"Guidelines are guidelines"

Kinda a real-life "Donna Martin graduates" thing, only it's not for some stupid Beverly Hills drinking thing.

High school senior misses 16 days of school, and the school won't let him go to the prom or walk at graduation because the rule is a student can only miss 14 days.

The reason why he missed so many days? His mom has terminal breast cancer, and he was working two jobs to support them and was at home taking care of her when she needed him.

http://fox8.com/2012/04/13/teen-who-cared-for-sick-mom-not-allowed-at-graduation/

Of course there's now a petition. And rightly so.

 

When I was at another university, we faculty had this discussion a lot: "Whats the difference between a guideline and a rule." Semantically "guideline" implies some leeway, whereas "rule" does not. Extensive experience showed that this is truly how they're different:

If you're an administrator, every rule is simply a guideline. When you say you can't (or won't) do something because it's against the guidelines, what you're really saying is "I don't want to do this, but I don't want to come out and say it."

If you're an underling, every guideline from on high is a rule. And every rule you try to enforce can be overturned by those above you because, after all, it's just a guideline to them.

 

So guidelines are rules?

 

Simple.

Boycott the whole deal.

Rent a hall in a relatively nearby city (Canton is 20 miles away), stage your own ceremonies there, and nobody -- not one person -- shows up for the "official" ceremonies. Except reporters there to take pictures of the empty hall. Hold your "Alternaprom" at a nearby motel.

And if any of the official toadies start talking about withholding diplomas or any of that crap, lawyer up fast and go nuclear. Don't screw around with "negotiations" -- threaten huge class action lawsuits right out of the box.

Put the gun to their heads. They'll blink.

 

I'm sure the organizers of an alternative prom would not have to pay a dime if some classmates decide to do this. Plenty of businesses would line up for the inexpensive marketing and PR opportunity.

 

I thought the Code was more or less guidelines.

 

Of course this all presumes that the story is really legit, and the kid didn't spend 12 of his 16 absence days slugging down beers rather than taking care of mom.

I am sure that the highly-credible teevee station checked all this out ahead of time. Unless they just wanted to get a wildly-sensationalized story on the air. Highly unlikely considering the source. : :


But, assuming the story is fully on the level, lawyer up and let 'em have it.

 

Guidelines are for administrators who have the common sense and the courage to make decisions based on facts.

Rules are for administrators lacking common sense and courage.

 

Beat me to it.

And why is the rum gone?

 

If anyone is actually interested, an introduction to the difference between rules, standards, and principles as they relate to the law:

http://lsolum.typepad.com/legaltheory/2012/04/legal-theory-lexicon-rules-standards-and-principles.html

 

Count me as skeptical of the story, but if you're the administration, why bother risking looking like a jackass for such a stupid rule?

 

http://www.change.org/petitions/allow-austin-fisher-to-walk-and-graduate-with-his-2012-class-after-caring-for-his-sick-mom

sign the petition