Three of the five students who've been told they must labor for the school system to pay for the actions of other individuals have secured legal counsel.
And not just any legal counsel – an attorney with Jay Janssen's heavyweight firm in Peoria. In today's Register-Mail, Janssen attorney Jeff Green, representing the students pro bono stated that "regardless of the good intent of the policy, it cannot be enforced."
That's an understatement and a half. This policy is akin to jailing a child to pay for his father's DUI. You can't legally hold a student responsible for the actions of their family members.
Galesburg High School (assorted shameful apologists and a few hateful teachers who need to retire) are promoting the concept of guilt by association and rebuffing personal responsibility with such a stance.
Picking on a kid by stealing their rightfully earned diploma because you don't like the actions of said kid's family is bully behaviour – plain and simple. And bullies, have no place in the education establishment.
Perhaps Galesburg High School may want to rethink things. They've bitten off more than they can chew. Enough is enough.
Related:
http://www.register-mail.com/stories/060507/MAI_BDE0RRJ1.GID.shtml
http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2007/06/05/news/doc46662565d96e0121070934.txt
http://www.whbf.com/Global/story.asp?S=6615579