[blueerica]

I stand by my insistence that suspension isn't the answer. It's an answer, and I suppose any attempt is better than none, but I feel that this could have a negative repercussion if there is a bigger issue at hand with the child.

I was suspended once, for a prank. I carried the least part in it, had been a model student, and yet I got the greatest punishment. Not only was I suspended, I had to go to "Saturday School." The suspension was a mere nuisance, and I got to chill out at home. (I am not even sure mom knew what was really going on). My biggest problem was how angry I felt toward the school administration for my seemingly excessive punishment in relation to my crime. Had I been having other issues who knows where it could have led. It was in my senior year of high school, and I still carry a distrust of authority that I have no doubt was only affirmed by my incident.

I feel that there is almost no situation in which suspension would be the correct course of action. Nothing ever really gets learned with suspension. It's usually just another prime example of authority not really doing anything but pretending to punish. "Let's get so-and-so out of our hair." The most effective part of my punishment was probably the Saturday School. Even a detention would have made more sense (to me) than a suspension.

Oh well.