Those old (60's era) rubber ones may not be proper for the "upper crust"...
Posted on 10/05/2006 8:39:27 PM PDT by Pharmboy
Three eighth-graders were given three days of in-school suspension starting last Friday after they brought toy weapons to school in order to participate in a class project on the Revolutionary War era.
But one parent feels this punishment is too strict in the context of the incident.
Page 19 of the Parents Handbook states, "Knives or other sharp objects, hand guns, toy guns, weapon replicas, slingshots, matches, fireworks, or any other explosive materials are forbidden at school, or at any school sponsored activity or trip."
"It doesn't say anything about intention and context," said Elena Driscoll, the parent of one of the students who received in-school suspension, about the handbook entry.
According to the handbook, the object in question will be taken away, and students in violation will be suspended for a minimum of three days. Both parents and the police are notified of the incident, and parents will be required to meet with the principal prior to the student returning to school.
Driscoll said she and her child knew about this handbook rule prior to the incident.
"Bringing weapons to school is against school rules," said Superintendent Mickey Brandmeyer. "Unfortunately the students and the parents knew the school rule and chose to bring a weapon to school anyways."
Driscoll said her son's class was asked to bring in Revolutionary War era props to class. Her son brought in a toy rifle, while another student brought in a carved wooden toy gun.
"Since the teacher asked for props the kids thought these replicas were excluded from that," said Driscoll.
Driscoll said the teacher did apologize for the end result. The instructions did not remind students not to bring in prohibited objects.
"We will review the rule with the faculty," said Brandmeyer, and the administration will ask teachers to remind students that they should not bring weapons to school.
In a letter sent home to all eighth-grade parents this week, Principal Sharon Hobbs explains the incident, the actions taken by the school and the reasons behind them.
"This event provided a dilemma for me as the principal and for students, parents, and teachers," Hobbs writes. "While the intent of bringing in the toy guns was not to threaten or hurt anyone, the handbook expectations and consequences are explicit. With our signatures, students, their parents, the teachers and I, have accepted these expectations and consequences."
"Our goal was to keep the kids in school so their learning would be the least disruptive," said Hobbs in a phone interview. "We decided that because the intent was not to be threatening or harmful that we wanted to continue their learning as undisrupted as possible."
Although students who receive in-school suspension cannot participate in class - they spend the school day in a conference room outside the principal's office - teachers are asked to drop off their work at the office. In addition, students are allowed to make up any tests or quizzes they miss during that period.
Driscoll said in years past students have had other topics of study related to battle, during which they were allowed to make weapons. She questioned why the rule was being enforced now when it had not been enforced before.
Brandmeyer said this is the first time he has had to deal with a weapon being brought into school.
"I've had a couple of requests over the years to have weapons in school," he said, including from the Lincoln Minute Men, who wanted to bring in their muskets for a demonstration.
Brandmeyer said he told them it was not appropriate.
The handbook is reviewed annually, and Hobbs said she plans to review the handbook with Student Council and teachers.
The parents of the three students each reacted differently, Brandmeyer said. One looked at the punishment as a learning experience; another was disappointed but glad the child would still be in school.
Driscoll, however, said there are a number of students and parents who are upset about this incident, and some eighth-graders have been circulating a petition.
"I think that shows the fact that nobody felt that they were threatened," she said.
If people were doing this when I was a kid, I would have been serving a life sentence in federal prison by the age of 9.
HA! The kids on stage crew were carrying around one of those old cowboy pistols, the kind with the silver barrel and bone white handle, last year. Boy, did that bring back memories. I guess our little town's school is pretty laid back. I just hope the Dept of (un)Education doesn't find out about it.
No...but this is THE key part of our history, and notice should have been given to allow toy guns that were revwar replicas. This antigun hysteria is a bit over the top...but I DO understand your point of view. No big arguments here, friend...
We survived with those old (60's era) rubber ones.
Both my kids were required by me to carry knives with them everywhere they went (and keep them clean and sharp).
I conducted regular inspections and disciplined them if necessary.
The teachers here also carry pocket knives.
History is imperative. It needs to be taught. I don't see how students not carrying mock weapons onto school grounds interferes with this though.
Unless the perps are bring 'em? It's time to amend page 19 of the Parents Handbook...
Well, we all know that no guns were used in the Revolutionary War. We sat down with the British and overcame our differences by playing Pattycake.
I hope it works for you and your children. Around here they lock you up. Generally with no questions asked.
The school probably has a specific room where students who are "suspended" from the classroom go and do their assignments for the required amount of time of the suspension.
Whales are smarter than liberals.
It wasn't that many years ago (mid 50s and 60s and before, of course), when students were allowed to bring hunting rifles and shotguns to school (and keep them in their lockers) in many parts of the country, so they could be used for hunting on the way home. My, how things have changed. It's funny, but back then we didn't have any shooting incidents at school. Everyone was taught to treat firearms with respect, and they weren't forbiden fruit. Oh yea, lets not forget about high school ROTC members having their drill rifles at school.
What ever happened to the classic swat? I remember i used to get 3 to 6 a day. (3 swats at a time.)
Everyone in my family was taught to never surrender their tools or their weapons.
There were drills.
The person who supervises the students in the "in-school suspension" room at the middle school where I work is a drop dead gorgeous young woman. I suspect that many of the male students who are placed there have an ulterior motive for getting kicked out of class.
Yeah, me too. I remember in high school a buddy of mine and I would go out camping and hunting in the national forest about every other weekend. We'd pack enough guns and ammo in the back of his Toyota to fight a small war and then park it in the school parking lot so we could leave right after school got out.
Those old (60's era) rubber ones may not be proper for the "upper crust"...
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