Posted on 01/30/2013 6:44:29 PM PST by Former Fetus
SUMTER, SC (WIS) -
"You can fire it as many times as you want, it won't come out" said 6-year-old Naomi McKinney. "It's duct taped because it's broken."
McKinney took her brother's air soft gun to school January 4th. The school kept it.
"It was broken and I just wanted to show my friends it" McKinney said.
She never got that far at Alice Drive Elementary.
"I told Ms. Frye that I had the gun and she took it from my hand," said McKinney. McKinney was taken to the office and police were called.
Her father, Hank McKinney, admits some fault.
"I'll take some of the responsibility because I never had that talk with her," he said. "We don't check her. I didn't check her bag that morning."
But he feels the district's zero tolerance policy goes too far to not take into consideration the gun was just a toy.
"Maybe they can do these things case by case, instead of one size fits all," said McKinney.
District policy says it will expel any student who brings a weapon to school. A weapon means a firearm.
The district would only give us this statement: "The presence of a weapon or look alike is not allowed, and we work very closely with law enforcement when an incident of this nature arises. Sumter School District takes any potential threat very seriously."
McKinney is on Administrative Homebased Services, meaning home schools. The State Department of Education says that's illegal.
"Homebound instruction in South Carolina is permissible only for medically necessary reasons with appropriate documentation from the child's physician," said J.W. Ragley with the state Department of Education. "School districts are not permitted to claim the additional funding that goes along with homebound instruction."
They're sending their own letter to the district. The McKinney's can hold her out until first grade, home school her, send her to a private school, or virtual public charter school. Hank McKinney doesn't want his daughter behind because of a toy gun.
"If she fails for a legitimate reason, yeah, hold her back," he said. "But not over something like this."
The McKinneys can appeal the ruling to the district board, and they say they plan to do that.
Naomi has been out of school for 30 days and has received no home instruction. Sumter Board of Trustees Chairman Keith Schultz told us the board is planning to review the district's weapon policy. They'll hear an appeal if the McKinneys file one.
We have become a nation of “small kitty cats.”
Yes, but not before little Naomi has a sex change operation!
#17
I have a 6 and a 7 year old and I don’t check what they have in their book-bags when we leave in the morning. What the hell am I supposed to be, a grade school TSA agent? I would really be mad if this happened to them over something so ridiculous. But after all was said and done I think I would be relieved to know my kids wouldn’t be around these people any longer. I wouldn’t want them getting their ‘stupid’ all over my children.
I wonder what WOULD happen if 80 1st graders all showed up at school with water pistols one day. Little plastic water squirters in florescent green and orange. Would they expel every single one of them? I bet I know what they would do. They would decide to keep the kids in school and give them ‘counseling’ while getting the police to charge every one of the parents with neglect or something. Under no circumstances would they accept that it was a stupid rule.
Most true “Airsoft” guns are not plastic toys. They are toys, but they are precision toys with metal and plastic parts that shoot real projectiles, albeit not that will likely injure you (well, unless you shoot someone from 10 feet away, then they hurt like the dickens).
I have a couple of “fake” airsoft guns, that shoot the same plastic bbs, but by direct spring power, not compressed air, and they would be considered “toys”, but they still hurt if you shoot someone from a few feet away.
My objection to this action is that we are required to pay taxes to support school, and are required to send their kids, and then the kids are required to follow restrictive rules, and can be expelled, but you don’t get your money back.
If school was optional, and you paid if you sent your kid, then I’d be fine with them setting any rules they want.
This is the problem with government, they almost have to do a one-size-fits-all, and it’s a crappy way to live your life.
Public school teachers and administrators have become some of the most fantastically evil and rabid totalitarians in the world. They are shameless and conscienceless and cruel as hell. The LAST people they should EVER have ANY power over are children.
LOL Oops!
Gun Control Fascism on Steroids.
The family sjould just permanently homeschool their child. A lot of private schools are just as bad as public schools now
Common sense went out the door when the touchy, feely liberals took over the zoo.....
more proof government/socialism can never work.
they want to ban our guns and our individual rights and freedom. how about banning their stupid government and the news media then no more problems
One time I forgot to check my 6-year-old’s hand to make sure he didn’t have fingers with him, and sure enough, he got to school, pointed his finger at someone, said bang, and got suspended for having an arm rifle.
Your perspective "might" have a point if it was just toy guns that actually expel a projectile of some sort, but the "policy" also applies to things like charm bracelet symbols, cap pistols, water pistols, and other completely harmless items (and in some cases even drawing a picture or pointing your finger).
With NO distinction of any actual danger. The SOLE point of the policy is to punish the IDEA of "gun", i.e. brainwashing.
Any school board member who supports such a ridiculous policy should be voted out, and any school administrator or teacher who implements such a policy should be terminated.
Not in Sumter, praise the Lord! I have taught at one, substituted at another one, and know people who have attended a third one. They ARE good schools!
If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s education, please stop in, or give me a call at (803) 775-0857, or e-mail me at sheree.boozer@sumterschools.net. I have an open door policy and will be glad to meet or talk with you at your convenience. Our normal office hours are 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
We look forward to working with you this year!
Sheree T. Boozer
Principal
I have friends who work in the Sumter school district. I also work with people who live in Sumter. Bynum has done nothing except destroy a once decent school district.
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