Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptainYooh
When I was 12 yrs old, running around with a group of other school kids, I remember getting in trouble with some old guy who said something to us. One of the kids started talking back to him and then threw a small stick that hit him in the chest. We walked away, but the oldtimer followed us to school and complained to the principal. He then pointed at me as the culprit. To make things worse, the fellow turned out to be a decorated war veteran. I did not rat out the kid who did it, as that was a taboo. In the ensuing spectacle, I was publicly shamed in front of everyone, then my mom was called and told that I might be expelled for such a "heinous crime".
Only then I told the other kid to come forward, as it was going to be really ugly. He was not what you'd call a "good kid". Bad student, from a poor family with an alcoholic father. After we spoke, he went to the principal and told her the truth. Next day, she called us all again and praised him for doing the right thing, being honest and brave and all that. He was not punished, no consequences whatsoever. He was not even asked to apologize to the old guy. She never apologized to me or my mother either...
The principal took the same path you're suggesting: she gave that kid's personal circumstances a positive special consideration, where I would have gotten expelled for the same crime. Fair?
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The outcome of this scenario for you based on your posting on this site appears to be pretty good. So we can say that this situation the way it was resolved did not impact the outcome of your life. You also being a "good kid" likely would not have been expelled.
Do you happen to know what happened to the other kid and where he ended up? And would that outcome have been given improved by him being expelled from school?
The goal especially around youth crime and even into early adulthood is to provide the solution that will incur the lowest cost to society going forward. Considering the criminals past history and the circumstances leading him to the court in considering how best to rehabilitate him is a good idea.