Cut the kid some slack. The kid is 17. His Mom is in a war zone. The media have reports of all kinds of people being killed every day...
I remember the same sort of arrogant behavior on the part of teachers and being treated like cattle...
"Francois said he told the teacher, This is my mom in Iraq. I'm not about to hang up on my mom."
A modicum of respect is what was needed, simple human decency to let the kid talk. Read this report it is much better:
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledgerenquirer/news/11575912.htm
"Francois said the teacher tried to take the phone, causing it to hang up."
Who the f#@k is this teacher to grab a phone?? Let him finish the call and take the punishment... And the teachers are hiding behind the fact the kid was not arrested? They are luck they dont have a black eye.