowed back, he would be welcomed back. The code of student conduct affords that an ESE student is allowed to return after a full nine weeks regardless if the offense was a manifestation of their disability but the dean denied Jon's return. Jon had stayed out of trouble, made all B's and one C. His returning was out of the question because instead of alternative placement he had to do hospital homebound due a mental break down caused by them, that is blatant discrimination. The problem needs to be fixed, we are losing our future with every child lost.

I know that one voice can make a difference and I know that if every parent stands up for what's right we can make a difference together! It could happen to your child. An example, your daughter gives her friend a ride to school that morning and on the ride they have a argument, if she decides to get back at her, all she has to do is drop a Midol from her pocket or a finger nail file, guess what, your child is expelled just like that!

This is a problem for the whole country. We as a society need to reform zero tolerance and work conjunctively to teach and protect by following the laws that the constitution of our great country and our fore fathers in there infinite wisdom drafted to protect all especially the young and weak!