Plastic pellet shooter equals deadly firearm under zero tolerance policy
Gun Scare At Lincoln High School
Two students face lengthy suspensions, and criminal charges, after bringing what looked like a real gun to school Tuesday. As they were leaving class Tuesday, a Lincoln High School student saw a classmate flash a handgun in the parking lot. That student told school officials immediately. Within a matter of minutes police surrounded a car and started searching for a weapon.
The police were called and they found the weapon to be a plastic pellet shooter that looked very much like a real gun. That’s good enough for zero tolerance.
…the school district has a zero tolerance policy when it comes to any weapon on campus.
[Bill Smith with the Sioux Falls School District] adds, “And even though this is not a firearm that the students brought, this will be suspended as if they brought a real weapon to school.”
The two students involved are suspended for 20 days. It’ll be mid-March before they’re back to class.
20 school days is a month of school. Imagine how much schooling will be missed in an entire month. Do these kids have any realistic chance of passing their classes? But catch-all zero tolerance policies are not implemented with students in mind. They are all about a tough image and politics.
(Tip credit to Jean E)