Chicago teacher sues over pocket knife suspension

[The Straight Story]

Chicago teacher sues over pocket knife suspension

CHICAGO, April 18 (UPI) -- A Chicago teacher's lawsuit alleges he was suspended for showing his second graders a pocket knife "as part of a curriculum-mandated 'tool discussion.'"

Douglas Bartlett, who was suspended without pay from Washington Irving Elementary School during the 2011-2012 school year, filed a federal lawsuit against Chicago School District No. 299 and principal Valeria Newell, the Courthouse News Service reported Thursday.

The suit calls the suspension of Bartlett, a 17-year veteran of the school district, a case of "overzealous application of political correctness."

"Plaintiff, a school teacher, showed to his students a pocket knife, as part of a curriculum-mandated 'tool discussion,'" the lawsuit states. "Other garden-variety tools plaintiff used in the discussion were a box cutter, various wrenches, screwdrivers, and pliers. As a result of showing a pocket knife, plaintiff was charged with bringing a weapon to school, and received a four-day suspension without pay. Plaintiff sues for money damages and to have this suspension expunged from his record."

http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2013/04/18/Chicago-teacher-sues-over-pocket-knife-suspension/UPI-30621366302601/

[frazzled]

1. This story seems to be some right-wing meme

A Google search turned up only a handful of right-wing web sites, including Free Republic.

A further google search using the teacher's name plus Chicago Sun-Times or Chicago Tribune turns up nothing. (Slap me if I'm wrong). So I'm calling bullshit on this story for now.

[The Straight Story]

3. Courthouse news service has it:

Political Correctness Run Amok at School

CHICAGO (CN) - A Chicago public school suspended a teacher without pay for showing his students a little pocket knife, "as part of a curriculum-mandated 'tool discussion,'" the teacher claims in court.

Douglas Bartlett sued the Chicago School District No. 299 and his principal, Valeria Newell, in Federal Court.
Bartlett was a second-grade teacher at Washington Irving Elementary School, on Chicago's South Side, when he was suspended, in the 2011-12 school year. He was in his 17th year with the school district.

"This is a suit for violation for plaintiff's constitutional due process rights resulting from the overzealous application of political correctness," the complaint states. "Plaintiff, a school teacher, showed to his students a pocket knife, as part of a curriculum-mandated 'tool discussion.' Other garden-variety tools plaintiff used in the discussion were a box cutter, various wrenches, screwdrivers, and pliers. As a result of showing a pocket knife, plaintiff was charged with bringing a weapon to school, and received a four-day suspension without pay. Plaintiff sues for money damages and to have this suspension expunged from his record. Plaintiff seeks relief pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for redress of the deprivation under color of statute, ordinance, regulation, custom or usage of certain rights secured to him by the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and under the Illinois Constitution."

Bartlett claims that because of the curriculum requirement, he "displayed to his second-grade students several garden-variety tools, including a box cutter, a 2.25-inch pocketknife, wrenches, screwdrivers, and pliers. The visual aids were used in an effort to facilitate student understanding and remembrance of the curriculum. As he displayed the box cutter and pocketknife, plaintiff specifically described the proper uses of these tools. Neither of these items was made accessible to the students."

http://www.courthousenews.com/2013/04/17/56755.htm

[The Straight Story]

4. Here is a PDF of the complaint as filed

https://www.rutherford.org/files_images/general/04-22-2013_Bartlett-Complaint.pdf

[frazzled]

5. The outrage and reporting on it is a right-wing meme

This crackpot is suing over a four-day suspension? No wonder it never made any of the newspapers here.

If I were principal I would have suspended him, too. Knives and box-cutters are never appropriate for second graders. A pocket knife is not ordinarily what you would think of as a "tool," either ... only when you don't have another tool around.

[The Straight Story]

6. If a pocket knife is not a tool what is it?

Back in my day most kids had one, we used them in scouts, for fishing, cutting branches , whittling sticks, for camping, etc and so on.

And yes, as early as first grade me and friends used them to cut our fishing lines and such down at the creek.

History of Pocket Knifes:
http://www.bigsiteofamazingfacts.com/history-of-pocketknives

[lumberjack_jeff]

8. "Right wing meme" or not, the suspension was still bullshit.

When you're right, you're not a crackpot.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

9. You say it's trumped-up outrage but then you say you would have suspended him as well.

[frazzled]

11. Do you have comprehension problems?

[zipplewrath]

10. It's not?

It sure ain't a weapon. You're more likely to hurt yourself with a pocket knife than anyone else. It's a tool. Versatile, but crude for many jobs. Do like the scissors though.

[Robb]

2. Oh, look, another right-wing bit of flypaper.

Knock me over with a feather.