8 Year Old Child Still Expelled for Toy Gun - a Year Later

[RamboLiberal]

Samuel Burgos has fond memories of his friends at school, but he only gets to see them in pictures now.

The 8-year-old boy hasn't been in school for a year and will likely miss another year if the Broward County School Board has its way.

Burgos was suspended from school in November after a teacher found a toy gun in his backpack. But when the boy went to register to go back to Pembroke Pines Charter School, he was told he will be expelled for this school year, too, as part of the county's zero tolerance weapons policy.

"He made a mistake, but why the severe punishment? I don't understand that," said Magdiel Burgos, Sam's dad.

http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local-beat/Child-Gets-Expelled-For-Toy-Gun---a-Year-Later.html

He was 7 when he took that toy gun - isn't the rest of the school year suspended last school year from Nov - June enough punishment for this kid? Hate these zero tolerance policies that lack common sense! Bet there are felons with real gun crimes who spend less time in jail!

[zonkers]

1. If I was him, I would grow up and become a bank robber just to show them.

[NightWatcher]

2. some responsibility must fall on the parents. Zero Tollerance is dumb, but it's a rule

and to get along with the school systems, you've got to play smart. No toy guns, no knives (even for cutting fruit), no drugs (even tylenol). You've got to know how to get along in order to get by sometimes.

[hlthe2b]

7. Adherence to zero policy explains his original explulsion, yes

And yes, the parents are at fault. But a second YEAR? How can anyone justify this?

[NightWatcher]

11. true, they need specific defined punishments

then let the parents decide what to do, where to go

[hlthe2b]

3. Insanity...

How many of the "adults" in the community boast gun ownership openly, not to mention what this child sees on tv. What a mixed message we send to children and he is paying the price. Damn them for this.

[davepc]

4. Inert pieces of plastic are dangerous.

Kids need to learn they can't bring inert pieces of plastic to school. Make an example out of him. For his own good of course.

[davepc]

5. Dupe

Double post.

[uncommon]

6. They should be fired - everyone who had a hand in making that decision and enforcing it.

What bullshit.

[Jkid]

8. A correctional school for problem students?

That's real smart, putting a child who did not committed a crime into a school with REAL criminals? Real smart.

Seriously, correctional schools are like universities of crime, only for kids.

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. Charter school

Nuff said.

[Riftaxe]

17. Not to interrupt your irrational hatred of Charter Schools but

just pointing out

he was told he will be expelled for this school year, too, as part of the county's zero tolerance weapons policy.

In other words, the policy was original implemented for Public Schools; perhaps you should include them in your contempt.

[MichiganVote]

19. In some states it depends on state law. In general p. schools are only allowed 1 year of expulsion.

[proud2BlibKansan]

22. +1

[dsc]

24. here it is 365 days (ie a calendar year)

so he would be expelled from Nov to Nov.

[MichiganVote]

26. And its only from that school. Parents could have applied to another school for admission

Another public school doesn't have to take the kid but one or more generally does.

[dsc]

27. not here

you get expelled from one school in your county and you get expelled from all of them. So unless you move, you have to go private, go to an alternative school, or sit out a calendar year.

[Saboburns]

10. Pure Fucking Madness

He didn't bring a gun o school. HE BROUGHT A FUCKING PLASTIC TOY TO SCHOOL.

For the love of all that is Holy. This is terrible fucked up.

[Nye Bevan]

12. We used to bring cap guns to school

and blow up the rolls of caps during recess by hitting them with rocks. Or jumping on them. The teachers didn't care but if we were "disrespectful" of them we were likely to get slapped.

Times change, I guess.

[MadHound]

21. During deer season a lot of students brought their deer rifles to school,

Kept them on the rifle rack in their pickup truck. Never had a problem.

Times do change, but a lot of that change has to do with simple public hysteria.

[Gaedel]

28. Back in high school in the fifties

During the "senior silly season" in April before graduation, the boys all wore sports coats and ties and carried cap guns in shoulder holsters or in the inside suit pocket and "blew each other away" in the halls between classes. It lasted about a week then wore itself out. Teachers just rolled their eyes and figured if they didn't say anything about it, it would go away in due time.

[JonLP24]

13. Kid needs to be in school learning

This is not helping him.

[sandrakae]

14. So he is suppose to grow up stupid with no means to support himself but a life of crime?

Is he being educated?

[Brickbat]

15. Charter school, eh? Bet they don't want this kid in there for some other reason, and the toy

gun was a convenient way to encourage him to take advantage of the full opportunities a school search can bring a family as they explore educational solutions.

[Recursion]

16. Bingo

Shuffling students around is part of how charters work. That can be good, or it can just be a way to get rid of a student you don't want.

[McCamy Taylor]

23. He is probably Latino and they are afraid he will drag down test scores.

Schools love to get rid of their Latinos on the flimsiest of excuses. Like carrying a rosary (aka "gang paraphenalia")

I hope the family files a discrimination lawsuit.

[unblock]

"zero tolerance" is exemplary of a society that values failed ideology more than solutions that work

[Maat]

18. Homeschool.

We homestudy through a charter school. The administrators, teachers and staff have been wonderful. They are public school employees. My daughter meets with a very diverse group of students during our field trips. The school pays for private art school lessons for my daughter and for access to Rosetta Stone language training. I don't have to worry about something this stupid happening. The idea that a little boy would be punished for accidentally bringing his favorite toy to school is ludicrous. I'm so glad that I don't have to deal with this crap. Have a great day! Excuse me - we are going to begin our study.

[proteus_lives]

20. So stupid.

[midnight armadillo]

25. Zero tolerance is a sign of utter failure by the administration

Zero tolerance == zero intelligence and competence. The administrators should be stripped of their citizenship, they are worthless and only remove value from our society.