Posted on 02/11/2014 6:47:32 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
CHICAGO, Il. Criticizing Chicago school officials for being overzealous, misguided and incapable of distinguishing between an impotent toy and a dangerous weapon, The Rutherford Institute has come to the defense of an 11-year-old boy who was suspended from school after he voluntarily turned in a non-firing plastic toy gun that had been forgotten in his jacket pocket. Caden Cook, a sixth grader at Fredrick Funston Elementary School, was suspended for allegedly violating the schools weapons policy against dangerous objects, in addition to being ordered to undergo counseling, and subjected to intimidation tactics, interrogation, and dire threats by school officialsall without his mother being present. Rutherford Institute attorneys have asked that the suspension be rescinded and all references to the incident be removed from Cadens permanent school record.
This case speaks volumes about whats wrong with our public schools and public officials: rather than school officials showing they are capable of exercising good judgment, distinguishing between what is and is not a true threat, and preserving safety while steering clear of a lockdown mindset better suited to a prison environment, they instead opted to exhibit poor judgment, embrace heavy handed tactics, and treat a toy gun like a dangerous weapon, said John W. Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute and author of A Government of Wolves: The Emerging American Police State. In the process, school officials sent a strong, chilling message to this child and his classmates that they have no rights in the American police state.
Frederick Funston Elementary School introduced a random pat down to its security and screening procedures at the beginning of this school year. All students are physically separated from their bags and randomly chosen for a manual pat down before going through the metal detectors. Students bags are also separately searched at random. On Friday, January 31, 2014, sixth grader Caden Cook was waiting in the school line to be patted down when he realized that he had mistakenly left in his sweater pocket a toy plastic gun which he had played with the previous night while he was out with friends and family. Realizing his error and that the toy was a prohibited item on school grounds, Caden alerted the security personnel to his predicament, explaining that he had accidentally brought the plastic toy to school and relinquishing the toy to school security personnel. Instead of recognizing that Caden was attempting to do the right thing and acknowledging the mistake, school officials allegedly subjected the 11-year-old to intimidation tactics, interrogation, accusations of lying, and threats. All of this was done in the absence of Cadens mother and without her having been informed of the incident. Upon her arrival, Cadens mother was berated and criticized for allowing her son to use toy guys.
In coming to Cadens defense, Rutherford Institute attorneys point out that Cadens conduct does not rise to the level of serious disruptive behavior, given that he immediately alerted school officials to his accidental transgression and voluntarily turned in the toy once he realized his mistake, even prior to entering the screening area, nor does the plastic toy gun constitute a dangerous object by the schools standards or anyone elses.
we surely live in ridiculous times, surrounded it seems by complete idiots
but getting tossed out of Chicago public school may be the kid’s first real break in his life....
Finally hit me: such school administrators are BULLIES.
On the vaguest pretext they become utterly abusive to exert their power and establish dominance - and nobody dares call them on it, lest become their next victim. Bullies.
None of this will change until lawsuits are brought against the abusive administrators which isnt likely due to the extreme levels of intimidation and leverage avail to use against the parents.
The admin are rewarded every time this sort of thing makes headlines....
enforcing the cow effect
If they had this policy when I was 11, you better believe I’d take full advantage of it!
Have recently retire from several decades of public school teaching, I would like to say that when administrators do really stupid thing like that, it hurts all of those who teach. Unfortunately, administrators, doing stupid things that hurt education, are not nearly rare enough.
8 yrs ago I was the plaintiff in an auto accident case and had a hearing at the county court house in Washington, PA. Upon entering I saw the metal detector and realized that I still had my pistol in my belt holster. Notified the deputy. He told me to go put it in my car.
Its a Government school in a Government city. I would expect nothing less from them. I have nothing but sympathy for any child in a government school especially in a Dem controlled city............
The dullards on the Left have a new tactic. It is to use this against Conservatives. It is called Zero Tolerance.
Question;
When we watch a film with a villain, what perceived weakness of the hero does said villain use against him/her?
It’s tough actions like this that keeps the chicago murder rate so low. I guess.
Number One killer of school children everywhere.
(according to a liberal screwell administrator.)
Should have been suspended for his silly name.
But, teaching young children to accept pat-downs, and searches of back packs and their own persons is all part of the progressives’ plan for America.
Further, teaching them that there are serious consequences for violations of patently ridiculous rules established by ignorant socialists is to be commended.
/s
He’s apparently a white boy, so he got the book thrown at him.
When you abandon God, you go insane.
Does this mean that they are going to start suspending Teachers? Because some of them are really dangerous weapons.
you make a very important point....conditioning the kids...to accept tyranny....
This nation is insane.
This little shit needs to be beaten and locked in a closet! </progressive>
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