We have previously followed the suspensions and discipline of students under zero tolerance policies that are used by teachers to justify zero judgment or responsibility. I have long criticized zero tolerance policies that have led to suspensions and arrests of children (here, here and here and here and here and here). Now this insanity has gone insane after a Colorado school district called police because a 12-year-old boy flashing a clearly toy gun in his own home. While the teacher told police the orange gun marked “Zombie Killer” was clearly a toy, the police went to the home of Isiah Elliot on a welfare check and the boy who has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and learning disabilities was suspended. Does that make sense as opposed to a simple call to the parents?
We have been dealing with the insanity of zero tolerance rules for years. Here is a prior column on the subject (and here). Children have been suspended or expelled for drawing stick figures or wearing military hats or bringing Legos shaped like guns or even having Danish in the shape of a gun. Various criminal and disciplinary cases were opened for finger guns. Despite the public outcry over the completely irrational and abusive application of zero tolerance rules, administrators and teachers continue to apply them blindly. If you do not have to exercise judgment, you can never been blamed for any failure. Conversely, even when the public outcry results in a reversal, teachers and administrators never seem punished with the same vigor for showing no judgment or logic in punishing a child.
Now the insanity has gone virtual. Rather than change the policy when it shifted to virtual learning, the school just blindly continued to treat kids at home like they were in the classroom.
The school does not see what everyone is upset about. The Grand Mountain school said in a statement: “We follow all school board policies whether we are in-person learning or distance learning. We take the safety of all our students and staff very seriously. Safety is always our number one priority.”
Safety? It was a toy gun in the home of a kid. They were so concerned for the child that they suspended him.
School choice would solve a lot of problems like this.
https://vidmax.com/video/198198-woman-gets-busted-texting-while-driving-with-daughter-in-the-backseat-acts-like-a-total-a-hole-towards-cop
More Karen’s in the Wild.
The toy is legal and not a threat. The toy was located in the child’s private home, not under the purview of the public education system. This was an invasion of privacy, harassment of a child with a perfectly normal toy, and an abuse of authority. The school abused a child in doing so.
I hope the parents sue that school into the stone age.
We’re homeschooling this year because our rural area has insufficient internet to attend Zoom classes. I’m seeing additional advantages.
I hope the parents sue that school into the stone age.
I hate it how lawyers are called in to second-guess everyone’s judgment. It just generates more silliness as inane things are done to reduce liability risks.
Can we please name and shame? The teacher, the administrators responsible: publish their names.
Karen,
If you can help put together a local church group or trusted local neighbors to share in a teaching group. That’s they way it used to be before the commies took over.
I think the Amish among other groups still do it that way.
I’ll wait to pass judgement AFTER I have all the facts. Why did he show the gun? Was he doing it in a threatening manner? Did he verbalize a threat with the gun. Toy or not, if he was threatening then there are consequences. If he just held it up like, check out this cool toy I got this weekend, then yes, this is ridiculous. And please don’t bring up ADHD as if that means he is mentally incapable of making good decisions. Having ADHD has zero relevance here.
It was plainly a toy. Anyone upset by it needs to be removed from the school.
What’s next? Beheading a Barbie?
What’s next? Beheading a Barbie?
Kid should make a voodoo doll of the teacher and the administrators. And stick pins in it during class.
Absurd…..I’ve been a little concerned about you with all that’s going on in your neck of the woods? Hope all is ok.
I think I might have done at that age. The voodoo doll wouldn’t provide entertainment but watching the reaction likely would have.
Nothing makes sense in the public school system.
Nothing will make sense until they are defunded.