Toy gun leads to expulsion at GCT
By JENNIFER THOMPSON
[email protected]
Saturday, April 21, 2007 8:09 AM CDT
The Greene County Tech School Board approved the expulsion of a fifth-grade elementary school student Thursday during its regular board meeting. The student, whose name could not be disclosed, was expelled for the remainder of the school year, approximately one month, for bringing a toy gun to school.
The board expelled the student for violating Rule 4 from the elementary school. The rule deals with having possession of dangerous weapons at school.
“A student shall not possess, handle or transmit explosives, guns, of any type or any illegal knives of any type, or any other object that might be considered a weapon or dangerous weapon,” the rule states.
Superintendent Sheila Ford said administrators were not originally sure whether the object the child brought to school was a real gun, or a toy. “That was not determined,” she said. “We believe it was a toy, but we always err on the side of caution. In light of our society, school officials are cautious and careful with this type of situation. No students were in any danger at any time.”
“It was reported to the elementary principal that a child might have something in a backpack that another student was concerned about,” Ford added. “The police were not called because this happened at this child’s bus stop. We did not see what he had, and so we were not able to determine for sure if it was a toy or if it was real, but our ‘no tolerance’ policy suggests expulsion. We believe, though, it was a toy.”
Ford said the district doesn’t have a specific process to follow when an incident such as this occurs because this is the first time in the three years she has been superintendent.
This happened off the school bus. The student did however have the toy in his backpack at school. It was of the toy guns that shoots those plastic bb's. He evidently shot a girl in the leg after getting off the school bus. This happened at a bus stop near my daughter's house. In fact, my daughter watches this boy and his younger sister after school until one of their parents come to pick them up. About 2 hours a day. Not only did he get kicked out of school for 365 days, he was blackballed from attending any other schools in our area. They have now labeled him "High Risk". He will now go live with his Grandmother in Tennessee to attend school. He will be on "Probation" for a year. I know he did wrong, but 365 days? In my opinion he should have been expelled for the rest of this year. In today's society maybe it just has to be this way.
