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Kindergartner Suspended Over Bubble Gun Threat
A 5-year-old girl was suspended from school earlier this week after she made what the school called a "terrorist threat."
Her weapon of choice? A small, Hello Kitty automatic bubble blower.
The kindergartner, who attends Mount Carmel Area Elementary School in Pennsylvania, caught administrators' attention after suggesting she and a classmate should shoot each other with bubbles.
"I think people know how harmless a bubble is. It doesn't hurt," said Robin Ficker, an attorney for the girl's family. According to Ficker, the girl, whose identity has not been released, didn't even have the bubble gun toy with her at school.
The kindergartner was ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation during her 10-day suspension, which was later reduced to two days. The evaluation deemed the girl normal and not a threat to others, Ficker said.
The girl's family is considering a lawsuit against the school to get the blemish - all because of bubbles - off their daughter's record.
"The mother has tried to get the girl in another school since this time, and they won't take the little girl because of this mark on her record," Ficker said.
The suspension comes one month after the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, which has created a heightened sense of alert at schools across the country.
The Mount Carmel Area School District told ABC News, "We are confident that much of the information supplied to the media may not be consistent with the facts… The Mount Carmel Area School District takes the well-being and safety of students and staff very seriously."
http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/kindergartner-suspended-over-bubble-gun-threat-174618051--abc-news-topstories.html
Her weapon of choice? A small, Hello Kitty automatic bubble blower.
The kindergartner, who attends Mount Carmel Area Elementary School in Pennsylvania, caught administrators' attention after suggesting she and a classmate should shoot each other with bubbles.
"I think people know how harmless a bubble is. It doesn't hurt," said Robin Ficker, an attorney for the girl's family. According to Ficker, the girl, whose identity has not been released, didn't even have the bubble gun toy with her at school.
The kindergartner was ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation during her 10-day suspension, which was later reduced to two days. The evaluation deemed the girl normal and not a threat to others, Ficker said.
The girl's family is considering a lawsuit against the school to get the blemish - all because of bubbles - off their daughter's record.
"The mother has tried to get the girl in another school since this time, and they won't take the little girl because of this mark on her record," Ficker said.
The suspension comes one month after the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, which has created a heightened sense of alert at schools across the country.
The Mount Carmel Area School District told ABC News, "We are confident that much of the information supplied to the media may not be consistent with the facts… The Mount Carmel Area School District takes the well-being and safety of students and staff very seriously."
http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/kindergartner-suspended-over-bubble-gun-threat-174618051--abc-news-topstories.html
More details from another article
Parents of the kindergartener are seeking to fight the suspension, since their daughter did not have the bubble gun with her at the time the remark was made on Jan. 10. Their attorney, Robin Ficker of Bethesda, Md., said school district officials labeled the girl a "terrorist threat" after the incident, according to the Associated Press.
The kindergartener was waiting in the bus line with two friends when she made the remark about her pink bubble gun. The next day, officials at Mount Carmel Area Elementary School allegedly questioned the student for three hours about the incident without her parents' knowledge, local news outlet the Daily Item reports.
“This logic, which was not said in malice, came from the mind of this beautiful 5-year-old child who was playing with her friends, whom she hugs every day,” Ficker told the Daily Item. “And this shows how hysterical people who work at schools have become since Sandy Hook.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/18/kindergarten-suspension-pink-bubble-gun_n_2507017.html?utm_hp_ref=education
Parents of the kindergartener are seeking to fight the suspension, since their daughter did not have the bubble gun with her at the time the remark was made on Jan. 10. Their attorney, Robin Ficker of Bethesda, Md., said school district officials labeled the girl a "terrorist threat" after the incident, according to the Associated Press.
The kindergartener was waiting in the bus line with two friends when she made the remark about her pink bubble gun. The next day, officials at Mount Carmel Area Elementary School allegedly questioned the student for three hours about the incident without her parents' knowledge, local news outlet the Daily Item reports.
“This logic, which was not said in malice, came from the mind of this beautiful 5-year-old child who was playing with her friends, whom she hugs every day,” Ficker told the Daily Item. “And this shows how hysterical people who work at schools have become since Sandy Hook.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/18/kindergarten-suspension-pink-bubble-gun_n_2507017.html?utm_hp_ref=education
Too many things are being taken to extremes.
Let kids be kids!!!
I couldn't agree more !
Let kids be kids!!!
I couldn't agree more !
** that is different THAN a rule . . .
I would see that as unfair as well. That is different than teaching people to be on time.
I would see that as unfair as well. That is different than teaching people to be on time.
Brice, you have an odd school system. They have no rules on absences? We have rules on tardies and absenses and they are governed by the state I believe. Your story of your child arriving at the same time as the buses and him being the only one to get detention surprises me as that doesn't make any sense. That is different that a rule that you are tardy if you come in late (which wouldn't apply if road conditions made everyone late). That is treating your son differently than other kids just because he drove to school rather than road a bus. I do believe all kids should be held to the same standards.
in general though, rules on arriving to school on time should apply to everyone within reason. We don't have things like 42 mile drives to school or massive snow to contend with so most tardies in our area are the "couldn't get out of bed" type of tardies.
in general though, rules on arriving to school on time should apply to everyone within reason. We don't have things like 42 mile drives to school or massive snow to contend with so most tardies in our area are the "couldn't get out of bed" type of tardies.
Considering the circumstances of any tardy we have (only time is like the story above) it is unfair. 30 kids walk in the school the same time my kid does and they are okay but my kid is marked as tardy?
We've complained.... it does no good. There are no absentee rules though. So, just miss 1st period and call it good. Dumb....
We've complained.... it does no good. There are no absentee rules though. So, just miss 1st period and call it good. Dumb....
Our school is pretty strict on tardies with the thought that a kid who just walks in late will bust a move so that parents aren't involved. I don't really have a problem with it. Teaches kids that being even one minute late is still late and that is a life lesson. Most parents will then make an effort to get to school on time as really, the last thing most moms want is their kids hanging out at the house in the moring. (as we moms do a happy wave as the bus pulls away . . . well, most do. I still stifle a tear as I'm overly attached.)
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