Zero Tolerance

ZERO TOLERANCE 
It was reported on CNN today that an 8 year old boy was suspended from his grammar school for fashioning a pastry into what appeared to be a gun in class during his snack period! He was reported to have pointed the pastry at people and said, “Bang!”
Let this set in…..
Really!!! What kind of assholes do we have educating out children? Having been an educator/therapist at one time in my life, I viewed this and the interview with the child and his father and thought; What the fuck?!?! 
When I was in school, in Southern California, I had fellow students who carried real guns in school; they carried pellet guns, bb guns, knives, toys and real. Scary to think of today, and had anyone been found out they’d have been suspended, and I believe, deservedly so. 
This little boy just bit his donut into what appeared to be a gun. Reportedly he wasn’t trying to do that; it just happened. 
I think that as our society continues to run around shouting out that the sky is falling; is going to seriously inhibit our children’s self expression. 
Had this child, said he was going to bring in a gun and shoot everyone; then I could see this type of punishment being given. 
Had this child slapped, hit, kicked or spit on a student or teacher; I could see a suspension being an appropriate action to change the direction of this child’s behavior. That wasn’t the case. 
Walk down the aisle of any toy department and you’ll find guns, holsters, machine guns, bows and arrows, space phasers and all types of soft projectile toys. Anyone ever play with a NERF gun? I did. Hell, sometimes, I still do.
When I was young, my father took me out and taught me how to shoot a real gun. I was taught how to carry a weapon, load a weapon and shoot a weapon. I was also taught to RESPECT that weapon. 
I have owned a gun since I was ten years old. I have never brandished a weapon in anger, nor have I even thought of it. 
A weapon is for self defense, to protect yourself and those that you love. 
I believe that it is every SANE citizens duty to own and know how to operate a self defense weapon. I don’t think that our country wants to be a country of victims. Failure to be able to defend yourself and your loved ones can indeed make you a target to be a victim of violence.
Kids play video games that are violent, they watch television and movies that are violent, they read books that are violent, and yet most, are not violent. It’s that .00001 child that gets
punished. I wonder if his teacher just dislikes that child.
In my classroom, I’d have called that particular child over and told him that donuts were for eating; not shooting at people and let it go. This child’s teacher was probably some leftist nut job thinking that guns are evil. In my humble opinion, this teacher is EVIL; terrorizing some poor kid. Counsel the child, don’t punish the child; unless the behavioral outburst truly warrants a punishment. 
Get over it teachers; love and nurture your student from 4 to 24; they’ll be better students and you’ll be a better teacher for the effort!