Toy soldiers run afoul of school's weapons ban

[petegz28]

Give me a ****ing break already with this shit...

Toy soldiers run afoul of school's weapons ban
By MICHELLE R. SMITH (AP) – 10 hours ago

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Christan Morales says her son just wanted to honor American troops when he made a hat decorated with an American flag and small plastic Army figures.

But the hat ran afoul of the district's no-weapons policy because the toy soldiers were carrying tiny weapons.

"His teacher called and said it wasn't appropriate because it had guns," Morales said.

Morales' 8-year-old son, David, was assigned to make a hat for the day when his second-grade class would met their pen pals from another school. She and her son came up with an idea to add patriotic decorations to a camouflage hat.

Earlier this week, the Tiogue School in Coventry sent the hat home with David after class. He wore a plain baseball cap on the day of the visit instead.

Superintendent Kenneth R. Di Pietro said the principal told the family that the hat would be fine if David replaced the Army men holding weapons with ones that didn't have any.

"The issue for us was, can it be done in a way that didn't violate the zero-tolerance for weapons?" he said. "Nothing was being done to limit patriotism, creativity, other than find an alternative to a weapon."

Di Pietro said the district does not allow images of weapons or drugs on clothing. For example, it would not allow a student to wear a shirt with a picture of a marijuana leaf on it.

The principal "wasn't denying the patriotism," he said. "That just is the wrong and unfair image of one of our finest principals."

Morales said her son was inspired to honor the military after striking up a friendship last summer with a neighbor in the Army.

Banning the hat "sent the wrong message to the kids, because it wasn't in any way to cause any harm to anyone," she said. "You're talking about Army men. This wasn't about guns."

The story was first reported by Providence TV station WPRI.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...wyzBwD9GD56SO0

["Bob" Dobbs]

Good God. We are so ****ed.

There are a whole lot of stupid people who have been placed in positions of responsibility. It is unfortunate.

[Hammock Parties]

Why is there no education about how important the right to bear arms is?

Without that right we're all ****ed and the government can do whatever it wants.

The demonization of weapons in this country is definitely going too far.

[Silock]

Geezus.

[CoMoChief]

Those crazy ass Rhode Islanders....

[Param]

If that 8 year old tripped and fell wearing this hat, one of those army doods gun could've stabbed another kids eye. School board did the right thing.

[mikey23545]

What if the little guys simply unloaded their weapons? Would the liberals have still been afraid of them?

[Demonpenz]

I walked into a school the other day with a cutoff t shirt, they were like . get the **** out of there with those guns....as I flex my biceps

[Mojo Jojo]

I guess none of these kids should be allowed any of the "Toy Story" movies.

[blaise]

We probably shouldn't teach them about the American Revolution or the Civil War. Too many guns.

[stevieray]

This should tell you how the schools think they are your child's parent.

[morphius]

Originally Posted by Mojo Jojo

I guess none of these kids should be allowed any of the "Toy Story" movies.

The key is not to bring any folder/binder/back pack that depict the army men.

[Fish]

No Transformers/GI Joe/Thundercats/million other cartoon backpacks or binders or t-shirts? They have weapons no?

[MOhillbilly]

My kids school they still say the pledge and sing about god in the christmas choir program.