Not Enforceable

There is a YouTube video at the moment showing a Nova Scotia school principal scuffling with a student and finally dragging him to the office. The student was apparently taking unwanted pictures of a female student, and refused to hand over his cell phone camera, nor listen to any demands of the principal to go voluntarily to the office. Cell phone camera shoved up his sleeve, the student attempted to go where he wanted, shoved the principal when he was blocked by an arm, and then was taken to the floor and then hauled along struggling to the office.

The video was apparently posted by a local newspaper, Frank Magazine, after the husband of the school board Superintendent entered her confidential board email, sent the video to his own mail, and then forwarded it to the magazine. Crazy goings on that have led to demands for the firing of the super, but that’s another story.

The principal came very close to being fired, and has been transferred to another school. Comments posted below the video seem balanced about evenly between supporting him and demanding his firing. While it’s easy for a teacher or administrator to lose their temper in a confrontation with an uncooperative student, the principal got himself into a situation that escalated into a battle of wills, and he unfortunately carried things too far. Sometimes, like a high speed highway chase that needs to be abandoned, the guilty party must be let go and picked up another day. Things have a way of escalating.
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