College professor suspended for posting picture of daughter with Game of Thrones shirt, zero toleran - Polidicks

[url]http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20140418/06395426957/logical-conclusion-zero-tolerance-college-prof-suspended-because-daughter-wore-got-tshirt.shtml[/url] [quote]A popular community college professor was suspended after posting a photo of his daughter wearing an oversized T-shirt bearing a tagline from this season of Game of Thrones—Daenerys Targaryen's "I will take what is mine with fire and blood." Francis Schmidt, who teaches art and animation at Bergen Community College in New Jersey, shared the photo on Google+, where it was seen by several of his work contacts. One of them, a dean, decided the shirt was a veiled threat of some kind. In case you can't see the image, it's of Schmidt's daughter doing a handstand while wearing a Game of Thrones t-shirt that includes the tagline: "I will take what is mine with fire & blood." In case you think it's reasonable that such a picture being shared on social media could be interpreted as a threat to commit violence at a local community college, stop thinking that because that's a stupid thought. I imagine Schmidt said as much when he was called in to meet with the administration to explain why he'd sent a "threatening email", despite the fact that no email had been sent. At the meeting, Schmidt explained the shirt in the context of Game of Thrones and showed Miller that the "fire and blood" tagline has 4 million results on Google. The professor asked why his photo had caused such a reaction, and was told that "fire" could be a metaphor for "AK-47s." Schmidt was placed on administrative leave without pay later that week, and told he would have to pass a psychiatric evaluation before he could return. Now, like me, you should be even more confused. There's no way you could somehow interpret "fire" to mean "AK-47" any more than you could interpret "fire" to mean "Easter ham." They aren't related. And if you're thinking that there's so little sense being made here that there must be something more to this story, there sure as hell is. The head of the school's administration had just been delivered a vote of no confidence by the staff, including Schmidt, who had also filed a grievance recently for being denied a request for a sabbatical. You don't need to read between the lines much to understand that this is probably a trumped-up charge serving to punish a member of the teacher's union. Which brings us nicely back to my original point: it isn't just the stupid you have to worry about when it comes to zero-tolerance policies, it's also the corrupt. When we overreact to admittedly tragic occurrences, we almost invariably open up the possibility for abuse through that overreaction. [/quote] [img]http://i.imgur.com/l0TLNHg.jpg[/img]

Thank god somebody might have been hurt by that dangerous quote.

Reminds me of the dean I had to deal with when I was in school, it's as though having a stick up your ass is a prerequisite for those positions.

[QUOTE]The professor asked why his photo had caused such a reaction, and was told that "fire" could be a metaphor for "AK-47s."[/QUOTE] You must be fucking stupid.

what the hell is going on in that photo

They should hire a person to, whenever zero tolerance is invoked, punch whoever invoked it and tell them "no, that's stupid, you're stupid, please consider resigning".

[QUOTE=FalconKrunch;44592320]You must be fucking stupid.[/QUOTE] i swear to god this is some onion-tier stupidity

How do people knowingly enforce these policies this way? You're basically announcing that you don't have common sense to the world.

[QUOTE=.Lain;44592323]what the hell is going on in that photo[/QUOTE] Exorcism.

"Fire" could be a metaphor for "AK-47s" really "Hey teacher the webpage isn't loading up-" "HE'S LOADING UP A GUN, SUSPEND HIM!"

[quote]Schmidt was placed on administrative leave without pay later that week, and told he would have to pass a psychiatric evaluation before he could return.[/quote] What. What? [i]WHAT??[/i]

[QUOTE=FalconKrunch;44592320]You must be fucking stupid.[/QUOTE] There's a reason they say zero-tolerance is zero-intelligence.

[QUOTE=asteroidrules;44592356]There's a reason they say zero-tolerance is zero-intelligence.[/QUOTE] It's worse than just zero-tolerance, since nothing even fucking happened.

Just like it says in the article, they're using the zero-tolerance policy as an excuse to exact personal grievances. Despicable but at least it makes some modicum of sense.

"this fire's pretty di-" "HE'S GOT AN AK-47!!"

[QUOTE=.Isak.;44592334]"Fire" could be a metaphor for "AK-47s" really "Hey teacher the webpage isn't loading up-" "HE'S LOADING UP A GUN, SUSPEND HIM!"[/QUOTE] [img]http://i.imgur.com/bLZsiyb.jpg[/img] illuminati also confirmed??

[QUOTE=Laferio;44592391]"this fire's pretty di-" "HE'S GOT AN AK-47!!"[/QUOTE]"It's pretty hot out..*" "GLOCKS! GLOCKS! GLOCK SUBMACHINE GUNS!"

[QUOTE=FalconKrunch;44592320]You must be fucking stupid.[/QUOTE] Whoever seriously make that connection and acts upon it really, REALLY shouldn't be in any position of control over anybody, imo.

[QUOTE=outlawpickle;44592314]Reminds me of the dean I had to deal with when I was in school, it's as though having a stick up your ass is a prerequisite for those positions.[/QUOTE] Aka. A graduate degree in education.

[QUOTE=JumpinJackFlash;44592418]"It's pretty hot out..*" "GLOCKS! GLOCKS! GLOCK SUBMACHINE GUNS!"[/QUOTE] Hey wanna come to the BBQ?.. UZi'S! UZI'S! UZI ASSAULT RIFLES!

[QUOTE=ilikecorn;44592440]It's sad that we've resorted to this too. Instead of teaching kids "hey, these are firearms, their really dangerous, don't fucking touch them unless you're around your mum/dad" we've said OH GOD DON'T TALK ABOUT THEM, DONT MAKE ANY REFERENCES TO THEM, DONT DO ANYTHING WITH THEM. And they wonder why kids are curious about firearms...[/QUOTE] Agreed, the more emphasis you place on something being bad, the more taboo, and thus wanted, the thing will be. The more we panic, the worse it'll get.

When I read to the point about ak47s I had to check if it was an onion article. How the [B]FUCK[/B] can you get ak47 from the word fire? :v:

Probably had an AK-47 up her butt. Why else would you need such an oversized T-shirt for!?

What is even with the whole zero-tolerance thing? Is it some kind of gentlemen's agreement? Legislation? Following a precedent from a common law case?

[QUOTE=Antdawg;44592484]What is even with the whole zero-tolerance thing? Is it some kind of gentlemen's agreement? Legislation? Following a precedent from a common law case?[/QUOTE] It's another way of saying "we can't be arsed to make an effort to think this though so we'll just do what it says in the rules".

[quote=retard policies]Now, like me, you should be even more confused. There's no way you could somehow interpret "fire" to mean "AK-47" any more than you could interpret "fire" to mean "Easter ham." They aren't related. And if you're thinking that there's so little sense being made here that there must be something more to this story, there sure as hell is. The head of the school's administration had just been delivered a vote of no confidence by the staff, including Schmidt, who had also filed a grievance recently for being denied a request for a sabbatical. You don't need to read between the lines much to understand that this is [b]probably a trumped-up charge serving to punish a member of the teacher's union[/b].[/quote] So this was just to get back at the union or was it just lack of common sense which started this? Either way, that dean is a big fucking retard.

[QUOTE=ilikecorn;44592465]Exactly, they want to ignore the issue and hope it'll go away. When in reality kids just want to understand what's going on. Hell I caught my son trying to get into the gun safe we've got, and I kept catching him till I taught him about them, and what they did, with special emphasis on the fact that they can really hurt people. Now he doesn't bother trying to get in because he knows what's inside, and he knows how they work. (not that he could get in anyway, its biometrically locked)[/QUOTE] Smart kid. I don't know, my parents raised me where they really didn't censor me at all, they taught me what everything was and did and if i fucked up, it was on me and i think i came out much better off that way. Instead of slapping them on the wrist as soon as they reach for them and yelling NO, THAT'S BAD, they should just be taught why and slapped on the wrist if they continue.

So what about if they try to fire someone? "You're FIRED!" "How can you fire me when you're suspended?" I also find it very surprising that "fire" is the bad one. I would've expected "blood"

No wonder school shootings are common.

[quote]The professor asked why his photo had caused such a reaction, and was told that "fire" could be a metaphor for "AK-47s."[/quote] Do people think that AK-47's are the only guns that can or ever are used to commit crimes or something I mean hell, the quote on its own could be seen as a threat with enough mental gymnastics, why also bring AK's into the mix?