larry kramer

Tue, Mar 23, 2010 : 10:22 a.m.

when I taught in ypsi 30 years ago, a parent threatened to beat me for flunking his kid. 2 years later his son was shot and killed. the kids were out of control then, with no interest in learning. they came from homes with no books, newspapers, or respect for education! today its even worse! the administrators and the school board are still gutless and let just a few violent, disruptive kids run the schools. I'll bet this kid who punched out the principal has a record a mile long and parents who have enabled his behavior all his life. I suggest that all of you readers substitute teach at ypsi high for a year. then you'll understand why there are armed cops in the schools, why most new teachers flee the profession, why those who stay and try to teach deserve a great wage and benefits! you'll also understand that the only thing wrong with these kids are their parents.

tracyann

Tue, Mar 23, 2010 : 8:45 a.m.

@anonamoose - my thoughts exactly. I don't know what's going on with kids but most have absolutely no respect for any kind of authority figure, including the parents. They seem to have no concept of consequences for their actions and no regard for rules. If what is being said is true, the kid is the one who escalated the situation by punching the principal and the deputy officer.

oncebitten

Mon, Mar 22, 2010 : 8:55 p.m.

TASR's were origially designed to be used in place of LETHAL force. Rather than being forced to shoot someone - police could use a TASR instead. It was intended for use in circumstances such as the man who was shot and killed because he was swinging a garden implement at the police. He could have potentially harmed the officers but he did not have a gun and was - in fact - psychotic. Had the officers had TASR's, they could have subdued him without having to get close enough to get hurt - and not have been forced to shoot him. That said - I think that TASR's are relied on in fa more incidents than they are really called for. Do a search on YouTube and look up TASER/TAZER videos, you will find a great deal of them that really makes you question whether they should have been used. Police officers go through training to learn how to subdue/calm people using both psychological and physical means. They are not just given a uniform and a gun and pushed out into the streets and told to do whatever they have to do. The majority of larger police departments also have a fairly tough process for applicants to go through prior to even being considered for a position on a police department. Therefore it is reasonable to assume that these officers possess the aptitude to learn what they are being taught at the academy. And I really don't think they learn to pull out a TASR and use it in EVERY situation. None of us know exactly what transpired during that call. Unless there is a video to actually view the event - t's a difficult call to make as to whether or not using a TASR was necessary. Plus we really have to take into account that because people bring suits over EVERYTHING, most schools cannot afford a law suit even if a school employee is protecting themselves. Lay a hand on a kid and you might as well give him/her a blank check too. This goes right back to our society's unwillingness to hold people accountible for their actions. Respect and responsibility are no longer the norm. Parents have forgotten their roles and expect the community to raise their children - but let their child do harm and the parent is aghast.

Matt Cooper

Mon, Mar 22, 2010 : 1:56 p.m.

Bear: Buddy, if you are going to try to quote me, or paraphrase, at least let's try to be accurate. I didn't say, nor did anyone else, that tasers aren't lethal. I said they are among the least lethal. Secondly, I read the same articles you did, and the fact is that you can cite all the articles you want to, there simply isn't enough data to draw an accurat picture of just exactly how lethal tasers are. But if you really think about it, in one article I read they said that as of as recently as 2006 as many as 265 people had died as a result of being tased between the years of 1999 and 2006. 265. Out of the millions of contacts criminal suspects have with law enforcement personnel in that same time frame, I'd say 265 is a very, very small number. Thirdly, as to your comment about "The use of TASERS on unarmed individuals is unacceptable, PERIOD!", You are quite wrong. There certain situations where a taser is completely warranted, including situations where an 'unarmed' suspect is disobeying a lawful order from a police officer. Have you ever worked in law enforcement? Been through police academy training? Ever tried to take down someone that's ramped up on PCP? If not, then you have no idea what you're talking about and should probably stop and actually talk to a police officer about the proper situations where taser use is appropriate instead of making ignorant blanket statements. I'm not meaning to sound rude, but please, do at least a lttle reaearch before you comment.

treetowncartel

Mon, Mar 22, 2010 : 9:19 a.m.

Comply with the officers request, shut your mouth, lawyer up, and have your day in court. Or, just don't get in trouble with the law to begin with. What you say can and will be used against you.

Todd

Mon, Mar 22, 2010 : 4:02 a.m.

Not too familiar with the story in Ypsilanti. However, up here in 810, we have vice principals calling students retarded. The young man who was called retarded by the vice principal is extremely intelligent, and she continues to harass him. He tried to do the right thing by telling the Principal, yet the Principal told him he needed to bring his parents back. He and I discussed it with his parents. If he needs to bring a parent in, a lawyer might just have to come with. :)

michigan48103

Mon, Mar 22, 2010 : 12:04 a.m.

It sounds like a unhappy Black child are is it now called africian american. jessie jackson will be here soon or maybe a few more black students will get shot with a taser gun along with there difficult parents.

Bear

Sun, Mar 21, 2010 : 3:57 p.m.

pfrance, the age of adulthood in this country, (18) is a fairly arbitrary number. In some countries adulthood comes at an earlier age, and some people never become adults. I think what you are trying to describe is phase of physical brain function development along with a leveling out of hormones, which may not happen until the person is in their late 20's or 30's.

Bear

Sun, Mar 21, 2010 : 3:51 p.m.

tasers aren't lethal? Originally they were supposed to be an alternative to using firearms. http://www.amnestyusa.org/us-human-rights/taser-abuse/page.do?id=1021202 http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/2894/ The use of TASERS on unarmed individuals is unacceptable, PERIOD!

pfrance

Sun, Mar 21, 2010 : 12:14 p.m.

Thank you for people like Ronin and Matt Cooper. With some of the comments, it's no wonder kids are so disrespectful nowadays. A lot of people want to "reason" with their kids instead of letting them know that there are rules to follow. There are rewards for following rules and consequences for not following them. If that is taught at an early age, instead of reasoning, counting to 20, etc. then a lot of this could be avoided. It starts when they are young. You teach them to have respect for authority by teaching them to respect you at an early age. I see too many kids running their parents. I am a christian woman who is very gentle but firm as a parent. My son (15) wouldn't do such a thing because he wouldn't want to disappoint me. We're very respectful towards one another but he knows that I'm the parent and he's the "underage" person. If they were able to make adult decisions, they wouldn't have to wait until they're "18" to be considered adults in society.

yadabuster

Sun, Mar 21, 2010 : 7:15 a.m.

Confusion creation specialists.Lousy journalism. Must be the same people who wrote for the effectively now defunct Ann Arbor News paper version. But what can you expect when you use all of your energy to create left biased articles. This site is becoming less credible by the article. However, it is entertaining like the National Enquirer. No wait. The National Enquirer breaks real news stories sometimes.

Anonymous Due to Bigotry

Sun, Mar 21, 2010 : 12:28 a.m.

The cop is probably less likely to get charged with police brutality if he tasers the guy vs. wrestling him to the ground. Remember, Washtenaw Co. law enforcement officers got charged in the death of that fat kid who had a heart attack when they wrestled him to the ground. (In my opinion it was not their fault and the officers should not have been charged.)

blazinbill

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 11:13 p.m.

When the taser didn't work, they should have pulled the 9mm glock and shot him right between the eyes....no more problems, no more liberal F's

Inspector 57

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 8:18 p.m.

"This little social experiment of letting people blog comments on each story is growing tiresome given the fact that the news no longer sends journalists to investigate and THEN report...all posts are based on half informed opinions almost seeming to be intentionally baited just to feed fires and create chatter." THANK YOU, Greg. What's even worse is that AnnArbor.com frequently takes this whole sensationalistic gossip-as-news practice a step further. It'll lift a reactive, non-informed post that it receives in response to one of its non-stories and then report THAT as news. ("Local resident incensed over use of taser in Ypsi school!") *sigh* I remember when there was actually some integrity to "reporting."

Shitari123

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 4:36 p.m.

Let's do our homework before we comment people. This "kid" is an adult. And OBVIOUSLY you all were there, so you know everything that took place. And by the way, tasers dont kill people. In the vast majority of deaths associated with tasers, there were underlying causes of death, but people want to rush to judgement and say it was the taser.

queenmom

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 3:58 p.m.

I am starting to feel like a broken record here, but this article once again illustrates that annarbor.com is NOT a quality source of local news. What truly frightens me is that many people commenting here (and assumably many other readers who do not comment) do not seem to realize this...I hope people are beginning to realize how valuable the Ann Arbor News of past years (not recently) was to the community and that annarbor.com is NOT a newspaper. This is evidenced again and again by the publishing of stories with factual holes and the general lack of analysis.

clara

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 3:46 p.m.

Another student version of what transpired: There was fight (physical) between two kids. The principal stepped out of his office to try and break it up. Once they were separated the student involved punched the principal in the face. The deputy arrived and the student started swinging at the deputy who then tasered the student.

J. A. Pieper

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 3:38 p.m.

I agree with Wolverine, we need a reality check on why we have this kind of behavior in our school, and why is the school system criticized when some form of discipline is applied, whether by school personnel or POLICE? Many of us grew up where the worst punishment was at home, not when we faced the principal. But society is different today, there is little or no consequence from the home. I teach lower elementary, and the behavior of some children at my level is appalling, to the point I wonder why some families haven't pulled their children from public school. I am not sure I would want my own kids in public schools, there is way too much need to monitor behavior/discipline, which takes away learning time from those students who come to school to learn. Every adult commenting - if you had a choice, would you put your child in this type of situation, their education being limited because of the behavior of others, and possibly their physical safety also? Educators are expected to pick up the pieces of what isn't being done at home, and as each year goes by, these needs increase. The federal No Child Left Behind policy has some great ideas to help improve education, but the one piece that is never included? Where does the parental responsibility enter this picture? The student who was tasered, where have his parents been for the 17 years of his life?

DaRyan

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 3:21 p.m.

The problem with the way A2 dot com wrote the story is with the headline and first sentence. I doubt the kid was tasered for "refusing to go to the principal's office." Instead, as the second and subsequent sentences state, he became unruly, and escalated the incident, probably putting both himself and everybody else at risk of being harmed. (If you don't think so, think what could happen if the officer and school official tried to physically subdue the kid.) But all anybody ever reads is the headline and first sentence before reaching a snap conclusion. A2 dot com should have added the fact that the student became unruly to the first sentence. That sounds like a much fairer way of reporting the facts.

pseudo

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 3 p.m.

Wow some of the comments here are pretty incredible. School like Ypsi were parents aren't involved...or Ann Arbor, or Plymouth. Please. My guess here is that this individual has a history and a context that the physicality of this event put the officer at a level of risk...don't know, can't tell from your reporting but I think it is a stretch to say he was tasered for a simple refusal to go to the office.

KitKat

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 2:34 p.m.

Some students are just out of control. It's easy to say "Call his mom" -- did you stop to think that at a school like Ypsi, a lot of parents aren't involved? Or get into trouble themselves? I have a close friend who worked at Ypsi HS and they said it was not uncommon for a teacher to send five kids (or more) out of the classroom during one period--for fighting, arguing, being disrespectful or unruly. Most times, the teachers have a hard time getting much taught at all due to students behavior. It's an unfortunate incident, but doesn't seem to be completely out of the question, as some are making it out to be.

skenney1384

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 2:30 p.m.

The reason why police officers have to use tasers and do so willingly instead of trying to restrain is the threat of a lawsuit or loss of job as our wonderful society has become big brother to everything that happens and has a critical comment every time. My father was a police officer for 32 years and would laugh at the tasers. All he had was his big heavy flashlight which he did use but thought carefully about it first or just restrained. Now its the safest way to protect your job from the community to taser asap. And then they complain about that.

tdw

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 2:29 p.m.

@in4mation It' not hard to figure out that the cop was moon lighting as security. Cops don't get sent to a school to escort a 17yr old kid to the principal's office

anonamoose

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 2:05 p.m.

3 thoughts: If the kid hit anyone, then reciprocal force should be used. Who knows how large this kid is... Do principals now need to have mixed martial arts training too? Having more police officers isn't the answer. There shouldn't be a need for an officer. There is no respect for authority figures, that is the problem. Calling his Mom is not the answer either. If he doesn't respect his principal or a cop, do you think his Mom has any respect for these same people?

Dave66

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 1:36 p.m.

Readers are commenting that the student was punching people, but it's not in the article itself. If the kid was physically violent then yeah, take him down. You don't get to punch a cop. Or a teacher, principal, or anyone else, actually. But punching a cop gets your @$$ Tasered and thrown in jail. Maybe he can spend his time thinking about the long line of bad decisions that lead up to that moment.

Steve Pepple

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 12:42 p.m.

Police and school officials have released few details about the incident. We are continuing to press officials for information.

CountyKate

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 12:35 p.m.

If what Ronin said it true, and I have no reason to doubt it, then writer Erica Hobbs needs to either update or revise this story. Mr. Dearing, as long as you're monitoring these comments, please see that an accurate and full story is run as a follow-up. Otherwise, you're losing a lot of credibility in my eyes and, I'd bet, in many others, too.

skenney1384

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 12:01 p.m.

Why was the fact that the student punched the principal in the face left out of the story? Seems like an important point. Nice reporting.

Black Coffee :)

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 11:36 a.m.

Skenny1384 I agree I also believe He should lose his rights to come back to school. Let his parents home school Him Or find tutors to teach him at home, At least until next year

skenney1384

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 11:09 a.m.

It sounds like he deserved it. If people wouldn't be so sensitive these days and not scream everytime a student was touched tasers wouldn't have to be used. Lack of discipline and kids knowing they can get away with things is the problem.

Ronin

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 10:59 a.m.

There certainly will be no learning when students witness other students punching school administrators and police officers in the hallways of the school. My children were afraid to see this student assault their school leader. I am a public school employee and have first hand experience with seeing a mob mentality in schools when seemingly small incidences of insubordination turn into near riots. I believe that this force was necessary and justified. I hope that this student is expelled and prosecuted.

mama247

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 10:32 a.m.

Is it true that the student physically attacked others and continued to do so... or was he verbally "out of control"? The original story is vague. Sad world when students are tasered at school. As a small woman who has worked for dozens of years with teenagers in residential treatment centers, mental health facilities and schools, I've never considered using a weapon. Such use devalues education, learning, listening, communicating. Students who would never consider unruly behavior become more fearful when things get this much out of control and shut down emotionally...... and learning goes out the window. The adults are ultimately responsible to provide a safe learning environment.

Ronin

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 9:45 a.m.

dave66- This student punched the principal and the school safety officer.

Matt Cooper

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 9:37 a.m.

ronn oneal: Tasers are not considered "lethal force". Not in the courts, not by prosecutors and not by any law enforcement agency I know of. In actuality, tasers are widely regarded as one of the least lethal forms of restraint. This is what I was referring to when I asked people to at least understand what they are saying before they say it.

Dave66

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 9:26 a.m.

Does the punishment fit the crime? Seems to me that this violated his Constitutional right against cruel and unusual punishment. So he wasn't "under control." Big deal. Call his mom. To the deputy, I'd say don't be such a control freak. If the kid says no, sometimes you just have to live with it. If he isn't hurting (or threatening to hurt) himself or others, if he isn't destroying property, then he gets some say in where his feet carry him. Seems to me that after being Tasered and taken to jail, he STILL didn't go to the principal's office, so it is fairly obvious that the Tasered wasn't the way to go. The Deputy failed. Epic fail.

gobluefnp

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 9:18 a.m.

Matt Cooper well done. A2.com it seems somewhat irresponsible to publish an article that does not have all of the details. You have a responsibility in reporting to do just that. The one thing that I have noticed about electronic media is the intense reactions people have without all of the facts. Please provide them so that the first 15 comments provided by uninformed readers can be avoided. Getting tased sucks, I have no doubt. My son is a new police officer and was recently tased as part of his training-I am sure he would concur. However, our educators and law officers have the right to be safe in their workplace. What has our world come to?

Greg Koepp

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 9:17 a.m.

This little social experiment of letting people blog comments on each story is growing tiresome given the fact that the news no longer sends journalists to investigate and THEN report...all posts are based on half informed opinions almost seeming to be intentionally baited just to feed fires and create chatter.

scooter dog

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 9:02 a.m.

well now someone steps foreward with the truth.Praise the lord.So now the officer is justified in doing what he did.Self defense.I hope he rots in jail and all you supporters of him Have a happy day

Ronin

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 8:38 a.m.

My children witnessed this event. The unruly student punched the principal and the school safety officer. The student continued to attempt to punch the principal after he was ordered to stop. The officer was forced to taser him in order to control him. I am very happy that the officer was present and that no other children were hurt by this student. This student very clearly presents himself as a danger to the school community. I encourage the Ypsilanti Public School District to prosecute this student to the fullest, he should not be allowed in any public school.

scooter dog

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 8:24 a.m.

Punks now days deserve what the get.I hope he sues them so all you defenders of him has their taxes go outta sight to pay for it.

annarborgirl77

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 8:13 a.m.

Teacher: Back to the math lesson. Sorry for the interruption kids. Just try to concentrate on the assignment. Ignore the student in the hallway resisting arrest and going off on the staff. We have state tests to prepare for. Oh, right, the staff doesn't want to annoy the public so they'll let him damage property and injure staff. Hang on....eventually he'll stop. Just concentrate. I will wait to find out ALL of the details before making a judgment. If the student's behavior had escalated to the point that it required police intervention I'm not sure a quiet "discussion" would have been enough to remove him safely. People assume that all students in schools behave appropriately--with respect for authority and for teachers and administration. Try working in a school. You might be surprised by some of the things you see students do. It's a different world today. This probably isn't a case of a student smoking in the bathroom or skipping class. A phone call home and a day of suspension take care of that. Don't immediately rush to the assumption that this little angel was violated for no reason. Wait, find out the facts. Even good kids make very poor choices. If my child had been standing in the hallway and this kid went off--I'd hope the police would keep it safe for the kids in the hallway who were making GOOD choices. If your child was accidentally hurt while this kid was going off, how mad would you have been? Would it be the police officer's fault for trying to "talk" the kid out of a dangerous situation? Yes, a taser would be a last resort, but I will wait for the facts. I'd be asking what was this kid doing to require the assistance of the law in the first place? They need a police officer in SCHOOL? What's wrong with that picture? Doesn't that bother you all? Remember when seeing the principal was scary enough? It must have been threatening enough that a principal or teacher could not handle it safely. Before making judgments about schools, try working in these conditions. Do you need a police officer at your place of work? Yikes.

Dr. I. Emsayin

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 8:02 a.m.

On other stories citizens criticize better funding for schools and high per pupil funding, but if this student were a student a Roberto Clemente Development Center, he would be an engaged learner. Sure it is an expensive school, but it is a well run public option for students who have not been successful in other public schools in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. It is difficult to run a large high school when students are not engaged in learning. The school needs to be safe for the people who populate the place. When we cannot fund our institutions for smaller class size and quality educators, then we fund for a police person to help administration control the small city of teens enclosed in the brick building. Schools have social workers and psychologists who are overworked testing students and attending meetings, so someone needs to be there in the moment of need when trouble breaks out. The small schools are criticized for their price tag, but Clemente, Stone and Community High probably do not need police officers on campus. Suing the school districts does not solve anything, reform and funding and community involvement will help more.

Waheed Samy

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 7:29 a.m.

This is quite disturbing. Tasers are so violent, cruel, and traumatic. They strip individuals of self esteem and dignity. Sadly, force is ruled to subjugate people.

Truth

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 7:22 a.m.

I can't say I'm happy this student was tased. It is terrible. However, school administrators, teachers, and liaison officers all have the responsibility to maintain peace and safety of the school. It is fairly plain to see that this article is just lightly touching what happened. Being the parent of an Ypsilanti High School student, I now feel assured that my student will not be placed in danger nor his education disrupted by another insubordinate student. The people involved in this have the duty to protect the other 1100 students in the building.

Craig Lounsbury

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 6:20 a.m.

when I was a kid many moons ago there weren't police in schools...because they weren't needed. If you were told to go to the principles you went. There wasn't even the need for an escort. And what you faced at the principles office was nothing compared to what you faced at home after. There is an extensive breakdown in respect for authority anymore.

ronn oneal

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 6:08 a.m.

tasing kids @ school that are not armed? I went to the worst school in Chicago and gangs are strong but never have I sen deadly force being used on unarmed children @ school(for not going to office?) I stand behind Ypsi law enforcement 110% but not deadly use of force on unarmed kids in school. How does he discipline kids @ his home? I pray that they are not hand cuffed and locked in a room for punishment. Readers we need your input on this one.. Very bad move.

Bear

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 4:51 a.m.

But still, what if he had unfortunately killed the kid? and for what?

Bear

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 4:50 a.m.

Matt Cooper, - well said. people pay attention for once.

Bear

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 4:45 a.m.

Mg0blue, the kid could take exception to being manhandled by the deputy and that is grounds for prosecution. Doesn't make a bit of difference how severe or inconsequential the actual harm inflicted, it is just about "you shall not resist". Bogus premise!

Bear

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 4:41 a.m.

garrisondyer, by the same token, I would say stop enabling the unruly and violent behavior used by the deputy sheriff.

Bear

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 4:38 a.m.

Scooter, ur obviously not getting the point. It is a slippery slope, first they tase adults, then high school students, next it will be elementary students. and for what? not complying? don't let the weasels beat you down! This is just plain wrong! It isn't about who sues who, but what is RIGHT! If you don't stand up for your rights and those of others, you have no right to complain when it comes to your door. This is just a RARE case of black & white, Right or Wrong! And this is just wrong...

Jed I Knight

Sat, Mar 20, 2010 : 12:32 a.m.

ezbngreen - you made this comment section worthwhile; your comments where jolting. Dont taze them bro. It makes no sense to taze the kid - really. What would have happened if they let the kid walk away?

Matt Cooper

Fri, Mar 19, 2010 : 11:28 p.m.

Human Rights Watch, an international human rights organization that publishes annual reports on the occurrence and frequency of police brutality and excessive use of force by police in different departments around the world, defines police brutality, or excessive force as: force that exceeds what is objectively reasonable and necessary in the circumstances confronting the officer to subdue a person, as in Article 3 of the U.N. Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials Furthermore, Article 3 of the United Nations Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials states: This provision emphasizes that the use of force by law enforcement officials should be exceptional; while it implies that law enforcement officials may be authorized to use force as is reasonably necessary under the circumstances for the prevention of crime or in effecting or assisting in the lawful arrest of offenders or suspected offenders, no force going beyond that may be used. In essence, this means that if someone is a criminal suspect, or if the police have probable cause to arrest someone, and that person resists arrest, the police have the right to use only the minimum necessary force with which to effect the arrest. Once the subject is effectively placed in police custody, the use of force must be stopped. The continued use of excessive force after the arrest, or the use of force over and above that which is needed to subdue the subject is expressly prohibited. The above was from a paper I wrote on this very issue in 2006. I have a degree in criminal justice and wrote extensively on the subject. I have a hard time believing that with all the hours of class room study, and the hours cadets put in in the police academy, that this Deputy just lost his cool and tased the kid for no reason other than the kid kerked away from his grasp. The best advice I have for those on either side is to say wait until you have solid facts before passing judgement. So many here think they know so much and are more than happy to offer their judgement, when in fact they know little if anything about ciminal law, police procedures, restraint techniques, rules of engagement and any manner of other legalities. Don't convict the cop without knowing what happened, and stop making ridiculously unfounded accusations about this kids upbringing. If you aren't the cop, and you aren't the kid, and you weren't there when this incident took place, please, wait for the facts to present themselves.

Keepsitreal

Fri, Mar 19, 2010 : 10:51 p.m.

I think that every since taser guns have been introduced the police were itching to use them and if someone gets an attitude or is "difficult" they use them right away. I went to Ypsi high in the 90's and I've seen a lot of crazy things so I'm guessing the guy probably deserved to be tasered.

Wolverine3660

Fri, Mar 19, 2010 : 10:44 p.m.

our area seems to have way too many police who are apologists for criminals and criminal behavior, and who are cop-haters too. According to few commentators on this thread, that student should have been allowed to continue with his disruptive behavior, and all would have been A-OK. Time for a reality check, folks.

John of Saline

Fri, Mar 19, 2010 : 9:54 p.m.

Is the verb form "taser" or "tase"?

clara

Fri, Mar 19, 2010 : 9:47 p.m.

It is too bad people, like this student, and many of the writers here do not realize that taser (electronic control weapon) use is low on the use of force continuum. The goal is to control the offender and the situation. (Apparently the student had no self/social control and needed external assistance). The use of a taser is in response to the level of resistance by the offender. Since the student was not willing to comply with the lawful orders of the deputy (disregard the presence and verbal commands) deputies would move along the continuum in this County taser, I believe comes before chemical restraint spray and physical strikes.

mg0blue

Fri, Mar 19, 2010 : 9:45 p.m.

It's amazing how quick everyone on here is to immediately scrutinize this incident without having any factual information, and worse yet, it appears that a lot of you haven't read the story. Let me break it down for you (from what the story says): The person escorting the adult student (he's an adult in the eyes of the legal system at 17) was a deputy sheriff, not some hall monitor. The kid was acting disorderly, which is a crime whether you're in a school, in a church, wherever. The kid RESISTED the Deputy, which is also a crime, and the story says that he yanked away and then it ESCALATED. The kid isn't hurt, the deputy isn't hurt, the kid is in jail because he committed a CRIME, end of story. If the cop was forced to ground fight with the kid, then you'd be screaming that it was police brutality. I guess all cops should just politely ask suspects to comply and put handcuffs on themselves, and if they don't, oh well.

wln15

Fri, Mar 19, 2010 : 9:06 p.m.

Here's another attempt at my removed comment: I went to this school 15 years ago and witnessed a student pull a knife on our principal. I can only imagine how bad it is today...If it were my kid, my last concern would be suing the school...

garrisondyer

Fri, Mar 19, 2010 : 8:51 p.m.

I can't believe there are so many people on this thread that are "hoping" the kid and his family "bankrupt the school district, the deputy," etc. Yes, there is certainly a gap between what has been shared with the public and the rationale behind using the taser. However, it was the kid who was acting unruly and disruptive, and it was this kid who brought upon himself everything that happened (whether right or wrong, that is still up in the air). There definitely needs to be a thorough investigation to figure out blame here. I just hope we can all agree that the kid needs to share the blame (assuming what we've been told thus far is correct.) So please, stop enabling the poor behavior this kid was displaying during school.

wln15

Fri, Mar 19, 2010 : 8:45 p.m.

Many kids today lack respect and discipline...Perhaps because even when they are disruptive, break laws and refuse to listen to authority, the adults in their community rush to their defense.

Naomi

Fri, Mar 19, 2010 : 8:34 p.m.

If the alleged assault against the principal took place, then the article (and the police spokesperson) should have mentioned it. The facts are not being presented, and in the comments section such allegations are not to be taken at face value.

Johnny

Fri, Mar 19, 2010 : 8:29 p.m.

You mean to tell me that a Deputy sheriff had no option left but to taser this kid? There is so much unknown about tasers and they have been known to kill some people. This must be on weak deputy or a scared deputy or both. Either way, unless this kid had a weapon, I hope he bankrupts the school district, the deputy and the WCSD.

cooberstone

Fri, Mar 19, 2010 : 8:24 p.m.

you people dont realize... this dude punched the principal in the face, and then tried to punch the school police officer when they tried to take him to the office. To everybody saying "sue the school district" first, what would you do if a 17 year old kid tried to punch you in the face and you had a stun gun? Second, do you really think that ypsi public schools could even afford to pay the lawsuit? think twice before making assumptions that this was an abuse of power or something like that.

scooter dog

Fri, Mar 19, 2010 : 8:14 p.m.

I can see your not a taxpaying property owner.Enjoy your high taxes.Iam moving to fla.NO PROPERTY TAXES GO FOR SCHOOLS

actionjackson

Fri, Mar 19, 2010 : 8 p.m.

@ scooter dog, brain engaged, sue the heck out of em. spread out over all the taxpayers this young man should get millions and only add about a tenth of a percent to the millions in deficit the schools are already in.

Wolverine3660

Fri, Mar 19, 2010 : 7:46 p.m.

No, I say the tasering was probably justified,and the student gets to spend some time in jail.

scooter dog

Fri, Mar 19, 2010 : 7:43 p.m.

Go ahead and sue the school and sheriff's dept your taxes pay for both of them and any big win comes out of YOUR big raise in taxes to pay for them.So your sueing yourself.(Engage brain before putting mouth in gear)

actionjackson

Fri, Mar 19, 2010 : 7:31 p.m.

Sure am glad the nuns at our school didn't have Tasers! Still have a problem looking at rulers and yardsticks......

Naomi

Fri, Mar 19, 2010 : 7:18 p.m.

I also found it disturbing. When I was in high school there were clear policies on physical contact -- the article says the kid "yanked away". I'd like to know what justified the officer holding him, what they mean by "unruly," etc. If he was attacking someone or doing something seriously dangerous, it seems to me they would have said so.

Woman in Ypsilanti

Fri, Mar 19, 2010 : 6:44 p.m.

I find the use of tasers in these kinds of situations to be somewhat disturbing. Unless this kid was presenting as a serious danger to himself or others, this doesn't sound appropriate at all. Even though tasers are seen as a way to control people without killing them or injuring them severely, they are still dangerous and people do die from being tasered.