Academia, Bizarre

“A 3.22 Threat”: Six-Year-Old Suspended for Using Finger Gun in Game of Cops and Robbers

J.B. may be the ultimate example of the National Rifle Association’s (NRA) pledge to give up their gun when it is pried from their cold, dead hands. In the case of six-year-old J.B., his gun is his hand.  J.B. this week became the latest child to be suspended for pointing a finger gun. In this case, the adults at the Bagley Elementary School in Jefferson County, Alabama believed that a finger gun violated their zero tolerance policy. We have previously discussed the lunacy of the zero tolerance policies under which teachers discipline children by exercising zero thought or judgment.

Jerrod Belcher says that his son was engaged in a game of “cops and robbers.” A notice of suspension shared with Fox News Digital states that Belcher’s son committed a “Class III” infraction on September 1 by “using his fingers to shoot at another student.” The fact that the district would put such an inane rule into the writing is particularly glaring.

Years ago, I wrote about the growing movement against toy guns  (here and here).

Since then, districts have disciplined toddlers and children for this harmless game (here and here and here and here and here and here and here) while also implementing buy back programs for toy guns.  Some teachers have actually called the police on finger gun felons.  Even drawing a picture of a gun can lead to suspension.

Apparently, J.B. not only engaged in a game of cops and robbers but actually added “bang, bang” to the game. It is shocking that such a menace was allowed to remain free in our society.

This absurdity is reportedly the product of Donna Page, Assistant Principal at Bagley Elementary School, who was given the report of a finger gun and immediately began a disciplinary process against J.B. Rather than use a modicum of discretion and common sense to protect this child, the school proceeded with formal disciplinary measures for a “3.22 Threat” infraction.

One can only imagine school security officers yelling “Code 3.22” into walkie talkies as adults scramble to face the threat of J.B.’s fully loaded finger guns.  After all, J.B. could imagine any calibre of weapon and has no limitation on reloading or ammo.

According to the Student and Parent Handbook for Bagley Elementary, Article 3.22 is “THREAT / INTIMIDATION (OF STUDENT)” includes “a threat to do serious bodily harm or violence to another student by word or act, cyber bullying, or intimidation that may induce fear into another.” Examples given are “a threat to kill, maim, or inflict serious harm; a threat to inflict harm involving the use of any weapon, explosive, firearm, knife, prohibited object, or other object which may be perceived by the individual being threatened as capable of inflicting bodily harm.”

What is striking about that rule is that it clearly does not fit a finger gun used in a game of cops and robbers. Yet, the school hammered this six-year-old because administrators  prefer to suspend a child than exercise logical judgment.

This ridiculous use of zero tolerance rules will not end until administrators  are held accountable. A few suspensions of staff would go a long way in restoring sanity to our schools.

 

253 thoughts on ““A 3.22 Threat”: Six-Year-Old Suspended for Using Finger Gun in Game of Cops and Robbers”

  1. Sources inside the school district indicate the child’s finger gun was in fact an assault-style finger gun weapon of war and it was illegally modified from semi-automatic to automatic. More terrifying were documents found in the child’s backpack in the mother’s car by Alabama State Police. State Police investigators speaking on the condition of anonymity say the investigation will reveal a much more sinister scheme. Investigators say the child is the ringleader of an ongoing criminal conspiracy to manufacture, market, and distribute assault-style finger gun weapons of war to leading Mexican Drug Mafias under the name Fast and Ferocious Finger Guns.

  2. Agree, and not defending the policy, the school district nor school officials, but consider: given real school shootings, the numbers killed and injured, and the level of media coverage and pundit discussion they receive, could the policy have resulted from over-concern, over-sensitivity and over-deference – please note that I say over- – to these events? For some years there has been a focus on “victims” and “survivors,” valid to an extent, now too often a fear of saying, doing or allowing anything which might trigger – pun intended – hurt feelings or complaints, so that the traditional standard of a regulation needing a rational – emphasis on rational – relationship to a legitimate – emphasis on legitimate – goal is out the proverbial window.

  3. Bagley elementary school is in Dora, Alabama. A town of 2.229 people. It’s a Republican town with a majority white population. According to the demographics it’s a very conservative town. Apparently common sense is in short supply there.

    1. Stupidity is, unfortunately, a bipartisan plague.

      The person who made this decision should go to prison.

      1. For the record, Dora, AL is a town of about 2200 in a county of about 660,000. 43% of which is black and 49% is non hispanic white.
        The Jefferson County BOE is comprised of 2 black, very liberal women, one of whom is the board president, a very woke highly educated white man, a white man I would characterize as an independent, with liberal social views, and a conservative white man.
        Anyone who claims otherwise either has no clue what they are talking about or is a liar. The jeffco boe by and large does not share the values of the people of the town of Dora. If you’ve never been to a jeffco board meeting (and they are meeting tonite, btw) then you have zero standing to comment on their politics.
        Who here honestly believes that, if they polled the town of Dora, AL, they would find 5 people who would agree with what happened in this school, or even the policies in the JCBOE manual regarding this issue??

    2. That’s about the stupidest attempt to score some cheap partisan points I’ve ever read. You really think conservatives are in control of the school, with this type of action? All I can say is hahahahahaha!

      1. The woke school officials pulled a doozy here and you want to blame it on the “conservative little town”? Presumably your logic is that the people of the town, being conservative, are stupid for having elected the school board members who in turn hired these ridiculous school officials.

        You give a good example of how someone like you is willing to stretch logic all to make some sort of very weak point that conservatives or Republicans are stupid. Why not just be honest and say, “I think conservatives are stupid” – I could at least respect that regardless of whether I agreed. I have zero respect for your pretzel logic.

        1. This town doesnt have a school board. This school is part of the JEFFERSON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.

          Trust me, this town didnt elect the jeffco school board and they do not share values.

          Stupid is commenting on that of which you have zero knowledge

          1. Again, you are a liar. You do some dumba$$ google search and think you’re an authority.
            You googled the wrong jefferson county, dufus. LMAO

        2. I’ll make this simple for you since you have difficulty understanding: the conservative town is the apple, the liberal-progressive woke stupid school official is the worm. You’re trying to say the apple is stupid because the worm ruined it. Your logic sucks.

          1. Now this jacka$$ wants to intimate that he is privy to the voter registration card of the “school official” that he doesnt even name. This has to be bug face the lawn boy. No one else is that audacious in their lies.

      2. “It’s a tiny town that voted 90% for trump.”
        So, they voted for secure borders.
        They voted for low inflation.
        They voted for lower taxes.
        They voted for no proxy wars or the threat of WWIII and nuclear Armageddon.
        They voted for low employment to include minorities saw some of the lowest unemployment.
        They voted for low gas prices.
        They voted for low food prices.

        Seems to me, that town is full of common sense.

      3. The town does not run this school. Get a grip people and do some research. It is a jefferson county school. I can tell you from first hand knowledge this school board does not share the values of the people of this town.

        1. Tom,
          Wait a second.
          You are saying this town did not vote for the county school board? That this is a county school board? That the town did not vote for? So the county school board may not represent the town and their values?

          That was sarc but not aimed at you.

          1. Exactly. Jefferson county is where Birmingham is located. All jeffco boards are run by left wing nuts and are generally regarded as dysfunctional. Do a search for the Jefferson County water board.

        2. And the residents of tiny dora are FAR outnumbered by Huffman and Center Pointyou just continue to make a bigger a$$ of yourself every time that you pretend that google has your back.

    3. You are going to apply,
      “Apparently common sense is in short supply there.”
      to an entire community based off the actions of one person?
      What a dumb comment.

    4. Bagley elementary school is in Dora, Alabama. A town of 2.229 people. It’s a Republican town with a majority white population. According to the demographics it’s a very conservative town. Apparently common sense is in short supply there.

      Had it been a liberal town, the kids would have been groomed, snipped their nuts, removed their breasts and paraded as advanced and educated Americans. You’re just ticked you could not have one of those little tykes for you to diddy

      1. The interesting thing is, Dora High School is part of Walker County Schools. Odd that the elementary and high schools would be in different county school districts.
        At least their 9-12 graders will go to a school that shares their parents values.

        1. Show us your google link that Carita Venable and Stephanie Floyd are republicans.

          Otherwise, you’re a Liar

      3. . “The town elected its school board.”

        .That’s such a lie. You need proof of such a stupid claim

          1. Google is not your friend. Why dont you show us the link to the google search that says that the two balck women in the jcboe board are republicans

            LIAR

    6. Administrators are overwhelmingly leftist totalitarians. Schoolboards have been elected by the teachers unions for decades, although that has been exposed with the publicizing of all the grooming programs and racists lies being pushed on the K-6 students.

      I mentioned up thread, where a judge has stayed a school board policy about informing parents of their childs gender confusion. School administrators sought and a judge granted relief by staying that policy. I have no idea where in the law or constitution, the judge pulled that ruling from.

      1. Students also have a right to privacy. The law essentially turns teachers and school officials into state sanctioned snitches
        Parents ,legally, are the ONLY entity with the power to direct a child’s medical care.

        Schools are incapable of leading a child through such a process.
        Because, as this piece points out, Administrators just create a written procedure and apply it blindly to all.

        1. Legislation with age restrictions for tatoos, blows your analogy out of the water.

          The school is bound by law to inform, not OUT. their childs medical issues. How twisted are you that you believe it is proper to hide medical information from the childs parents.

        2. Nope. They apply policies created by the school board.

          Nope the board approves or rejects the policies created and administrated by administrators.

        3. “Jefferson county school board is a Republican supermajority board.”

          You should stop repeating this lie. You have no idea what you are talking about.

          1. I already did.

            Also, I know these people, so there’s that. You are a liar and a coward and afraid to show where are you? Got your erroneous information. You made the assertion, it’s up to you to prove it.

        4. The lefty wants it both ways, imagine that. “Outing”…give me a break. Transgender is not homosexuality. It is a clinical condition, whether u argue its mental or physiological. Or maybe he doesnt really believe his own orthodoxy.

          1. Lmao blah blah blah. Do you have any idea how stupid u sound? Transgenderism has nothing in common with homosexuality. People like you try to equate the two, but its never going to fly.

      2. They are not entitled to privacy from the people responsible for their well being.Parents. When I go into a doctors office, I sign a form consenting to who can be informed of my medical status. Minor child doesn’t get that form.

        1. That’s in dispute. Children of middle school age or high school have the same rights afforded to them by the constitution. They ARE entitled to privacy, especially when they request it.

          Having school officials snitch on them sets a very bad precedent. Students will not only stop talking they will take matters into their own hands. You don’t really want that. Being outed by snitching teachers or staff can expose students to abuse by parents or other family members, or other people. Students do have rights too and the right to privacy is one of them.

    7. Right, had this been in CA or DC or Provincetown, the kid could have claimed it wasn’t a gun but a dildo been made a hero.

      1. Nah. The kid with the pop tart said it was a mountain. But a teacher with guns on the brain imagined it was a gun, so the kid got in trouble.

    1. You really can not blame the teachers and administrators for such actions as described in this article. Their training focused on how prevent kids from accomplishing anything academically for the first 12 years of life AND how to identify toddlers and adolescents in need of sex transitioning. Judging the intricate and highly complicated details of kids playing ‘cops and robbers’ is just a bridge too far…

  5. If pointing a finger gun at another kid is bad, then I would have spent a lot of time in the school office.

    I’ll wait with baited breath for an intelligent lawyer asks, explain to the court how a finger gun is a weapon and threat.

    1. I meant to stick “finger” in there/. Was mad when I wrote this. Where is AI when you need it?

  7. Bagley Elementary School has been revealed to have zero tolerance for common sense. Such a disgrace will only be resolved by removing Donna Page, Assistant Principal, from any position of authority. We will now get to see what kind of people populate the school board that governs Bagley Elementary School.

    Can anyone not really see why school choice alternatives for parents are not essential given this example? For any bureaucracy to be this inept at handling this kind of childhood activity demonstrates why alternatives MUST be available to parents.

    1. “The school board is run by republicans. It’s very red town.”

      This town doesnt have a school board. It is a jefferson county school. If you dont know what you are talking about, you should remain quiet or be called out as a LIAR

        1. And i pay attention. You also said “its a very red town”. Any reasonable person would conclude that that was your basis for saying
          “The school board is run by republicans.”
          Now u want to back pedal and say i’m not paying attention.

          LIAR

        2. Repeating a lie doesnt make it true.

          How many Jeffco BOE meetings have you been to?

          If you think Carita Venable and Stephanie Floyd are republicans, you better put down the crack pipe, lawn boy

        3. Maybe u google jefferson county, new mexico on accident LMAO

          If you lived here, maybe u would know better bwaahahaha

  8. Agree with Anonymous. The zero intelligence follows zero tolerance. The measurement of real intelligence is not just following rules. You can train a chimp, dog, cat or even a parakeet to follow certain rules. Rules are simply guidelines. The key measurement of intelligence is when the time comes to not follow the rules because the situation justifies a unique action to fit reality. Rules and even the law fail to cover every event. And sometimes the rule or the law is inappropriate (gasp!) in certain circumstances which superficially would seem to fit the rule or law. In medicine we have the science which, until recently, gave good guidance on our steps, thoughts and actions in specified situations. But there was also the Art of Medicine, which would occasionally rear its head when the circumstances and experience and a superior insight would argue that another course, not applicable to science as we know it, is appropriate.
    It’s called JUDGEMENT which is truly one of the rarest commodities in the human experience, seldom manifest in our species. Virtually never seen in politics or higher education.

  9. I’m not supporting the punishment which seems excessive without knowing the facts. I do have a question. Do kids even play cops and robbers anymore? I can picture kids pretending to use a gun in a wide range of scenarios but not cops and robbers. I’d like to know the whole story.

    1. Do kids even play cops and robbers anymore?

      Duh! Of course they do. I take it you are childless?

      1. I have children and nine grandchildren. Of course kids of my complexion have the added worry of being shot so that may be a reason they don’t pretend to have guns.

        1. I’ll say this: you’ve got balls to so brazenly play the race card like that. With that said . . . I don’t believe you. Kids are kids. I have lots of them, and I know how they are. I’ve also fostered 10 kids mostly minorities, and I know how they are.

            1. When I was a kid “the talk” referred to the birds and the bees. They were too young for that. Was there some other talk you had in mind?

              1. There is another talk, one important to the survival of your minority foster kids. Rather than me send you something, I suggest you Google “The talk for black children,” or some variation thereof, and choose between the myriad of articles describing what “the talk” is and why it’s important. It applies to other minorities as well. Don’t ignore this because you may not like me as the source. Think of it as research into how things you might consider when raising minority children.

                1. Minority kids are human beings, just the same as non-minority kids, and they live in a geographic area with a mix of races, largely integrated. Being as they are human beings, it is important to teach them there are three types of people: sheep, wolves, and sheepdogs. (See American Sniper.)

                  Some people prefer to believe evil doesn’t exist. If it ever confronted them, they wouldn’t know how to respond. I want my kids to be sheepdogs (protectors). To do that, they have to be able to confront and defeat evil. That’s not gonna happen with weakness, wokeness, or this stupid school official’s approach.

                  1. We had a family of mostly adopted minorities.
                    They never needed a special talk about race.
                    But they/we grew up in a very conservative small town where race was not a thing.
                    BTW, I am not white.
                    We also had to a degree a “gun” culture. Classmates had gun racks in their pick up trucks. No one lost their minds over it.

                    1. With a gun culture and gun racks in pickup trucks they were probably safer than average. There’s even a book about that called “More Guns Less Crime.”

                      Speaking of pickup trucks, I learned in a college criminology course about a study that was done on people honking when the light turns green and the car in front doesn’t move for a few seconds. When the vehicle in front was a pickup truck, especially one with a gun rack, people were much less likely to honk (surprise surprise). Road rage incidents and the violence they generate were thus reduced.

                  2. I don’t know if any of the foster kids you’ve raised are Black. If one was a Black girl would you refuse to learn anything about doing her hair because it might make you “woke?” Those kids are going to experience different evils than white ones and a responsible parent would prepare them. I’m not talking about the school official and how they handled kids pretending to shoot each other. I’m talking about improving your kids chances of survival. At least read up on the subject and reject what you will. Don’t let your political ideology put those kids in harms way.

                    1. Does this “talk” include telling then that they are SEVEN TIMES more likely to have their “survival” threatened by a black person than a white one??

                    2. As white people are more likely to be threatened by white people. I’m genuinely trying to help “Someone” who says he’s fostering minority children, which I applaud. What is your goal, Tom?

                    3. So i should have “the talk” with my white kids about how they are more likely to be victimized by white people??

                      I asked you a specific question. If your answer is “no”, which apparently it is, who donyou tell them is threatening their survival?? Grizzly bears???

                    4. Those kids are going to experience different evils than white ones and a responsible parent would prepare them.

                      Your standards are too low. I don’t want them to just survive, I want them to thrive and lead. I’d rather have them be strong than safe. That ain’t gonna happen with the type of racist upbringing you support. Live not by lies!

                    5. You have no idea what upbringing I support. I do worry about your foster kids not being prepared for a world you can’t see and won’t make the effort to learn about.

                    10. “Black Children Are Six Times More Likely to Be Shot to Death by PoliceBlack Children Are Six Times More Likely to Be Shot to Death by Police” and those police that shoot those children are disproportionately black.

                    12. ” It’s hard to exist in a police department without being more Blue than Black.”

                      The police protect black kids from being killed in the streets. You protect blacks even when they are criminals and killers.

                      I wish to protect the black kids along with all the others. I will take blue over blacks (or anyone else) who murder.

                    14. ” Black kids being killed at 6 times the rate as white.”

                      I care about the death of black kids and all children. You don’t share a similar concern. All you do is twist statements to create racist arguments to elevate victimhood, hoping to provide yourself with talking points and status.

                      Do you care about educating young black children? No. As you told me earlier, that was not your concern. Have you shown concern for the black family? No. Correcting such problems would lower your status of victimhood. What have you suggested to reduce the killing of black children in Chicago by other black children or by the police trying to disarm a black youth? Nothing!

                      You are all about talking of your own glory of victimhood. That is it. The story ends. There is nothing more to you than that claim.

                    15. “Do you care about educating young black children? No. As you told me earlier, that was not your concern.”

                      You are such a liar. Add that to the list of untrue things you keep repeating. Maybe I “hypothetically” said that since you do much better with things you make up and not facts.

                    16. How so? In the past, when you focused on the rearview mirror, I would try and bring you back to Chicago, where young black kids were killing one another and the school system. I brought up the NYC school system and how charter schools were helping to educate black children, where some were going to college because of charter school education. You told me that was not your interest.

                      Why do we never hear solutions from you when many exist? The answer is you are not interested, presumably because it upsets the apple cart of victimhood.

                      I can only surmise that when there weren’t many black police officers, you blamed it on racism. Now that there are black police officers, you say black officers put away their culture and become blue.

                      There is no way to satisfy one who lives off the fruits of victimhood.

        2. Enigma, I believe what you say about your family, but when I look at the news in pictures, I see something different. I don’t see black kids playing cops and robbers, and I don’t see them using their fingers as guns. What I see is black kids with real guns shooting at one another while some lie on the ground after being shot by another black kid.

          None of that is a pleasant sight and something that needs to change. I just don’t see you pushing for the change that is required. Finger guns are not the problem.

          1. “One of many factors.”

            Please, what are the others?

            What reason does that article give for black children being 6 times more likely to be shot by police?

        3. Of course kids of my complexion have the added worry of being shot

          Bulldust. I’m calling you a liar. Kids of any complexion in a high crime area have to worry about being shot by the criminals around them; kids of any complexion in a low crime area don’t. Which is precisely why those old enough to arm themselves, and who live in high crime areas, should do so. And why those who aren’t old enough should wait eagerly for when they are. And why restricting teenagers from being armed for self-defense in such areas is probably just as unconstitutional as doing so to adults.

          As for being shot by police, which is what I suspect you really meant, it’s an outright lie that complexion has anything to do with it. Police are no more likely to kill a black person who threatens them or who resists arrest than they are to shoot a white person who does the same. (In fact they’re slightly less likely, but the difference is not significant.)

          1. This is where i was going, but i was hoping to make him say it. But he is a sly one, its why he referred Anon to the info, instead of repeating that horsesh!t here. Then he began talking around it, like he always does. Definitely one of the more passive/aggressive racists i’ve ever seen.

            “The talk” should include instructions to stfu and comply when confronted by police, whether you think your rights are being infringed or not. The less safe u feel, the more you should stfu and comply. I have had 4 separate interactions with police where i felt unfairly treated, 5 if you count one with military police. I survived them all and its not because i am white.

            1. “There is nothing more painful to me at this stage in my life than to walk down the street and hear footsteps… then turn around and see somebody white and feel relieved.”

              ― Jesse Jackson

                1. When one looks at the data, one takes note of the causes, black-on-black killings and deaths while a black man is committing a crime. Most black people prefer peaceful and charitable behavior and want their streets cleared of criminals. Do you?

                    1. “In 2012, half of all murder victims were Black men.”

                      Enigma how did his response not answer the question? It explained some of the numbers.

                      Why don’t you make yourself clear.

                    2. I asked Party A what he meant, given it could be interpreted many ways. Party B, who wasn’t in the conversation, provides his answer which doesn’t answer what Party A intended, unless Party B can read minds. I clearly asked Party A what he meant, which would affect my response. Nobody was talking to Party B who sometimes, when someone else was being spoken to, should remain silent. Clear?

                    3. “I asked Party A what he meant, given it could be interpreted many ways. Party B, who wasn’t in the conversation, provides his answer which doesn’t answer what Party A intended”

                      You said the interpretation could be interpreted in many ways. Spend a bit of time making yourself clear and restate your question because the answer provided by Anonymous seemed to be a good one.

                      “In 2012, half of all murder victims were Black men.”

                      It seems Anonymous stated why so many victims were black men. “black-on-black killings and deaths while a black man is committing a crime.”

                      Maybe you didn’t get the answer you wanted, but it was a proper answer.

                    4. The only answer I wanted was from the person I asked. Every answer from someone else is based on their speculation. Clear? I wanted to engage into a discussion with the person that addressed me. Instead I get trolls (including you oif that wasn’t clear).

                    5. Be happy. You got more than you asked for. I think the answer would be similar to mine, considering everything said. Black-on-black killings and deaths during criminal behavior are why black deaths from guns are so high.

                      Is that not true?

    2. “I’d like to know the whole story.”

      Because there has to be some explanation for the stupidity displayed here, right?

      There must be something more sinister at play. Maybe he pointed it at a black student, eh enigma?

      1. I don’t know, and of course we can count on Turley of the suspended child’s parents to tell us the truth. Maybe, just maybe, there was an actual threat made, but that would mess up the narrative.

        1. An actual threat??? By a six year old? Dude listen to yourself. Just like Raffensberger was “threatened” lmao. If you keep this up, enigma, i am going to turn my satellite laser beam on you!

        2. Did you even read the report the good professor linked to?
          The part where,
          “According to the attorney and school staff, on September 1, J.B. and another student were playing “cops and robbers” during recess. During the game, the children made pretend guns with their fingers and said “Bang, bang” at each other.
          As reported by school staff, their play did not threaten any other students, did not disrupt any class activities, and did not interfere with school functions in any way,”
          So, yes, they were in fact playing cops and robbers.
          There was no threat.
          No police were called, no police report.
          What is the narrative here?
          A bunch over zealous busy bodies made up a really dumb rule, removed all common sense and put on gross display their lack of not only common sense but critical thinking?

        1. “How long has it been since the last mass murder in Alabama?”

          By a six year old, or by a white person??

          1. That mentally ill trans Audrey Hale shot her way into a school and killed six, 3 being children.

  13. Please Jonathan. Don’t be giving our Governor here in New Mexico any more ammunition for gun control. Felony Finger might be too tempting for her to resist !! It is an excellent choice for Concealed Carry though…….

  14. Damn, I’d be serving multiple life sentences if this were the case when I was in elementary school.

  16. So society plies children with violent video games and movies and then punishes a child for using a finger gun. The insanity in this country (and beyond as we are seeing in the homeland of George Orwell) knows no bounds.

  17. The real question is “what was going through JB’s mind at the time?” Should the crime be enhanced as a hate crime? Were simulated indigenous peoples involved in those thoughts? How about imaginary culturally disadvantaged individuals who consider laws as suggestions? This stuff makes slippery slopes look like high-traction areas.

  18. so when a child does something wrong…do we throw them out of the family?
    How about they TEACH the kid to be better? But GIVEN how BAD teacher unions are…I believe they are INCAPABLE! The STAFF who be fired! Get ACTUAL teachers!

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