[overflow] Re: GHHS

[Lee Gold <leeway@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Kay Shapero wrote:
> 
> Lee Gold <leeway@mediaone.net> wrote
> 
> (Have I missed some messages, or did this just move in from the newsgroup?)

I just moved it over.
> 
> > Well, we can easily draw the line between teasing that involves
> > physical injury or robbery and other sorts of teasing.  And I'm
> > surprised that Zero Tolerance advocates don't realize that they're
> > claiming adults can't exercise judgment, the one area where
> > adult maturity should pay off.
> 
> Exactly.  And of course in practice adults frequently DO exercise judgement
> and ignore rules that do not apply. 

A magazine I was reading while waiting to get my income taxes from the
accountant today reported that Charles Williams of Santee had had
people routinely fire up cigarette lighters till they got hot and
press them against his skin to burn him.  Apparently, none of them
felt this was worth reporting to the authorities.  Apparently none
of the authorities noticed the burn marks, noticed that Williams
said his homework was missing because it had been torn up, that
he wasn't wearing shoes because they'd been stolen, that....
Or if they did notice it, they didn't think it was worth doing
anything about.  

No, this isn't an excuse for murder.  But if I were his lawyer,
I'd introduce all the evidence of torment  and plead diminished 
responsibility or even temporary insanity.  And if I were
running a school, I'd try to motivate people to come down 
hard on that sort of brutality.  

--Lee