Third-grader's suspension over fortune cookie crumbles

Metra Baugh
First Amendment Center

07.02.99

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The mother of a Hudson, Ohio, third-grader is relieved that her son's suspension over a fortune cookie has been dropped, but she is disappointed that school officials "never really said they were wrong."

Nine-year-old Karl Bauman was suspended in May from McDowell Elementary School because of an allegedly threatening fortune he wrote as part of a class project. Students wrote messages to be included as fortunes in fortune cookies.

Karl wrote the message "you will die with honor."

Sheryl Sheatzley, spokeswoman for Hudson Local Schools, told free! that Karl was suspended for his actions in the classroom. Refusing to comment further, Sheatzley faxed a statement on the suspension to free! from the school district.

In mid-June school administrators decided to retract the suspension from Karl's school records due to a technicality, according to the district's statement.

The district did not notify Karl in writing of its intent to suspend him, but instead verbally informed him of the action. His parents were given written notification of the suspension. According to school policy Karl should also have received written notice of the suspension.

Raymond Vasvari, American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio legal director, said the administrators "decided to revoke what was called a bad decision." He said that the situation was "no doubt the result of an ill-thought-out decision."

Vasvari told free! that he knows of about 60 cases similar to Karl's in which, in the wake of the Littleton, Colo., tragedy, teachers have overreacted to perceived threats. But he says that of all of the cases he has reviewed, Karl's is the most extreme example.

Jean Bauman, Karl's mother, says she is disappointed with the school officials. But she said, "I feel better now that it is off of his record."

Bauman said that if she were put in the teacher's position, she would have explained to the children that the fortune could have several meanings. "That phrase can mean so many things," she said.