Game lands boys in troubleSchool punishes kids for pretend shooting

CENTENNIAL -- Charles Andrew remembers walking into Dry Creek Elementary School and finding his son alone in the foyer, sobbing and clutching a tissue.

Ten-year-old Connor got in trouble at school, and the boy was sure he would be punished. After all, the school's principal wanted his dad to pick him up early.

"He was just sitting there," Andrew, 42, said of his son, a fourth-grader. "I worried about what happened."

The incident and ensuing detention all stemmed from a playground game of army-and-aliens -- Connor and six other boys rolled on the ground and pretended to shoot creatures, using their fingers as pretend weapons.

At least one other student and a playground monitor thought the March 25 game displayed "violent and aggressive behavior," said Mary Terch, executive director of elementary education for Cherry Creek Schools. All seven boys were brought inside to meet with Principal Darci Mickle.

The game violated the school's zero-tolerance policy against violence, she told them. The students signed an agreement earlier in the year saying they would follow school safety rules.

"Then Mickle asked my son if we had guns in our home," said Kristine Kinney, the mother of another student, Jorge Marquez, 10. "It's none of their business if we have a gun.

"These are good boys," she said. "My son gets detention and I have to tell him that he didn't do anything wrong. That's confusing for a child."

Mickle did not return a call seeking comment, but Terch confirmed that the principal asked the children whether their parents had firearms in their homes. The school acted appropriately, Terch said, adding that Mickle "had to discern the level of threat against students and staff."

"These students crossed the line," Terch said. "From what I heard, the play was very dramatic. They were rolling around . . . and it demonstrated a level of aggression."

But the boys' parents said the incident is an example of post-Columbine-zero-tolerance run amok. State law determines required expulsions for certain violations, such as when students bring weapons or firearm replicas to school.

"I don't really see children pointing their fingers at aliens as being a gun issue," said Arnie Grossman, co-president of the gun-control group SAFE Colorado. "There's no real threat. All of us played cops and robbers when we were young."

All seven children missed recess for a week as part of their punishment. Andrew, a sales representative, said his son endured students' jokes and dirty looks. Connor asked to stay home from school.

"He was so upset, and we all know he's not a troublemaker," Andrew said. "I feel like I've lost control over the lessons I want to teach my son."

Principal - "Thank you for coming, Mr. Flagg"

R.F. - "What can I do for you?"

Principal - "Well, your Son, Lancaster, was playing some kind of game on the playground. Apparently, he was with friends acting like "Alien Hunters" and shooting each other with pretend guns."(holds index finger and thumb up)

R.F. - "................And?"

Principal - "Well, we don't feel that this is appropriate behavior. it was very dramatic."

R.F. - "............AND?!"

Principal - "They've been disallowed from playground activities for a week."

R.F. - (turns to Son) "Is what she says true?"

Lance - (Sobs)"Yes, Daddy"

R.F. - "OK. Now son, there are some people in this world called "Liberals". These people seem to think that they have the obligation to control everything and everyone that they don't agree with. If they are close to failing at this, then they try to hurt them in whatever way that hurts the most."

Principal - "Mr. Flagg, I really---"

R.F. - "Excuse me, but were any of your Grandparents in World War Two?"

Principal - "Yes, I had a Grandfather that---"

R.F. - "OK, did you ever think that your Grandpa, and the other men who bravely saved this world from the Nazis played "Cops-And-Robbers", or, "Cowboys-And-Indians" in their school's playgrounds?"

Principal - "I can't really speak for---"

R.F. - "Did you know that if they didn't learn how to simulate combat situations in their youth that they'd be baffled at the thought of warfare? And, the possible result would be that you'd be speaking German and your parents would be lampshades?"

Principal - "Sir, our playground---"

R.F. - "WAIT! Did you say this happened in a PLAY ground? Aren't kids supposed to PLAY in these places?"

Principal - "It was a display of violent---"

R.F. - "Did you think that by not allowing kids to be kids by playing and letting loose the stresses of daily life that you might be creating the next Harris and Kliebold?"

Principal - "Well..."

R.F. - "Son, you and I are going hunting on Saturday. Then we're going fishing on Sunday. After fishing, we'll go home and get cleaned up to go out for all the pizza and sodas you want. Ma'am, please get all the paperwork I need to sign to get my Son away from your Communist indoctrination that some might call a school. What you have done here is immoral and wrong and my son will have no more of it."

Principal - "Hunting?? Do you have GUNS in your home??"

R.F. - "More than I need, less than I want."

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