No Good Deed: Middle school student suspended for opening door
Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2011 2:59 pm
http://www.tidewaternews.com/2011/02/26 ... ning-door/
Published 9:31am Saturday, February 26, 2011
By Gwen Albers
COURTLAND—A Southampton Middle School student was suspended Thursday for opening an exterior door for a visitor.
“Students are not allowed to open the doors, and if anyone does, they will be suspended,” said Dr. Wayne K. Smith, executive director of administration and personnel.
A districtwide policy prohibiting students and staff from opening doors to the outside was recently adopted after a $10,800 security system was installed at the middle school, Southampton High School, Southampton Technical Career Center and Nottoway, Meherrin and Capron elementary schools. Riverdale Elementary had a similar system installed when it was built three years ago.
All of the schools’ doors are locked during the day. Visitors must ring a buzzer and look into a camera before office personnel can let them in.
Smith said everyone knew about the policy and its consequences. The middle school student was the first to be suspended for opening a door. Smith did not say how many days of suspension the unidentified student received.
According to an anonymous e-mail sent to The Tidewater News, the “A” student opened the door for a woman he knew, who had her hands full. The e-mail also indicated the student received a one-day, out-of-school suspension.
