It immediately gave me an uneasy feeling for a few reasons. The child is only a year (and a month- but whose counting?) older than BIG and I've seen him make a gun gesture with his hand plenty of times. Until yesterday I didn't realize that was a punishable offense. If you aren't interested in reading the whole article I will give you a quick cliff notes versions. There was a little boy playing army man on the school playground at recess in Charlotte NC. In this school this is a suspend-able offense as he was suspended for a one-day in school suspension. When his parents found out they called the principal and school board and asked to meet with them. The suspension was then dropped. It's also important to note that there is a school handbook and gun hand gesture punishments is not mentioned. Ok, so those are the facts as reported.
But this still leaves me a bit uneasy. We all know that kids aren't allowed to bring actual guns to school. (duh!) It's even iffy if you can bring a fake gun to school. Personally I'm ok if there is a rule that says no fake guns at school. While some may not like the rule- if the school district decides that is the way to go I support that. 100%. I'm probably a little more hard core than most because I'd be fine with a ban on all toys in school. I'm no Burger Meister Meister Burger where I hate toys. However if toys are causing a problem have a blanket no toy policy. I'm on board.
What I do have a problem with is when there is a rule that isn't in the student handbook* but is enforced with an iron fist. This is a 5 year old. F.I.V.E. Super Nanny tells you his punishment should be a 5 minute time out. Not a suspension. And guess what- he didn't know he was doing anything wrong. He was playing Army man on the playground. *I realize the rule book can't have possible situation that a child may get in. No noogies while standing on one foot while you are wearing a stripe shirt. But if hand gestures aren't allowed this should be listed, taught and reinforced by the parents at home.
Google search kindergarten suspensions and you will be shocked at how many stories come up. In one case another 5 year old was suspended after talking about shooting her friends with her PINK HELLO KITTY BUBBLE GUN (that she had at home- not even on school property) She may as well have said my unicorn is going to sneeze glitter all over you. Here is the shocking (to me at least) part. School district officials labeled her a terrorist threat. Let that sink in for a minute pretty people. This little girl and her pink hello kitty bubble gun (again not on the premises) are considered on the same level as a terrorist threat. They wanted to suspend her for ten days. TEN DAYS. A six year old in Colorado was accused of sexual harassment and suspended for kissing a little girl on the cheek. I get it- he had cooties and it was a totally unwanted advance. But to suspend him? Is that the right thing to do? I'm no expert so I don't have all the answers but I wouldn't call him a sex offender because he smooched a classmate.
Another school system considers kids playing cops and robbers an act of violence. I wonder if it would be considered violent if they were using finger swords and slaying a dragon to save a princess. Maybe reenacting a fable they heard during story time. To me this imaginative play is awesome. It shows that the child is interested in learning and taking it to the next level. It's interesting that there is a core curriculum that where the goal is consistency in education at every level but doesn't it doesn't address what's considered acceptable student behavior vs' "terrorist acts."
Some of these sound like teachable moments to me. Keep your hands to yourself. No kissing. We don't play so rough that we pretend to have guns to hurt someone. I guess that's the difference to me- if these kids had actually hurt someone they wouldn't be suspended for up to 10 days. The parents would be called immediately. In several of the cases I researched the parents weren't called until way after the fact. After their child had been in a three hour interrogation with the principals and counselors. Even real life criminals are allowed a phone call and a talk with mom and dad or a lawyer. These little ones are kids- not criminals.