is this fair?

[granny2young]

Actual Article

A Yadkin County student says he brought a BB gun to school by mistake and now faces tough consequences, even though he alerted the principal after recognizing his mistake.

Michael Beam is charged with possessing a weapon and has been ordered to a group home. His parents told WXII 12 News they are outraged with the outcome.

Beam said he discovered the BB gun in an old book bag before a recent trip to school at Yadkin Success Academy.

Before leaving home that morning, he had moved his school supplies to the bag because his other bag was dirty.

As soon as he got off the school bus, Beam turned the gun in to a principal.

Beam's parents say the punishment isn't fair.

"It wasn't like he tried to hide it," said Mandi Beam. "I felt like if he had taken it on purpose he wouldn't have gone and told (the principal)."

Beam said her son, diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is on the school's "AB" honor roll.

"Right now, he's just depressed," Mandi Beam said. "He's sad."

Yadkinville police detective Dawn Perdue is in charge of the case. She said the group home has rehabilitated troubled kids and thinks the home will be good for Beam.

"From a mother's point of view, of course, she probably hurts because he wants to go home," Perdue said.

"But, you know, as a mother you have to step back and think, 'We need to do what's best for our children.'"

Beam appealed the judge's decision to send her son to the group home, but on Monday a judge rejected the plea. She goes back to court later this month.

[wittzo]

Zero tolerance at schools is ridiculous. Honor Roll students getting suspended for bringing GI Joe guns that are 3" long to school for a school project on D-Day. I guess the old timers were too tough to carry guns when they were storming the beach?

Kindergarteners getting suspended for pointing their fingers at each other while playing cop and robbers.

A 5 -year old little girl getting suspended for having a toy nail file.

Teachers and administrators( or principals or whatever fancy term they like to call themselves) are getting too lazy and too PC to look at things as a case by case basis. A straight-A student that forgets he's got a bow for deer hunting in his trunk shouldn't be punished like a problem child with a gang background carrying a Glock in his waistband. This kid came to them, they should have given him amnesty and let the parents come and pick it up. This will only breed mistrust in authorities even more. Discipline is important, but not stupid discipline.

When I was going to school, our English teacher had a Mini-14 "assault rifle" in his truck and most of the other male teachers had shotguns or rifles on gun racks. Most of the boys carried knives. We would actually play mumbly peg during recess. I don't know how many times a teacher asked me for my knife so she/he could cut something instead of looking for scissors. It even happened a lot when I was going to ICC. Luckily, colleges aren't the same as regular schools. During deer season or any other time for that matter, no one cared if a student had a gun or a bow in his car when I was in high school. I think if we can trust a kid with a car, he can be trusted with other things that aren't as dangerous.

[granny2young]

This kid came to them, they should have given him amnesty and let the parents come and pick it up. This will only breed mistrust in authorities even more. Discipline is important, but not stupid discipline.




**This is my thoughts exactly***

[beastmanjack]

I agree with you Granny. That principle should've have thanked the child for his honesty. and let it go at that.and like you said have the parents come and pick it upand then drop the whole subject.