Pubdate: Sun, Oct 17 1999 Source: Orange County Register (CA) Copyright: 1999 The Orange County Register Contact: http://www.ocregister.com/ Author: Bobby Spooner (insert by the OC Register)-----Golden Pen Award-Today's winner is Bobby Spooner who lives in North Tustin and is a sixth grader at Haws Middle School. STUDENT WHO BREAK RULES GET ZERO RESPECT As a student I'm sending this letter regarding the issue at Foothill High School.I just heard that some students were caught under the influence of alcohol during a school function and were suspended from the campus. I think that when they chose to drink they knew that what they were doing had serious consequences but they took that chance. I think since they were being very careless they should have known better not to drink and now I think they should suffer the consequences without their parents interfering. As a student myself, we are all given the rules regarding zero tolerance. These rules are given to us in our student handbooks, by our teachers and in letters sent home to our parents. There is no excuse for students under the age of 21 to be drinking during a school function or on campus at any given time. The parents of these students need to butt out and let the school board do its job. We have enough problems going on in our schools and having a zero-tolerance policy is a way to start correcting them. Our schools and our teachers are suffering because rules are made and then broken by students and the parents step in and try to protect them and make it all go away. These students need to grow up and not have mommy and daddy protect them whenever they get in trouble. They broke the rules and need to pay the price. Changing the rules for these students isn't fair to the other students who make right choices and set good examples. We have a zero-tolerance rule in our schools for a reason and these parents should take a step back and let the student take their punishment. I'm glad the school board is finally trying to draw the line. We all need to respect the zero-tolerance policy and parents should butt out and let their children take the punishment for their actions. It's simple: Break the rules; pay the price. BOBBY SPOONER North Tustin - --- MAP posted-by: manemez j lovitto