Dope slap for Mills hopefully a learning experience

It’s ironic that Chuck Mills, who “dope slapped” a student last May for not quieting down in the school cafeteria, got a “dope slap” himself this week from a Rochester Circuit Court judge.

Mills, the former interim principal at Milton Elementary School, was ordered to perform community service, write a letter of apology to the child and his parents and stay out of trouble for a year as part of the diversionary program agreement.

As a school administrator, Mills should have known better than anyone that these days, YOU DON’T TOUCH A STUDENT.

Chuck Mills last year in his office at MES. (Lebanon Voice file photo)

The tenet today is “You touch a student, you put your career on the line.”

How that escaped Mr. Mills’ thought pattern that fateful day is unfathomable.

We feel badly for the boy, who for all we know may have liked his principal and may now feel responsible for his demise.

We feel badly for the parents, who said in court their child had suffered emotionally from the situation.

And we feel badly for Mr. Mills, who was in many ways, a very good principal.

Hopefully, this will be a learning experience for all involved.