Posted on 02/03/2005 11:22:59 AM PST by 2Am4Sure
GLADSTONE, Mo. -- A fifth-grader learned a lesson the hard way, and he said he was trying to do a good deed.
Frasier McCart said he was waiting for the bus when he discovered what looked like a handgun. It was bent open.
The 10-year-old put it in his bag, bent open, and rode the bus to school. He then went straight to the principal's office and turned the gun in.
He got a day of detention for bringing it onto school property.
"I'm a citizen trying to do a good deed," Frasier said. "I'm a Scout who knows that it's wrong to leave something there that might, that could be real and go off and hurt somebody."
The gun turned out to be fake.
His mother was upset about the situation.
"To me, it kind of sent the wrong message to children trying to do the right thing," said Tracy Johnson, his mother.
The school principal said he should have said something before getting onto the bus and never touched the gun.
"We want to make sure that he's safe at all times and that the other children on that bus were safe," said Marla Wasserman, the Oakwood Manor Elementary principal.
School officials chose a light punishment because he was a good kid, but he needed a message about what he did wrong, the principal said.
"Where I think that he could have made a better decision was in not saying anything to other children and causing them concern and worry," Wasserman said.
Frasier said he couldn't help it. He just couldn't keep a secret very long, but he didn't try to use it to scare the other children, and he wasn't asking for their advice. He said he knew to give it to an adult.
He said next time he found something like that, he'd give it to his mother and miss the bus.
It all goes back to the need for kids to be educated about guns. Preferably by the NRA, with parents. Unfortunately that's one NEA agenda item that would never even be whispered about.
This kind of nonsense really infuriates me.
That isn't the safest, recommended course of action. He should have left the gun alone and told an adult asap. He made a well-intentioned but incorrect choice and got a slap on the wrist (bringing a gun to school is typically punished by suspension, to my understanding). What's the big deal?
Zero tolerance = zero brains.
local6.com
Fla. Fifth-Grader Arrested For Bringing Toy Gun To School POSTED: 7:04 am EST February 3, 2005
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. -- A fifth-grade student was arrested and released to the custody of his mother after he allegedly brought a plastic toy gun with a red tip to school.
Police say the boy was suspended from Driftwood Elementary School for ten days and charged with one misdemeanor count of disrupting school.
Students at the school yesterday told a school resource officer that another student had a gun. Officials found the student and discovered a toy .45-caliber pistol
The student, who police did not identify, was released to his mother.
"Obviously the hypothetical thug was going to turn in the gun he 'found', but he hadn't had a chance to by the time he was caught...."
Obviously that excuse wouldn't fly for people with common sense.
"Why do you think the NRA is wrong to say kids shouldn't pick up and carry guns they find?"
Depends on the kid. This one had the knowledge to keep it cracked open so it wouldn't fire, I don't think he was a danger to himself or others.
But not enough knowledge to tell it was not a real gun.
Don't trust authority!!!!
There is apparently more to the story and why he was given the suspension:
"School officials chose a light punishment because he was a good kid, but he needed a message about what he did wrong, the principal said.
"Where I think that he could have made a better decision was in not saying anything to other children and causing them concern and worry," Wasserman said.
Absolutely. On a side note, my father-in-law, a retired police officer, took my 12 year old daughter to the shooting range. She got to fire a .22 rifle and he showed her how to fire a few rounds with a .38 revolver.
She came home glowing and proudly showed me all of her paper targets. What grouping! The kid's a natural! And she absolutely loves it. My 16 year old son, however, couldn't hit a bull in the butt with a bass fiddle. Oh well. Ya can't have it all I suppose.
If it had been a real, loaded gun the best thing he could have done was what he did with the toy--take physical possession of it and deliver it to a responsible adult without playing with it and without showing it to any other kids. He should have been praised for his initiative, not punished.
One thing is absolutely true; he had a real learning experience--to view most people in authority as irresponsible nitwits and fools who are absolutely NOT to be confided in. That "school" really accomplished its teaching mission. (Sarcasm off.)
Very valid, and has doubtless happened. Losers have the most ingenious tales to cover their actual deeds. (Why no, I was not cheating, I merely was checking to see how far along the other students are in the exam to see if I was going fast enough.)
Also valid IMO, this kid could have done other things besides bring a gun to school. My suggestion would be to wait on the spot for a parent to come and leave the weapon with them. (Late to school? OK, parent can give an excuse for this.)
He said next time he found something like that, he'd give it to his mother and miss the bus.
LOL. ... not too worried for young Frasier's future, however. Here's a young man who knows how to think through a problem. He is going to do just fine.
IMO
The kid did the WRONG thing.
He should have told the bus driver about the gun.
See, now THAT is an EXCELLENT scenario -- the kid does the right thing and even gets to be late for school!
You are correct.
Also as bad as it seems to be now, it is only going to get worse.
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