Linda Lipshutz, MS, ACSW: Why Do We Hate Single Dads?
'16 & Pregnant' Dad Apologizes To Infant Son
First Grader suspended for bringing real gun to school
Filed under: Big Kids, Health & Safety: Babies, Day Care & Education, Toys
Most schools these days have a zero tolerance policy towards weapons of any kind, including toys that represent weapons. These policies are generally communicated to the parents at the start of the school year. Unfortunately, not everyone pays attention. Well, it looks like another six-year-old is about to be suspended. This time, however, instead of a cheap orange squirt gun, the kid brought a loaded .38 caliber pistol to school.
This is why I support a zero-tolerance policy such as was discussed heavily in the recent case involving the squirt gun. Then, many of our readers felt that a ten day suspension was too harsh a punishment since the toy was so obviously unreal. One commenter even noted that "A real gun weighs several pounds or more. A squirt gun weighs several ounces," concluding "...and children should know the difference."
Therein lies the biggest problem. Children, especially this young, cannot tell the difference between a real gun and a toy. They still believe in Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, and Big Bird. To them, a squishy orange squirt gun is just as real or imaginary as a hearty Sig-Sauer. Not knowing the characteristics of a real firearm, they don't know that the weight could be a distinguishing characteristic. So, the heavy handgun their uncle fools around with, shooting tin cans off a fence, is as much a toy as the squishy orange squirt gun they shoot their friends with after school. They simply cannot tell the difference.
You and I can look at a cheap toy and know that it's harmless and we can look at a real gun and know what it can do, but a child may not be able to tell the difference between the two and probably cannot understand what the real one is capable of. That's why you have to say neither is allowed. Zero tolerance. If this kid, who brought a loaded .38 to school should be punished, then so too should the kid who brought the cheap orange squirt gun, for to them, there is no difference.
This is why I support a zero-tolerance policy such as was discussed heavily in the recent case involving the squirt gun. Then, many of our readers felt that a ten day suspension was too harsh a punishment since the toy was so obviously unreal. One commenter even noted that "A real gun weighs several pounds or more. A squirt gun weighs several ounces," concluding "...and children should know the difference."
Therein lies the biggest problem. Children, especially this young, cannot tell the difference between a real gun and a toy. They still believe in Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, and Big Bird. To them, a squishy orange squirt gun is just as real or imaginary as a hearty Sig-Sauer. Not knowing the characteristics of a real firearm, they don't know that the weight could be a distinguishing characteristic. So, the heavy handgun their uncle fools around with, shooting tin cans off a fence, is as much a toy as the squishy orange squirt gun they shoot their friends with after school. They simply cannot tell the difference.
You and I can look at a cheap toy and know that it's harmless and we can look at a real gun and know what it can do, but a child may not be able to tell the difference between the two and probably cannot understand what the real one is capable of. That's why you have to say neither is allowed. Zero tolerance. If this kid, who brought a loaded .38 to school should be punished, then so too should the kid who brought the cheap orange squirt gun, for to them, there is no difference.
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
10-06-2006 @ 3:54PM
thordora said...Still not buying it with a 6 year old. The ninth graders mentioned, hell yes. But this is a case of parental responsibility, or lack thereof. How does a 6 year old get a gun if they think it's the same as an orange squirt gun? Their parents leave it out.
Punish the parents, and thank your lucky stars no one was hurt. A 6 year old will not understand why they were suspended if they can't understand the difference between the two guns.
Reply
10-06-2006 @ 4:00PM
Christine said...What gave the 6 year old the impression that it was an appropriate show and tell piece? I would really look into what is going on with the parents...
That said... Im for zero-tolerance. It was just a couple years ago that (wasnt it) a Kindergartener shot another little girl in his class...? The child should be suspended but talked to about why.. and the parents, maybe, should be criminally charged...
Reply
10-06-2006 @ 4:06PM
Ginny said...I have to say I wholeheartedly agree with Thordora on this one. I have a (nearly) 6 year old and I pretty much take responsibility for everything he does at this point. If he forgets his backpack, that's MY fault. If he brings a toy to school, that's MY fault. If has access to a gun, that's MY fault. If he brings it to school, then I take full responsibility.
Reply
10-06-2006 @ 4:41PM
Tor said...An important distinction - a loaded .38 can kill someone (even accidentally), whereas a squirt gun cannot (even accidentally). As the person who made the weight comment - if you have a gun in the house, you should (a) make sure the child never has access to it and (b) make sure he/she knows what it is and never ever ever to touch it or he'll get the longest time out in his life (or other appropriate punishment). One way you can teach the child to distinguish between a real and fake gun is to point out the weight difference. And even if you don't have a gun in the house, if you live in an area where the child may come across one, either abandoned or otherwise, it would make sense to talk to the child about gun safety. Pretending they aren't around won't make your child safer.
And when I said, 'children should know the difference' I was saying that they should be taught the difference between a real - not that they were born knowing the difference between a real and fake gun, as you imply I said.
And upon reading the article, when the student said, "Do you want to see my gun?" - that says to me that the child knew it was a gun, and not a toy. To me, I don't care whether the child understood that he was breaking a rule - he did something incredibly dangerous, and should be punished for it.
And finally, the parents should be prosecuted for child endangerment. That someone could be that stupid makes me sick.
Reply
10-06-2006 @ 4:49PM
Tor said...Just to clarify - when I said that I was against zero tolerance - that does not mean that I approve of kids taking real guns to schools, or think that they should not be punished for doing so. Is a suspension the most effective punishment? Probably not - counseling and education would be at that age - and it does not appear that the child was being malicious.
But a suspension is an appropriate punishment in this case, and I don't see any reason for leniency when other children were actually endangered.
And even if the sole purpose was deterrance - I don't see any problem with telling everyone - "you bring a real gun to school, you *will* be punished - no exceptions. Self defense is not a reason (talk to a teacher, cop or parent) nor is ignorance. There are no loopholes when you bring a real gun to school."
Reply
10-06-2006 @ 11:26PM
Belinda said...Is anything being done to the parents? I mean any child endangerment charges?? It would make since to me! Also how about an investigation of the house by child protective services? Who in their right mind would leave a LOADED gun out for a child to TAKE??
Reply