Jo's Cafe

COLUMBUS, Ga. – The Muscogee County School District has reduced the suspension of a student who refused to end a cell phone call from his mother who is serving in Iraq.

Kevin Francois, a 17-year-old at Spencer High School in Columbus, was given a 10-day suspension for disorderly conduct Wednesday after a confrontation that began when he was told to give up his cell phone at lunch during the call, he said.

Yesterday’s local paper had the story of this boy who received a cell-phone call from his mother (only live parent of this boy) who is serving in Iraq. Kevin natually became upset when the teacher took the cell-phone from him, thus hanging up the call from his mother. He was given a 10 day suspension when he was further NOT allowed to answer said cell-phone after his mother called him back.

Francois got the unexpected call from his mother at 12:30 p.m., which he said was his lunch break. He said he went outside the school building to get better reception. A teacher who saw Francois on his phone told him to hang up. He refused.

According to the Muscogee County School District Board of Education’s policy, students are allowed to have cell phones in school but cannot use them during school hours.

School officials said Francois became defiant and used profanity when asked to hand over the phone.

Well DUH!!! Let me tell you, I’d be turning the air Tarheel blue if someone grabbed a phone from my hand that had my hubby on the other line when he was over seas in a combat zone!!!

Since the incident was first reported, school officials have received many phone calls, said Wendell Turner, an assistant principal.

“People are fussing at us, calling us names,” Turner said.

You bet they’ve been calling and fussing. The blogosphere has been going nuts!

Michelle Malkin mentions it here
Outside the Beltway here
The Moderate Voice ways in here
Marine Corp Moms here
A local Columbus Blog, Basil’s Blog here