First-Grader Finds Toy Gun, Turns It In, Gets Suspension

Pennsylvania first-grader Darin Simak brought a
different backpack to school this week, failing to notice the toy
gun concealed inside it. When he realized that he had inadvertently
brought the weapon—which is not a real weapon at all—to Martin
Elementary in New Kensington, he immediately informed his
teacher.

Simak was promptly suspended for violating the school district’s
“zero tolerance” policy against weapons,
according to WTAE:

The New Kensington-Arnold School District superintendent said
that bringing a toy gun to school violates the district’s policy at
the highest level and requires a child to be suspended immediately
until a meeting can be held to discuss what happened and whether
punishment is warranted.

Simak’s parents sent him to school the next day anyway, thinking
the punishment was too ridiculous to be enforced. But
administrators take imaginary firearms very seriously, and refused
to let Simak return to his classroom. His father eventually picked
him up from school.

School zero tolerance policies require administrators to suspend
or expel (and in some cases, arrest), students who break the
rules—even inadvertently, in Simak’s case. The absurdity of

arresting children for harmless mistakes has begun to faze the
general public, however, and some lawmakers are pressing districts
to revise the policies.

Thankfully, Simak won’t face any of the harshest disciplinary
possibilities. The school board declined to expel him, and the boy
will be allowed to return to school on Monday.

I sure hope he learned his lesson.

Hat tip:
Jim Treacher