This letter is in response to the “Punishment overkill” editorial about the altercation involving the high school students in Decatur, Ill. I agree with the school’s decision to expel these students. The students deserved what they got, and it is in no way too extreme.

I did some research, and what the popular press didn’t tell the public is that these students had missed a combined 350 days of school, and one of them was even a freshman in high school for the third year in a row. They also all had extensive criminal records, had been expelled before and were members of a local gang.

To make matters worse, there were older people in the stands watching the football game who were knocked over and hurt in the altercation.

Personally, I feel that the punishment was light considering their track record.

Bottom line, a group of kids that had criminal records beat up another kid and hurt other innocent people in the process. These kids are just learning one of the truths in life: What goes around, comes around.

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Shawn Beard

Alumnus

Oskaloosa