An Atlanta high school student was suspended after school officials confiscated a fictional story she wrote depicting a student falling asleep and dreaming about killing a teacher. The school has the right to take precautionary measures, but the administration handled the situation poorly and unfairly stigmatized a young girl.
The story was written by Rachel Boim, 14, who attended Roswell High School. After the story written in her journal was confiscated, an armed security guard was called to remove Boim from class the next day. She was quickly suspended and then readmitted, where overwhelming media coverage became unbearably stressful, causing Boim to transfer to another school.
Roswell High School enforces a "zero tolerance" policy, a mandate originally issued to schools by the federal government in 1994, which calls for automatic expulsion of any student who brings a firearm to school, according to an article on The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Web site. The policy quickly became overzealous, resulting in expulsions of students who bring nail files or pocketknives to school, to ones who threaten other students with spitballs.
Boim's suspension may be justified, as school officials can perceive her as an eventual threat to student and faculty safety. Many times murderous fantasies are the first sign a student is troubled or may have some intention of causing physical harm to an individual. However, whether the story was an impending sign or not, the administration's handling of the matter was less than stellar.
Having the story already in possession, the administration could have analyzed the situation and thought of a way to keep the debate under tight wraps. An armed security guard was unnecessary in removing Boim from class when a simple letter, phone call or personal invitation from the principal could have been easily arranged.
To further humiliate Boim, the school released her name to the media. In a delicate safety situation like this, administrators would be wise to release as few names as possible to reduce controversy involving the school, and more importantly, to protect the privacy of the individual at hand. A 14-year-old student does not need media hounds clawing at the wounds the school has already inflicted upon her.
Roswell High School needs to look at situations requiring disciplinary actions on a case-by-case basis instead of relying on the mindless "zero tolerance" policy. Administrators were right to take notice of Boim's story even if it was a fantasy, but an immediate and poorly thought out suspension and the overabundant media publicity was totally uncalled for. Enforcing public safety should always be on the top of the school's priority list, but the school should also have taken into consideration the needs of a young and possibly disturbed student.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
