Another tiny toy gun in school- this time boy was suspended

[luvmy3]

At what point does zero tolerance become ridiculous? I saw a video this morning, the gun was in the hand of an action figure the kid brought to school. His father is going to the school board to see if he can keep this off his permanent record.


http://www.kptv.com/news/22498157/detail.html


Tiny Toy Gun Gets Boy Suspended From School


POSTED: 8:42 am PST February 8, 2010
UPDATED: 9:40 am PST February 8, 2010

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PORTLAND, Ore. -- A Portland school has suspended an 8-year-old boy after he was found to have a 4-inch plastic toy gun built for an action figure.

The third-grade student at Duniway Elementary School received a one-day suspension. Aron Anderson, the boy's father, said his son forgot he had the toy in his pocket after playing with it the previous night.

He said his son showed the small toy to a friend at school and another student reported it to staff.

"He didn't point it at anybody. He didn't act like it was real," Anderson said. "I'm really frustrated with the district that they would go that far with something so little like that."

School officials said the principal followed protocol after she determined the toy gun was a simulated weapon. According to district policy, punishment can range from suspension to expulsion.

"There's got to be some common sense that says, 'I see what it is and there's no reason to sound the alarm," Anderson said.

The region administrator for the school sent Anderson a letter that said the district intends to uphold the principal's decision.

Anderson hopes the school district will consider changing its policy.

"Kids have scissors at schools, and pencils. That's more dangerous than that," he said.

The boy's suspension will be on his permanent school record, but Anderson said he intends to speak with the school board about the situation.

Boy Suspended From School For Tiny Toy Gun

 

[Darsa]

I kinda feel two ways about this type of thing. One part of me sez: "Holy Overreacting, Batman! It's just a toy, the teacher should have just put it in his/her drawer til the end of day."... but another part of me thinks "There'll be that ONE time when the little tiny gun is a REAL little tiny gun, and someone's child will be killed with it, and there will be this HUGE to-do about how the school didn't do anything about this tiny gun..."

So, yeah. Dunno.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Another shining example of political correctness gone amok. These rules are to make children fear guns. Guess what? They don't work. The favorite games of boys all involve guns and violence, but they are now played out in video games instead of on the playground with toys. Why? Because we stopped letting our kids play with toy guns.

I remember a time when we brought guns to school and kept them in the trunks of our cars so we could go hunting immediately after school. If we did that today, we would end up in prison.

You don't have to be a threat to society to go to jail anymore - you just have to upset someone's "sensibilities". I am so glad that we have the government to tell us how to live our lives...

 

[The Mystery Machine]

It has been ridiculous for a long time. Where have you been?

The reason they instituted "zero tolerance" is because snowflake kids/parents think the rules don't apply to them.

With zero tolerance now schools have the power to make their schools safe however at the same time you have to make examples out of harmless kids that don't follow the rules.

So double edged sword of course. If they allow the student here to get a pass now they have opened the door for other students who bring in toy guns to challenge the policy.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Another shining example of political correctness gone amok. These rules are to make children fear guns. Guess what? They don't work. The favorite games of boys all involve guns and violence, but they are now played out in video games instead of on the playground with toys. Why? Because we stopped letting our kids play with toy guns.

I remember a time when we brought guns to school and kept them in the trunks of our cars so we could go hunting immediately after school. If we did that today, we would end up in prison.

You don't have to be a threat to society to go to jail anymore - you just have to upset someone's "sensibilities". I am so glad that we have the government to tell us how to live our lives...

While I think the policy is nonsense...

I had always thought it was so that staff doesn't have to be concerned and figure out if something is real or not. If they ban it all--they keep everyone safe.

However, I think it is crazy for kids to get suspended for microscopic fake weapons.

Perhaps they should just ban all toys and show and tell so that munchkins don't have to figure out why they can't bring something perfectly safe that is not a danger to anyone.

 

[luvmy3]

It has been ridiculous for a long time. Where have you been?
The reason they instituted "zero tolerance" is because snowflake kids/parents think the rules don't apply to them.

With zero tolerance now schools have the power to make their schools safe however at the same time you have to make examples out of harmless kids that don't follow the rules.

So double edged sword of course. If they allow the student here to get a pass now they have opened the door for other students who bring in toy guns to challenge the policy.

I could always argue that there are plenty of instances where zero tolerance is not ridiculous, this of course is not one of them. They instituted zero tolerance rules in school because kids are bringing in real weapons and killing other kids, and that does justify them. I think that goes way beyond your snowflake theory. However at some point they need to be re-examined, and this story is why.

 

[robinb]

Another shining example of political correctness gone amok.

Zero Tolerance is completely ridiculous, but I disagree that it comes out of "political correctness". I think it is a "better safe than sorry" by product of the helicopter parent generation where everything must be made safe for children "just in case".

 

[Robinrs]

Zero Tolerance is completely ridiculous, but I disagree that it comes out of "political correctness". I think it is a "better safe than sorry" by product of the helicopter parent generation where everything must be made safe for children "just in case".

Dummy parents who don't teach their kids how to play by the rules now will have one HECK of a time trying to fix them when they because "I know more than you" teenagers.

 

[agnes!]

Did everyone see the worst part of this article?...

THE SUSPENSION IS ON HIS PERMANENT RECORD.

Yeah, that's right. This kid, who did indeed bring a gun to school, albeit a TOY gun, albeit a four-INCH toy gun, will now have a PERMANENT black mark on his school record. And yet, if he committed a felony as a minor, that would be sealed.

Makes perfect sense to me, mmm-hmmm.

agnes!

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Did everyone see the worst part of this article?...

THE SUSPENSION IS ON HIS PERMANENT RECORD.

Yeah, that's right. This kid, who did indeed bring a gun to school, albeit a TOY gun, albeit a four-INCH toy gun, will now have a PERMANENT black mark on his school record. And yet, if he committed a felony as a minor, that would be sealed.

Makes perfect sense to me, mmm-hmmm.

agnes!

These records are meaningless. That is, unless he ever commits a violent crime. Then everyone will point back to this day - the day that this child's life of crime began...

 

[jodifla]

Zero Tolerance is completely ridiculous, but I disagree that it comes out of "political correctness". I think it is a "better safe than sorry" by product of the helicopter parent generation where everything must be made safe for children "just in case".

Yep. ITA!

It's this generation of "OH MY GOD" hysterical parenting, where everything is a federal crime.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Zero Tolerance is completely ridiculous, but I disagree that it comes out of "political correctness". I think it is a "better safe than sorry" by product of the helicopter parent generation where everything must be made safe for children "just in case".

I agree - your analysis is spot on...

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I could always argue that there are plenty of instances where zero tolerance is not ridiculous, this of course is not one of them. They instituted zero tolerance rules in school because kids are bringing in real weapons and killing other kids, and that does justify them. I think that goes way beyond your snowflake theory. However at some point they need to be re-examined, and this story is why.

Did you read the rest of my post because that is what I said.

I am saying it is ridiculous that they HAVE TO institute "zero tolerance" in order to make schools safe instead of being able to exercise judgements on their own because of the snowflake rule. Ex..."Susie, did not get in trouble for that, so my kid should not have to either."

 

[FireDancer]

Zero tolerance in general is a bad idea. Every case should be looked at logically and individually. The same goes for arresting kids who are sexting for distributing child porn or putting people who pee on a tree in the woods on the same predator list as a child rapist.

When assessing a situation there are a lot of things to take into account like intent, actual ability to do harm, and the age of the child. Just throwing the zero tolerance blanket over a situation is lazy. Killing someone isn't even no-tolerance in society. If it were there would be no justifiable homicide or self defense. Everything, from killing to cap guns, needs to be accessed on a case by case basis.

 

[agnes!]

These records are meaningless. That is, unless he ever commits a violent crime. Then everyone will point back to this day - the day that this child's life of crime began...

Well, maybe he HADN'T thought of starting this "life of crime" but the over-reaching punishment could actually DO what it is designed to prevent. The punishment itself could become the pre-indicator, the instigator of a long though-process... I mean, why not? Maybe here's a kid who's basically a good kid, who doesn't get in trouble any more than the general student-population, who follows the rules when he can remember (he is a CHILD, after all) and now he's punished and this punishment will be on his permanent school record. Move to a new school? The incident follows. Apply for a scholarship?...the incident follows. Wants to go into JROTC? The incident follows. Want to apply to any special school-program, like maybe a Gifted-Talented center or school? The incident follows.

agnes!

 

[ncmickeyluvr]

Does anyone REALLY think zero tolerance makes the schools safer??

Someone with bad intent it going to do bad things.......they'll just make sure that they make a big bang the first time that they bring something to school.......or hide it better if they do.

 

[SAHDad]

I could always argue that there are plenty of instances where zero tolerance is not ridiculous, this of course is not one of them. They instituted zero tolerance rules in school because kids are bringing in real weapons and killing other kids, and that does justify them. I think that goes way beyond your snowflake theory. However at some point they need to be re-examined, and this story is why.

Yes, because a kid who is planning on bringing real weapons to school, and shooting real bullets at people, who is probably intending to die in the process, going down in a blaze of glory, is going to suddenly be concerned that they might face mandatory suspension when they bring the weapon to school and start shooting.

It's like the TSA banning nail scissors, but allowing keys. I suppose you could use nail scissors as a weapon, but I know that self-defense courses have been teaching people how to use keys as a weapon for several decades.

 

[luvmy3]

Yes, because a kid who is planning on bringing real weapons to school, and shooting real bullets at people, who is probably intending to die in the process, going down in a blaze of glory, is going to suddenly be concerned that they might face mandatory suspension when they bring the weapon to school and start shooting.

It's like the TSA banning nail scissors, but allowing keys. I suppose you could use nail scissors as a weapon, but I know that self-defense courses have been teaching people how to use keys as a weapon for several decades.

Not all school shootings are massacres where lots of kids and the shooter end up dead in a blaze of glory. The rules are in place to protect the student body from anyone bringing in a weapon, which happens everyday in school all over this country. The only reason you don't hear about a kid being caught and expelled and imprisoned is because luckily, nobody was killed.

 

[SAHDad]

Not all school shootings are massacres where lots of kids and the shooter end up dead in a blaze of glory. The rules are in place to protect the student body from anyone bringing in a weapon, which happens everyday in school all over this country. The only reason you don't hear about a kid being caught and expelled and imprisoned is because luckily, nobody was killed.

I'm aware that most aren't mass shootings - we get to read about plenty of school shootings in Detriot. But really, the threat of suspension is not going to deter the average person who is going to bring a gun to school with the intent to do harm.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

I'm aware that most aren't mass shootings - we get to read about plenty of school shootings in Detriot. But really, the threat of suspension is not going to deter the average person who is going to bring a gun to school with the intent to do harm.

I agree - these rules will keep honest people honest, but do NOTHING to control the threat from someone intent on bringing a firearm into school. These rules are beyond silly, as they are so completely ineffective - at least, they are ineffective at achieving their "claimed" goals.

It is my belief that these rules are tied to a completely different agenda...