Help Zachary? Absolutely!
60What have we come to?
Open Letter To Zachary
Hey Zach,
Wow, not bad for a 6 year old. You’ve made the Cub Scouts, the New York Times, national news, and maybe (hopefully) by now the international news. For parents, yours did a good job on your website - http://www.helpzachary.com/ - and I liked your movie that explores job possibilities for the future. I would love to see how many YouTube hits it could get!
For the record, I’m on your side against the imbeciles who believe that you would be well placed in reform school. What a great resource your website is for those who want to convey their greetings to said imbeciles. The invitation to meet them in person at the school board meeting is priceless. Wouldn’t it be great if every parent in the state of Delaware decided to attend that party? May I suggest some menu items? How about extra large servings of step-up-to-bat punch and change-your-mind pie for each board member?
Well, it’s true that if you don’t go to reform school you’ll miss out on learning the excruciatingly degrading and harmful details of how young criminals got their reputations, and you won’t learn the language that goes with a culture of charming antisocialites, but, on the bright side, you will miss out on the abuse you would receive at their hands.
And, in case you haven’t yet been told, you should know, young Zach, that you have been extended a great privilege. Home schooling is a wonderful opportunity to learn and grow. The freedom to meet new people and explore beyond a systemized program can be a whole bunch of fun. Enjoy the opportunity to be disengaged from the age-segregation forced on today’s children. Embrace the opportunity to spend more time with your parents and don’t worry, there will be plenty of time to be with your friends.
Tell your parents, “Thanks!” and ask them to consider starting a movement in your state to get all parents to bail from the school system. Maybe they want the opportunity to take charge of their children’s lives by forming one large, bang-up homeschool group where parents interact and share their abilities in order to provide their children with a truly quality education. Maybe they just need a bright kid like you to motivate them!
Keep up the good work Zachary! You have a bright future and we expect to see and hear great things from you!
Your HubPages friend,
RTalloni
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Comments
Same thing happened to my son when he was 8, now he is 28.
Three days in school suspension for having his cub scout knife in his backpack that he took on a camping trip.
This is ridiculous, I can understand the schools having strict policies on having weapons at schools considering things that have happened in the past, and yes I think the suspension is justified as long as these policies were clearly stated and understood by the children, but seriously reform school what kind of people do we have running our schools, I could see if he was a rotten kid or a repeat offender. Some simple little thing like this sending a kid to a reform school for some minor offense that he clearly menat no harm could be devastating to this kid and scar him for life. I would never in a million years send him back to that school, I would find another school or keep home schooling him. Zachary is clearly a very intelligent kid, I have never met him but could tell this from the interview I saw on TV, so hang in there buddy and dont let this bother you in the least way most of us have favorite little thing that we like to take with us wherever we go. When I got my first pocket knife I carried it everywhere and still to this day carry one however not the same one it was lost over the years. SO PUT THAT POCKET KNIFE BACK IN YOUR POCKET AND CARRY IT PROUDLY.
A cub Scout is tought the proper use of a knife, spoon, and a fork. At age 6 this is a starting point and may need help
along the way. The intent was to eat lunch. All crime take
in the intent to commit the crime. The teachers and sckool
board members should be checked for wepons. They may have
known wepons such as keys, rat tail comb, small pen knife,
and even more.
This boy should have been told of violation and given warning. The sckool board went to far and made a good boy bad.
I have been a Boy Scout leader for over 30 years.
D.W. Stanger
I'm a 25 year old girl residing in Brookfield, CT. It's a very small upper middle class town, and feel very strongly about violence and weapons being brought into any school! So much so, that these people who suspended this poor little boy should seriously consider receiving counseling themselves. A six year old boy, who doesn't have an out right violent nature, should not have to go through this kind of extreme punishmet. I feel sorry for the parents of him, but I'm exstatic with the enormous turn out in his favor. It's good to see that we all haven't lost our minds. How rediculous is it that adults, who have the resources to review this situation in its entirety, still have the gaul to impose this kind of discipline. I'm happy to sign the petition, and will keep myself abreast of the situation, but am confident that all will turn out in Zachary's favor. Good luck, and although this turned out to be too much punishment for a small crime, I hope Zachary takes with him knowledge and understanding of the severity that could have been in another time, and with someone of not such a innocent nature. Take care to all te family, and I hope my support helps.
UNFORTUNATELY EDUCATORS CAN NOT FIND COMMON SENCE IN A BOOK ,SO IT DOES NOT EXIST.
Hey what happened to the teachers who liked bright kids? I was in Blue birds and girl scouts som 30+ years ago and our teachers would have just removed the pocket knife returned it to mom and the punishment would have been handled by dad. I feel like they are going overboard with this kind of punishment for a six year old.
I have a grandson who was sent to alternitive school for trying to get free of a school teacher. Who knows what started the problem but his teacher and the aid disliked him from the start. He learned that getting searched was no fun,having DI's yell at you hurt your ears and that he was bad. He did try to bite someone but why were they holding him down and what started the tantrum? He was six also but they couldn't just remove his teeth they did remove Zach's knife so where is the crime? He only wanted to show off his camping gear.
Mom I for one think that its great he is in Boy Scouts. Wish we lived in Deleware I would love to go to the meeting and let to jokers know how much more damage they are doing to this poor kid than what they think! Alternitive school fallows them throughout their entire education.
Take Care My Family Will Pray For You,
MT
Common sence cannot be taught, but people lets put on your thinking caps.
A cub scout who brings his camping gear to school is not a violent criminal.
He should not be treated as a criminal. Get your priorities in line with the action of the student.
A 10 year old with a bowie knife is way different than a 6 year old with a boy scout knife.The 10 year old should be punished.
A 14 year old with a handgun is a threat...the 14 year should be punished.
Make the punishment fit the crime.
When I went to school (in California) I was blessed with excellent teachers and administrators that focussed on teaching reading, writing, mathematics, etc., and that exercised common sense. Sadly, while there are some exceptions, today these jobs no longer attract the best and the brightest, but rather are the careers of choice for the politically correct and spineless. It seems every month or two we see some instance of a small child expelled for something silly, whether it be carrying a boy scout survival knife, kissing another 5-year old, or whatever. What's next? Child prisons? Common sense would dictate how to handle such situations, but unfortunately those that "teach" our children are more concerned with protecting themselves from lawsuits than with actually taking the opportunity to teach a simple lesson. Here in California we have people that can't figure out how to use (as opposed to abuse) a credit card, yet I suspect we will soon have the finest scholars in cross-dressing and presidential personality cult songs that money could buy. It's no wonder that teachers and administrators no longer get the respect they think they "deserve," but instead are increasingly looked upon with scorn, while those that can scrape together what they must have chosen the path of private schooling for their children.
the law should be changed to fit the student. We don't have one-size fits all.
Thanks so much for the input. Am smack-new to hubbing so appreciate your taking the time to comment. I hope everyone checked out Zachary's website and that you will find a way to encourage Matthew Whalen. I need to find out how to click back to your sites so I can read your hubs. I have much to learn about the technical end of this process!
Charlene says:
3 months ago
This shows the mentality of a great # of teachers. Common sense should rule. There should be no disciplinary measures. This is just a kid who seems to be very bright and sure of himself. Do not destroy this kid. Mine was. The schools systems ruin many children. Teachers are supposed to empower children. Home schooling is wonderful. Those children are learning life not some alternative lifestyle. They learn to cope with life. Any home schooled children I have met are better able to cope with life, more mature and did not have to spend time wasted in a traditional classroom. I believe the whole school system should be revamped. It does not work for many children and there should be various kinds of classes for different children. I sent my son to a special Christian school where the children advanced at their own pace with one teacher to monitor. The classes were always busy, advancing and there wasn't any problems with behaviour. The children excelled as they were not being held back due to disruptions in class. Allowances should be made for people who homeschool. It really is better if done correctly. They should be granted free school materials as they have already paid for it thru taxes. Being a teacher to many is just a job for money for some and others are devoted.