Thread: real or imaginary

Colorado boy, 7, reportedly faces suspension for tossing imaginary grenade | Fox News

Should a child get suspended for playing with imaginary weapons?

Originally Posted by AlyssaEimers

Colorado boy, 7, reportedly faces suspension for tossing imaginary grenade | Fox News

Should a child get suspended for playing with imaginary weapons?

um no!

Very silly! Recently my son had to do a project at school and do a timeline poster of a person he admired and important events in their life. He wanted to do one of his brother that is in the Air Force and serving in Afghanistan. Some of the pictures on his timeline were of his brother in full uniform with a gun. I just realized in some of these kooky schools he probably would have been suspended for bringing a picture of a gun to school!

It's the rule and he broke it. If you don't like the rule..then try to have it changed.

I don't see what is kooky about a school discouraging violent play.

Originally Posted by Jessica80

It's the rule and he broke it. If you don't like the rule..then try to have it changed.

I don't see what is kooky about a school discouraging violent play.

I think what people are saying is that the rule should be changed. At least that is what I am saying

Discouraging violent play....yes, I can get behind that. No pretend guns, grenades etc in the classroom....yes, I have often enforced this rule myself. Suspended for playing with imaginary weapons on the playground.......no, cant say I see the reasoning for this. It is hard, to impossible, for a duty teacher to be aware of what every child is playing at all times, which means this child could have played this game for days before anyone saw and reported the grenade incident. I honestly think that a simple, 'we dont play with pretend weapons here' would have sufficed. If it was an ongoing issue, then the parents could be brought in to discuss if it is important enough to the school, but suspension seems like it is going WAY too far for such a minor thing.

I have actually seen a teacher remove a toy gun from a grade one child (so same age) who brought it to school for show and tell. She told him he couldnt have it at school, she held it up for the kids to see at show and tell while he talked, and then she put it on a high shelf and told him his parent could come get it after school. That to me is reasonable....not walking the kid down to the office and getting the principal involved.

The question wasn't if the rule should change, it was should he be suspended. I answered it.

I just re-read what I wrote, and then the article. I dont necessarily think that the rule should be changed, but I do think that this punishment is not appropriate.

Originally Posted by Jessica80

The question wasn't if the rule should change, it was should he be suspended. I answered it.

Really? I am not seeing your response to that question. You said that is the rule and he broke it.....I assume that you agree with the suspension then? If we suspended children for every rule they break in school, we would have empty classrooms.

I think this is over the top. Every little boy I have ever known has played pretend guns. You can not control what someone pretends. I have taught Sunday School off and on for years (yes, I know this is different than public school, but it is still being responsible for other people's children). I would not allow the loud sound effects of pretend guns and would re-direct their attention to something else, but suspending a child for imagined play seems crazy to me.

I have some big problems with guns, gun culture and gunplay. We don't allow toy guns in our home because we feel they are tools and not toys. And gunplay adds to the idea that they are toys. Also some of them look really real. I don't think they need to be in schools.

But, if a kid wants to play guns they will. There is nothing anyone can do about that. A reminder that gunplay is not for school should suffice. Suspending someone for pretending is crazy.