Jeopardy and Double Jeopardy

August 1998

Shawn knew he was in trouble for shoving a k id at recess. But he didn’t know that his teacher had called his mother about the incident and that Shawn would lose his recess at school for a week. When Shawn returned home that afternoon he was greeted by his irate Mother.

" Well, Shawn. Did you have a nice day at school today? Did anything exciting happen? Nothing? Are your sure? Did you have fun at recess? Yes?

Well let me refresh your memory. Your teacher called and told me all about your pushing at recess. I can’t believe it. If I’ve told you once I’ve told you a hundred times to mind your own business and keep your hands to your self. But do you listen? No. It’s like talking to the wall. You’ll never learn. You’re just determined to be a troublemaker.

Well, I hope you had a good time today because that’s the last time you’ll have fun around here for a long time. And you can say good bye to your bicycle for a very long, long time!"

Well, the next day Shawn’s mother went shopping in Danvers. She parked her car in an illegal space and received a $25.00 parking ticket. When she returned home in Beverly she was confronted by a Beverly policeman parked in her driveway.

"Well, Mrs. Mahoney. Did you have a nice time shopping in Danvers today? Did anything exciting happen in Danvers? Nothing? Did you have a hard time finding a parking space?

Well, let me refresh your memory. The Danvers Police called and told me all about your illegal parking incident. I can’t believe it. If I’ve told you once I’ve told you a hundred times to make sure you park in a legal space. But do you listen? No. It’s like talking to the wall. You’ll never learn.

You’re determined to be a troublemaker.

Well, I hope you had a good time in Danvers with your car today. Because that’s the last time you’ll be driving this car for a long, long time.

I’ll take your driver’s license right now."

Did the Beverly Police have the legal right to punish Shawn’s Mother a second time for her offense in Danvers?

Did Shawn’s Mother have the legal right to punish Shawn a second time for his offense at school?

Under the legal provision of "Double jeopardy" you can’t be punished twice for the same offense.

I remember working with Chris and his Mother in our school trying to help them resolve their long, bitter battle with each other. After months of effort Chris and his Mom worked out their issues and were getting along great at home

But Chris got in trouble in the Cafeteria at school and the teacher called to tell Mom. Even though Chris was behaving so well at home Mom felt she had to show support to the school by punishing him at home. Mom knew Chris loved his new stereo. So Mom took the stereo away for a week for punishment. And you know the battle between Chris and Mom began at home with renewed intensity.

Mom and I had talked about keeping the school behavior and the home behavior separate. But when the teacher called Mom panicked and promised to punish Chris at home even though he had been on his best behavior at home.

What do you think Chris’s teacher would have said if Mom had called the teacher and told her that Chris had been rude to his brother and would like her to keep Chris in from recess for a week?

If a child misbehaves at school and needs to be punished it should be the school’s responsibility to take care of the punishment at school.

If a child misbehaves at home and needs to be punished it should be the parent’s responsibility to take care of the punishment at home.

What’s a parent to do when a teacher calls to say your child has been in trouble at school? You need to give your support to the teacher to take care of the incident at school.

"I am really disappointed in Shawn. I am so embarrassed to get this call.

I want you to know we don’t allow that kind of behavior at home either. I will talk to him about this. And you have my full backing to do whatever you feel needs to be done at school."

As a parent you need to talk with Shawn: " Shawn, I was so embarrassed to get that call from your teacher. You know how we feel about pushing kids. I told your teacher I would support her with anything she felt she needed to do at school to take care of this incident.

I hope the next time you have a disagreement with a kid at recess you use your words instead of your hands. And the next time your teacher calls I hope she will have something a lot more positive to say about your behavior."