Posted on 09/19/2006 7:13:41 PM PDT by MeneMeneTekelUpharsin
A Harris Middle School student has told Bedford County's Juvenile Court judge that he took a gun to school on Sept. 11 and on Monday he accepted state probation among other requirements for the act which would have been a felony had the boy been an adult. Assistant Public Defender Cathy Hickerson entered a guilty plea for the eighth-grader before Judge Charles Rich, who imposed substantially the same sentence on the boy as one who appeared in court five days earlier. The only difference is 24 hours of public service work.
Monday's defendant told county officials he found a gun on a school bus and took it into the school where he showed it to other students, according to Capt. Tony Barrett, chief of the county's school resource officers. The boy hid the unloaded pistol in the back pack of a friend who didn't tell authorities. Then, apparently as officials were trying to investigate, the gun was placed in a wastepaper basket at the school clinic.
By 2:30 p.m. Sept. 11, more than a half hour before school ended for the day, both boys were in juvenile detention, named in petitions asking the court to declare them delinquent. Taking a gun on campus is a "very serious offense," Rich told the boy on Monday. "I don't know what the school system's position will be on this, but if you don't follow the terms or conditions, you'll be in custody." Barrett anticipated enforcement of the school system's policy of no tolerance on weapons at school, indicating that could lead to expulsion for the rest of the year. Superintendent Ed Gray said Bill Pietkiewicz, principal of the middle school, advised him there'd been a violation of the zero tolerance police. Gray then advised the boys' parents.
"I've asked the Student Disciplinary Hearing Authority to review all the evidence in this matter and make a recommendation to me. The superintendent is the only one who can modify the zero tolerance policy. We also look to see what's in their past." The 74-year-old grandfather of the boy in court on Monday said, "There's been no trouble. I never thought this would happen." The boy's grandmother said he "is a very good kid. He's good about going to school. None of us own a gun. He's never had one." The boy's mother was also in court with him and deferred comment until later.
State probation for both boys came with house arrest for an indefinite period, according to Rich. Both will lose any driving privileges that they might have had, or for which they were about to become eligible. House arrest means that the boys cannot go anywhere where they might be out of sight or sound of their parents. Both were directed to submit to evaluations at Centerstone, a medical facility in Tullahoma where defendants are frequently sent in such situations.
In other words, just admit you're crazy and the state will go easy on you...I read a FR post recently in which the poster commented that Russia is in many ways becoming like America used to be, and America is taking on some of the trappings of the old Soviet Union. He had a good point....
It is past time to quit treating these "kids" with "kid gloves". Some little kid steals a candy bar from the local Conoco station - sure, probation and a slap on the hand the first time. But a kid who brings a gun to school, despite the laws and publicity regarding guns and schools, is up to no good.
He picked up a gun, brought it into the school, showed it to people and didn't turn it into the office.
This doesn't warrant a mental evaluation IMO, but it isn't quite as innocent as "any kid who picks up a gun for any reason".
I'm slightly skeptical that the kid actually "found" the gun on the bus. The authorities may suspect that he BROUGHT the gun to school on purpose and thus, a mental evaluation is the result. That, I agree with.
I looked it up, that's in Tennessee. The last I heard it isn't even illegal to have a gun in Tennessee if it is loaded. Why should shoolchildren be held to a different standard than adults are? I was much less likely to blow someone's fool head clean off as a teenager than I am now.
The entire driving force behind all of this are the lawyers. If the school doesn't check out the child's mental status, then the school is liable for what happens next. However, in almost every case, the school can tell you who is dangerous and who's not. Again, because of lawyers, the school can NOT indicate that they think a child is dangerous because of liabilities. So, it is the perfect catch-22. The lawyers love it because it creates case after case for them. Lawyers ARE the primary problem and are the REASON society can not make the correct judgements and act upon them. The greed of the lawyers = the end of the nation.
Why? How many of us carried a .22 to school as a kid? Just because some blissninny has made it against the law doesnt mean the law is right
I would wager that NONE of us carried a .22 into the school. In a vehicle, sure - BUt carrying in a weapon to the school is a WHOLE differet ballgame.
Funny - i know of dozens of kids in my school who did it every single day. They all went to the range in the basement during lunch and after school.
Sad to say, but Russia has slipped backwards majorly.
You are saying something about your age!
But seriously, name ONE legitimate reason for a student to bring a gun to school today. Back in the days you mention, you had a legitimate reason...
As the onus is upon the state to justify its behavior, not upon the people to justify theirs, i would submit to you that the school should provide legitimate and legal reasons why they can prevent a student from doing so - especially if that student is of legal age as many high school seniors are.
Saying that they MIGHT do something wrong is not legitimate as there are all sorts of things that someone MIGHT do.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.