Don't Suspend Student For Bringing Unloaded BB Gun To School
- by: Care2.com
- recipient: Newton County Theme School
An 8-year-old boy was suspended from school for doing the right thing.
Andrew Berry accidentally brought an unloaded BB gun to school, and immediately let his teacher know about the mix-up. Now he faces suspension and a court hearing.
Berry was practicing shooting his BB gun at his grandparent's house the weekend before the incident. He mistakenly left the unloaded BB gun in his backpack, and took it with him when he returned to school.
Many schools have a "zero-tolerance" policy when it comes to drugs and violence, but cases like Berry's call for a much-needed gray area.
Students should not be punished for making the right decision. Punishing Berry sends the message that kids should go out of their way to not get caught instead of risking unfair punishment.
Tell Newton County Theme School not to punish an 8-year-old student for making the right choice!
Dear Newton County Theme School,
Punishing 8-year-old Andrew Berry for being honest about the empty BB gun he accidentally brought to school sends the wrong message to students. Berry now faces suspension, a court hearing, and a police report because the school is sticking to a "zero-tolerance" policy that doesn't match his individual case.
Please make room in your school's policy for judgement-calls, as in the case of Berry. He was honest, and attempted to abide by the school's rules. A warning would be appropriate for such a light situation--but a court hearing is an exaggeration of the event and a misuse of the community's resources.
Don't punish Andrew Berry for doing the right thing!
Sincerely,
[Your name here]
