Citizens need to stand up for common sense

We want to thank everyone for their support and for writing their letters regarding incidents our son and others have experienced under the Zero Tolerancepolicies.

He mistakenly left his small Boy Scout pocketknife in his backpack when he went to school and was expelled.

The kind of behavior displayed by the CVUSD referred to in recent letters lacks even a grain of common sense and is totally unacceptable.

The question for us is what can be done?

After having experienced this kind of draconian measure, as a family we feel compelled to take some form of action.

As we venture forward into 2008, several doors of opportunity open.

Two CVUSD board member seats are up for re-election and every local politician is paying closer attention to his/her constituencies. It is our belief that it is time for our locally elected officials to recognize there are serious issues with certain educational codes that require adjustment. One state has and others are considering changes to their codes to include provisions such as "Self Defense", "Intent", and "Prior Disciplinary History" be considered before a student is expelled for an incident.

There is no such requirement in California educational code 48915. It is also imperative as citizens that we take a serious look at the candidates running for the board seats and choose those who can most competently represent our children and properly guide the behavior of the district and its administrators.

In the past I personally never paid enough attention, no more. Only through a concerted and sustained effort by the public will our representatives and district members get the message that they are required to govern with discretion and common sense.

I have some questions for Mrs. Benson regarding her letter on Nov. 22. Does the FAA bar passengers from flying for a year when security discovers a prohibited item such as a small pocketknife in their carry on luggage? Your letter suggests the public should blindly support principals who have good students arrested and/or expelled for similar mistakes regardless of the circumstances.

What lesson did Mrs. Hancock's daughter learn when school administrators discovered her brother's key chain had a small pocketknife attached to it. Make an innocent mistake and find yourself in handcuffs? Disciplining students is to be expected, but treating them like criminals in these kinds of situations is immoral.

At some point we have to rely on reasonable judgement. Safety is paramount, but forcing children to walk on eggshells benefits no one. The current situation within our schools will not change unless the public becomes active and contacts local officials. For those interested, visit the website www.ca.gov to find and write to your local representative. Dan Goldberg Thousand Oaks