Son just got in trouble for not answering a teachers question on if we own guns!

[Guest nicemac]

If he actually said "none of your damn business," I would expect trouble to follow. A simple "I decline to answer" would have been more appropriate ... then he didn't do anything wrong and if he got in trouble you would have a complaint. "Im not comfortable answering that" would be another option. "Please contact my parents if that is a problem."

I absolutely agree this should be off limits... but you can't curse at your teacher without trouble. Good luck whatever your next step is... but be professional in your argument, it will go much further than attitude will. I probably just would have answered no and been done with it.

I assumed dad paraphrased his son's comment with the insertion of "damn." I am sure that will be the sticking point if he actually said that word in his response . Mind you, even if that is the case, I agree with what he said, it was just probably a bad place/time for a minor to use a curse word.

[Tobashadow]

He got called to the front for not answering the question on the paper and refused to answer five times and she kept pressuring him to answer and he said it was none of her business and she got mad and said is it yes or no and he said it was none of your damn business.

If he said he said it trust me he did.

Thats one thing hes never been afraid of good and bad is to speak his mind.

[Guest nicemac]

Thats one thing hes never been afraid of good and bad is to speak his mind.

I have the same problem. It is not always helpful and has gotten me in trouble more than once. Make sit hard to answer questions from the wife…

[daddyo]

We have some really STUPID people teaching our children.

[sigmtnman]

Notice the association of drugs w/ guns?

One of the biggest killers in the US is cars. Did they ask if you had any of those at your house?

[mikegideon]

He got called to the front for not answering the question on the paper and refused to answer five times and she kept pressuring him to answer and he said it was none of her business and she got mad and said is it yes or no and he said it was none of your damn business.

If he said he said it trust me he did.

Thats one thing hes never been afraid of good and bad is to speak his mind.

You need to back him 100%, all the way to court, if necessary.

[QuietDan]

Put a lawyer on retainer and go after the school through the Superintendent and the School Board. If the school district thinks one of their stupid teachers or one of their stupid ideas is going to cost them time, MONEY, inconvenience and bad publicity, they back down just about every time.

Sounds like there might be grounds for punitive damages to the tens of thousands of dollars, with elements of official oppression, exposure to humiliation and ridicule, exposure to pain and suffering, advancement of a political agenda from a school employee on school property on school time. Don't forget all your lawyer's costs . . . TFA and NRA might have a list of resources.

And . . . Sometimes just a friendly call to a friendly lawyer that makes a friendly call to his friends at the school and everybody withdraws to a neutral corner. You certainly don't need to be an S.O.B. That's the lawyer's job. Smile, smile, smile. Nothing personal, just business.

I suppose we could go on the internet and find the website for the school, and the e-mail address and telephone number for the principal, superintendent, and the chairman of the school board and post it for all the world to see, but I'm thinking the moderator's here have enough to do already.

Edited September 9, 2011 by QuietDan

[RobertNashville]

There was a case similar to this with doctors asking about guns, some really good discussions and info might be found looking at that topic with a google. You go in there and tell them the kid did no wrong, the teacher is crossing a line, and if it happens again you and other concerned parents will take action against the school. That will put an end to it.

+1

I truly don't see a second amendment issue here...this isn't really about "guns"; it's about a basic right for your private life to be private. Unless one is doing something illegal it is NO ONE'S business what you are doing or what you have in your home. Even if you are doing something illegal, it's than only a matter for law enforcement and the court system to handle and only then with them going through the proper procedures.

In other words, it really IS none of their damn business and I would tell them so; politely, at least to start with, but definitely tell them until the get the message.

[extremescene]

Speaking your mind either at school or at work will seldom be a benefit. Better to learn that in high school than at the wrokplace. Sometimes you have to just give them the answer they want. It certainly sucks but you won't win in most situations.

[peejman]

... And i explained you never know who is listening ...

Very true.

My kids' pediatrician asked the same thing on their list of standard questions. I guess I didn't think prior to answering... "Do you have guns?" ... "This is Tennessee... of course I do, don't you?"

I really hope this doesn't escalate beyond you and the school administrator. What you have and do in your home is your business. Period.

[Caster]

Well, if he said "damn" I'd say that was a bad idea to swear at them. Alway use proper terminology and omit and slang or vulgar vocabulary.

.....maybe "Forcibly inserting her questions into her rectum"?

I think it's awesome. Stand by your boy. Give him a high five from me. Public schools are garbage.

I once worked with a guy whose boy was expelled for wearing a black shirt with a red "Hawk" on it. Late in the day after a couple of hours of wondering, the teacher discovered the image was that of Sturm Ruger. There was no writing on the shirt! Under the zero tolerance rule, he was suspended. God knows those kids are safe now, them tshirts are deadly.

Edited September 9, 2011 by Caster

[sigmtnman]

Speaking your mind either at school or at work will seldom be a benefit. Better to learn that in high school than at the wrokplace. Sometimes you have to just give them the answer they want. It certainly sucks but you won't win in most situations.

And it creeps in...

I teach my kids to not be put into a position where they are dependent on a j-o-b. Then they will always be free to speak thier minds without hesitation. The OP did a good job of raising a free man with no need to lie to get by.

[Caster]

And it creeps in...

I teach my kids to not be put into a position where they are dependent on a j-o-b. Then they will always be free to speak thier minds without hesitation. The OP did a good job of raising a free man with no need to lie to get by.

Roger That!!! Get ahead now, don't be a week to week addict!

[daddyo]

Notice the association of drugs w/ guns?

One of the biggest killers in the US is cars. Did they ask if you had any of those at your house?

Or swimming pools, as that is one of the leading causes of death for young children.

[Caster]

Or the number one killer in america....heart disease. "Do you keep any heart disease in your home?"

Yep, it's that dumb:)

[Jonnin]

I assumed dad paraphrased his son's comment with the insertion of "damn." I am sure that will be the sticking point if he actually said that word in his response . Mind you, even if that is the case, I agree with what he said, it was just probably a bad place/time for a minor to use a curse word.

Actually I cannot think of a BETTER time or place for a minor to use a curse word. Though I have to wonder, if the word is OK to be played in daytime tv and radio, is it still too harsh to use in school? Its not even a "real" curse these days, most kids can do far, far better than an occasional damn or hell.

[Rightwinger]

Would the line "you darn dirty apes" have been better? I think it was the appropriate time to use a very "lightweight" curse word. It put her on notice that she was infringing on very personal information along the lines of how much money does your family make and does anyone pray in your home, not a damn bit of her or anyone elses business!

[charlessummers]

Or the number one killer in america....heart disease. "Do you keep any heart disease in your home?"

Yep, it's that dumb:)

That made me laugh.... Thank you!

[daddyo]

I don't think it's ever appropriate for a student to swear at a teacher. Doesn't matter what the teacher's agenda is. They will only use this against him and ignore the context in which it was used. This is what the left does - use ANYTHING they can to destroy their enemy, fair or not, true or not.

I know hindsight is 20/20, but a simple "you'll have to discuss that with my parents", followed by silence would have sufficed.

[oldogy]

Sweetwater High School

I hope i get called to school, he is 17 for another 2 months so i still get called for his trouble.

????

I believe I would go proactive on this one and schedule a meeting with the administration of the school. A teacher has no business knowing what you have in your home. Keep the meeting on a lofty level. If the son actually cursed, apologize up front in the meeting.

And good luck.

oldogy

[Fivestring63]

That's a good question. I would probably do something belligerent and ask them if they had sex toys in their home and demand that they answer.

I had to lol with this one.

Seriously, if they want to ask personal questions like that, make your own questionaire for them to fill out and see how they like it.

[Guest Bronker]

You better get rid of your doctors too, especially if your parent is one.

Doctors Kill More People Than Guns Do

The pertinent excerpt:

First, according to statistics provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, there is an interesting correlation between accidental deaths caused by guns and those caused by doctors.

Doctors: There are 700,000 physicians in the U.S. Accidental deaths caused by physicians total 120,000 per year. Accidental death percentage per physician is 0.171.

Guns: There are 80 million gun owners in the U.S. There are 1,500 accidental gun deaths per year, all age groups. The percentage of accidental deaths per gun owner is 0.0000188.

Statistically, then, doctors are 9,000 times more dangerous to the public health than gun owners are.

Fact: NOT EVERYONE HAS A GUN, BUT ALMOST EVERYONE HAS AT LEAST ONE DOCTOR. Following the logic of liberals, we should all be warned: "Guns don't kill people. Doctors do."

[MattCary]

+1 For good job by your son and to you for raising him right.

I just went upstairs and asked the 17yo in our house if he'd seen anything similar at school. He said he hasn't and would have thrown it away if he had.

I'd really like to know under what context this questionnaire was passed out.

[E4 No More]

Considering that the talk of religion is banned because the public school is a government entity and thus siad discussion violates The Constitution, (according to some morons), then demanding an answer with any punishment is an invasion of privacy by the government as well.

[JAB]

Actually I cannot think of a BETTER time or place for a minor to use a curse word. Though I have to wonder, if the word is OK to be played in daytime tv and radio, is it still too harsh to use in school? Its not even a "real" curse these days, most kids can do far, far better than an occasional damn or hell.

I agree 100%. In fact, IMO, the use of the word was quite appropriate. By continuing to attempt to use her position of 'authority' to force him to answer a question that she had no right to demand he answer, this woman stepped out of her role as 'teacher'. The use of the word 'damn', then, placed the kind of emphasis on his refusal that another word would not have placed and underscored that he was a citizen, with rights, refusing to answer a question asked of him by another citizen - of equal standing - and not by any authority that she might have vested in her as a 'teacher'. To me, she gave up any right to expect 'respect' as a teacher/authority figure the moment she tried to force him to answer the question. My feeling is that, at that point, she had already nullified the student/teacher aspect of their relationship and became one person trying to coerce information out of another without proper authority or authorization. It really was none of her damned business.

Edited September 9, 2011 by JAB