when all hope is lost

I just finished reading a terrible story about a 17 year old boy in Fairfax County, VA. Its about a boy who attends a "Zero Tolerance" school, in a country where if anyone is found in possession of marijuana on school grounds, that automatic suspension and a recommendation of expulsion is required.
"There's no discretion at the school level," says Paul Regnier, spokesman for the system. "Virginia law requires that if there's possession of marijuana on school grounds, the student must be expelled unless there are special circumstances."

Here's some of the article. Found here: "http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/04/AR2009040402596.html"

Josh Anderson had just finished four homework assignments. He did his laundry. He watched TV with his mother -- "House," which he had Tivo'd for viewing that night. He played with the dogs. Then, at his mom's urging, he went up to bed. It was 12:30, and the next day, March 19, was a big one: Josh was scheduled for a hearing that probably would end with his expulsion from the Fairfax County school system.
The Andersons weren't blind to what got Josh into this pickle. He had been caught leaving campus, going to Taco Bell with a friend. When the boys returned to South Lakes High in Reston, an assistant principal confronted them in the parking lot, smelled marijuana and had the car searched. This was the second time in two years that Josh, a junior, had been found with pot.
"I really have been working hard on this," Josh wrote to the hearing officers. "I can't believe I'm putting my parents through this now. I can't believe how selfish and stupid I've been. . . . I'm honestly going to try my hardest to fix this."
The Andersons were told that Josh would be barred from any regular Fairfax high school and might be tossed out of the system entirely. His parents were looking into private schools or moving.

But there would be no hearing, no new school, no more visits from college football coaches asking about Josh's talents.

When Sue Anderson went into her son's room the next morning, he was dead. Without a word to his girlfriend, parents, psychologist, coach or teachers, Josh Anderson, 17, had killed himself.
He left a note, just two lines. "Why does it have to be like this?" And, to his girlfriend, "I love you."



They make some good points in here. His parents believe that the Zero-Tolerance mentality contradicts with the goals of helping an immature adolescent. Throwing them out of the schools isn't going to help better somebody if they're having problems/troubles.

Yes, he shouldn't have brought it to school. That's obvious. But Regardless, because of their policies and how it affected Josh, he felt so terrible for wronging his parents. When in all reality, all he had to do was maybe be lectured by someone - talk to a psycologist, or something. Not kicked out of school. Suspended, yes. Expelled? No. The trauma of knowing he was going to be expelled must have put so much weight on his shoulders, knowing how much it would hurt his parents, it must have just brought him to the edge, and gave him a nudge. Had their policies been more lenient, i'm sure he wouldn't have felt the need to committ suicide. I'm sure that the media will try and turn this into a form of "yellow journalism" or just do what i like to call, as the "one, two, switcheroo" on the story, claiming that Josh's marijuana use pushed him to the brink of insanity, ending in his death. Or whatever the media really thinks bud does to people.

Whatever. Shit like this makes me so mad, and makes me so sad for the families and friends. It makes me wish i did not live in such an uptight zero-tolerance state. You get caught with ANY bud here (states as "less than 2 lbs), there's the possiblity of going to jail from 6 months to a year & a half. Possibly even for just having a joint.

Of course thats not guaranteed. A friend of mine got caught with a joint on campus in his cd case. He was not waving it around, showing it off. He was sitting there, and the teacher walked up & grabbed his cd case and started going through it. Low & behold a joint fell out. And what happened to my friend? Expelled from our school, and had probation for i believe 6 months. Possibly longer. He had a few fines to pay too. All for just having a joint on him. Had he have had, say, a pack of cigarettes on him (which im sure he did), they would've just thrown him away. Or even booze. He would've just gotten suspended im sure. But nope. Since its a drug, they had to get rid of him and the drug asap! As if half the school wasn't on drugs to begin with. I went to a somewhat charter school w/ around 300 kids. The school was dedicated to arta & academics. Painting, music, dance, photography, fashion, sculpting, etc. One (black, i might add) kid found with a joint and he's immediately thrown out - no questions asked.

Now, do you think that These situations are being handled appropriately? Or accordingly? I can understand someone caught with an ounce in their backpack and someone saying he was selling. But come on. There has to be a line drawn somewhere.


This quote is from Fairfax School Board member Jane Strauss. "The goal, Strauss says, "is to save souls, to help kids get through adolescence."

Josh got through adolescence, alright.

Rest in peace, Josh.