KNIVES in 4th grade!!!!!!! LONG

[mlathroum]

I normally don't get to post anymore but I had to get this out before I smack someone at school this morning. I am on the CAC committee at the school. My job is the act as liason between the parents and the school.
My 4th grader comes home from school last night and at dinner tells us he had to go find the school guidance counselor to report a child. When we start questioning him this is what we get.
He is not in this childs math class but a couple of his friends are. They know they can count on Chris when something is going on. During math class one of his friends sees this boy with a knife. The girl tells the teacher. the teacher tells the boy TO PUT IT AWAY!!!! I am livid. After math is over the girl comes and tells Chris. Chris tells his homeroom teacher who takes the knife away from the boy and locks it in her desk. She sends Chris for the Guidance Counselor. The Counselor yanks the boy out of class.
The principal was in Annapolis(we live in MD)for the monthly principals meeting. She is handling everything today and a note is going home.
I am ticked at this teacher though!! I want her dismissed!!! That has to be the dumbest thing I have ever heard of. One of these children could have been hurt!! One of our teachers could have been hurt!! Just to tell a child to put it away, not send someone for the counselor, getting him out of the classroom was just asking for a problem.
Don't get me wrong I am just as mad at this boy who in my opinion should be expelled. Don't flame me I am totally against any violence in schools and this is the only way to keep the children safe. This is also our states policy! If he is acting like this now how will he act by the time he is in high school?!!
Okay I feel a little better now after getting off my chest. I think I can talk to the principal this morning without trying to strangle the teacher!

[zitra]

I taotally agree with everything you said..what WAS that teacher thinking??

[buttrfli]

I agree as well, I would be LIVID! I'm not sure I could control my mouth when I got to school.

[lassss]

the teacher??? how about that kid's parents???????????? Jeeze I know what my kid is doing and what's in his backpack all the time. Everyone wants to blame the teacher instead of the parents.. I agree about the amount of violence in schools but it starts at home too

[MsLynn]

thats why i moved my kids out of the city ( I KNOW, it can happen anywhere, but more kids, ups the chances) we arrested an 8 year old with a loaded 9MM and the lil brat knew how to use it, shocked the begeezes outta me that he had the strength to pull the slide back. HOLY MOLY, and he went to my sons school.. made my decision to get the heck outta there... the schools here seem to have more control and do more to control the kids than they did In OKC.

i would be livid too. I agree with lass it starts at home, and it never should have made it to school. but to see a child with a knife and to let him keep it, oh good grief..never shoulda happened

[mom2cvam]

My problem is that the teacher KNEW about it and told him to put it away. That just blows my mind!!! She should have taken it away right then and there and done what was necessary. That student needs to have actions taken against him for his behavior. Sometimes kids just don't think about the consequences (sp) of their actions. That does not excuse him from being disciplined. The teacher should have known enough to take a knife away from a student. Maybe the parents will pay more attention to what their son is doing now. Its scary though. It could have been alot worse, but thankfully it didn't.

[justinenycole26]

Not only should the child be expelled, but he could also be facing criminal charges. You need to file a police report. As a matter of fact, any school employee who knew about this has an OBLIGATION to call the police. I cannot fathom any of the teachers or the Guidance Counselor overlooking this. A note is being sent home? You've GOT to be kidding me!

My cousin took something to school that could have been construed as a weapon. The police were called, they came to his house and searched his bedroom. He was not charged, but very well could have been. He was also not expelled, but that was due to a lot of begging and pleading by his mother and promises that it would NOT happen again.

Ok, my first statement that he should be expelled is a little harsh. if the circumstances are in his favor, such as he has never been in trouble before, does not have a historey of violence, etc, he should probably just be suspended. But sending a note home... give me a break! No, no little Johnny, it was not very nice of you to do that. UGH!

[zitra]

Originally posted by lassss
the teacher??? how about that kid's parents???????????? Jeeze I know what my kid is doing and what's in his backpack all the time. Everyone wants to blame the teacher instead of the parents.. I agree about the amount of violence in schools but it starts at home too

I don't think anyone is saying don't blame the parents..but YES the teacher should have been smart enough to take the knife away from the child, and not just tell him to put it away. If a child brings what could be construed as a weapon and ANY school official knows about it is their job to have the item removed from the child's possesion, and notify the authorities...because it is their job to keep ALL of the students safe.

Of course the parents should be paying more attention to what their child does, but the teacher needs to be repremanded,basically for being stupid. Not taking a weapon away from a child IMO is just that.

[Tasha405]

Originally posted by lassss
the teacher??? how about that kid's parents???????????? Jeeze I know what my kid is doing and what's in his backpack all the time. Everyone wants to blame the teacher instead of the parents.. I agree about the amount of violence in schools but it starts at home too I'm sorry but I don't agree with this. My son just took some knives to school a few weeks ago and I had no idea he had them. I didn't even know where they came from! We just moved here and he had met a neighborhood kid and my son traded him something for the knives. My son hid them in his pocket and then in his room so I would not find them. He is not allowed to have anything like this and he knew they would have been taken away. He has other knives that has been passed down to him from family members and they are all locked in a safe that he cannot get in. Anyway, he hid them in his pants and took them to school. He did not take them with intent to use them but to look "cool" at his new school. Yes I was upset and mad at him and yes he was suspended from school but should I have gotten in trouble too?? I don't think so. Why should I be blamed for what he did? Kids can be so sneaky. He brought those right into my house and I had no idea. I am a stay at home mom who doesn't drive so I am always here and I had no idea. Needless to say its like a prison here now. He is searched every morning before he leaves this house and he's not allowed to go back into his room for anything after I have searched everything. If he needs something from there, I go get it.

I do agree that the teacher was in the wrong. She should have taken the knife away from him, took him to the office, called the police, searched the boy and his locker. That's how they done my son.

[AngelGrim]

the parents may have not known either, he could have hid it outside anywhere and picked it up and took it, I would be demanding a report on the teacher, that is just crazy. The schools now days are scary. I remember as a girl that I took things to school I should not have and my mother had no idea and she searched my stuff all the time, I hid stuff from her on a regular basis, cigarettes, makeup-wasn't allowed to wear it-my tapes-wasn't allowed to listen to secular music, only Christian- and much more. I smoked during all my years after 6th grade and my mother didn't know till I was 16. So don't blame all parents, kids are sneaky. The teacher to allow the child to keep it was wrong though.

[Tracy'sMom]

Originally posted by buttrfli
I agree as well, I would be LIVID! I'm not sure I could control my mouth when I got to school.

I totally agree. My hubby would be like a wild animal turned loose.

[Tasha405]

Originally posted by AngelGrim
the parents may have not known either, he could have hid it outside anywhere and picked it up and took it, I would be demanding a report on the teacher, that is just crazy. The schools now days are scary. I remember as a girl that I took things to school I should not have and my mother had no idea and she searched my stuff all the time, I hid stuff from her on a regular basis, cigarettes, makeup-wasn't allowed to wear it-my tapes-wasn't allowed to listen to secular music, only Christian- and much more. I smoked during all my years after 6th grade and my mother didn't know till I was 16. So don't blame all parents, kids are sneaky. The teacher to allow the child to keep it was wrong though. Very well said and I agree. I was the same way as AngelGrim with the make up and cigs and my parents had no idea.

[lassss]

Originally posted by zitra
I don't think anyone is saying don't blame the parents..but YES the teacher should have been smart enough to take the knife away from the child, and not just tell him to put it away. If a child brings what could be construed as a weapon and ANY school official knows about it is their job to have the item removed from the child's possesion, and notify the authorities...because it is their job to keep ALL of the students safe.

Of course the parents should be paying more attention to what their child does, but the teacher needs to be repremanded,basically for being stupid. Not taking a weapon away from a child IMO is just that.

Oh I also agree that the teacher should have taken the knife away, no disagreement there...it just sounded like the teacher was being blamed because a student had a knife.

sorry Tasha but you are the mother of a minor and he is your responsibility and if you need to keep him like a prisoner so he stays outta trouble then that is what you must do. Here is PA if your child cuts school, YOU get fined $300, not the child.

[Tasha405]

Originally posted by lassss
sorry Tasha but you are the mother of a minor and he is your responsibility and if you need to keep him like a prisoner so he stays outta trouble then that is what you must do. Here is PA if your child cuts school, YOU get fined $300, not the child. I know that he is my responsibility but I can't see how it was my fault that he took them when I didn't even know he had them. I can't prevent something like this from happening when I don't know anything about it. You can't watch a child 24/7 especially when you have more than one.

[matt111]

elementary school child had a gun on the bus out here rural area dd told me of 4th & 5th graders smoking scares me what r babies have 2 go through

[mlathroum]

We live in a little community so this is really hitting hard here. we are about half way between Baltimore and Annapolis.
We are not jumping on the parents because YES children are sneaky and there is the possibility he found it or took it from a parents hiding place. My husband is law enforcement and everything in this house is locked but you can't say the same for others homes. This is why my kids are not allowed to play at just anyones homes.
We do feel he and the teacher should be punished. We really want the teacher moved to a different school. Not sure if the parents will get this done but it our objective at this point.
The parents and child are having a meeting as I am typing this for punishment. Sorry if I confused everyone but the letter that is being sent home is to the parents of the classmates so we know what happened exactly, what action has been taken, and how they will deal with "future" problems.

[Tasha405]

I hope they can get everything worked out. It is a scary thing to have happen at school.

[mimi37]

I think the kid should definitely be suspended. Does your school have a zero tolerance policy? My son was suspended for one day about 2 weeks ago. Him and a friend were goofing around in the hall between classes. My son threw a wadded up piece of paper at his friend and it left a red mark on the kid's neck. One of the teachers saw it happen and my son was suspended for one day. I guess it depends on the school and just how tolerant they are.