Fred In The News...
USA Today Editorial Board - November 11, 2009
Consider the evolution of Fred Hink, who heads a group called Texas Zero Tolerance. When a Korean girl was suspended from his local school for having a Korean pencil sharpener that resembled a box cutter, Hink's initial reaction was to write a letter to the Houston Chronicle saying she got what she deserved. But after meeting the girl's mother and a neighbor whose daughter was also suspended for a minor transgression, Hink changed his mind.
Texas Zero Tolerance helped push through a law requiring schools in the state to consider intent, self-defense, past disciplinary history and whether the child has special needs before acting. Florida has also relaxed zero-tolerance laws.
USA TODAY - November 1, 2009
By Oren Dorell
"It's almost like taking a jaywalker and throwing him into a maximum-security prison," says Fred Hink of Katy, Texas, who founded Texas Zero Tolerance, a parents group that urges school administrators to use common sense in disciplinary cases.
The Dallas Morning News - October 17, 2009
By JAMES RAGLAND
"Overall," said Fred Hink, a founder of the nonprofit Texas Zero Tolerance group pushing reform in school discipline, "school districts tend to use the police as their paddle, so to speak. That's when it crosses the line from simple discipline to zero tolerance."
Time Magazine - October 3, 2009
By Hilary Hylton
"There are a number of kids who need to be there — they do have problems and we need to focus on them," says Fred Hink, executive director of Texas Zero Tolerance. Hink, citing a Texas Senate research paper, says 10% of all the disciplined students are "completely innocent" and "conservatively, about 30,000 are over-punished." Critics of zero tolerance say the warehousing of students at DAEP schools is a major issue. Students removed from the classroom are twice as likely to drop out, according to the Texas Education Agency. (more)
The Dallas Morning News - September 27, 2009
By Matt Peterson
Fred Hink of Texas Zero Tolerance, a nonprofit group seeking reform in school discipline, said the law is a step in the right direction, but he expects it to have little impact.
"School districts don't want to have to deal with these disciplinary decisions," he said, "so either it's a one-size-fits-all punishment for everybody or, in a lot of cases, they'll call in the police and have them deal with it."
Hink said that until there's an appeal system in place and parents are part of the disciplinary process from the outset, the problems will remain. (more)
Fort Worth Star-Telegram - August 23, 2009
By Jessamy Brown
Fred Hink, executive director of Texas Zero Tolerance, a Houston-area parent group that supports overhauling Texas education disciplinary policies, said that the new mandate is a "good first step" but that it is unclear whether it will be effective in reducing improper student punishments.
The Washington Times - April 21, 2009
By Valerie Richardson
Pushing the legislation is Texas Zero Tolerance, a group formed specifically to combat the state's zero-tolerance laws. The organization is also backing another bill that would require the prompt notification of parents before disciplinary action is taken.
Fred Hink, the founder and co-director, said the organization started in response to a well-publicized 2003 case in the Houston area involving an honors student who brought a box cutter to school. It turned out her mother had given her the cutter to sharpen her pencils, which is a common practice in Korea.
Such reforms typically face opposition from teachers unions and school administrators. One concern, said Mr. Hink, is that school officials may opt to stick with the zero-tolerance policies even if the legislature gives them additional flexibility.
"The prevailing wind among school administrators is that 'We don't want to have to think about it. It's just not feasible to take these things into consideration,' " said Mr. Hink. "It's extremely frustrating." (more)
Lone Star Times - April 21, 2009
Fred Hink writes the only opponents of these bills, unsurprisingly, are the Texas Association of School Boards, the Texas Association of School Administrators and some teachers’ unions...
...Good for Gallegos and Olivo, but it has been far, far too long. And many thanks for the years of hard work Mr. Hink has devoted to this issue for the benefit of all Texans.
The Political Parlor - Alabama Politics - March 31, 2009
Fred Hink of Katy Zero Tolerance, a group dedicated to protecting parents’ rights in the discipline process, said these practices not only lack common sense, they do not appropriately address issues such as disability considerations, due process and the long-range effects of placing children in alternative education programs.
Monday, March 16, 2009
By Dave Fehling / 11 News
KTRK Channel 13 - Tuesday, March 10, 2009
By Kevin Quinn
The group "Texas Zero Tolerance" petitioned legislators to do away with zero tolerance policies last legislative session.
"You can't legislate common sense," said Fred Hink with Texas Zero Tolerance
Texas Monthly - March 2009
By Fred Hink
Houston Chronicle - January 24, 2008
Fred Hink of the Katy Citizen Watchdogs said, "These are projects that are needed and the voters approved the funds for them." ..."The service that Raines High School provides is needed in this district," Hink said. "Hopefully, having its own building will help expand that service to those kids that would benefit from more one-on-one instruction instead of being lost in the traditional classroom setting."
Houston Chronicle - ERIC HANSON, Staff - October 26, 2007
Fred Hink, who heads the advocacy group Katy Citizen Watchdogs, said many people are disturbed by the incident.
"I guess you would have to have a constant state of lockdown to make sure that absolutely no weapons get on campus," he said. "I don't know how effective that would be anyway."
Houston Chronicle - HELEN ERIKSEN, Staff - July 31, 2007
"I think this was a very fair and creative punishment," said Fred Hink, director of parent advocacy group Texas Zero Tolerance.
Houston Chronicle - July 26, 2007
Kudos to all.
To Fred Hink for encouraging sensible laws to help school districts be more flexible in their discipline policy.
Houston Chronicle - LISA FALKENBERG - July 17, 2007
"For him to come in here on the first week or so on the job and say `wait a minute, we're making a mistake here,' that's a great thing," said Fred Hink, co-director of Texas Zero Tolerance, which advocates for common sense disciplinary policies.
Houston Chronicle - FRED HINK - July 16, 2007
THE recent publicity surrounding the case of the Katy ISD student who wrote a term of endearment to another student on a gymnasium wall is a growing symptom of the problem students face in our public schools, not an aberration.
Texas Zero Tolerance, among other groups, petitioned the Texas Legislature in the recent session to bring relief to the growing problem of punishments that are not in line with infractions.
A bill was introduced that would have made it mandatory for districts to consider intent and the true nature of the offense before pronouncing punishment, and passed the Texas House unanimously but languished in the laps of the Senate Education Committee.
This committee was chaired by Sen. Florence Shapiro, with local senators Kyle Janek and Dan Patrick as members.
Had the Texas Senate actually had an opportunity to vote on this bill, we believe it would have passed unanimously and become law immediately upon the governor's signature.
The incident in Katy happened after the session was adjourned and it stands to reason that none of this would be happening if the Senate Education Committee had done the right thing. Shame on them for allowing these kind of travesties to continue for another two years.
Houston Chronicle - HELEN ERIKSEN, STAFF - July 13, 2007
Fred Hink, co-director of a parent advocacy group called Texas Zero Tolerance, appealed to the school board at its June 25 meeting to delay the adoption of the 2007-08 discipline plan until Frailey arrived on July 2. Law was the only one of seven board members to support the proposal.
The Houston Press - July 9, 2007
By Todd Spivek
Houston Chronicle - Inside Katy - July 07, 2007
By Helen Eriksen
Hink said:
Every single administrator should be ashamed of their profession for practicing such draconian decisions and not standing up and saying enough is enough. State law allows a great deal of discretion, and for these administrators to stand behind some imaginary law and say their hands are tied is immoral.
Katy ISD says they followed state law in punishments for graffiti case
Houston Chronicle - July 07, 2007
By Helen Eriksen
To critics such as Fred Hink, co-director of a parent advocacy group called Texas Zero Tolerance, incidents such as this are examples of rigid and absolute standards that school districts across the state use to impose excessive punishment for minor infractions.
"Equating a child that writes a simple line on an obscure area is not the same as a kid who brought marijuana to school — but in the eyes of some districts, especially Katy ISD, these children are equal," Hink said.
Houston Chronicle - HELEN ERIKSEN - May 24, 2007
One of those who wants to meet Frailey after he is on the job is Katy Citizen Watchdogs member Fred Hink, whose group has been critical of how the district is run.
"My hopes are high; I hope he comes in here and does a fantastic job," Hink said in an e-mail message. "If (school trustees do) their job of truly overseeing what the superintendent does, education can be returned as the focus of the district. By taking the approach that the education specialists know what's best for the district and so let's move over and let them do their job - this board is doing a great disservice to the parents, children and teachers of this district."
Houston Chronicle - HELEN ERIKSEN - May 18, 2007
Fred Hink, a member of a group that opposed the $269.5 million bond approved by voters, lodged a complaint in November alleging the violations.
"Mrs. (Ann) Hodge accepted contributions before the (political action committee) could legally do so," said Hink, a member of the Katy Citizen Watchdogs. "She spent money before she could legally do so, and the PAC made a contribution to another general purpose PAC, which is also illegal."
Hink also alleged that Partners, financially backed by master-planned community developers, violated Texas election laws by contributing to another political action committee without proper disclosure.
"After considering the seriousness of the violations ... the commission imposes a $1,000 civil penalty," the order said.
Houston Chronicle - HELEN ERIKSEN - May 17, 2007
One of those who wants to meet Frailey after he is on the job is Katy Citizen Watchdogs member Fred Hink, whose group has been critical of how the district is run.
"My hopes are high; I hope he comes in here and does a fantastic job," Hink said in an e-mail message. "If (school trustees do) their job of truly overseeing what the superintendent does, education can be returned as the focus of the district. By taking the approach that the education specialists know what's best for the district and so let's move over and let them do their job - this board is doing a great disservice to the parents, children and teachers of this district."
Houston Chronicle - FRED HINK - January 22, 2007
ACCORDING to her article concerning the rollback of subsidies for offshore drilling companies, Susan Kaderka seems to believe that the estimated $13 billion in new taxes would save the world, because it is to be spent on development of renewable energies (see Jan. 17 Outlook article, "Why Texans should be all for rollback of oil subsidies / State could have a bigger role in clean energy future"). I, too, want new, clean energy, but where is the proof that this money will be earmarked for such an endeavor? Give $13 billion to the U.S. Congress and I guarantee you it will go nowhere except into the federal black hole.
Instead, let's offer oil companies a tax break totaling $13 billion a year to develop new, clean energy sources to replace fossil fuel.
If our federal government and supporters of renewable energy were serious about saving the environment while replacing fossil fuel, they would launch a bold initiative along the lines of the Manhattan Project to offer the marketplace an alternative to our current situation.
If the federal government makes a grab for more tax money, it's for a pork-barrel spending spree, not for cleaning up the environment.
Houston Chronicle - January 19, 2007
Fred Hink, a member of the Katy Citizen Watchdogs, criticized Merrell on Thursday as a "reactionary leader who never looked at the true business of running the school district."
Houston Chronicle - HELEN ERIKSEN - November 3, 2006
A member of a group opposed to the Katy Independent School District's $269.5 million school bond measure - which faces voters Tuesday - has filed a complaint with the Texas Ethics Commission alleging a new political action committee violated the election code.
Katy Citizen Watchdog's Fred Hink accuses Partners for Progress, financially backed by master-planned community developers, of violating provisions of the state election codes that require at least 10 contributors and prohibit expenditures of more than $500 in the organization's first 60 days.
Tim Sorrells, the ethics commission's deputy general counsel, said each violation can carry both civil and criminal penalties. Civil fines can range up to $5,000 or three times the amount at issue. Criminal charges equal a Class A misdemeanor carrying fines up to $4,000 and a year in jail.
Hink also alleged that Partners contributed to another PAC in violation of Texas election laws.
Partners' treasurer, Ann Hodge, acknowledged last week that a $2,085 check for a group expenditure was written Aug. 24, a month after she filed as the new PAC's treasurer on July 25. Hodge, who declined to be interviewed for this story, said she notified the commission of the expenditure error.
The state doesn't require disclosure of the names of individuals donating less than $500 to a PAC.
The bond measure, if approved Tuesday, would finance five new schools, pay for repairs to facilities, and fund upgraded technology to accommodate anticipated student growth.
Houston Chronicle - HELEN ERIKSEN - November 3, 2006
Meanwhile, the Partners PAC is drawing harsh criticism from Watchdog member Fred Hink, who filed a complaint last week with the Texas Ethics Commission against the group. In the complaint, Hink claimed that Partners violated provisions of the state election codes that require at least 10 contributors and prohibit expenditures of more than $500 in the organization's first 60 days.
Houston Chronicle - BETTY L. MARTIN - October 19, 2006
The leadership group, he said, includes himself, co-founder Kevin Tatum, Mary McGarr, Fred Hink, John Lang and Katy school district board trustee Tom Law.
Texas Public Policy Institute - September 22, 2006
by Christine DeLoma
While teacher groups view Chapter 37 as a necessary tool to kick out students with persistent disciplinary problems, Fred Hink of Texas Zero Tolerance, a parental rights advocacy group, said school districts are going too far.
“The problem is that parents have been locked out of the disciplinary system,” Hink said. “It has been increasingly apparent that once your child steps foot on school district property, you, as a parent, no longer have rights over your child.”
Hink said students are often accused, found guilty, ticketed, arrested or removed from school before parents are even notified. He advocates immediate parental notification when problems with a student occur. Hink would also like to see a transparent appeals system.
Texas Senate News - September 20, 2006
Fred Hink, co-director of a community organization called Zero Tolerance Texas, asked the committee to look into increasing parental involvement in the disciplinary process, and suggested that the process become more transparent. He wants schools to contact parents when a violation of school policy occurs, and to bring in a parent or guardian before the process involves law enforcement. Other parents and citizens urged the committee to create a parent review board that could take a second look at disciplinary actions, and retain the right of the parent to be a key player in school disciplinary process.
Houston Chronicle - HELEN ERIKSEN - August 8, 2006
Merrell accused watchdog member Fred Hink of initiating an online petition - called the Texas School Tax Refund for Superior Education - that questioned the government's ability to deliver a quality education.
Hink, whose children attend Katy area private schools, said in the petition: "Public schools have failed to deliver quality education to our children. I believe it is my right to remove my children and money from this failed system."
The Houston Press - June 29, 2006
By Todd Spivak
"Because of the fear of another Columbine, these districts have enacted draconian punishments that serve to alienate innocent children," says Katy-based Fred Hink, co-director of Texas Zero Tolerance, a statewide advocacy group composed mainly of parents whose own kids were punished severely for trivial offenses. (more)
Houston Chronicle - BETTY MARTIN - May 18, 2006
Shaw, who won a fourth term by narrowly defeating Watchdogs-supported candidate Fred Hink, said the public doesn't see all the discussions between board members that precede the unified front presented at regular board meetings.
Education News - May 17, 2006
By Peyton Wolcott
Houston Chronicle - HELEN ERIKSEN, ERIC HANSON STAFF - May 15, 2006
In the Position 6 race, incumbent Robert Shaw defeated watchdog member and bond opponent Fred Hink, 3,415 votes to 2,891.
Houston Chronicle - MATT STILES, BETTY L. MARTIN, ERIC HANSON - May 14, 2006
Position 6 incumbent Robert Shaw, who defeated bond opponent Fred Hink by a vote of 3,415-2,891, wants the district to try for another bond election in November.
Houston Chronicle - BETTY L. MARTIN - May 11, 2006
CAPS paid $4,845 in expenses, including $1,325 to Houston company ImagePro and payments to the Watchdogs-backed trustee candidates Tom Law and Fred Hink. Records show Law received $1,299 in reimbursement for signage, while CAPS gave both Law and Hink $400 apiece in campaign contributions.
Hink is running for the Position 6 seat against three-term incumbent Robert Shaw, who has campaigned in support of the bond. For Position 7, Law is up against pro-bond candidates Neal Howard and Gregory Gibbs.
Houston Chronicle - BETTY L. MARTIN - May 4, 2006
Hink, a part-time writer, said he'd rather see the bond's passage postponed for a few months than for voters to agree to a spending package that calls for paying more for schools than neighboring districts spend.
"I'm not against bonds, just this bond," said Hink, 42. "I want the board to come back with an itemized bond."
Houston Chronicle - BETTY L. MARTIN - May 4, 2006
Hink, who is running against three-term trustee Robert Shaw in Position 6, said that although he transferred his children from Katy to private schools two years ago, he is still concerned about what he sees as the district's tendency to concentrate student curriculum on what is needed to pass state-mandated tests.
The current board, he said, simply acts as a public "rubber stamp" for policies that sometimes reflect unsound fiscal judgments, and recommends three-term limits on board terms and more open-door meetings in which voters have a louder voice.
"You have to be able to reach out and touch the people who are handling your money," Hink said.
Houston Chronicle - HELEN ERIKSEN - May 4, 2006
"Now I certainly cannot speak for anyone else, but when someone tells me that they are an `engineer,' I assume that they have an engineer degree from a four-year university," said Cottrell, whose group is supporting Shaw's opponent, part-time writer Fred Hink.
Hink criticized how Shaw listed his occupation on the applications.
"The district hires teachers who are required to have professional certifications, and I wonder how fast Mr. Shaw would vote to dismiss a teacher because their qualifications were not in order," Hink said. "If Mr. Shaw says he is a mechanical engineer, then he should be a mechanical engineer."
Houston Chronicle - BETTY L. MARTIN - May 4, 2006
Hink, 42, said that while he doesn't oppose bonds in general, he thinks this proposal would be tantamount to writing the district a blank check.
"I want to see an itemized bond that specifically spells out the projects," said Hink, a part-time writer whose children attend private parochial schools.
Hink, who lost to incumbent Joe Adams in a 2004 bid for trustee, said it makes little sense to increase the district's debt before state legislators decide a new formula for funding education in Texas.
"The district's debt currently is approaching $1.5 billion. We do need to build new schools, but I don't understand why waiting until November would spell doom and gloom for the district," Hink said. "A responsible bond has to be specifically targeted to what our needs are."
The Houston Chronicle - May 3, 2006
By Betty Martin
Hink said he's running because of his concerns of increasing gaps between schools in student academic performance.
"This is not a matter of ratios, race, socio-economics," he said.
He noted that the Katy district tends to keep the same board members, and that no incumbent board member has lost an election since 1996.
"This needs to change," Hink said.
The Houston Chronicle - May 2, 2006
By Helen Eriksen
Hink criticized how Shaw listed his occupation on the applications.
"The district hires teachers who are required to have professional certifications, and I wonder how fast Mr. Shaw would vote to dismiss a teacher because their qualifications were not in order," Hink said. "If Mr. Shaw says he is a mechanical engineer, then he should be a mechanical engineer."
The Katy Courier - March 17, 2006
by Catherine Brown
Fort Bend Now - March 15, 2006
By Bob Dunn
Houston Chronicle - March 14, 2006
By Helen Eriksen
Hink, 42, a part-time writer and full-time stay-at-home dad, said his top priority is to see that the board handles finances more prudently and takes greater fiscal responsibility.
"We have the highest tax rate and we are one of the highest debtor districts in the state," Hink said. "We have to tackle balancing the budget (currently projected at a deficit of $20 million) and meeting the demand for new schools within that budget."
A native Houstonian, who has lived in Katy for 13 years, Hink is married with one child enrolled at Pope John XXIII High School in Katy and another child who attends Katy's Faith West Academy
The Katy Times - February 10, 2006
By Mark Loyd
Fred Hink, a member of the Katy Citizen Watchdogs, said the survey results were "skewed" in the district's favor and cited several examples on the Web site radiofreekaty.com.
"They should have also asked, 'Do you know the district cannot raise your taxes anymore because it has the highest tax rate in the state, capped out at $2.00 per $100 valuation of you home or business?'" he said.
"It is obvious that without included information, the survey asked an unfair question by not providing all of the facts to a potential respondent," Hink said.
The Katy Times - November 25, 2005
By Jeremy Moreno
Hink said he was pleased to see a higher authority request a civil investigation since he still believes unethical activity by personnel and staff tainted the election.
“I've always believed there was an awful lot of campaigning going on within the Katy ISD,” Hink said. “I'm glad Mr. Healey is taking this seriously and decided to follow up.”
Fort Bend Now - November 17, 2005
By Bob Dunn
Fred Hink, a 2004 candidate for the Katy ISD Board of Trustees, filed a complaint with the Ethics Commission against Jetton after Jetton’s email was made public and filed similar complaints in July against Janine Phillips, executive director for elementary instruction at the district, and retired Katy High School swim coach Dana Abbott.
Hink said on Thursday he hasn’t received documentation from the TEC and can’t comment on why the complaints were dismissed.
“Because the email scandal is still under investigation by the Fort Bend District Attorney’s office, I also do not want to comment about further action until Mr. Healey releases the results of his investigation,” Hink said. “I wish both Ms. Phillips and Dr. Jetton luck for I am sure they feel vindicated.”
Houston Chronicle - November 11, 2005
By Helen Eriksen
Fred Hink, a 2004 school board candidate, filed the complaints against Ronald Jetton, executive director for campus administrative support, and Janine Phillips, executive director for elementary education, accusing them of violating the election code. The code prohibits using district resources to distribute political advertising.
...Hink said he received confirmation from the commission that the e-mail messages did not show direct endorsement of individual candidates.
...Hink thinks the actions by certain administration officials and other employees during the school board campaign exposed a serious breach of public trust.
Houston Chronicle - October 10, 2005
By Helen Eriksen
Fred Hink, a candidate in the 2004 KISD board of trustees election who filed complaints against Jetton to the commission, said Healey's decision was a disappointment.
"It's not surprising," Hink said late Tuesday. "I am disappointed that the results of the investigation have not been released to the public because the public needs to know what happened. That's why I filed the complaints."
"If the TEC decides to look at all these individual cases, then maybe justice will be served," Hink said.
Watchdog group wants to influence Katy's spending / Trustees dismiss complaints made by organization
Houston Chronicle - September 1, 2005
By Helen Eriksen
Members include longtime district critic A.D. Muller, former Katy trustee Mary McGarr and local activist Fred Hink, the former president of Katy Zero Tolerance, a group seeking to protect parental rights in school districts' discipline process.
Houston Chronicle - BECKY BOWMAN - August 8, 2005
Fred Hink, a candidate in the 2004 KISD board of trustees election, said he filed the complaints concerning Phillips and Abbott to the commission last month and the earlier complaint against Jetton. Hink said he filed the most recent complaints to show the problem is bigger than had been reported.
Sworn complaint proceedings with the commission are confidential, but Hink provided copies of his complaints, as well as letters sent from the commission to Abbott and Phillips, to the Chronicle. He received the letters, he said, because he sent the complaints.
Hink's complaints include an e-mail from Phillips and a posting from www.AquaTiger.org, the Web site Abbott maintained for the Katy High School swim team.
Houston Chronicle - Helen Eriksen - July 7, 2005
The Texas Ethics Commission is looking at whether a high-ranking official in the Katy Independent School District broke state law in sending a memo on a district computer suggesting employees vote for incumbent candidates in the May 7 school board election.
Driving the commission's inquiry is a sworn complaint, filed by Fred Hink on June 23, alleging that Ronald Jetton violated the Election Code in using the district's internal mail system to deliver political advertising and in urging district employees to vote during work hours.
Hink, a former school board candidate who lost a 2004 bid to unseat Joe Adams, said he filed the complaint to ensure elections remain fair and free from influence by administrators.
Houston Chronicle - June 24, 2005
"The greatest benefit of the law is that, if implemented by a school district, it will allow administrators to do what they are supposed to do best and that is weigh the best interest of the child as it relates to specific circumstances," said Fred Hink, president of Katy Zero Tolerance, a group dedicated to protecting parental rights in the discipline process.
The plan calls for more leeway to protect students who unknowingly carry weapons
Houston Chronicle - June 4, 2005
By Helen Eriksen
Fred Hink, of Katy Zero Tolerance, which advocates parental rights in the discipline process, commends lawmakers for the bill. While it isn't the sweeping reform his group pushed for, it is a step in the right direction, he said.
"HB 603 offers us a chance to say we made progress, but not enough," Hink said. "It fails to address the more critical issue of the need to notify parents before children are punished."
The Houston Press - February 17, 2005
By Margaret Downing
On January 20 there was a meeting of the Katy Zero Tolerance group whose membership is pretty much "400 white Republicans," according to leader Fred Hink. This was followed a week later by the first ever Texas Summit focusing on zero tolerance, pulled together in Austin by state Representative Dora Olivo. (more)
Fox News - February 10, 2005
By Wendy McElroy
Because of the avalanche of investigations, Fred Hink — a spokesman for the parents' rights organization Katy Zero Tolerance — accuses the school official of having no "common sense." He claims "they do not appropriately address issues such as disability considerations, due process and the long-range effects of placing children in alternative education programs." (more)
Houston Chronicle - Helen Eriksen - February 3, 2005
Fred Hink, spokesman for Katy Zero Tolerance, said parents are fighting to reinstate their rights by making it state law for districts to notify them immediately when their children are accused of a discipline-code violation.
"They must be informed prior to school officials allowing police to speak to our children or before they decide on the punishment for our children," Hink said.
Within the past year, Hink said, Katy Zero Tolerance has received inquiries about school district discipline policies from the Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan area, San Antonio and the Greater Houston area.
Zero-tolerance practices evolved out of a desire to make schools safer, but the group believes that schools have become too rigid in interpreting and applying such policies, Hink said.
Houston Chronicle - Helen Eriksen - February 3, 2005
Hink, president of Katy Zero Tolerance, a group dedicated to protecting parents' rights in the discipline process, supports parents dealing with discipline cases primarily in the Katy Independent School District and the Greater Houston area. According to Hink, student rights have been greatly diminished by Chapter 37 of the Texas Education Code, which spells out school discipline. He said school officials have gone overboard with promoting safe schools by implementing unreasonable disciplinary practices and failing to moderate their decisions with common sense.
"They're destroying lives by sending young children to juvenile boot camps for minor offenses," Hink said. "The system is creating criminals and not protecting students."
Houston Chronicle - Helen Eriksen - January 27, 2005
Parents are fighting to reinstate their rights, Hink said, by making it state law for districts to notify them immediately when their children are accused of a discipline-code violation.
"They must be informed prior to school officials allowing police to speak to our children or before they decide on the punishment for our children," Hink said.
Zero-tolerance practices evolved out of a desire to make schools safer, but the group believes that schools have become too rigid in interpreting and applying such policies.
It is the only organized parent group in the state whose focus is to advocate for parental rights in school-discipline procedures, said Fred Hink, a group spokesman and Katy resident.
Hink, who plans to speak at the event, expects about 10 Katy-area residents to attend.
"It's tough because many of the families who would like to attend are dual-income and cannot take a leave from work," Hink said. "There are many others from the Houston area in the group now who are planning on going."
The group originally formed to help parents with children enrolled in the Katy Independent School District understand their rights when a child is suspended or expelled.
State lawmakers look at revamping school discipline
Houston Chronicle - January 20, 2005
By Helen Eriksen
Fred Hink of Katy Zero Tolerance, a group dedicated to protecting parents' rights in the discipline process, said these practices not only lack common sense, they do not appropriately address issues such as disability considerations, due process and the long-range effects of placing children in alternative education programs.
Houston Chronicle - April 22, 2004
By Helen Eriksen
While Hink, 40, admires Adams for his long tenure on the board and his dedication to public service, he wonders why Adams is still serving since he no longer has children in Katy schools.
Hink, a management consultant, is the president of the group Katy Zero Tolerance, which was formed earlier this year to protest the district's discipline policy in response to parents' complaints that their children had been denied due process in discipline matters.
An 11-year Katy resident, Hink believes being a parent will give him added insight in carrying out board duties. He has two children attending McMeans, one in sixth grade and one in eighth grade.
The Houston Chronicle - April 18, 2004
By RACHEL GRAVES
"They're going to turn off, and they're going to stop listening to teachers," Hink said. "They are going to underperform in society."
The Houston Press - March 18, 2004
By Margaret Downing
Fred Hink echoes that. "In a way I feel I should be at school the entire time my kids are there, shadowing them to make sure that they do not break any of the discipline codes."
In any school kids face a lot of pressure to get good grades and stay out of trouble. That's true in Katy, too. Be good. Better yet, be perfect.
This is a no-mistakes zone. (more)
Katy Times
March 18, 2004
By Fred Hink
Houston Chronicle - FRED HINK - October 25, 2004
The case of the Katy straight-A student bringing a "pencil sharpener" to school has more to do with common sense than any cultural difference.
The school's policy states that students are not allowed to bring weapons to school. Bringing any blade to school - regardless of intent - is not wise.
Regarding the punishment not being fair, what if the school gave that student a slap on the wrist and next week another student was caught with a switchblade knife and was suspended?
It's not OK to bring a weapon if you make C's, but if you're an honor student it is? If a school district is going to have a policy, then the punishment should be enforced equally and without regard to the perpetrator.
I have two children in public school, and I'm glad the administration is enforcing the rules for their protection.
Houston Chronicle - FRED HINK - July 20, 2001
Jeffrey E. Garten's July 19 Outlook article, "Let's start managing it like it's a global economy," calling for a managed global economy, boils down to a little regulation now to stem stronger regulation later. He explained that the forces that have created this recent unprecedented growth in global economies are the same forces that are now working on its destruction. But what forces does he mean? Free enterprise?
Garten believes that the United States, Asia and the European Union are linked in such a manner that if one falters, the other two will crumble. He pointed to the Asian collapse in 1998 as threatening the European and U.S. economies. While Asian economies did falter, the U.S. economy grew at an astounding rate. As a result of the EU imposing a managed economy on them, European economies slowed down. Likewise, later, our economy slowed, too, but not because of some intrinsic flaw in our capitalist system but rather from the tinkering done by Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan and his "inflation in the closet" fears, as well as the congressional increases to the minimum wage.
Our contribution to the "global" economy is to continue as the world's beacon of what a free economy can accomplish. We must lessen the burdens on our economy by repealing the income tax and replacing it with a sales tax and end the overmanagement being done by the federal government. The result will be true economic growth that will provide the world with an increased market in which to participate.
Houston Chronicle - FRED HINK - November 4, 2000
The battle over whether to have a new arena is a valid argument. As a libertarian, I do not support public funds being used for anything other than for basic city services and to enforce laws. But I am also a realist.
In this real world, citizens vote for special programs to benefit themselves, sometimes at the expense of others. I will vote for a new arena because this falls into my special interest: I love professional basketball.
But there is another argument to be made for the new arena, and that is its location. Houston is different from most cities around the world in that we decide to build and live wherever we want.
With the success of Enron Field, new performing arts facilities and other venues downtown, we are beginning to see a rebirth of a central city that we probably haven't had since the 1940s.
Voting for something that isn't depriving anyone of something, that promotes a greater benefit for all and serves our self-interests is a pretty good deal. But even if you don't like basketball and other performances to be held at a new arena, there is still the promotion of a central city for all Houstonians to identify with. That isn't such a bad thing to vote for, either.
