CALL THE POLICE! A FIRST GRADER'S GOT A GUN!

Yesterday, Wilson Elementary School in West Allis, Wisconsin showed that it will not tolerate students bringing weapons to school.

When a gun was discovered at the school, the police were called to handle the situation.

Should Wilson Elementary be commended for the tough, swift action?

NO! NO! A THOUSAND TIMES NO!

Here's why:

A 6-year-old at Wilson Elementary School in West Allis got a visit from the police after he brought a toy gun to school.

The first grader was showing the toy to his friends. West Allis police say at no point did anyone believe the gun was real. But school administrators decided to call the cops because possession of a fake gun is a violation of the rules.

The 6-year-old got a talking to from police, but he was not taken into custody.

"I don't think it's horrible, especially with what's going on right now. I think that hopefully it scared the kid to realize that that's something you shouldn't do," said Melissa Skenandore, the parent of a 6-year-old at Wilson.

The West Allis West Milwaukee School District defended the decision, saying they take all infractions seriously. The district would not say if any action had been taken against the first grader by the school.

THIS IS SO STUPID!

It's a waste of tax payer dollars.

Don't West Allis police have better things to do than respond to a call about the possession of a toy gun by a first grader?

It would have been far more beneficial for the school to schedule an assembly and have an officer talk to all the children about guns and safety.

Why take a cop off the streets to talk to this little boy?

Certainly, school staff could have handled the matter. Are they that incompetent that it's too much for them to manage the situation?

The West Allis West Milwaukee School District assertion that "they take all infractions seriously" is a lame excuse for the overreaction.

This "infraction" was a child bringing a toy to school.

Did he break the rules? Yes.

Did he attempt to frighten or threaten other children and lead them to believe that the gun was real? From this report, it doesn't sound like it.

That means that first graders are able to draw distinctions that Wilson Elementary and the West Allis West Milwaukee School District are incapable of doing.

I don't fault the school for having a zero tolerance policy on guns, including toy guns.

It would have been completely appropriate for the school to take disciplinary measures against the toy gun-toting tot.

It was completely ridiculous for school administrators to call the police in this case.

I'm sure a lot of things happen that are in violation of school rules.

Are the police called in when a first grader takes another first grader's crayons, or God forbid, a scissors?

Children need to be taught the rules and they need to understand that violating the rules will result in punishment.

The school does spell out the consequences for breaking the rules.

From the Woodrow Wilson School Parent/Student Handbook:



Note this one:

7. Referral to agencies, police, or juvenile authorities for court action.

Did bringing a toy gun to school rise to the level of severity that such a dramatic response was deemed necessary?

Calling the police was the wrong action to take. Rather than circling the wagons, district officials should have noted that and shown some common sense.

The school and the district officials look like fools.

There was never any danger because the gun was always known to be a toy.

Did police need to be called in to scare the 6-year-old, as one of the school's parents suggests?

NO!

That stunt not only is inappropriate, I think it borders on abusive.

Let's face it, if a child or anyone plans to go on a shooting spree and commit mass murder, I think it's highly unlikely that a visit from a cop would be enough to scare the individual straight.