Re By M.

1. I'm a little confused about your story. First, you said the boy propped his bottom on the sink. Then later you said that you, too had leaned on a sink boy. Maybe I'm interpreting this wrong, but propping your bottom on a sink is quite different than leaning on it.

2. I think that the principal acted accordingly. You said that other kids have told you that other people have done the same thing. This may show those people that such an offense will not be taken lightly. It sends a red flag to all of the others that they shouldn't do it.

3. Not only is sitting on a sink and breaking it vandalism, it can also cause a serious injury. Perhaps the punishment was based on the fact that someone could get hurt on the glass that broke. Perhaps it was to show just how serious this is. What if someone had gotten hurt and the school had gotten sued? Perhaps that why the principal gave out a 5 day suspension.

4. I can see where accidents would happen; however, don't you think that if this was caused by leaning a tad on the sink that the boy would confess before coming back to the room? Or at least tell you when he came back? That way glass wouldn't be left on the floor leading to someone stepping on it? If the sink was in bad condition (old) and the boy gently leaned against it and it broke, don't you think he would have come forth right away? Yet he didn't. That shows me that he wasn't just gently "leaning" against the sink.

5. You said the student propped his bottom on the sink when he listened to some students talking. The student had permission to leave the room to go to the bathroom, not to talk with friends. He should have went to the bathroom and came back to the classroom rather than stopping to sit on the sink and listen to the conversation.

6. You said that you want the principal to change the punishment, but honestly, what good would that do? Number one, the student has already missed some days for the suspension already. Number 2, what does it teach the students if the principal does change the punishment? I think it teaches the students that if someone will beg on your behalf, that the consequences will be changed. It doesn't really teach them to accept their punishment and take responsbility for their actions.

7. You also said that you didn't like the fact how the student can't make up his work. Could you perhaps meet with on his return to at least explain to him what he missed so he at least knows how to do the things he missed?