-Caveat Lector-
http://www.nationalpost.com/search/story.html?f=/stories/20010724/626791.html&qs=water%20balloon
July 24, 2001
Water balloon hijinks result in assault charge
Teacher 'was wet'
Chris Wattie
National Post
A high school student in Southwestern Ontario has been charged with assault with a
weapon for
throwing a water balloon at a teacher on the last day of school.
The 17-year-old boy, who cannot be identified under provisions of the Young Offenders
Act, was
charged after he lobbed a water-filled balloon at a group of fellow students standing
outside a portable
classroom at a London, Ont., high school.
"A teacher then walked out of her portable to talk to the students," said Constable
Ryan Holland, a
spokesman for London police. "She was struck from behind by a water balloon."
Const. Holland said the teacher went to the school's vice-principal, who called
police. "We investigated
and determined there were reasonable grounds to believe a criminal offence had
occurred," he said.
"We laid the appropriate charge."
The teacher was not injured by the projectile, Const. Holland said, but he added:
"She was wet.
[Because] an object was used, the charge was assault with a weapon instead of common
assault."
The youth's mother called the charge "ludicrous" and blamed the school board's
zero-tolerance policy
toward violence on school grounds.
"The policeman who charged him didn't agree with it, but he said his hands were
tied," she said. "I
mean, he still graduated, so how bad could it have been?"
Spokesmen for the school and for the London District Catholic School Board did not
return telephone
calls yesterday.
A conviction for assault with a weapon carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in
prison.
Because the youth, who turned 18 shortly after the incident, was charged under the
Young Offenders
Act, he could face a sentence of up to two years in custody.
Const. Holland acknowledged that there is a board policy regarding school violence,
but said such
zero-tolerance policies are not binding on police.
"Our role is to deal with the complaint," he said. "And a criminal complaint was made
in this case."
The boy's mother said he has never been in trouble with the law before this and was
not a disciplinary
problem at school.
"He's a popular kid, everyone likes him," she said. "I just don't understand this."
The youth's first court appearance on the charge is set for Aug. 3 in a London court.
Copyright © 2001 National Post Online
<A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A>
DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER
==========
CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic
screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are
sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis-
directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with
major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought.
That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and
always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no
credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply.
Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector.
========================================================================
Archives Available at:
http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html
<A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of
[EMAIL PROTECTED]</A>
http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/
<A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A>
========================================================================
To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Om
