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by debodun on October 14th, 2009
Well, yes, since it did happen. That utensil could be considered a weapon and why did he have to bring it to the school? Aren't the school's eating utensils good enough for him?
by His Lordship... has left on October 14th, 2009
I don't see the link. I don't think it is working. Some boy scout "utensils" are part of a "knife" like a switch blade. If there was a pen knife with it, it should be taken away from him. It does not belong in school. To suspend him...no. Just take it away and return it to his family at the end of the day.
Edit: Just saw it on the news. It does have a 3 inch blade. it does not belong in school. He was not suspended btw.
by Baby Blue on October 14th, 2009
I tried to give you points, but for some reason it's not working. I read about that a couple of days ago, that was ridiculous.
by Arithon on October 14th, 2009
This is just another example of how school officials are blinded from using common sense in fear of "breaking a law".
I saw this on the news last night and it was in response to a Zero Tolerance Policy. What happened to sensibility and judgement? The kid is an avid scouter, honor role student, and on the soccer team.
Being a kid he thought it would be cool to bring his multi-tool that had utensils to school to eat his lunch. They should have let him take it home with a quick call to his parents to inform them it is against policy.
Poor kid is probably made fun of at school now...
by philosopher on October 14th, 2009
They don't seem to have any common sense about how to handle things. I heard they let him go back after reviewing his case.
Every case should be reviewed as quickly as possible. Each situation is unique.
by CountryGirl on October 14th, 2009
I read the story a couple of days ago and didn't understand why the school would suspend the kid. The boy was exited that he made it in boy scouts so he wanted to use it at lunch time all the school had to do was tell him not to bring it back because it had a knife in it. I feel sorry for the boy. It also reminds me of the story where a second grade boy drew a picture of a water gun fight (it even showed the water coming out) and he got suspended because the teacher thought he drew a picture of a real gun.
by knownothing on October 14th, 2009
It's hard to believe this happened. It's absolutely ridiculous.
For the record, I'm saying the punishment is ridiculous.
by Mavericks just doin a flyby on October 14th, 2009
Well, Scout utensil, as most are calling it is actually more of a Swiss Army Knife. And this 6 yr. old obviously had no bad intent in taking it to school with him. However, maybe the parents should have had the conversation with him letting him know it was unacceptable to bring it to school with him. They should have known about the zero tolerance policy. I think this whole thing got blown way out of proportion, Kinda like the girl who got expelled under a zero tolerance drug policy for giving a friend with a headache some aspirin a while back.
by jehan60188 on October 14th, 2009
did you see the "utensil" it looks like a pocket knife. the parents should've practiced some amount of discretion, and thought "hey, we live in a post-columbine world, I shouldn't send my kid to school with anything the remotely resembles a weapon"
so, either the parents have no control over their 6 year old, or they are functionally retarded
i'm not saying the rule is just, I'm saying that the rule exists, and the parents should know it.
by sariskyfire on October 14th, 2009
I don't know how much Boy Scout background some of the other people who posted answers have. I would guess probably not much.
My brother started the program when he was 6 years old and continued with it until he aged out at 18. Pocket knives and scout utensils like the one in this story are common. But along with the tools themselves, the boys are taught knife safety and how to properly use such tools without endangering themselves or anyone else. It's part of the program. Using a knife as a weapon is not part of that mentality.
The school does have a right to have a No Tolerance Policy in place. But knowing that the boy was a Cub Scout and that his utensil that everyone was so afraid of is a TOOL not a weapon, they should not have imposed the 45 day suspension in the first place. As it was, he still had to carry out a five-day suspension. As several people have already posted, the school administration and the school board should have exercised common sense. In the boy's mind, the item was his eating utensil and he had no intent to use it for harm. The punishment should also fit the intent to commit the crime, as well as the crime itself.
by jackpipe30 on October 14th, 2009
Common sense has flown out the window here. This child had no bad intentions and did not threaten anyone with the utensil. As far as considering it a weapon goes, it depends on what the definition of a weapon is in the state's statutes and whether or not the school's definition differs. Having one punishment for "offenses" that can differ so greatly in scope is ridiculous. Each case should be weighed and decided independently.
by Tom on October 14th, 2009
If there is a rule against it, then brealing the rule can lead to suspension. This sounds like a zero tolerance weapons ban, and I am for such a thing, not against. Be thankful the school is erroring on the side of safety.
by bagicide stayed 10 months too long on October 14th, 2009
It is totally ridiculous. Kids are heedless. I would have been in deep do-do if the same policies applied back in the seventies. I took a pocket knife to school when I was in eighth grade and about to move to a farm. I was so proud of it that I wanted to show it to friends, just like this boy. I had no malicious intent, and the teacher who caught me with it knew it. She told me to meet her at the front door at four-thirty (after all the other kids had already walked home) and she returned it, no problem. After we moved to the farm, I forgot it was in my pocket after feeding livestock more often than not, and it went to school with me most days. That wasn't uncommon and many kids did it. We all needed something to cut haystrings with before school and many of us wore coveralls over our school clothes while we did it, lest we miss the bus.
by john pennington on October 14th, 2009
Zero tolerance is zero tolerance.
by Tania Lue on October 14th, 2009
The school had a "no tolerance" policy and based on that they expelled the kid. Of course the school is going too far with this .
I think each case of "weapon" in the school should be considered in individual cases.
by slothmister on October 14th, 2009
Yes I can. I do think it a little harsh though. Simply confiscating it and calling his parents in to tell them he is not allowed it would suffice imo.
by soulalonegirl on October 14th, 2009
When I was in grade school ('80s) someone got suspended for bringing a butter knife! Big change from when my husband was in high school ('70s). He said they brought pocket knives and had shotguns in their cars to go hunting after school!
by Sharona Life is a Tale Told by an Idiot on October 14th, 2009
Another example how authority in the wrong hands leads to absolute mindless acts. This reminds me of the idiots who do the spot checks at the airport. What is good for one has to be good for all. Stupid. There is no room for common sense any longer. They should have just confiscated the utensil and have the parents pick it up.
by dumdum on October 14th, 2009
Yes - I can.
by buttkisses on October 14th, 2009
taking it a bit too far but I am not surprised, my son who is now 22 yrs was suspended from the 3rd grade for a week because he took a HALF of a PLASTIC bright orange numchuck (sp) that he found on the ground at the bus stop, the day after halloween, to school. It was a broken piece of someone's costume!!! It was a flimsy piece of plastic that "resembled" a weapon. How the hell they came up with that was beyond me. I fought and I tried but the rules were the rules. He missed a whole week of school.
Thankfully this kid has been allowed to go back. How silly this world has become!
by Sparky on October 15th, 2009
Silly.
by Dog Chaser on October 14th, 2009
Clearly liberalism at its finest. Pathetic.
by Jacques on October 14th, 2009
A complete nonsense. Even though a Swiss army knife is lethal from 27 angles! You've got to laugh.
by Fiddle Playing Creole Bastard on October 14th, 2009
That's Britain these days for you.
by Nancy on October 14th, 2009
That is ridiculous; in my opinion.
by Gnome of Kevonia is a Cheerwine junkie on October 14th, 2009
That punishment was blown way out of proportion. I can see them suspending him if it was intended to be used as a weapon, but in this case it was unjust and I'm glad he got to go back to school.
by Cotton 201 on October 14th, 2009
Are there any teachers out there that can help me know: what are the requirements for a student to be placed in a SRA class? IN FLORIDA
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What if you were teaching, and someone told you "oh, I've got your assignment...right here....on this paper.....in my pants......pocket"?
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You're reading Can you believe a school would suspend a 1st grader for bringing a scout utensil to eat his lunch?
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Comments
10-4 on your answer 6 john
by john pennington on October 14th, 2009
They do still have forks (could be used as a weapon) at school to eat with now days...could see them taking the utensil away from him and allowing him to pick it up after school, but a 45 day suspension is out of the realm of "commonsense!" Having been a coach and teacher, this is insane!
by Cotton 201 on October 14th, 2009
.....+6
by Cotton 201 on October 14th, 2009
Six year olds don't even think that way. Unless they are from a really bad home, they wouldn't even consider that possibility. All he would have been thinking is "this is cool, I can't wait to try it out/show it to my friends."
by bagicide stayed 10 months too long on October 14th, 2009
Agreed my friend..totally!
by Cotton 201 on October 14th, 2009
Deb, is the suddenly freaky avatar due to the proximity to Halloween, or should I suddenly be creeped out by you?
by bagicide stayed 10 months too long on October 14th, 2009
Hey B, another pic of the kid..real MEAN looking kid..loll
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/33289924/ns/today-today_people/
by Cotton 201 on October 14th, 2009
It depends upon the state's laws what is considered a weapon, and a Swiss Army knife is not a weapon (at least in my state). This is absolutely ridiculous. If they didn't want him to have it in school, they should have taken it and sent a note home for a parent to come pick it up. It's not like he was brandishing it, he was eating lunch with it.
by jackpipe30 on October 14th, 2009
@jackpipe-we really don't know what he was doing with it, do we? All cotton said was the supposed reason for him taking it to school. He probably should have been suspended but what the hell are parents doing letting a first grader have a folding knife. First grade is a early as someone can join the Scouts and that level have no business with knives.
Then, of course, there's the issue of why needed to take it to school.
by Possum on October 14th, 2009
The story I read said he took it to eat lunch with.
by jackpipe30 on October 14th, 2009
That's the reason he took it. Not what he did with it once he got it there.
by Possum on October 14th, 2009
There is no report of him doing anything with it other than that.
by jackpipe30 on October 14th, 2009
Possum, you don't have a six-year-old, do you?
by bagicide stayed 10 months too long on October 14th, 2009
@Blessed-No but I was/an an Eagle Scout and former Assistant District Commissioner with the responsibility for approximately 4,000 scouters.
What's your point?
by Possum on October 14th, 2009
The story may be complete and entirely true. But you are also dealing with a juvenile-so who knows. But if you believe that everything you hear on whatever news you watch/read is the complete and true story-so be it.
But re-reading what I wrote, I mis-typed and mean to say he shouldn't have been suspended. Schools have "zero tolerance" policies that don't make any sense to me.
That still doesn't address the issue of what a six year old was doing with a folding knife in the first place and why he took it to school in the second.
by Possum on October 14th, 2009
Because six year olds don't understand adult concerns and fears. Six year olds only think "cool toy, I can't wait to use it and show it off. A six year old isn't going to think that it doesn't belong in school. A six year old isn't going to think that taking it to school will freak adults out. A six year old this year wasn't even born when Columbine happened. He has no clue why all this blew up in his face. All he thought about was how cool it would be to eat lunch with his new and very grown up tool of which he was very proud.
by bagicide stayed 10 months too long on October 14th, 2009
@ at Blessed-You're completely missing the point. He shouldn't even own a folding knife. For his parents to allow him to have it, much less take it to school is irresponsible. To attempt to hide the incident under the guise of scouting is ridiculous, if not libelous.
I said "he shouldn't have been suspended. Schools have "zero tolerance" policies that don't make any sense to me."
What point are you trying to make?
by Possum on October 14th, 2009
@Possum-Do you know the child or his background? I had a .22 caliber rifle when I was 8 and I had bb guns at 6. I was mature and responsible, maybe this child is quite responsible, but was overwhelmed with pride because he'd earned a scouting tool and wanted to use it. It is not your place to decide whether or not someone else's child should have a scouting tool, a bb gun, or a rifle (I also got my first shotgun at 9). As long as the child is responsible enough, the so be it.
by jackpipe30 on October 14th, 2009
Apparently he wasn't responsible enough to understand the consequences of his actions.
by Possum on October 14th, 2009
Incidently-I grew up in a guns, knive, axes and hunting culture also.
But you made my point he wasn't responsible enough to understand the consequences of his actions.
by Possum on October 14th, 2009
He can't help it if he didn't think of it as a weapon. He probably comes from a household that isn't paranoid.
by jackpipe30 on October 15th, 2009
You really aren't making a very persuasive argument. First you talk about responsiblity then say he can't help it if he (or his parents don't know the rules). I'm not saying the rules are right but how could anyone not at least suspect that a three inch folding knife might qualify as a weapon in an environment with a zero tolerance weapons policy?
Glad he didn't try and take it on an airplane.
by Possum on October 15th, 2009
And that is exactly why I homeschool.
by bagicide stayed 10 months too long on October 15th, 2009
@blessed-cool, so the kid gets the benefit of your wisdom, doesn't get to interact with other kids and can carry granades to class! ;-)
by Possum on October 16th, 2009
I wish I had the time to homeschool, because our school systems have become garbage.
by jackpipe30 on October 16th, 2009
@jack-are you the least bit qualified to homeschool? How's your calculus?
Have you considered getting involved and help the schools become better?
by Possum on October 16th, 2009
Do you know me? How is your spelling? I can tell you that the word is spelled grenades, not granades. Just like a liberal to consider anyone who disagrees with them to be obviously stupid. How can I make our schools become better, when they don't want to be? The public school system is more about making those of lower intellect feel good about themselves than teaching children to push themselves to their limit.
by jackpipe30 on October 16th, 2009
I know nothing about you except that your AB status is less is 1000. You say nothing about yourself on you profile. Why don't you educate me.
So now you're assuming I'm both liberal and stupid because of a chat room typo-that sounds like a good home school teacher to me. I'll turn your question around on you-Do you know me?
How can you make your schools better-become a teacher, volunteer, run for the school board-or just whine, bitch and call names?
by Possum on October 16th, 2009
I didn't start the insults about intelligence, but I do find it funny that you misspelled such a simple word and then turned around and questioned my intellect. I would love to volunteer, but there is this thing called work that I do that hampers my ability to do so (along with taking care of my younger children).
by jackpipe30 on October 16th, 2009
So you have so many children to take care of that it precludes you ability to have any meaningful input into their educational process? You are the victim and Answerbag is the answer?
If the government is that bad why not take it to the streets? That's what the pussy Europeans and Asians do and they get results from their governments.
by Possum on October 16th, 2009