Fifth-Grader Expelled........ for Drawing Guns!

[Warik]

The old Western cliché -- "Draw, pardner!" -- took on an
ominous meaning in a Florida elementary classroom.

A fifth-grader was taken from school in handcuffs after
classmates told a teacher he had made drawings of weapons.

Yes, drawings.

The 11-year-old attended Oldsmar Elementary School in the St.
Petersburg, Florida area. The incident occurred Wednesday,
May 9, 2001.

The child was not charged with a crime, but he received some
disciplinary action the principal refused to discuss. School
officials say he probably won't return to school for the rest
of the year, and probably will be sent to another school next
year.

"There were some drawings that were confiscated by the
teacher," principal David Schmitt said. "The children were in
no danger at all. It involved no real weapons."

Noted the St. Petersburg Times: "The boy was handcuffed by
campus police for his safety and not because the student was
violent or out of control, said school district spokesman Ron
Stone."

"That's normal procedure in a situation like this," Stone
said. "The primary concern was to make sure we get
appropriate services for the child."

The boy's treatment could have been worse. Nancy Zambito, a
director of school operations for the school district, noted
that, depending on the severity of a particular threat, a
student could be arrested or even hospitalized. She pointed
out that Florida's Baker Act allows for the involuntary
commitment of people who threaten or attempt to hurt others.

Principal Schmitt commended the boy's classmates who turned
him in after seeing his drawings, praising them for doing
what, he claims, was the right thing. Schmitt, however,
refused to discuss the details of why the boy's drawings were
deserving of such severe punishment.

"All I can tell you is it was a threat...against students,"
he said. "Nobody in particular, but students in general.

"We just need to get it through kids' heads that there are
certain things you don't say and there are certain things you
don't draw," Schmitt said.

Give it your best shot, RyanH.

-Warik

 

[TxCollegeguy]

Damn Sons of Bitchs....Something has to be done in in this country. This shit is out of control. I hope his parents sue the fuck out of that school and Cause as much media attention as they can.

 

[slickdadd]

Pretty vague but still, shit went way too far

 

[Cleaner]

So I guess drawing something on paper is now criminal enough to have the need for cuff's.

I would call it free speech. Fuk em.

 

[plifter]

Dang ol free country my ass, wouldn't pictures of guns be protected under the 1st Amendment. How dare any one bring aspirin to school. Isn't there anyone left with any common sense?

 

[Warik]

Isn't there anyone left with any common sense?

Yes. They're called "evil capitalists."

-Warik

 

[WODIN]

Good thing they got to him before he could draw some bullits!!! Then we would be reading about the "Great Florida Sketch Massacre"!!!

Communist fucks!!!

 

[TxCollegeguy]

woodin thats pretty funny though it's a real concern that needs to be addressed


I mean if this kid was drawing his teachers and class mates being shot and stuff why couldnt' they just call his parents and have a conference with the school dr. to talk about it.

 

[Warik]

I mean if this kid was drawing his teachers and class mates being shot and stuff

He wasn't.

He drew a gun - maybe two.

No stick figures were harmed in the production of that sketch.

It was a drawing of a gun. Good thing he didn't bring one of those plastic soldiers - those guns are real.

-Warik

 

[TxCollegeguy]

I still don't think he should have been cuffed and def not kicked out of school...hell we drew our army shit all the time in elem. guns, bombs, warheads, battlefields...I'm sure now days they would have said we were crazy threats to society.

I wonder if this child has a history of violent behavior or if he made open threats about the drawings or just did anything to make them think he was going to go postal on them.