Gun Crime On School Bus
We're the land of the free to be idiotic when a 6-year-old kindergartner gets in trouble for bringing a gun on the school bus -- a plastic GI-Joe gun the size of a quarter.
Cheryl K. Chumley writes in the Wash Times:
The 6-year-old was given detention and forced to apologize to the bus driver, The Daily Caller reported. He may be tossed from the bus, too, depending on how school administrators pursue the incident."I think they overreacted, totally. I totally do," said mother Mieke Crane, in the WGGB report. "I could see if it was, you know, an Airsoft gun or some sort of pistol or live bullets or something, but this is just a toy. At 6 years old, I don't really think he understood the zero-tolerance policy and related it to this as the same."
Yes, this is exactly what 6-year-olds should be focused on -- idiotic policy.
Lenore Skenazy posted a photo here of the "terrifying instrument of death." Here's Skenazy on the boy who pretended a pencil was a gun:
The teacher wrote, "Christopher pointed his pencil at another student as if it was a gun and made shooting sounds. I told him to stop and he did."Now, you might THINK that that final sentence meant she told him to stop and he did. As in, "Okay kids, now let's get back to our math lesson." But in fact, the next part of the form is labeled, "THIS SECTION MUST BE FILLED OUT" and so it was, detailing all the post-pencil-pointing "ACTION TAKEN." Apparently the admins:
1. Held a conference with the student.
2. Met with his mother.And
3. Suspended the boy for two days.
That'll teach him to point a pencil!
...Bethanne Bradshaw, a spokesperson for Suffolk Public Schools, told a Fox reporter that, when accompanied by verbal "gun noises" (or at least the universal stand-in for real gun noise -- the word, "Bang!"), "Some children would consider it threatening, who are scared about shootings in schools or shootings in the community....They think about drive-by shootings and murders."
They do? Then here's a tip: Instead of reinforcing their hysteria by reacting as if they're in real danger, try saying something soothing instead, like, "Look, hon, it's just a pencil." (Or something satisfying like, "FOR GOD'S SAKE, IT'S JUST A PENCIL!")
But since it seems more likely that the kids were not ACTUALLY scared of being shot by a #2 Ticonderoga, then let's retire the, "Oh, the poor, rattled children!" rationale. If no one feels threatened, why overreact? And why teach kids to overreact, too?
Because that's what we've been trained to do. Safetyland -- excuse me, America -- is so obsessed with safety that we demand it even when we're already extremely safe. We want super-safety -- the kind you get when you make middle-aged moms take off their shoes before getting to the gate. Yes, we are 99.99999% sure you're not a shoe bomber, but just in case.
I saw the story about the little boy with the tiny gun. The reporter interviewed a few parents at the school to ask them their opinions. The women thought the school completely overreacted. The one dad the reporter spoke did not think the school overreacted. THE FUCK?! I had to rewind to make sure I heard what he really said. I've said it before, but I honestly fear for my grandsons when they start school.
sara at May 30, 2013 6:05 AM
It's obvious that this is intended to raise a generation that is so scared of guns that the repeal of the Second Amendment will be utterly painless.
But the question is, what do we do about it?
Patrick at May 30, 2013 6:20 AM
But the question is, what do we do about it?
Get your kids involved in some kind of shooting sports. I don't know that they're available country wide, but where I am locally, the 4-H groups teach firearm safety, and have several options for competition, from revolvers to shotguns to black powder, in addition to archery and other forms of non-bullet weapons. I understand that boy scouts have similar options.
If the group settings aren't available, teach your children about guns, even if you don't want to keep any in the house. Explain how they work to the best of your ability, why they are dangerous, and what the purpose of owning a gun is, from hunting to home defense to personal defense. Find a range, and ask if the owners would be willing to assist you, especially if you are unfamiliar with firearms yourself.
I would suggest adding some kind of safety and instruction training in schools to make the broadest impact, but with teachers afraid (or at least willing to act afraid) of pencils, breakfast pastries, and plastic guns the size a quarter, I doubt many would be willing to actually learn enough about real firearms to be able to teach the students.
Jazzhands at May 30, 2013 6:50 AM
This sort of crap will continue until such time as the lame administrators who infest our public schools are held accountable for their actions. Flogging may be too much to ask; but getting fired would be a reasonable goal. Good luck with that. Sending children to public school is a losing proposition.
Bar Sinister at May 30, 2013 7:26 AM
"FOR GOD'S SAKE, IT'S JUST A PENCIL!"
I dunno, I think this would be government establishment of religion....
jerry at May 30, 2013 8:13 AM
"And why teach kids to overreact, too?"
Cultivation of hypervigilance and paranoia makes it easier for people to bite on "I'm from the government, and I'm here to help."
ValiantBlue at May 30, 2013 8:51 AM
If you live in California, many gun and hunt clubs sponsor free hunter safety courses. I think every kid should take one if only to learn how dangerous guns can be when handled idiotically.
Oh and our current President has certainly increased gun ownership in this country.
Janet C at May 30, 2013 9:04 AM
Jazzhands, good suggestions. I hope the parents who read your post take heed.
Patrick at May 30, 2013 9:07 AM
I'm pissed at the little jerk who really caused the problem. I think he or she is the one who really owes the driver an apology.
Because I don't believe little kids have become that stupid. I don't believe either kid thought that toy was at all dangerous. I do believe that kids enjoy telling on each other.
And now they've just gotten another lesson on how to freak out the adults who are supposed to be teaching them to become rational people.
Pricklypear at May 30, 2013 10:03 AM
Anyone up for a game of Livestock Administrators and Native Americans?
Eric at May 30, 2013 10:55 AM
Jeez. I had a student of mine make a better looking little AK-47 out of a chopstick and a razor blade. He did threaten me with it. All I did was ask him if I can take picture. Did not even think to take the razor blade, because well half the students have on in their pencil case.
Actually this week I had to take away a gun from one kid. True it was an Airsoft BB gun. I had to take it from because he was not listening to the lesson. Shoot and playing is for break time.
Thank God I am in Korea (South, not North). I would weep on how my situations would be handled in the States.
What happened to the States? When did you turn in to such worry warts and wimps.
John Paulson at May 30, 2013 1:21 PM
It's impossible to explain. Sometimes I think we've gone soft, but we haven't really. We're getting there, and we're doing our best to make our kids afraid of their own shadows. I don't understand it. People talk about their own childhoods but don't think their own kids could handle the same things.
I think it comes from people saying "I want my kid to have it better than I did." Parents often don't seem to realize their kids already have it better. Of course, it depends on how you define the word better. These days it apparently means safer.
Eventually we're going to choke on the bubblewrap.
Pricklypear at May 30, 2013 2:10 PM
I really think these schools need to get a grip on reality.
I am so glad that I don't have kids. I'd have to start finding places to bury the bodies.
Jim P. at May 30, 2013 8:12 PM
I just noticed - the reporter's name is seriously "Chumley"?
Grey Ghost at May 31, 2013 6:24 AM
@John Paulson - "What happened to the States? When did you turn in to such worry warts and wimps."
I think it happened when you and your massive testicles removed the last bit of testosterone from the education system by moving to South Korea to perform the ultra-manly task of teaching English.
Gog_Magog_Carpet_Reclaimers at May 31, 2013 10:57 AM
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