Saturday Detention

Saturday morning detentions are being considered as a possible disciplinary measure for students in the Portsmouth School district.

A time for students that is normally reserved for sleeping late, Saturday morning may become an object of dread if a new policy is passed that would require disciplined students to return to school for an early morning detention session.

The rule was proposed Monday evening at a meeting of the Portsmouth School board.  Tim Steele, the member who proposed the measure, says that he believes it will make students stop and think before acting up.

"I hope the threat of Saturday classes will make the students think twice before breaking the rules," Steele said.

The rule would require parents to deliver their children to school at 8 AM on Saturdays, for a detention that would last until noon.  It would also demand increased budget allocation of $3,000 for staffing.  Some, including Peggy Bacon, a parent of a student in the Portsmouth school system, voiced opposition to the proposed rule.

"I work six days a week -- including Saturday morning," she said, "and its bad enough to get my son off to school Monday through Friday.  I just don't think it will make any difference, and the parents are going to pay for it -- in higher taxes as well as in ruined Saturdays."

Resident Bob Farley was among those in favor of the proposed Saturday classes.

"Parents can whine all they want about this," Farley said, "but maybe its time parents in America were made to take a little responsibility for their kids.  Maybe if [students] have to miss a few Saturday morning cartoons, they'll start wising up."

Steele claimed that among the leading issues that prompted his new proposal is kids smoking in bathrooms.