additional copies are $1 each, Vol. XXX No. 10, March 11 – 17, 2010 www.fluvannareview.com One Copy Free payable to the publisher Letters to the Editor Does Zero Tolerance Work? As parents we ask, why is the bul- This letter was prompted after lying aspect of this policy NOT put reading a news story entitled into place. Not every situation Fluvanna requires such harsh punishment. “Homecoming King Fights REVIEW Suspension” featured in the March 4 Punishment should fit the situation. – 10, 2010 Fluvanna Review. I suggest we place the administrators General: Fluvanna Review is published weekly Publisher/Editor: C.M. Santos and staff under “zero tolerance”. Our by Valley Publishing Corp. Founded over 25 The story has posed questions [email protected] tax dollars pay these people. We years ago, it is the only paper that covers concerning the integrity of the should fight back where it hurts; Cut Advertising Manager: Katie Cabrera Fluvanna exclusively. One copy is free, Fluvanna County School System. [email protected] additional copies are $1 each payable in Does the “zero tolerance” policy salaries based on poor performance. advance to the publisher. On a recent occasion my son was Accounts Manager: Diane Eliason work efficiently? Subscriptions: Copies will be mailed for the Why are our children subject to thrown off the bus when somebody Advertising Designer: Lisa Hurdle subscription price of $115 per year or $60 per attacked him. He did not fight back, [email protected] harsh discipline for ALL issues pre- 6 months. Please mail a check and a note with but the administrators say he did, yet your name and address to: Subscriptions sented to administrators and staff? Designer: Kathy Zeek they will not let me review the film Dept., P.O. Box 59, Palmyra, VA 22963. Are Fluvanna administrators and Staff Writers: of the altercation! Submissions, Tips, Ideas, Etc.: Fluvanna Review staff subject to the same “zero toler- Page Gifford, William Des Rochers, encourages submissions and tips on items of Joe Calabretta, Scottsville Jennifer Zajac, Duncan Nixon, ance” policies as our children? interest to Fluvanna citizens. We reserve the O.T. Holen, Jacki Harris, Joe Ronan Who gives the administrators the right to edit submissions as deemed necessary right to degrade, demoralize and Look to a Jury of Peers Photographer: David Stemple and cannot guarantee they will be published. The problem with the issue is not Keep Calendar submissions to 50 words or less, destroy our children’s lives and Contributor at Large: Len Gardner Letters to the Editor to 300 words or less and futures? My son used to play football that the air-soft gun was or was not Website: www.fluvannareview.com feature stories to 500 words or less. E-mail each year, but due to daily bullying, his intent or lack thereof. The facts submissions: [email protected] or Mailing Address: P.O. Box 59, are simple: there is a rule set forth by mail to: Fluvanna Review, P.O. Box 59, Palmyra, he has decided to give up sports. Palmyra, VA 22963 a board of supervisors…the no toler- VA 22963. Fluvanna Review is not responsible Why? Because he gets the same pun- Location: 2987 Lake Monticello Rd., for returning submitted materials. Include ishment as the “kids” that bully him ance rule. They should have known 1/4 mile E of Lake Monticello Main Gate S.A.S.E. if you would like items returned. and he doesn’t even fight back. there would be situations that would Phone: (434) 591-1000 Classified Ads: $7 per week or $10 for call for common sense and not "0" Fax: (434) 589-1704 I am in full support of Justin 2 weeks. Place a classified ad for both print Sexton. Even the most dangerous tolerance and yet they made it a zero Cover Photo: Riley, Brian, Caroline and web for one low price at tolerance rule. If they were to reverse www.fluvannareview.com criminals receive better treatment and Blake Haislip on the farm belonging than our children do in school. No their decision of suspension now to their grandparents, Howard and Mastercard, Visa and Discover accepted. single entity should be allowed to they open themselves to a multitude Connie Haislip. Photo by Kathy Zeek. Disclaimer: The Fluvanna Review does not of questionable suspensions that Designed by Lisa Hurdle and Kathy Zeek endorse or recommend any product or service play judge and jury before the and is not repsonsible for any warranties or © 2010 Valley Publishing Corp. all rights reserved. accused has been given the right to claims made by advertisers in their ads. defend themselves. 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Another option would be to start with a zero Letters budget so we can see where every from Page 2 dollar goes. Get rid of 95% of county cars and reimburse people for gas will be fought by parents saying hey mileage. The last people you want to you let him off on a technicality you get rid of are our teachers. They are should let my kid off too. No toler- the ones doing all the work. Without ance is the rule -- adhere to it or them you might as well home school change it -- but how many people your children. Finally, to the board of can you get to agree what punish- 10 ACS MINUTES FROM AFFORDABLE NEW HOME supervisors: you are the ones that ment fits what circumstance when ZION XROADS • Kents Store Hunting Creek Est. got us in this mess, spending money every circumstance is different. • Bybee Road Louisa • $217,000 #459829 like it would never stop and basing Maybe have a system of justice • $140,000 #473188 • 3BR 2.5BA bsmt 2-car gar 3+ ac everything on speculation. Now we made up of his/her peers to deter- • 300+ Ft road frontage private • Tracey 882-0067 or are faced with huge cuts and layoffs. mine the punishment (such as) a • Lennie Hughes 540-748-4044 Ron 989-1163 Alan George, Scottsville jury made up of students of the same grade as the student and two teach- ers. Then present the punishment Spend Smart recommended to the principal. Then The bus company serving you are found guilty by your peers Charlottesville and the surrounding not some bureaucrat sitting behind a community is changing their name. desk that never met you or your par- And now the powers to be want to ents and has had no interaction with spend over $100,000 to paint the you to judge your intent and charac- new name on the vehicles in the ter. middle of a budget circus. What are they thinking? LOVELY COLONIAL 2 CAR GARAGE Bruce Fitzgerald, Lake Monticello And, they probably want to change WALK TO BEACH 3 HUGE BEDROOMS all of bus company forms, stationary • Lake Monticello Fluvanna • Mountain View Estates Louisa Teachers Do All the Work • $285,000 #469525 • $219,000 #470809 It’s amazing how the state and and everything else. • 5BR upgrades level lot 2004 • Bamboo floors 1.9 acres county do not care about education. Remember when VEPCO changed • Betsy Gunnels 434-996-9797 • Sharon Duke 434-981-3115 With the massive cuts, our children their name? They put on the new will be a doormat for government name only when vehicles were failures. So where do we start? Being replaced, and used up all old forms a former businessman, you start at etc., and only then the new forms the top. Our superintendent bailed etc. were purchased. when we needed him the most. We Time for everyone in the local gov- want to hire a search committee to ernments to think of the cost of hire a new one when we have an changing a name or throwing away assistant. What’s his job and why equipment… can’t he step in until times get bet- There is smart spending, and then ter? Then we can look further if we there is the other way.