School sends poor students home.

[monster]

What do you think about this?

http://www.annarbor.com/news/pioneer...er-book-fines/

When Ellisha Champine set out for the first day at Pioneer High School on Sept. 6, she didn’t think her day would last just 20 minutes.

But the high school junior said she didn’t make it past registration before she was told to leave school until she paid a $35 book fine, money she said she wouldn’t have until her father was paid at the end of the week.

Ellisha said she was referred to Principal Michael White when she tried to register and pick up her books on the first day of school.

When she explained her story to White, Ellisha said, he told her to go home until she paid her fine for the two books she had lost, including “The Grapes of Wrath.”

She left, taking the AATA bus to her home at Hikone public housing.

White has said he did not send students home from school for outstanding “obligations,” the district’s term for unpaid fines on unreturned books, equipment, calculators and more, said Liz Margolis, director of communications for the district.

She said there will be further investigation of what unfolded, and that it is not acceptable and not district policy to send students with unpaid fines home.

It goes on, but I find myself thinking that the whole story isn't being told. She says the principal sent her home, he says he didn't. The news reporting seems somewhat biased....

Normally I'd feel a knee-jerk reaction to be on the side of the student. Like some of my facebook friends. But I think I'm in agreement with the majority of the commenters. It's not about being poor. She had plenty of time to fix this before school started in ways that didn't involve money. Sending kids home is extreme, but I've often found that what we say and what kids hear are not one and the same. I don't think she should have been sent home (if she was), but neither should she or other students get a free pass because they are poor. She's playing a victim card to get out of her responsibilities.

What do you think? Am I being unfair?