Kindergartner Suspended For Threatening To Shoot With Hello Kitty Bubble Gun

In the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, primary schools across the country are cracking down on gun-related threats.

Last week, in Mount Carmel, Penn., a 5-year-old kindergarten student was suspended from school after she allegedly said she would shoot her classmate, and then herself, with her pink "Hello Kitty" bubble gun, according to multiple local reports.

Parents of the kindergartener are seeking to fight the suspension, since their daughter did not have the bubble gun with her at the time the remark was made on Jan. 10. Their attorney, Robin Ficker of Bethesda, Md., said school district officials labeled the girl a "terrorist threat" after the incident, according to the Associated Press.

The kindergartener was waiting in the bus line with two friends when she made the remark about her pink bubble gun. The next day, officials at Mount Carmel Area Elementary School allegedly questioned the student for three hours about the incident without her parents' knowledge, local news outlet the Daily Item reports.

According to central Pennsylvania's PennLive.com, the kindergarten student was initially suspended for 10 days, but the suspension was reduced to two, after her mother addressed the issue with the school's principal, Susan Nestico. Despite the reduction, Ficker and the family are seeking a full expungement of the suspension, along with a public apology.

“This logic, which was not said in malice, came from the mind of this beautiful 5-year-old child who was playing with her friends, whom she hugs every day,” Ficker told the Daily Item. “And this shows how hysterical people who work at schools have become since Sandy Hook.”

Gun control and school safety have become hot-button issues as the debate rages on over whether guards and teachers should be armed in public schools.

Addressing guns in schools, President Barack Obama recommended on Wednesday that school police be funded by the federal government, but he left the decision up to the schools on whether those guards should be armed or no

via www.huffingtonpost.com

Comments

[Wmdkitty]

On first glance, yeah, this sounds absolutely ridiculous.

But, BUT, in light of recent events -- hell, in light of events going all the way back to Charles Whitman and his clock tower -- even the appearance of a threat of violence needs to be taken seriously, regardless of the age of the offender. For a young child, it would be appropriate to take her aside and explain that XYZ is not appropriate behavior, don't do it again, and to confiscate the "toy".

No, I don't believe in giving children "toy" guns, as it only promotes the fantasy that guns are this magickal device that will keep you safe.

[Michael Chandra]

Taking her aside is one thing, but interrogating her for 3 hours and suspending her for 10 days, all without talking to the parents?

[Eviscerator]

Uhmn..it's a bubblegun. Threatening to shoot someone with a bubblegun? I'd have to know more about the context and what she said before I could even determine if they were talking about a game or actually threatening any violence.

[The Last Archimedean]

The part I have the biggest problem with is questioning her for 3 hours without her parents being there. Even the police aren't allowed to do that to a child that age.

[Rona]

Its sad that this little kid got the idea that jokingly saying things about shooting people then herself would be okay (I'm going to take a risk and blame the sensationalism news gave the shootings on this) but seriously? The school seriously overreacted. And I think they deserve any coming lawsuits over this. My big thing is they questioned her for THREE HOURS? And no one thought to call her damn parents? For f***s sake I brought a pocket knife to middle school once (on accident) and I only got questioned for probably no more than one hour, my parents were called immediately, and I was suspended for ONE WEEK.
These are elementary school kids, they're hardly a threat.

[Queer Geek]

Good Lord! Have we lost our common sense? We're talking about a bubble gun here not a real one! Plus kids say the dumbest things. I've worked in the school system and grade school kids say things like "killing" and "dying". Are these threats terrorist attacks or pose any danger? It depends on how disturbed the child is but as a school employee, you can squelch such language by sitting a kid down and explaining what can is appropriate and not appropriate language is school. (Yes, I know falls under parenting but teachers now are given that role. Believe me I know and that's why I'm no longer in the profession.)

Anyway, grilling a kid for three hours is ridiculous! I think we have more important things to worry about than bubble guns like thorough background checks of pedophiles infiltrating schools and educational reform that works on all levels where a kid can feel safe and get a good education. All the people involved with this situation need to be demoted because obviously, they have no idea how to run a school.

[RayvenMoon]

*sigh* Ever since the ZT policy was put in place all common sense has fled the school and its officials. Dollars to donuts this girl was not making a threat and was simply talking about wanting to play with her TOY(harmless at that)with her friend.

On the last part of the article referring to school police being federally funded I am ALL for that. My high school had officers on campus as well as the hall monitors(was a very good school) and they were armed.

[Bitch Boy]

RUN FOR THE HILLS! IT IS A FRICKIN' "BUBBLE" GUN!! WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!

If my son went to school there I'd immediately take him out and home school him.

Stupid.

[NC Tony]

If school officials grilled my son for three hours without my knowledge my wife would be forced to hold me back from wrapping my hands around someone's throat or at least not to threaten to get anyone fired. Plus she's FIVE YEARS OLD! Kids that young don't have the filter in their brain that tells them "Maybe I shouldn't say this". I hope they win their lawsuit and get their public apology, and not some bullshit apology where they apologize for getting caught, but an actual apology that contains the words "We're sorry for all the problems we caused this girl and her family."

[The Worst]

Since when does Zero Tolerance mean "We can stop using our brains"? If this happened to my niece, heads would be rolling at her school. And I say this as someone who works AT A SCHOOL.

[Zyffyr]

A three hour interrogation of a 5 year old? The people responsible for that need to look for a new line of work, as they clearly aren't competent for the one they are in now.

[Skittles]

Yeah this needs to be investigated by the child welfare department, and the school needs to be facing a lawsuit. Questioning any child for 3 hours without parental presence is not okay age has nothing to do with that. Too top it all off this is a five year old with a bubble gun. It. Shoots. Bubbles. For. Fucks. Sake.

@WMDKitty Seriously all that crap you are saying about guns is ridiculous unfounded and untrue. Guns are tools they need an operator to be used or misused. People are sometimes bugfuck crazy and broken, the world isn't always safe. Running around with protective foam and duct tape won't make it safe. A far more effective way of teaching kids about guns is to teach them how to shoot and take them to a range to pop off a couple of .22 rounds. Showing them the reality of a gun will teach them how scary they really are. However if the kid can't tell the difference between a toy gun and a real gun there a lot of bigger problems there. Like the depending upon the age maybe therapy and medication problems.