Other State 14-Year-Old Suspended for Being Seen with an Airsoft Gun on Snapchat

[DB Wesner]

Eighth-Grader Suspended for Airsoft Gun in Snapchat Videos | National Review

 

[Talos32]

I realize that this is a private school, but surely in order to hand out diplomas that are legally recognized, they have to receive some sort of accreditation from the state. I would also imagine that this accreditation would have very strict rules on when they could deny a diploma to somebody.

I wonder what would happen if the father told them that if they don't graduate his son he will try and have their accreditation stripped from them.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

lunacy

 

[DB Wesner]

How is this not an attack on his First Amendment? I'll wait...

 

[Gbirk]

I took my family including my niece and nephew shooting a couple weeks ago out at Wolf Creek. They are visiting from Colorado, and both attend Columbine High School (yes, that Columbine). They had a lot of fun, and were taking pictures. I specifically warned them not to post anything to social media because of this exact kind of back-lash. They understood why, but it is really interesting how they perceive what happened at their school in 1999 and how all of the adults feel about it. They know what happened but it is just history to them, but just mentioning "Columbine" to an adult has a gut punch feel to it. It is really interesting to introduce them to friends and see the friend's reaction when they are told where they are from and where they go to school.

 

[DB Wesner]

I specifically warned them not to post anything to social media because of this exact kind of back-lash. They understood why,

This is sad to me. You were involved in a Bill of Rights protected and legal activity, why should we be the ones self censoring?

 

[nammac]

A school with “progressive values” just capitulating to the masses... As for first amendment rights, we already know that if one isn’t in alignment with those in power, there are no first amendment rights... So sad what’s happened to America in the past half century....

 

[Gbirk]

I am 100% with you and have no issues posting pictures of my kids shooting and even encourage it, but I am not going to tempt the devil like that with someone else's kids.

 

[nammac]

This is sad to me. You were involved in a Bill of Rights protected and legal activity, why should we be the ones self censoring?

Mass rule and mob mentality... America needs a serious reset...

 

[BSG 75]

Apparently the school wasn't upset that he just appeared in a picture with an airsoft gun, it was this:

The eighth grader also posed for a photo with the friend, who held him in a headlock with the fake gun pointing at his head.

14-Year-Old Posts Picture of Airsoft Gun on Snapchat, School Suspends Him for 3 Weeks

Not justifying the school's actions, just clarifying the context.

 

[DB Wesner]

Maybe it's because we are from a small town, but when I took my daughters shooting they all took pictures and shared them with their friends on snap chat as I recall. Granted this was 2 years ago but no one was expelled, heck even the Vice Principle of the High School saw the pic from his daughter and asked if he could come along next time...Small towns rock.

 

[nammac]

Apparently the school wasn't upset that he just appeared in a picture with an airsoft gun, it was this:



Not justifying the school's conduct, just clarifying the context.

Dad said it, they were being knuckleheads. Not condoning, but they’re what 14 or 15 year olds... I can see a discussion about how this might be construed by some as bad and dangerous behavior, doesn’t look good for the boys or the school, but nothing beyond “hey, next time think a little harder”

 

[Talos32]

How is this not an attack on his First Amendment? I'll wait...

Private school- only the government is constrained from infringing on rights, except descrimination based on protected classes (race, sex,age, etc.). That's why I say he could go after their credentialing.

Depending on whatever contract is signed with the school, he could also explore if they violated the terms.

 

[AMT]

This may have been the part that caused reaction:

"......and he also posed for a photo depicting the same friend holding the device to his head....."

 

[awshoot]

Apparently the school wasn't upset that he just appeared in a picture with an airsoft gun, it was this:

[the eight grader posed in a picture showing one kid in a headlock and other holding airsoft to his head]

Not justifying the school's actions, just clarifying the context.

Dad said it, they were being knuckleheads. Not condoning, but they’re what 14 or 15 year olds... I can see a discussion about how this might be construed by some as bad and dangerous behavior, doesn’t look good for the boys or the school, but nothing beyond “hey, next time think a little harder”

I condone it. When I was a kid, the closest thing to a realistic toy gun we could get was a silver western style cap gun revolver. Mostly, we used sticks we'd break of trees and then play war. It would look like this and yeah, we aimed them at each other and hid in the woods and ambushed each other:

The only difference between then and now is that the toy guns are little more accurately manufactured, but images of kids playing with toy guns should not even be considered as a reason for suspension. It is a great opportunity to discuss the 4 rules in the context of real guns and talk about valid exceptions (airsoft/paintball games).

Anyway, I doubt these kids got suspended:

 

[AndyinEverson]

1 ) I disagree with the suspension ...It seems a bit much for a action that took place outside of school grounds and school hours...
2 ) Situations like the OP goes to show , that it is important to follow all safe firearm practices , even with a airsoft gun...one of the many reasons that I dislike airsoft guns , is the notion that it is not a "real gun" , therefore the safety rules do not apply ...and this line of reasoning may cross over to when a "real gun" is being handled.
3) It is a sad state of affairs when one has to "hide" or self censor , the exercising of a Right.
Andy

 

[Basedgreaser]

Don't worry guys Gillette will release another add scolding their dads for letting boys be boys.

 

[JustSomeGuy]

If there was any such thing as social media when I was a school kid, I'd have been posting photos of myself and my real guns just to get kicked out...

 

[BSG 75]

The only difference between then and now is that the toy guns are little more accurately manufactured,

I don't think that's the only difference between then and now. I suspect you didn't see as much of this then

as we do now. I also suspect when you were an eighth grader you weren't putting your friends in a headlock and sticking a realistic looking toy gun against their head. Or maybe you were.

Can't ignore the fact that we live in a different world now than when we were kids. Schools are hypersensitive about anything involving guns - play or real - and their students, and they often overreact, as they did in this case.

 

[Talos32]

This is why it's important for our side to be aggressive with publicizing these incidents, lawsuits, and threats of lawsuits.

We have people regularly commenting here that they self censor their activities to not end up in a situation like this kid. we need to flip that around to where places like schools stay within their lane by making the costs outweigh the perceived benefits of these sorts of actions.