General School expels 9 year old for leaning BB gun against chair during online class

[Splinty]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/09/25/louisiana-student-bbgun-expulsion/

https://archive.is/iZoOM

Ka Mauri Harrison was taking a test during his online fourth-grade class earlier this month when he noticed the teacher frantically waving at him. His computer was muted, so the Louisiana 9-year-old couldn’t hear what she was upset about. And before he could unmute her, the video stream died.

He and his parents soon learned what the problem was: The teacher had caught sight of an unloaded BB gun in the boy’s bedroom.
As a result, Ka Mauri faced expulsion from school. While the punishment was reduced at a hearing this week to a suspension, his family argues the case has been a grievous mistake that threatens the future of a promising young student.

“This is an injustice. It’s a systemic failure,” Chelsea Cusimano, the family’s attorney, told The Washington Post early on Friday. “They’re applying on-campus rules to these children, even though they’re learning virtually in their own homes.”
...


According to a report from Jefferson Parish Schools shared with The Post, a Woodmere teacher saw him briefly leave the screen and then return with “what appeared to be a full-sized rifle.” He set it down, but the teacher could still see the barrel.

In fact, Ka Mauri told The Advocate, one of his younger brothers had come into the room and knocked over the toy BB gun. He bent down to pick it up, and then propped it next to his chair.
The boy, his teacher and classmates later interviewed by the school all agreed that Ka Mauri never pointed it at the camera or played with it, Cusimano said. School officials soon reached Ka Mauri’s parents by phone, who explained the weapon was an unloaded BB gun.
But school officials ruled that Ka Mauri had committed a “violation of weapons in the classroom setting."

This could of course apply to any number of things. Poster seen in the background, pets, etc. None of that would be okay at school but it seems hardly an issue because it was seen in the background on screen. The child didn't wave the BB gun around, address it anyway, etc. But more, why is there instance expulsion without any flexibility to address this with a simple family phone call first?

And before you just blame zero-tolerance policies, the district:

“We do not comment on individual student records,” Vicki Bristol, a spokeswoman for the district, told WDSU. “Regarding discipline, it is our policy that teachers and administrators may employ reasonable disciplinary and corrective measures to maintain order.”

Teacher chose this as the response. Followed by the school backing it up. Expelling a 9 year old.


Seems to me schools owe parents expectations before this kind of response. And I don't just mean buried in some handbook. Rather, there are bound to be a number of unique circumstances that kids get in trouble that have nothing to do with their behavior or schooling.
Does a band poster on a kid's wall get them expelled because they forget about it? Pets are banned at school, does a kid get in trouble if they listen to a lecture with a cat in their lap?

 

[ThatOneDude]

Thats fucking insane to me, I want to point out this happened to another kid and the school reversed it's decision. As government employee how do they have the right to expel a kid, a 9 year old no less, for something legal in their own home?

While I am not a fan of law enforcement, this is how something like this should have been handled.

Police searched Maryland home after BB guns spotted during child's online class, report says

A Baltimore County mother says police showed up unannounced and searched her home earlier this month after someone spotted BB guns hanging on the wall of her 11-year-old child’s bedroom as he was taking an online class through his elementary school.

www.foxnews.com

Also notice what's different about these 2 kids. Fucking sad.

 

[member 3289]

View: https://youtu.be/26NEKSvfIow

 

[jason73]

The school can fuck off.if the kid was brandishing it as a weapon i can see a problem vut if its just leaning in a corner it is no different from a fishing pole in the corner.people need to mind their own business

 

[member 1013]

Teacher and school should fuck off

 

[Sheepdog]

Some school made a shit decision and then fixed it. Random kid will live to fight another day. Why would you possibly care about this story?

 

[Rambo John J]

We used to ride bikes thru the neighborhood street to the undeveloped rural area with .22s to shoot stuff as 10-12 year olds.

Now a kid can't even be seen near a BB gun or something on video?

Soft soft soft

 

[Splinty]

Some school made a shit decision and then fixed it

Changing from an expulsion to a suspension after the parents spend the money on a lawyer is a fix?

First off I don't think it is at all.

Secondly I care because this doesn't set any precedent for other schools and there are many stories where this is happening as schools go into the world of online classrooms with zero preparation on their end where the parents end. Expectations are not being set but children are being punished for normal behavior.

 

[member 1013]

A suspension is like a vacation, or at least that’s how I treated them

 

[ThatOneDude]

A suspension is like a vacation, or at least that’s how I treated them

 

[ThatOneDude]

Changing from an expulsion to a suspension after the parents spend the money on a lawyer is a fix?

First off I don't think it is at all.

Secondly I care because this doesn't set any precedent for other schools and there are many stories where this is happening as schools go into the world of online classrooms with zero preparation on their end where the parents end. Expectations are not being set but children are being punished for normal behavior.

I think it's a perspective thing.
You have to remember he lives in a fake criminal colony that doesn't exist, and they willfully gave up their guns and then wonder why they are being arrested for questioning the government.
Sometimes there are certain people who should be ignored, this is one of those times.

 

[member 1013]

I turned out just fine! Except for you know, all the things

 

[ThatOneDude]

I turned out just fine! Except for you know, all the things

Some of us take a longer road than others, and there is nothing wrong with that. You're doing great.

 

[member 1013]

I think it's a perspective thing.
You have to remember he lives in a fake criminal colony that doesn't exist, and they willfully gave up their guns and then wonder why they are being arrested for questioning the government.
Sometimes there are certain people who should be ignored, this is one of those times.

I enjoy our resident curmudgeon

 

[ThatOneDude]

I enjoy our resident curmudgeon

It's just energy that's not needed. Peace, love, and masks.

 

[member 1013]

It's just energy that's not needed. Peace, love, and masks.

Sending positive vibes!

 

[ConorMcGregor NutHugger]

I home school my kids. It's says on what I signed that the student should not have anything in sight of the class that wouldn't be appropriate in school.

 

[ThatOneDude]

I home school my kids. It's says on what I signed that the student should not have anything in sight of the class that wouldn't be appropriate in school.

They can suck a fat dick, the school doesn't get to control what's in someone's home.

 

[Filthy]

A suspension is like a vacation, or at least that’s how I treated them

and we all know how that worked out for you...

 

[Filthy]

They can suck a fat dick, the school doesn't get to control what's in someone's home.

how is it different than school's not allowing certain slogans on shirts?
I think the issue is the district backing the teacher (Fuck You, Teachers' Union) and her shit decision.

The teacher should be suspended and have to pay for a substitute.

 

[member 1013]

and we all know how that worked out for you...

It went great!

except for you know... the things

 

[ThatOneDude]

how is it different than school's not allowing certain slogans on shirts?
I think the issue is the district backing the teacher (Fuck You, Teachers' Union) and her shit decision.

The teacher should be suspended and have to pay for a substitute.

If the kid was intentionally using it during class, sure. That's not what happened, though. The school does not get to dictate what goes on in people's homes.

 

[Filthy]

If the kid was intentionally using it during class, sure. That's not what happened, though. The school does not get to dictate what goes on in people's homes.

when part of the home becomes disruptive to learning, they're within their purview to address it. (IMAO)

 

[ThatOneDude]

when part of the home becomes disruptive to learning, they're within their purview to address it. (IMAO)

For a bb gun laying in a corner in a kids room? They can fuck right off.

 

[Filthy]

For a bb gun laying in a corner in a kids room? They can fuck right off.

agreed, but it's the teacher who needs to be corrected. And that's not going to happen because the district is under the thumb of the Teachers' Union in disputes between students and teachers