There is a story out of South Carolina of a teen who threw a paper airplane at a teacher, and was subsequently arrested for assault.
The facts are not in dispute. The teen admits to throwing the airplane and admits that he meant to hit the teacher in the head. The student has been involved in other (unspecified) altercations with the same teacher.
The fact that the student faces up to 30 days in jail has parents in an uproar. They claim that jail is too harsh.
My take:
1 The 17 year old teen is old enough to know better.
2 Touching someone, or throwing something at someone without their consent is battery.
3 The fact that it is only a paper airplane is why he was charged with the lowest class of crime, a third degree misdemeanor. The maximum penalty for this is 30 days in jail, but absent other factors, he is unlikely to get more than probation, especially if this is a first offense.
Teachers are attacked in school at an alarming rate. I myself have been attacked in the classroom. Maybe this will prevent the child from moving on to more serious crimes. No one should have to put up with being physically attacked at work, no matter how minor. I applaud the school and the police for taking action.
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