Was this punishment appropriate for my son?

Question

My son is 15 years old & a sophomore in high school.

Today in his science class, a mentally challenged girl supposedly ran to the front of the classroom and started screaming out random words

My son lost it and started laughing, and he has been suspended for 3 days!

I think that's wayyyyyy over the top. Am I wrong?

Answer 1

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

LLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

IF U DONT UNDER STAND LOL

j4hrj3gtr3j4gt3ybrhythtcce3ht3heygfhtu...

Answer 2

Yes I do. I am 15 and hate it when people make fun of kids like that. But sometimes (depending on how bad they are) know and trying to be funny. He wasn't laughing at her because she was disables he was laughing because she did something funny.  

Answer 3

I have a feeling he might have done something a little more then laughing.. BUT.. yes.

Answer 4

I don't think so. He probably did something a lot more than laughing, but either way, what he did was rude and uncalled for, and he deserves whatever he gets.

Answer 5

Yes

Answer 6

Your son should know better than to act like that at age 15. I think if the school feels he was way out of line they give discipline accordingly. Don't go through life taking your child's side. Let this be a good lesson to him and stay out of it.

Answer 7

No that is over the top. If anyone else would have done it he probally still would have laughed maybe detention or something but that's ridiculous.  

Answer 8

Well, that was really rude of him to laugh at the girl, I am about the same age as your son and I would never laugh at a mentally challenged kid.  It's really rude and insensitive.  I don't know your son, but if he never gets in trouble and just messed up this one time then maybe 3 days suspension is kind of harsh, but he should probably have still gotten detention or something.  If he does things like this all the time then he probably deserved it.

Answer 9

I think so.

Imagine you are the parent of the mentally challenged girl....would you think he should be suspended for laughing at your daughter?

Do you think it's okay for your son to laugh at people??

I think he deserved what he got.

Answer 10

I think it is too.  That girl shouldn't even be there, letting her get outta control like that was just asking for trouble.  Your son thought it was funny, he's the typical 15 year old boy for goodness' sake!  Suspension for 3 days, geez.  The only reason they probably did it is because this girl has mental issues and laughing is a politically incorrect "deprivation of human rights".  I feel more sorry for your son.  What were they thinking, those teachers, for letting that girl in that classroom?  She should be in a class for mentally challenged students!  I mean, I don't think he was making fun of her illness, it was how she was acting.  It's not like he was going, "Oh, she's retarded, what an idiot!"  I laugh whenever someone makes a scene.  It's a normal reaction.  However, maaaaayyybe he shoulda controlled himself a LITTLE.  Because of how the school was gonna act, they were bound to overreact like they did, just because they don't know the reason for his laughing.

Answer 11

A little but this kid has probably been made fun of allot so they are probably feed up and want to make it clear that they shouldn't laugh at her

Answer 12

That was extremely stupid, its the school's fault that someone that needs that much help is in there with the regular students, which is obviously a mistake, you need to go talk to the school board at the next meeting.

Answer 13

Yes it is way over the top.  Certain Situations can't be avoided.  I would have been different if he initiated something somehow.  Ive been in plenty of situations where I knew it wasn't right to laugh- but you just can't help it and Im 27.  It doesnt' make you a bad person.  

Its kinda like when you laugh a racial jokes - It doesn't make you a racist.  Some stuff is just funny!

Answer 14

Wow I can't believe there are people on here saying your son needs further punishment.  Granted, laughing wasn't appropriate but it was obviously an accident.  I am 15 years old, and even though I hate when mentally challenged kids are made fun of, I think I would have laughed.  Your son wasn't making fun of the girl, but the situation was funny.  I'm sure he wasn't the only one who laughed.  That punishment is ridiculous.  Making him apologize and at the most giving a day of detention would have been more then enough.  Bring this up with the school after the suspension.  Also in no way can they prove he was laughing at the girl, he could have been thinking of something funny at the time it occurred.  Coincidence? Yes. But not able to be unproven.

Answer 15

It's a tad over the top, but remember, you weren't there. You have the information second-hand so you can't be sure of the way your son acted.

I wouldn't intervene in the school about the severity of the punishment, he did something horrible and he is getting his (perhaps not quite) just desserts. Grin and bear it is all I can advise you, people are sensitive about stuff like this.

Answer 16

Yes.

Answer 17

Thats VERY harsh!!

I remember when i was at at school i took part in a strike (against a new behaviour policy) there where about 400 of us doing it...the news made it there and everything!!! About 30 of us got sent to the dining hall and i got caught laughing in there (at my friend though!) and got sent to the heads office. Then i was suspended for one day!! Not 3!!

Thats strict!!

Answer 18

Yeah that is for sure over the top, I am a sophomore and almost 16 and that is complete c**p. Mentally handicapped or not, regardless; someone acting like a fool is always funny.

Answer 19

yes

she probably has tourettes you and your son need to learn some compassion for those who are different

you also need to ground time take away pc time friends and his phone time

theres no excuse for teasing others and it shouldnt be accepted

Answer 20

at 15 he should know better and should have more manners than that. I would be furious if my child ever did that. I think the punishment is appropriate.

Answer 21

That is way over the top.

If any child, mentally handicapped or not ran to the front of some room and started acting in such a manner there might be many people who think that it is funny.

He wasn't laughing bc she was mentally retarded, but at what she was doing.

The school is probably too narrow minded to realize this perspective and thought he was making fun of her because of her condition.  Either way..I think it's harsh and you should definitely call the school and ask them why he was suspended for so long and what they think the basis of the suspension is.  If I'm right about what they're thinking, I would definitely argue to decrease his punishment.