Photo Credit: WFTX-TV
A Florida high school freshman has reportedly missed her first homecoming dance because of an overdue library book.
A member of the accelerated reading program, Dominique Stearns says she checked out a murder mystery two weeks ago with her other books, and simply forgot to return it. When she went to buy her homecoming ticket and was told she was ineligible because of it, Stearns remarked with a laugh: “I thought she was lying.”
Photo Credit: WFTX-TV
WFTX-TV has more:
Dominique’s mother went to the high school to complain. She says the principal, Tracy Perkins, was unwilling to work with her.
“She did not care one bit,” said Dominique’s Mom, Danielle Olmstead. “She asked me what grade she’s in, I said freshman; she said ‘Oh there’s always next year.’”
[...]
She offered to bring the book back that day but the school wouldn’t budge.
“She’s not being punished because she got into a fight or anything like that,” said Olmstead. “She’s getting punished because she had an overdue library book for reading. It’s ridiculous.” [Emphasis added]
Photo Credit: WFTX-TV
What makes it worse is that Stearns and her mother had already spent hours shopping for the “perfect” dress, going to between ten and twelve different stores before choosing their favorite.
Holding up the white and gold dress they eventually decided on, Stearns explained: “[I was looking forward to] getting dressed up really pretty and taking pretty pictures.”
Though the school says it cannot comment on issues involving students by law, Lee County School District spokesman Joe Donzelli remarked: “…any assertion that a student would be punished for wanting to read is completely false and totally inappropriate.”
However, WFTX-TV relates, a summer newsletter did inform parents that “students must have a zero balance for all fees and fines to participate in some special extracurricular activities or privileges,” and they allegedly received no other explanation.
“They need to worry about more serious things,” Stearns concluded.
Here is an interview with the family, via WFTX-TV:
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Comments (82)
Mapache
Oct. 17, 2012 at 9:58amOh BOO Hoo. If missing a dance is the biggest disappointment you’ll have in your life you are doing well….wait until you lose a job, a child a husband, insurance. …maybe because of your job you will miss a graduation, wedding, etc. How about thinking of our men and women deployed throughout the world that miss a lot of things and they do not get all weepy and on the Blaze. Grow up…and the kid too.
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BB170
Oct. 17, 2012 at 9:58amBeing married to a public school librarian, they cannot charge a fine (money) no matter how small as this was taken away from them several years ago. Most all school limit the special activities of students with overdue or missing books as this is the only way they have to get their books back. The process is very time consuming for them to print out the list for each class room and present it BEFORE the activity giving the student at least one full day or more in some cases to return the book or re-new it. In a small school of only 400+ kids, she has over a hundred overdue books on the list. These books (library bound so they last more than one year) are expensive. I am shocked how many students move and never turn in their library books or their assigned text books. In our community the librarians work together passing on the missing books to the new school the children are attending and the new school librarian will not let them check out a new book until the missing book issue is resolved at the old school.
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JediKnight
Oct. 17, 2012 at 11:50am@BB170: ” I am shocked how many students move and never turn in their library books or their assigned text books.”
Really? You’re shocked? Based on the number of parents, in this country, that think they’re entitled to something you’re shocked that the students wouldn’t bother returning the books? The parents are probably telling them not to worry about it and that the school will replace it, so it’s not a big deal. Not all parents mind you, but enough of them.
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Bikkiboo
Oct. 18, 2012 at 3:41pmI’ve seen this in the schools where I taught. I basically agree with the policy, but 2 weeks overdue and able to return it that day IS a bit extreme unless she had similar troubles in last year’s school. Kids do not take care of things unless they’re taught. Our state makes everyone pay rental fees for texts – unless you’re low income and make arrangements for FREE texts. Guess who loses the most things? Maybe that’s why they’re low income to begin with. Unfortunately, the K-8 grade schools teach kids there are no consequences for things they do. Teachers don’t like it, but they’re forced to. Kids can’t flunk – even if they don’t do the work; they don’t get real discipline – can’t harm their self-esteem; they get suspended (a vacation to them) when they do something REALLY BAD, and so on. One of my students asked me once why the worst kids get the best treatment (out of school suspension is like a reward to them). It’s no wonder regular kids can’t learn. Teachers can’t teach with these mis-behaving kids in class!!!
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woodyee
Oct. 17, 2012 at 9:37am“WFTX-TV relates, a summer newsletter did inform parents that “students must have a zero balance for all fees and fines to participate in some special extracurricular activities or privileges,” and they allegedly received no other explanation.”
She knew the rules. She broke the rules. She pays the consequences. She has no right to blame the school for her guilt in breaking the rules. She has every right to fight to have the rules changed for the next time.
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muffythetuffy
Oct. 17, 2012 at 9:52amWhite girls must be punished for being offensively white. This would not have happen if she were black and the whole nation knows this.
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Suzanne38
Oct. 17, 2012 at 9:57amYes, but technically there wasn’t a due date stamped on the card so the way I see it…it can’t be overdue. The library staff should own up to their mistake and take responsibility.
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JediKnight
Oct. 17, 2012 at 12:01pmPunished for an overdue book? I’m with her and the mom on this one.
Just last week a kid was being bullied. Turned out he got punished for fighting back. Now this girl is being punished for having a book overdue (with no date due stamped on it). The principal wouldn’t even use a small bit of common sense. They could’ve let her buy the ticket and bring the book back that day (which she offered to do). To them, that was unacceptable.
This is what zero tolerance policies have brought us to. Punish the good kids, encourage the bad kids.
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Kenszen
Oct. 17, 2012 at 1:00pmYes, Woodyee, I tend to agree with you, but I don’t see why the admin wasn’t more flexible if they were willing to pay the fine right then. I don’t see what the big deal was. Why couldn’t they say, not only to her but all students who owed the school money, “Sure, you can buy a Homecoming ticket, but you’ll need to pay this fine first.” They would get better cooperation in the future, I’ll bet.
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Daithi
Oct. 17, 2012 at 5:15pmI agree with Kenszen. I don’t understand why she couldn’t return the library book and pay the fine. It seems to me that the school is more interested in punishing kids for minor infractions than making sure that books are returned to the library. My guess is that the principal just enjoys being a petty little government dictator in his depressing life. One more reason to hate public schools.
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Airborne1966
Oct. 17, 2012 at 9:33amThere is a reason why a library wants its books back on time. It is called teaching a young person responsibility. If she needed to keep the book longer, all she had to do was go to the library and renew it. Perhaps now she has learned her lesson.
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JerryNic
Oct. 17, 2012 at 11:05amAirborne, when was this book due? How late was it?
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wildchild
Oct. 17, 2012 at 9:24amThis article has nothing to do with being punished for reading… lets not be ridiculous…. The school was punishing her for being irresponsible. Very plain, very simple.
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Ella
Oct. 17, 2012 at 12:47pmI agree with you. If you borrow something, saying I forgot is unacceptable. It’s your job to be responsible and return whatever you borrowed. This is something that must be learned and if there are consequences for your actions the chances are you will learn to be organized and stay on top of your obligations.
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mcFirst
Oct. 17, 2012 at 9:04amThis is about the government overreaching. Libraries need to deal with their own issues and not involved personal lives. If its really an issue, send the parent a fine, done.
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blanco5
Oct. 17, 2012 at 8:52amHow about paying fines for late returns? Money always hits home with everyone. What if EVERYONE returned their books past due? Oh, yes, more money. What’s the problem?
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Mapache
Oct. 17, 2012 at 9:56amPeople who want to read a particular book are denied access, that is the problem. Somehow people are more concerned about returning DVDs than books. I also have a teenager and constantly remind him that actions or inactions have consequences. These little darings all want to be shielded from consequences with the parents all too willing to expect exceptions for their special child. Once rules are allowed to slide into subjective enforcement, especially in a school setting, there is no end to the litigation.
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Borrys
Oct. 17, 2012 at 8:48amThis is how you raise kids to not think the rules apply to them, that some how, the rules apply to everyone else except “my little girl”.
Parents – Keep raising your kids like this because when my home schooled children start businesses, they are going to need mindless serfs like your kids to clean their offices.
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yougottabekidding
Oct. 17, 2012 at 9:15amThis really gets me!
Are you the same people that went berserk over kids being harassed for BREAKING THE LAW and having lemonade stands? We had a national lemonade day to respond to idiocy. So where does this absolutely bizarre behavior come from?
What is the punishment for you having an overdue book at your local library? Do you lose your driving privileges, what? You pay a fine in accordance with the return date (what due date?) or you pay for the book
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yougottabekidding
Oct. 17, 2012 at 9:23amBorrys
And let me say to you.
You are really full of your self. your self righteous a__
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woodyee
Oct. 17, 2012 at 9:37amYou gota be kidding, right?
“WFTX-TV relates, a summer newsletter did inform parents that “students must have a zero balance for all fees and fines to participate in some special extracurricular activities or privileges,” and they allegedly received no other explanation.”
She knew the rules. She broke the rules. She pays the consequences. She has no right to blame the school for her guilt in breaking the rules. She has every right to fight to have the rules changed for the next time.
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yougottabekidding
Oct. 17, 2012 at 9:50amWoodyee
How late was the book?
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TheMajority
Oct. 17, 2012 at 8:48amI want to know if the Library has it’s own penalties, and why the “Date due back” card was not filled out. The Library can accept some responsibility for not making the “Due back date” easily known for the new Freshmen (young lady), but if the Library already has a penalty, then she will be punished twice for the same infraction. Might as well tell the students that they don’t live in the USA anymore.
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termyt
Oct. 17, 2012 at 8:37amShe is being punished for breaking a contract. You need to take responsibility for your actions. The penalty does seem over the top, we know nothing of the situation.
The article is very poor. It follows that narrative that a love for reading and unreasonable administrators are the problem. Was she warned? Did she have an opportunity to pay the fine? How long ago was the book due?
How can we form a proper opinion on the story without these questions being answered?
What a horrible and shameful display of “journalism.”
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yougottabekidding
Oct. 17, 2012 at 8:57amThis is wild!
Did you watch the video?
They
1 offered to bring the book back immediately , which should have resolved the problem immediately.
2 what part of the picture of the due date card shows a date? Maybe it’s in invisible ink.
The only logical remedy for this situation as I see it. You have an over due book which must be returned before you can get a ticket. Simple isn’t it?
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mopman64
Oct. 17, 2012 at 8:37amWow this is a tough one, let’s see. Was the book over due: Yes, yes it was. Was the book returned by the due date: Why no it was not.
Ok, so whats the problem. Return the book by the due date and this would have not been a story. Rules are rules. If you rent a video from a video store and it is not returned on time you get a fine, how about a car rental, don’t return it on time you get charged.
End of story.
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Thornyrose13
Oct. 17, 2012 at 8:50amthe biggest question, was the student aware of the penalty for not returning the book on time? I seriously suspect that the school either did not inform the students that something so simple could result in such a result, or more likely, they didn’t recognize that something like a late book would cause a student to miss out on what to many is one of the highlights of the school year. Certainly, it’s a one punishment fits all situation that has to be revised.
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Al J Zira
Oct. 17, 2012 at 9:25amSo, according to your logic the library should charge the girl for the overdue book, not deprive her of the ability to attend her first high school dance. I would agree with that, I don’t see how keeping her from attending a dance will make her more responsible, it just makes her ticked off and the school seem petty.
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western indiana
Oct. 17, 2012 at 8:37amShe got off easy. I got expelled for a year for not paying a library fine, and that was in 1959.
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yougottabekidding
Oct. 17, 2012 at 9:00amhow much was it?
Was it a refusal to pay?
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Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Oct. 17, 2012 at 8:36amOne more example of rampant politcal correctness. Zero tollerance and zero brains, zero common sense, zero across the board with the school.
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beggindog
Oct. 17, 2012 at 8:29amHere’s how things should have gone:
“Hmmm, I see you have an overdue library book. I can’t sell you a ticket, but return that book asap and we’ll get you signed up ok?”
“Thanks, I’ll do it right away.”
What’s the big problem?
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napoleon_solo
Oct. 17, 2012 at 9:17amThe big problem is that the opportunity to punish was the big driver here. If it wasn’t, the book would be returned, the fine paid and the girl would have been sold a ticket. Right? The school policy is that a zero balance is required, that is all. Fine paid, issue resolved. But no. In this case the school was set on punishing, period. And not just a minor punishment either. They wanted to slam the girl and her mother by depriving the girl of the opportunity to attend a social event that is very important to girls that age. My guess is that the mother has an enemy at the school and the coward is using the girl to get even. You don’t insist on such a severe punishment for a simple library fine.
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Xiccarph
Oct. 17, 2012 at 8:27amAnother example of Zero Tolerance being equal to Zero Common Sense. Yes, return your library books on time. But use common sense and act on each case by applying reasonableness fitting the situation. This is just another example of the Rule By Law over Rule Of Law milieu we are being “sheeplized” under.
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Jenasus
Oct. 17, 2012 at 8:26amShe is to smart for the Department of Dumbification and this is how the Police School is punishing her.
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Psychosis
Oct. 17, 2012 at 8:25amthe progressive way
learning through punishment…………….get used to it dear
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Bohump
Oct. 17, 2012 at 8:20amYou Vill Learn, … You Vill Pay, …You Vill NOT Go To De Homecomeing. … We do not care what you Think, ,… We make the Rule’s ! ( The Teacher’s Union )
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Taurnil
Oct. 17, 2012 at 8:18amWhat do you expect from our school system?
Often times I can only think these types of things are what happens when to many degree people are placed in one location. They begin to have contests among themselves to see who can shove their head further up something to prove just how smarter they are than their compatriots. The anality of the principle is typical myopia hamstringing our education system.
It also demonstrates just why many parents become fed up with these uncaring idiots and why no matter how much tax dollars are thrown at the education system we still haven’t broken the upper 10 positions.
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lala76
Oct. 17, 2012 at 8:18amSo she shouldn’t have to follow the rules? Anybody with an outstanding book or fine couldn’t go to any school function, including graduation, when I was in school. They also couldn’t get their actual diploma without settling first. No sympathy…FOLLOW THE RULES and you’ll get a lot further than whining and complaining about any perceived injustice.
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crawdad
Oct. 17, 2012 at 8:49amThis wouldn’t have been a story if it were not for the intransigence of the principal. The offer was made to return the book so that the student could attend the dance. How did the principal respond? Fairly? With kindness and understanding? Or stubbornly? Without consideration? These teachers and administrators act in loco parentis. Unfortunately, in cases like this, it’s without the heart of a parent. This seems like a trivial case, but it’s frightening to see how far supposedly “educated” people will go to exercise the power they’ve been given.
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eric6161
Oct. 17, 2012 at 8:17amWelcome to the new world as envisioned by the progressives…learning through punishment. As a member of the baby-boom generation, we always had excuses and got away with murder…as such we came up with ways to prevent future generations from doing what we did. The fun we had… the fun we won’t let you have.
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dsang1
Oct. 17, 2012 at 8:16amSeems extreme if there were no announcements about losing your privilege if you weren’t in good standing in the library, cafe, ect. I work for a school and sometimes we want children/students to learn to be responsible. I promise there were probably announcements or flyers or something letting students know this would happen – but of course Mom comes to the rescue. our society really doesn’t want to teach accountability nor personal responsibility… return the dress, return the book.IF there was no mention of it then yes, return the book, pay the fine and let her go!
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getmeoutofcalifornia
Oct. 17, 2012 at 9:31amIt was probably in the school handbook and they didn’t read it so they didn’t know in advance. My son’s school handbook says “an overdue book will prevent a student from checking out any other materials. The student will not be allowed to participate in activities including sports and dances. All overdue, or lost materials must be returned or paid for.”
I really don’t think this is about an overreaching government, except for the fact that the student offered to return the book that day and the school refused to budge. That was excessive, and wrong. Having said that, however, rules are rules and they are there to ensure the students returned the books. If there were no consequences for not returning books, there would be a lot more books missing, which would cost the schools more money in trying to keep the library stocked for everybody else.
Pick your battles wisely. Not every rule or regulation is about a tyrannical government.
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Jenny Lind
Oct. 17, 2012 at 8:11amWhen will parents start getting mad enough to vote out school boards who don’t hear them? They aren’t appointed jobs, they are “vote” jobs.
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Mr.Fitnah
Oct. 17, 2012 at 8:09amReturn books on time to avoid disappointments and fines .
And Please stop whining .
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watashbuddyfriend
Oct. 17, 2012 at 8:09amAnother story of stupidity coming out of the State of Florida!
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Arnold_Ziffel
Oct. 17, 2012 at 3:18pm@WATASHBUDDYFRIEND
What’s so stupid about a rule to teach responsibility, unless you’re against personal responsibility that is…
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Cajun83
Oct. 18, 2012 at 11:23amStupidity is attempting to teach personal responsibility (not returning a book on time means loss of participation in special events) when those who make the rules do not hold themselves personally responsible when the shoe is on the other foot (No due date stamped on the card). It teaches that personal irresponsibility is ok as long as you hold some power over those that you are teaching.
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