In the name of zero tolerance, school officials have suspended a student for receiving a cell phone call from his mom in Iraq.

The 10-day suspension was issued because Kevin Francois was "defiant and disorderly" and was imposed in lieu of an arrest, Spencer High School assistant principal Alfred Parham said.

The confrontation Wednesday began after the 17-year-old junior got a call at lunchtime from his mother, Sgt. 1st Class Monique Bates, who left in January for a one-year tour with the 203rd Forward Support Battalion.

Cell phones are allowed on campus but may not be used during school hours. When a teacher told him to hang up, he refused. He said he told the teacher, "This is my mom in Iraq. I'm not about to hang up on my mom."

I once had a similar conversation with a mall security guard. I was 24 years old and standing in front of Lynnhaven Mall talking on my cell phone. Mr. Mall Security came over and told me that if I wanted to talk on my cell phone I had to go out and stand by the noisy street. I asked my caller to hold on, and in not so many words told Mr. Mall Security that I wasn't some punk kid and would not be complying with his request. If he wanted to discuss the matter further he should telephone the police and wait for their arrival. (Actually it was more like "Go fuck yourself. I'm not 15. Go call a real cop.") He left and I finished my conversation. Of course that was 8 years ago, cell phones were still pretty rare, and Mr. Mall Security was too timid to do anything else about it.

If a similar thing happened today, I wonder if I'd be arrested for being "defiant and disorderly".

UPDATE: The student's suspension was shortened because of public outrage.