We have a development in the latest case of a student being suspended for using a finger gun. Previously, Montgomery County suspended a six-year-old boy for making a finger gun with his hand and saying “Pow.” Now school officials have rescinded the suspension of a 6-year-old Silver Spring boy who they said pointed his finger like a gun and said, “Pow.” However, once again, there is no action to be taken against school officials for ordering such an absurd punishment in a mindless “zero tolerance” policy. School officials alleged that this standard child gesture was a threat “to shoot a student.”
We have previously seen absurd examples of disciplinary actions taken under zero tolerance rules for drugs and guns (here andhere and here). This includes cases involving kids using finger guns (here).
Assistant Principal Renee Garraway wrote to the child’s parents about this “serious incident” and said that by using he “threatened to shoot a student.” The letter also reference to a prior incident that the parents say was never conveyed to them. Given the absurdity of that action and that statement, one would expect some action to be taken. However, officials routinely adopt this blind and thoughtless approach to students and rarely face any repercussions — encouraging the continuation such ridiculous orders.
The reversal, laid out in a letter late Thursday, followed an appeal filed by the family’s attorney the previous day.
Source: Washington Post
Hi, thanks for sharing
Some voters need to pull the trigger on that school districtl.
Genevieve,
Permit me to say that as one who was in the principals office at 7 years, and was punished for disruptiveness, there can lie a serious problem there in terms of trauma in early years. Suspending is never, never a solutions as I see it. It is just sweeping the problem and the child under the carpet. My problen followed through life until 75, Am 76 now.
EEG at Duke and psychologist contect briefly gave no answer.
Problem: Scared of trusting other since cradle. Never learned until now,
Having a wonderful time with my new life. So many smiles meet me now.
Solution: Dunno. You seem to be a pro or a parent or teacher. What is your suggestion besides suspension and ostracism. That followed also until lately. Gestalt therapy and lots of work with myself helped me.
For disruptive kids. Most would druggem and burn a mark on their foreheads.
I joke a lot, but who knows a ADHD is always convenient and then comes Ritalin, etc.
All the best. Nice to know the admin are so well-paid.
I will say that this specific school system, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), are too busy with administrators ever increasing 6 figure salaries and illegally allotting monies to college readiness programs, to actually hire more counselors to work with the children who just aren’t getting it. whether or not the boy intended to simulate a gun with his finger, from the info available, he had been told more than once to stop it. He didn’t. now, is this because he’s 6 and testing the limits? probably. but if his limit testing is so disruptive to the class/school that he must be suspended, there is something that needs to be address. perhaps Superintendent J. Starr should stop counting his money and start DOING SOMETHING for the people of Montgomery County.
The bigger kids in that school district need to protect this kid. Tee shirts with fingers pulling the trigger. Occupy Superintendents Office.