School Suspends Boy For Sketching Gun

[Elle]

Associated Press
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 08.22.2007
MESA - Chandler school officials have suspended a 13-year-old boy for sketching a picture that resembled a gun, saying it posed a threat to classmates.



But parents of the Payne Junior High School student said the drawing was a harmless doodle of a fake laser, and school officials overreacted.
"I just can't believe that there wasn't another way to resolve this," said Paula Mosteller, the boy's mother. "He's so upset. The school made him feel like he committed a crime. They are doing more damage than good."

The Mostellers said the drawing did not show blood, bullets, injuries, or target any human. They said it was just a drawing that resembled a gun.
But Payne Junior High administrators thought the sketch was enough of a threat and gave the boy a five-day suspension, later reduced to three days.
Chandler district spokesman Terry Locke said the sketch was "absolutely considered a threat," and threatening words or pictures are punishable.

http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/hourlyupdate/197639.php

[countybear]

Show me the sketch. Then I'll comment.

[bayern]

Associated Press
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 08.22.2007
MESA - Chandler school officials have suspended a 13-year-old boy for sketching a picture that resembled a gun, saying it posed a threat to classmates.



But parents of the Payne Junior High School student said the drawing was a harmless doodle of a fake laser, and school officials overreacted.
"I just can't believe that there wasn't another way to resolve this," said Paula Mosteller, the boy's mother. "He's so upset. The school made him feel like he committed a crime. They are doing more damage than good."

The Mostellers said the drawing did not show blood, bullets, injuries, or target any human. They said it was just a drawing that resembled a gun.
But Payne Junior High administrators thought the sketch was enough of a threat and gave the boy a five-day suspension, later reduced to three days.
Chandler district spokesman Terry Locke said the sketch was "absolutely considered a threat," and threatening words or pictures are punishable.

http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/hourlyupdate/197639.php

ABSOLUTELY CONSIDERED A THREAT = A PICTURE?? What kind of idiots are running our schools. I guess they are raising sheep out there in Arizona.

[Elle]

Show me the sketch. Then I'll comment.

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/95563
Sketch is to the right.

[Pudge]

That's ridiculous. Hell, if it didn't have a trigger I wouldn't even think gun off the bat.

I graduated in 97 and even then you could still bring your shotgun to school to make a stock in woodshop.

[CTR man]

More and more smart parents are resorting to homeschooling just to get away from this very crap.

[Willowdared]

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/95563
Sketch is to the right.

That's not even the actual picture...the school refused to let the paper see it, and also refused to let the Dad make a copy.


Hmmmmmmmmmmm

I have a friend in Tucson who pulled her Grandson out to homeschool. They have an academy that is free, gives you a computer, covers internet access, and all your teaching materials.

[depusm12]

That is absolutely insane, that's like the school district a couple of years ago that suspended a kid for having a butter knife in his lunch box.

[Jenna]

Maybe the school officials have never seen a gun before so they thought the drawing was the real thing?

[Cidp24]

Rotate that pic 90 degrees counter clockwise and you have a building with a porch.

[Jackalope]

I thought it looked like a bus.

This is yet another of many examples of why the government has no business running schools.

[Jenna]

Are there even guns that look like that, with windows all over?

I think it's silly to suspend the student, but the sketch does make me wonder if they need to make him take some remedial art classes.

[Mac120]

This is why I hate people......I'd like to get all the people that are responsible for this idiotic decision and slap the crap out of em

[Tuff]

And to think that these idiots are helping teach our children..... what a sad day......

[PCSD722]

It is kind of strange that they would not let the father make a copy of the picture to show his wife. I like my decision to home school my daughter more and more every day. I remember something from a few years back where one student kissed another, 3rd or 4th grade I think and they either tried to or did charge him with sexual assualt.
Maybe we should look into the "closets" of some of the teachers and board members and see how well they really measure up. Dont get me wrong I know a lot of good teachers, unfortunately they are older and many have been laid off or retired to make room for new younger teachers.

[SaraJ]

Being a teacher I realize the responsibility that we teachers have for our students. I try to be fair and unbiased. I try to treat my children (when I teach children which is not often) like adults and I ask them to behave like adults. I think the majority of my kids have shown a much more grown up attitude than the administrators of this school did. As I've said before, and the advice I give parents also, home study is where it's at nowadays.

[213th]

then you could still bring your shotgun to school to make a stock in woodshop.

Thats what I like about Alaska...or the town I live in up here anyway. They use common sense. In fact, they evaluate the teachers profficiency with firearms, as many field trips are outdoors and the teachers are required to carry due to the wildlife.