Cursing Is Costly At Two US High Schools

Students at two US schools in the state of Connecticut can either watch their language or watch their money disappear.

In an effort to curb abusive language directed at school faculty, Bulkeley High School and Hartford Public High School have instituted fines for students who use foul language.

Police officers stationed in the schools issue $103 tickets to students who curse, said Miriam Morales-Taylor, principal of Bulkeley High School in Hartford, Connecticut.

The citations are similar to speeding tickets and require a court appearance by the student if the fine is not paid, the principal said. The official charge is 'creating a public disturbance'.

"It is issued for a breach of peace - we only use it when the student is disrupting to the staff member using really abusive language", she said.

About 20 tickets have been issued at Bulkeley since the policy was instituted in November, she said. The school has over 1,600 students.

Morales-Taylor said the system seems to be working. "It makes a big difference -- it is very quiet now," she said. "This afternoon a student was in my office and said that he had gotten a ticket, and then he said that he would never use profanities again".

Quite a different approach from the 'UK School To Let Students Swear In Class' story we had some time earlier.

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