Posted on 02/04/2011 12:21:44 PM PST by grundle
A 7-year-old child allegedly shot a Nerf-style toy gun in his Hammonton, N.J., school Jan. 18. No one was hurt, but the pint-size softshooter now faces misdemeanor criminal charges.
Hammonton Police began an investigation into the “suspicious activity” at the Hammonton Early Childhood Education Center Jan. 18 after school officials alerted them to the incident.
The "gun" the child brought to school was a $5 toy gun, similar to a Nerf gun, that shoots soft ping pong type balls, according to the school's superintendent.
Officials also say that there was no evidence of anyone being threatened. The child's mother told school officials that she didn't know her son brought the toy to school.
Dr. Dan Blachford, the Hammonton Board of Education superintendent, said the school has a zero tolerance policy.
"We are just very vigilant and we feel that if we draw a very strict line then we have much less worry about someone bringing in something dangerous," said Blachford.
Deseire Gherard, a parent of one of the students at the school, agrees with the policy.
"I'd rather it be dealt with more severely than not," said Gherard. "I would rather them go a little bit too far for the safety of all the children then to say 'okay, it was probably nothing.'"
Police charged the 7-year-old with possessing an imitation firearm in or on an education institution – a misdemeanor and a minor juvenile offense in New Jersey.
School officials described the child as "a nice kid" and "a good student." Authorities haven't commented on what specific disciplinary action or punishment the boy faces though it could involve counseling and other resources made available to the family.
Somebody stop the world I wanna get off now...
Agreed. This was in NJ, but still.
Stuff like this is what’s going to make people start bringing REAL guns to school.
The lunatics are running the asylum.
Dr. Dan Blachford, the Hammonton Board of Education superintendent, said the school has a zero BRAINS policy.
However, if you sneak into American and steal somebody’s identity, it’s no big deal. The DemocRATS will defend your “right” to do it.
OMG.
Back when I was in school, we ran around shooting each other with squirt guns during recess. And, as far as I know, none of the students engaged in that activity ever shot someone with a real gun.
Dear God, please bring back an ability to think for those to whom we entrust our children’s education. Amen.
Stupid, ignorant, paranoid cops and administration idiots. Beyond contempt, those people need confinement in some sort of institution.
No common sense, no brains, totally inept and incompetent, CRIMINALLY incompetent and need to be indicted for child abuse or terrorizing children.
completely incompetent idiots allowed to fester because of completely incompetent parents
Where are all those generally worthless (with a few exceptions) trial lawyers now? While they’re busy trying to cash in on Asbestos and Mesotheleoma, a real, live need for a lawyer pops up. This is in no way a prosecutable offense. Carrying a Nerf gun to school? What a bunch of worthless, statist candy-a##ed administrators that school system has.
As a child I played war, I played cowboys and Indians, I played cops and robbers. Guns, guns, guns. Neither I nor my friends have ever shot anybody.
Well if the school demands the kid be charged, the cops hands are tied.
Next thing you know, you will tell us how you played kickball resulting in winners AND losers. Oh! the horror!
“I’d rather it be dealt with more severely than not,” said Gherard.
...it’s this kind of mamsie pamsie reaction that’s putting us all in jeopardy of losing everything.
All the school personnel and the cops involved should be jailed for child abuse.
Can Governor Christie issue a pardon to the 7 year old?
Zero tolerance policies are moronic and should be banned. They only seem to be enforced against the totally innocent, and they don’t really force punishment of the truly dangerous and guilty. What is to stop a teacher or principal from pretending they didn’t see a real gun, that a really bad kid brings to school?
You’re attributing to incompetence what is better explained by an agenda.
Its NJ, anus of the US, we’re talking about here and the mall cop police who roam its streets. Nothing would surprise me about the place no matter how outlandish. According to the news report no adults live there.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.