100% in Support of Zero Tolerance

“Congratulations, bravo, bless you and thank you” to the administrators of zero tolerance at Estancia High School in particular, the Newport-Mesa Unified School District in general and Supt. of Schools Mac Bernd’s stand on young people taking responsibility for their actions (“Finding Middle Ground With Zero Tolerance,” Nov. 24).

The job of enforcing this policy must be totally thankless and extremely difficult at best in this era of permissive parenting. How ironic that the first challenge comes from a Municipal Court judge, of all people.

My confidence in our legal system hit an all-time low with Judge Michael McCartin’s court action on his daughter’s behalf. To the mother, a schoolteacher yet, I say I am appalled at her logic as regards to our “eccentric world” and the punishment employed as not “age appropriate.” Sadly, the death of her friend’s son due to a teenage drunk driver was most certainly not “age appropriate.”

NANCY B. WILLIAMSON

Fullerton

* Your story is just another reminder of how today’s society has strayed from the teachings of individual responsibility.

It is quite obvious to me that the parents of the students involved don’t feel that their children should live up to the zero-tolerance policy that is signed at the beginning of each school year.

I have children in school, have signed a zero-tolerance agreement, and have discussed the consequences should it be violated. This policy seems very little to ask, as it applies only to school activities.

Perhaps they feel they should be treated differently because “their” children are different. Just because one serves on the student council or is a so-called sports star does not exempt them from the rules of the rest. Shame on Municipal Court Judge Michael McCartin! It makes me wonder what his reaction would be should someone violate an agreement or orders in his court? Or is his policy, “Do as I say, not as I do.” If his is an elected position in my district, I already know what my vote will be next election.

What these parents don’t realize is they have set the example for their children to disregard responsibility for the agreements they signed, or commitments they made.

This merely reinforces the examples set by a plethora of television and movie celebrities, as well as professional sports stars, who ignore the law and the rules of their profession and get away with the violations they commit.

If district policy is upheld, hopefully both the students and parents will learn an important lesson about responsibility. If, as I believe, society and the district caves in as usual, a very different message will be sent. And the judge will wonder why our courtrooms are overcrowded.

DON NOBLE

Irvine