Weapons in School: Zero Tolerance

[monster]

But the whole thing bout "zero tolerance" is the "why" is irrelevant. Either it's OK or it isn't. I guess because Jack can bring a gun into school to kill Jill, but when caught, claim it was for show and tell. Fine. Guns/People with guns hurt people. I get it. Fake weapons. Well they look like real weapons, they could be used to intimidate. I get it. Lego guns, Sticks like swords, pointed fingers, I sorta get it but I think mostly kids need to be taught to shrug it off if they don't like it. Drawing a picture of gun? HTF is that a threat to the safety of any other student?

[footfootfoot]

Originally Posted by monster

Drawing a picture of gun? HTF is that a threat to the safety of any other student?

It could lead to critical thinking and or independent thinking.

BTW, unless the school is private and receives no funding from the government this is in fact a freedom of speech issue. Unless they can show that he is inciting to riot, that drawing is protected speech. They are not allowed to ban that speech unless they are wholly private.

[Spexxvet]

Originally Posted by footfootfoot

BTW, unless the school is private and receives no funding from the government this is in fact a freedom of speech issue. Unless they can show that he is inciting to riot, that drawing is protected speech. They are not allowed to ban that speech unless they are wholly private.

Free Speech Rights of Students

http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/project...dentspeech.htm

[sexobon]

Originally Posted by monster

But the whole thing bout "zero tolerance" is the "why" is irrelevant. ...

Policies (or parts thereof in this case) may just be guidelines that allow for judgment calls based upon the circumstances, they're not always definitive. Consider a child who gets into a disagreement with a teacher (perhaps over what the child should be concentrating on during class) and is admonished; then, the child sits down and draws a picture of a gun knowing full well the teacher is going to see it. That's harassment; but, the teacher may find it difficult to prove because the child, well, "he is a boy" and that's what boys do. Sometimes pictures are innocent; but, sometimes they're indications of something else going on. Parents can be the last to acknowledge that since their children's actions reflect opon them. Keep an open mind.

... Drawing a picture of gun? HTF is that a threat to the safety of any other student?

No brainer: It can be an early indicator of something that may escalate into harm to others; or, self-inflicted harm. You can't advocate teaching other kids to just shrug it off in today's proactive environment of school violence awareness without coming off as being egocentric.