Almost suspended for a lego gun in school

[darkvibe]

Not a gun made from legos.... a tiny gun for a lego action figure. People need to have their heads examined.

GunPundit Blog Archive Zero Tolerance for 2″ Gun for Lego Figures at School

I made my favorite line bold...

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A 9-year-old New Dorp boy earlier today learned there is no wiggle room in the Department of Education’s “no toy gun” policy — even if the toy gun is just two inches long.
Patrick Timoney, a fourth-grader at PS 52, South Beach, was nearly suspended after playing with LEGOs during his lunch period because one of the action figures was carrying at toy machine gun.
He and his friends had planned a playdate with their respective toys, and were sitting around the cafeteria table when the principal walked in and saw the action figure carrying the fake gun.
While the action figure was a standard LEGO policeman figure, the brand of the gun could not be determined.

[jeffx]

Just another good example for why my kids are going to a private school.

I like the first comment on the article:

The lesson here, boys and girls, is you don’t have to be too bright to be in charge. It’s a good life lesson to learn early.

[NYcarry]

What about the year of manufacture, lots of potential laws broken here, hard to tell from the pic, but if that thing is not pre ban, the student is looking at some felonies for sure.

Did they even make polymer lowers pre '94?

[Big_John]

I had a discussion about schools and teachers at work just today... Its been my opinion that most teachers have no concept or understanding of the real world. This is just more proof and its getting worse.

[<JP>]

Read the original post...it was a principal, not a teacher, that saw the kid playing.

However, I do agree that many teachers can't make a simple decision on their own. It seems like 99% of these "zero tolerance" stories start with someone who couldn't just take the toy/nail clipper/boy scout spork away from the kid and leave it at that.

The real problem is that most administrators are so afraid of lawsuits that they go overboard on the side of caution to the point of being ridiculous.

[javerial]

Originally Posted by darkvibe

While the action figure was a standard LEGO policeman figure, the brand of the gun could not be determined.

So what's the problem? Aren't the antis always saying that the policemen are the only ones who need guns? It's not like he had an action figure of John Q. Public with a firearm......

[darkvibe]

Originally Posted by NYcarry

What about the year of manufacture, lots of potential laws broken here, hard to tell from the pic, but if that thing is not pre ban, the student is looking at some felonies for sure.

Did they even make polymer lowers pre '94?

Originally Posted by javerial

So what's the problem? Aren't the antis always saying that the policemen are the only ones who need guns? It's not like he had an action figure of John Q. Public with a firearm......

We should write the school administration with these important questions

[mikecentola]

Wow lol

[blar]

if anyone else is interested in emailing the principal to let her know what a nut-job she is here is her name and email

Evelyn Mastroianni - Principal - emastro@ps52.org

I guess it could have been the vice principal so here is hers as well

Annette Moncada - Vice Principal - amoncad@ps52.org

info taken from the schools website
http://www.ps52.org/site_user_directory.aspx?type=DA

[Big_John]

Originally Posted by <JP>

Read the original post...it was a principal, not a teacher, that saw the kid playing.

However, I do agree that many teachers can't make a simple decision on their own. It seems like 99% of these "zero tolerance" stories start with someone who couldn't just take the toy/nail clipper/boy scout spork away from the kid and leave it at that.

The real problem is that most administrators are so afraid of lawsuits that they go overboard on the side of caution to the point of being ridiculous.

Principals were usually teachers before they were principals. I've met a couple good ones but I've met a few along the line that made me wonder just how they got the job.

The simple decision thing gets me too. I can understand if the kid has a real weapon, but geez... There's just no common sense applied anymore.

[RochPersDef]

I would have to guess that it was a post ban Lego gun.

What a friggin tragedy.......

[hxd]

Originally Posted by Big_John

There's just no common sense applied anymore.

If common sense was common, then more people would have it.

[11B1P]

NY is a lost cause. The vast majority of idiots that squat here are prezombie material.

[11B1P]

nt dp

[RayKnobs]

What exactly is the problem here?

There was a rule in place and it was broken. The punishment was that it was taken away and later returned.

You could replace "lego gun" with "cell phone" or "gum" and have the same exact story but no one would care.

Is it ok to ignore the rules you disagree with and only follow the ones you like? That's a great lesson to teach your kids.

[11B1P]

Originally Posted by RayKnobs

What exactly is the problem here?

There was a rule in place and it was broken. The punishment was that it was taken away and later returned.

You could replace "lego gun" with "cell phone" or "gum" and have the same exact story but no one would care.

Is it ok to ignore the rules you disagree with and only follow the ones you like? That's a great lesson to teach your kids.

It being a stupid rule is the point.

And no, I don't follow ALL the rules. Sometimes I speed. I don't recycle all the time.....

[javerial]

Originally Posted by RayKnobs

Is it ok to ignore the rules you disagree with and only follow the ones you like? That's a great lesson to teach your kids.

That depends on the absurdity of the rule in question, doesn't it? The Founding Fathers were rule breakers. Rosa Parks was a rule breaker.

And no, I don't think this rises to the level of Jim Crow or the Intolerable Acts. Just pointing out that there are times when I would want my kids to be able to challenge authority and defy those rules that deserve to be defied.

[blar]

Originally Posted by RayKnobs

You could replace "lego gun" with "cell phone" or "gum" and have the same exact story but no one would care.

Well...No. A more accurate scenario comparison would be if cell phones were banned and a girl was playing with a barbie doll with a cell phone accessory, or if chewing gum was banned and a kid wore a 't-shirt showing a brand of gum'. Should they be suspended for that? Should even the thought of suspension enter someones mind for this kind of 'infraction'? Not if you have even a shred of common sense. I'm pretty sure noone is arguing that the kid should be allowed to bring a REAL gun to school.

Its similar to the stories you hear on the news when parents are arrested/questioned/have their children taken from them, when some idiot at the photo store calls the feds because........OH MY GOD...THESE HORRIBLE TERRIBLE PARENTS TOOK NUDE PHOTOS OF THEIR CHILDREN IN THE BATHTUB...

I consider myself to be someone with common sense, and when I hear about stuff like this it just hurts my brain that people can be so stupid and make such a big deal out of nothing.

[RayKnobs]

Originally Posted by blar

Well...No. A more accurate scenario comparison would be if cell phones were banned and a girl was playing with a barbie doll with a cell phone accessory,

Not really. The rule was no toy guns, this was a toy and gun.
He broke the rule and the appropriate action was taken. Remember, the kid wasn't suspended, he wasn't even punished.

The barbie cell phone is not a real cell phone, i never heard of a no toy cell phone rule.
apples and oranges.

Is the rule really that absurd, what would you gain by allowing children to bring toy guns into a school? Comparing this to Rosa Parks and Jim crow laws is almost insulting comparing a toy to the civil rights of an entire race of people.

Sure, it's easy to dismiss this as people over reacting and it makes a great sensational story for the news. Think about it, it's a simple concept, no toy guns at school. Is that a bad idea? I don't think so. You can't say yes then ignore the lego thing, what is the cut off for acceptable toy guns, 1" 2" 3".

[javerial]

Originally Posted by RayKnobs

Comparing this to Rosa Parks and Jim crow laws is almost insulting comparing a toy to the civil rights of an entire race of people.

Didn't I say that "I don't think this rises to the level of...." in my post?

I brought that up in the context of someone saying that you should follow the rules even if you disagree with them. Obviously there are times when that isn't the case and bad rules deserve to be disobeyed. Do you disagree with that notion?

[RayKnobs]

Originally Posted by javerial

Didn't I say that "I don't think this rises to the level of...." in my post?

I brought that up in the context of someone saying that you should follow the rules even if you disagree with them. Obviously there are times when that isn't the case and bad rules deserve to be disobeyed. Do you disagree with that notion?

Some how i skipped right over that. You are correct, my apologies.

[javerial]

No worries. I obviously don't think that a toy gun ban rises to the level of Jim Crow.

I still think that common sense would have opted not to enforce the rule in this particular situation. I could see enforcing it for this. But for this? C'mon. As John Stossl would say, "Give me a break."

[11B1P]

Originally Posted by RayKnobs

Not really. The rule was no toy guns, this was a toy and gun.
He broke the rule and the appropriate action was taken. Remember, the kid wasn't suspended, he wasn't even punished.

The barbie cell phone is not a real cell phone, i never heard of a no toy cell phone rule.
apples and oranges.

Is the rule really that absurd, what would you gain by allowing children to bring toy guns into a school? Comparing this to Rosa Parks and Jim crow laws is almost insulting comparing a toy to the civil rights of an entire race of people.

Sure, it's easy to dismiss this as people over reacting and it makes a great sensational story for the news. Think about it, it's a simple concept, no toy guns at school. Is that a bad idea? I don't think so. You can't say yes then ignore the lego thing, what is the cut off for acceptable toy guns, 1" 2" 3".

This mindset is the problem.


How do you explain to a fish that its wet?

[RayKnobs]

Please elaborate on the "mindset"

[javerial]

And if you want another example of stupidity in the NYC school system, a girl was hauled out of school in handcuffs over doodling on her desk.