STUPIDITY VIRUS STRIKES IN BIG SKY COUNTRY

Havre Daily News ^ | June 02, 2004 | Chuck Muth, President, Citizen Outreach

[CourtneyLeigh]

STUPIDITY VIRUS STRIKES IN BIG SKY COUNTRY

Good grief. It appears a national epidemic has broken out in recent weeks. But when this kind of anti-gun paranoia nonsense hits in MONTANA, you know we REALLY have a big problem.

Here’s the latest: An 11-year-old kid finds an unloaded .22-caliber pistol with a part missing which rendered the gun inoperable. Not knowing what to do with it, he took it to his school principal’s office and turned it in. The principal then turned kid in...to the cops.

The Havre Daily News (http://www.havredailynews.com/articles/2004/06/01/local_headlines/student.txt) reported on Tuesday that “police responded at 8:51 a.m. and took the juvenile to the police station for questioning...(where he was) issued a summons on a charge of possessing a weapon in a school building.” The paper says the local police chief maintains the grade-school kid should have taken the gun to the police station rather than the principal’s office.

What in the wide, wide world of sports is going on here? Do any government bureaucrats anywhere in the country possess any level of common sense any more? And has anybody else noticed that whenever extreme examples of adult stupidity occur, it’s usually in a government-run school? Is that cause...or effect?

I attempted to reach Principal Linda Kaze this afternoon; however, I was informed that she was tied up conducting various end-of-year award ceremonies all day...ceremonies which, by the way, the young lad in question is NOT a part of. All the adult powers-that-be agreed that the boy shouldn’t attend the final two days of the school year (but at least he wasn’t “officially” suspended!).

I also tried to reach School Superintendent Kirk Miller, who was referenced in the Daily News story, but he was “in a meeting.” However, the person answering the phone did verify that what was reported in the paper accurately reflected what actually happened and seemed surprised that I was so upset about it. Go figure.

I’m sure Principal Kaze and Dr. Miller have perfectly logical explanations for how and why this whole thing was handled. I can hardly wait to hear them...

BRUSHFIRE ALERT: Principal’s Name: Linda Kaze. Principal’s email address: kazel@ss.havre.k12.mt.us. Ms. Kaze’s phone number is: (406) 265-9671. Dr. Miller’s phone number: (406) 265-4356.

[CourtneyLeigh]

So, Just how would this principle have handled his response had a janitor, teacher, or coach produced such a treacherous item? Would he report the gun like a good American, or report a VIOLATOR FOR POSSESSION like a nasty no-gooder?

Hmm, I wonder what this means to parents all around the world? Will children ever be treated like children again?
Things like this sadden me!

[TheLurkerX]

Kind of a good teaching incentive not to get involved, huh? Common sense isn't so common anymore.

[RetiredArmy]

The paper says the local police chief maintains the grade-school kid should have taken the gun to the police station rather than the principal's office.

The Police Chief needs to have his stupid ass kicked from one end of main street to the other end and back. You TELL kids to take things to an ADULT. Did this kid, 11 years old, know where the damned police station was or could he get there? Most likely NO! He took it to a responsible (and since this fool turned the kid in) adult, the school principal (who actually turns out to be a moron!). Stupidity reigns in Amerika!

[newgeezer]

The Havre Daily News

Makes me wonder if they pronounce it "HARVE". ;O)

[newgeezer]

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[Blood of Tyrants]

Thought you were immunized against stupidity in Montana, huh? I tell you, there is no safe place.

[MineralMan]

"Here’s the latest: An 11-year-old kid finds an unloaded .22-caliber pistol with a part missing which rendered the gun inoperable. Not knowing what to do with it, he took it to his school principal’s office and turned it in. The principal then turned kid in...to the cops. "

Stupid principal! But I guess they never had the Eddie Eagle program in that school. If they had, the boy would have known not to touch the pistol, but to report it to an adult.

Still, this is a stupid way to treat the boy.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I bet this is exactly what Eddie Eagle would have done.

[Squawk 8888]

The Police Chief needs to have his stupid ass kicked from one end of main street to the other end and back.

Better yet, let's have it kicked from one end of Toronto's main street to the other and back. Yonge Street is roughly 1,000 miles long }:-)

[Spok]

By today's standards, if a teenager gets pregnant/AIDS/addicted or indicted, or commits a murder/rape/burglary/assault or peddles drugs, it's a 'mistake'. But let an 11 year old not know you should take an abandoned gun to the police instead of the principal, and he's a terrorist. I would expect this kind of thing in San Francisco or Ithaca, New York, but Montana???

[Godzilla]

I can't believe that this has occurred in my home state. The dufus principal and superintendent must have spent too much time in Canada lately.

[Fiddlstix]

More proof: The inmates are running the asylum.

[CourtneyLeigh]

Yeah! That was a slap in the face!

[boilerfan]

My recommendation would be that this kid's parents find a real good lawyer and sue the ever living &^%$ out of the principal and the superintendent for their mistreatment of their child.

In Montana they would win and win big, maybe even get rid of the stupid bureaucrats that made this stupid decision.

That's right a double stupid on purpose.

[CourtneyLeigh]

What exactly is a bang list again?

[Freeper john]

"kazel@ss" Is this part of her email address or a description of her?

[CourtneyLeigh]

That's the ticket, maybe they will do that. Wonder if there are any good Montana Freepers/Lawyers on this website?

[CourtneyLeigh]

;o)

Hmph, Idunno!