Son suspended for up to a year for playing with BB gun at school

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Son suspended for up to a year for playing with BB gun at school

People are killed by guns: (A) Deliberately, or (B) by mishandling, accidents or stupidity.

Substitute the word "cars" for "guns"; it makes sense to get training to operate either of them. As Burl noted, remove the "mystique."

[buzz1941]

Re: Son suspended for up to a year for playing with BB gun at school

Substitute the word "cars" for "guns"; it makes sense to get training to operate either of them.

Yep. Imagine how mystiquious cars would be to boys if they saw them on TV every night, but not in real life ... until some kid snuck one into school.

[kiwidiva]

Re: Son suspended for up to a year for playing with BB gun at school

you are to be commended

Thanks Leo but no way! I was playing the blame game at first but honestly, now I just blame myself for not preparing him better for this situation.

When I tell people (especially at work as I have to explain why my ten-year-old is sitting in my office on a school day) I can see by the look on their face that they're thinking... how could your kid do that?

And if I was in their shoes - I'd be thinking the same thing ! I guess you always think that you know your kid and that nothing like this would ever happen to him or her... until it does!

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Son suspended for up to a year for playing with BB gun at school

Let's just say, I speak from my own experience.

And I am SO glad my daughter is now a grown woman, willing to take responsibility for her own actions, and long past her high-school days.

[Peshkwe]

Re: Son suspended for up to a year for playing with BB gun at school

Wait...don't dog yourself out too much. It's not like you're psychic.

For one thing with you being raised in a place where there aren't guns around, the simple concept of the fascination a kid would have with em wouldn't occur to you all that readily.

[acousticlady]

Re: Son suspended for up to a year for playing with BB gun at school

Thanks Leo but no way! I was playing the blame game at first but honestly, now I just blame myself for not preparing him better for this situation.

When I tell people (especially at work as I have to explain why my ten-year-old is sitting in my office on a school day) I can see by the look on their face that they're thinking... how could your kid do that?

And if I was in their shoes - I'd be thinking the same thing ! I guess you always think that you know your kid and that nothing like this would ever happen to him or her... until it does!

You can't beat yourself up for what your son does. Even at 10. The best you can hope for is that your influence in the early years (when you actually HAD influence) and his knowledge of your love and support are enough to carry him through. And he isn't even in his teens yet. We've all had issues with our kids at one time or another. Maybe not this exact situation, but issues none the less. Even the parents who won't admit it - you know the ones..... "my child never disobeyed...." (yeah, right). For me, it was the 17 - 18 age that was a problem. Imagine the phone ringing and your son saying "Mom, can you come get me out of jail?!!!"

This too shall pass.........

[Menehune Man]

Re: Son suspended for up to a year for playing with BB gun at school

Thanks Leo but no way! I was playing the blame game at first but honestly, now I just blame myself for not preparing him better for this situation.

When I tell people (especially at work as I have to explain why my ten-year-old is sitting in my office on a school day) I can see by the look on their face that they're thinking... how could your kid do that?

And if I was in their shoes - I'd be thinking the same thing ! I guess you always think that you know your kid and that nothing like this would ever happen to him or her... until it does!

It's okay.
We continuously learn... We were kids who needed to learn kid things to get along in this world, then as adults/parents it's a whole different bunch of stuff to learn. So we learn and hopefully apply. It's the applying that truly counts.
IMO

I did stuff as a teenager that I'm not proud of though did learn from and as a parent too!

[Composite 2992]

Re: Son suspended for up to a year for playing with BB gun at school

For those of us who have spent a lot of time around guns, guns=tool.

In the eyes of those who haven't been around guns, guns=evil.

So of course when a school teacher, who probably never touched a real gun, sees a kid pointing a gun-shaped toy at someone, there's a great deal of alarm and the immediate reaction is to get rid of the threat forever.

But in the over-reaction, the school system misses an opportunity to teach some important principles to the kid who committed the offense as well as to the kids who witnessed it.

They could teach these kids what guns are and what they mean. Why our constitution gives individuals the right to bear arms. And above all, they should teach kids the responsibility that comes with handling these weapons in the presence of others. The fact is that there are guns everywhere. And I'm certain that a good portion of the kids in that class have parents who have guns in their homes.

Yet now the kid is gone from that school and potential problems will remain unaddressed.

To suspend the student for a year is overkill. There should be an appeal process if this is any kind of democracy. To put someone's future in the hands of a single individual who has such absolute power is wrong. Circuit court judges aren't infallible and so there's an appeals process and a supreme court. School administrators aren't any less prone to making poor decision. Yet we're wiling to stake someone's future on a single individual's judgment?

[dick]

Re: Son suspended for up to a year for playing with BB gun at school

When I was a lad I expressed an interest to my parents about wanting a BB gun. My father was an avid hunter, and there were always firearms in the house.

Rather than going out and buying me a BB gun, my parents sent me to a weapons training class. It wasn't for me, and I bailed soon thereafter (and was denied a BB gun).

But, since I didn't complete a firearms safety class, I was forbidden to have any contact with any sort of firearm. My mom hated guns so much, I couldn't even have a water gun (she grew up in WWII Germany).

But since my father hunted, there were shotguns and rifles in the house (and, now that I think about it, a great collection of antique handguns). But from day one (from when I was cognitive) he always drilled into me that guns have one purpose -- to kill.

Only touch a firearm when you're ready to kill.

End a life.

Of anything.

Guns are not toys. They are a tool used to kill.

BB gun... pellet gun... anything...

Firearms were created to kill, and when you hold one in your hands, you have to remember that you hold the power to end life.

Don't smile and laugh and have a good time. If you hold a gun, you hold the power to kill.

Since then I've been certified to purchase a handgun and done all the classes and all that jazz. I've fired everything from a Saturday Night Special to an M-16. But I still choose to not own a gun, because I don't like the feeling that holding a gun gives me. Anytime I hold a gun, I get a sense of dread. Yeah, it's only a tool, but I get to thinking about the ramifications and what it really means and it creeps me out. Sure, it's only a tool, and I fully agree with that, and maybe I'm melodramatic, but anytime I have a weapon (gun, knife, club, whatever...) in my hands, I feel somewhat uncomfortable.

[SusieMisajon]

Re: Son suspended for up to a year for playing with BB gun at school

BB guns are not exactly toys. They can kill.

Every time that I see this thread title, I have to think that everyone concerned is lucky the social services, authorities, and police didn't get involved. I think that the principal either didn't want to get publicity or wasn't doing his job properly.

THis may sound harsh, but consider the alternatives, consider if something had happened...like one of the kids pulling the trigger. If the worst had happened, then we'd all be in here, hashing out who was at fault, who didn't do thier job, who this and who that.

[GeckoGeek]

Re: Son suspended for up to a year for playing with BB gun at school

District Exception is still around but in this case he was expelled from a public school, hence the public school SYSTEM and I'd think he wouldn't be able to go to any of the DOE's public schools except Public Charter Schools.

That may well be true, but if I was in kiwidiva's shoes, I'd check anyway.

[kiwidiva]

Re: Son suspended for up to a year for playing with BB gun at school

the school system misses an opportunity to teach some important principles to the kid who committed the offense as well as to the kids who witnessed it.

Thanks Composite 2992 - I hope you don't mind if I paraphrase some of your post in the letter that I will read at the hearing.

I received the paperwork from the school regarding my son's suspension - the Vice Principal brought it to my house and assured me that the school is doing all they can to get my son (and the other boy) back in school as quickly as possible.

I also received the paperwork from the Superintendant that I have to return if I want to have a hearing - basically doing nothing means I accept the suspension.

We are asking for a hearing - just to see if we can lessen the suspension - although I am already thinking that I don't want him going back to that school.

Thank you all for your opinions, advice and information. I will continue to keep you updated on how this all goes.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Son suspended for up to a year for playing with BB gun at school

you know with the number of vacation days, waiver days and teacher institute days off I don't think your kid's gonna miss a whole lot of edumakation while he's suspended

Between three of my youngest children Pre-K to 6th grade, I haven't had a single week during normal school sessions when all three were in school for five days at a time. Everyweek at least one kid has a day off for one of the days off mentioned above.

I'm a veteran and my kids got the day off while I had to work! What made it even more disgraceful was when one of my co-workers who is in the Army National Guard wanted that day off because he was military. I told him this holiday is about VETERANS!!! You know those that servED. AND that he wasn't even on active duty when Veteran's day happened.

But our HR manager gave it to him. WHAT THE F*CK? That was two years ago, last year she denied it to him.

[kiwidiva]

Re: Son suspended for up to a year for playing with BB gun at school

Well, since I last posted I have had a few people tell me that due to the 'no child left behind' law - the school is supposed to provide my son with a tutor. Does anybody know about that?

As an update - I returned the paperwork to the Superintendent yesterday requesting a hearing. We got a call from the VP today saying that my son can go back to school until the hearing.

Now, we realize that at the hearing, the suspension could be reinstated but he is happy to be getting back to class and I am happy that he is not falling behind while we are waiting for progress in his case.

[Da Rolling Eye]

Re: Son suspended for up to a year for playing with BB gun at school

Zero tolerance for weapons in school is pretty much country-wide. Alas, many schools don't allow mitigating circumstances. Which means that kids are being expelled for penknives.
BTW, I have a BB pistol used for hunting rogue bufos, and it looks "real" enough to cause concern. The schools aren't taking chances.

Kids are being suspended/expelled for simply making a gun with their hands. You know, thumb up index out like a gun barrel and running around going, "Pow! Pow!".

Kiwi, our neighbor's boy got "expelled" when he took MY stolen pellet pistol to school to threaten another boy who'd been bullying him. I got my gun back as well as my wife's watch because all this came to light. Long story on that. Anyway, he was duly expelled and the father had to do what you're going through. He ended up being out of school for only.......3 months, although his offense was far more threatening than your son's circumstances. There's hope.

Another option to keep him up to par on some school work, Kumon has supplemental classes for reading and math. For both runs $80 per month and there's daily work as well as one weekly visit for testing and picking up more work. If you ask them, they can really pile it on. Btw, it may actually put him ahead of regular school work and may have to continue it after he's reinstated or he'll simply forget everything and regress.