Merrybelle Hodges

Justin, a 9-year-old student, is spending his three-day school suspension working alongside his father after a playground confrontation led to a “zero-tolerance” disciplinary action. The incident began when another student allegedly cornered and attempted to punch Justin, who responded with a single defensive strike that ended the encounter instantly. While school officials suspended the boy for “handling the situation wrong,” his parents are publicly standing by his decision to protect himself, with his mother telling staff their opinion was “wrong” and his father rewarding his honesty and restraint with a steak dinner. The family’s firm stance that they “raise sheepdogs, not sheep” has sparked a massive debate across the region regarding school self-defense policies and the right of a child to stand their ground when threatened. As Justin completes his “work suspension” at home, his story is being shared as a powerful example of parental support for traditional values of self-reliance and the importance of stopping a fight once a threat is eliminated. The community is now rallying behind the family’s message, honoring a young boy who told the truth and refused to be a victim in a situation that has redefined the conversation on school safety and discipline.

The lesser of two evils approach just rewards immoral, dishonorable oath breakers. Gouverneur Morris, the guy who wrote the preamble to the constitution, he put it like this “If their duty, their honor, and their oaths will not bind them, let us not put into their hands our liberty and all our other great interests.”

Choose courage!! Learn your state constitution and fundamental law. The start instructing government. Remind them the constitution secures your rights are outside of government's reach and cannot be legislated against. They already agreed to those terms when they swore to uphold the constitution when they took office.