"Zero-tolerance" policy on guns extends to private property.

[Superman]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/09/24/7t ... -own-yard/

The bus stop for a 7th grader was in front of his yard. He was playing in his own yard with a toy gun...again on his own private property...and his neighbor called 911 on him. It does say that the kids in the yard were shooting pellets at each other "and at people near the bus," but we are getting way past crazy at this point.

Also, if the zero-tolerance policy extends to private property, then the schools should be completely empty (how many kids have parents with guns in their private homes). Maybe we should really push this point and empty out the public schools and put everyone in private? Maybe this is how we get rid of public schooling and get "vouchers"? Hehe...

[gthaustex]

Another example of bureaucracy run amok. No thought or common sense used in the application of rules by bureaucrats.

[The Annoyed Man]

I would be inclined to tell the school administrators to go have intimate knowledge of themselves.

[MotherBear]

That's ridiculous. Now, I'd skin my kid alive for shooting a toy gun at someone (especially since it appears they were shooting at people who were not participating in their game and didn't have proper safety gear), but that's my business. If my kid is on my private property before school has started, it's none of the school district's business what he's doing.

This quote really got my blood boiling:

"My son is my private property. He does not become the school's property until he goes to the bus stop, gets on the bus, and goes to school," Caraballo told the station.

My kids are my kids, period. When I leave them with a babysitter, they don't become the babysitter's kids. She's responsible for them, they are to obey her, but there is no transfer of "ownership," even temporarily. If I were to send my children to school (HA!), they would be temporarily in the school's custody. At no point, ever, do I give up my parental rights which completely and absolutely trump any claim the school may have. Schools are becoming stand-ins for parents more and more -- and I realize it goes both ways. You have the schools trying to get more control of the kids and their families, and the parents who are willing and sometimes even eager to abdicate responsibility and leave parenting to the schools. It's a wreck.

[RoyGBiv]

Not to mention that this neighborhood is very Navy.
Hard to imagine that level of intolerance (ignorance) in an area with such a high concentration of military/contractors.

[baldeagle]

Not to mention that this neighborhood is very Navy.
Hard to imagine that level of intolerance (ignorance) in an area with such a high concentration of military/contractors.

Apparently you're not very familiar with the modern Navy.

[jerry_r60]

I linked over to the article on wavy.com and it had some additional info, including the local law.

City Code:
The City codes referenced in this case are as follows:

City Code 38-3, primarily section (d) “ Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, it shall be unlawful for any person to discharge any firearm, spring-propelled rifle or pistol, from, on, across or within one hundred fifty (150) yards of any building, dwelling, street, sidewalk, alley, roadway or public land or public place within the city limits.”

And

Section (f) “No person shall use a pneumatic gun in the area of the city described in (a) above except (i) at approved shooting ranges or (ii) on or within private property with permission of the owner or legal possessor thereof when conducted with reasonable care to prevent a projectile from crossing the bounds of the property. For purposes of this subsection, "pneumatic gun" means any implement designed as a gun that will expel a BB or a pellet by action of pneumatic pressure, including but not limited to paintball guns. Further, for the purpose of this subsection "reasonable care" means that the pneumatic gun is discharged in a manner so the projectile is contained on the property by a backstop, earthen embankment or fence. The discharge of projectiles across or over the bounds of the property shall create the rebuttable presumption that the use of the pneumatic gun was not conducted with reasonable care and shall constitute a Class 3 misdemeanor. “


One of the things that concerned me, beyond on the private property stuff is this statement by the police:

"Also keep in mind that this is not something that we proactively seek out to enforce." It seems more and more, laws are passed making things illegal but then we are told it's not enforced. It's like we are slowly all made criminals and then left to the good will of the government to not prosecute.

[MeMelYup]

It seems more and more, laws are passed making things illegal but then we are told it's not enforced. It's like we are slowly all made criminals and then left to the good will of the govornment to not prosecute.

Exactly!!!

[SewTexas]

That's ridiculous. Now, I'd skin my kid alive for shooting a toy gun at someone (especially since it appears they were shooting at people who were not participating in their game and didn't have proper safety gear), but that's my business. If my kid is on my private property before school has started, it's none of the school district's business what he's doing.

This quote really got my blood boiling:

"My son is my private property. He does not become the school's property until he goes to the bus stop, gets on the bus, and goes to school," Caraballo told the station.

My kids are my kids, period. When I leave them with a babysitter, they don't become the babysitter's kids. She's responsible for them, they are to obey her, but there is no transfer of "ownership," even temporarily. If I were to send my children to school (HA!), they would be temporarily in the school's custody. At no point, ever, do I give up my parental rights which completely and absolutely trump any claim the school may have. Schools are becoming stand-ins for parents more and more -- and I realize it goes both ways. You have the schools trying to get more control of the kids and their families, and the parents who are willing and sometimes even eager to abdicate responsibility and leave parenting to the schools. It's a wreck.

I'm betting she was angry about the event and nervous about the interview and instead of "property" intended "responsibility".

[texanjoker]

Not saying I agree with it, but the kids were waiting for the school bus. Schools get hammered over stuff that happens while kids are going to and from schools, and when the kids are waiting they are under some rules. The punishment seems rather harsh. Maybe a talk to would have suffice saying while you are waiting you must follow school rules would have been better. These draconian punishments get carried away.

[jerry_r60]

...the kids were waiting for the school bus...

They were apparently about 70 yards away from the school bus, on private property. Waiting inside the house until you see the bus round the corner would also be "waiting for the school bus".

If it was at the school bus stop, that's a different story.

[MotherBear]

Not saying I agree with it, but the kids were waiting for the school bus. Schools get hammered over stuff that happens while kids are going to and from schools, and when the kids are waiting they are under some rules. The punishment seems rather harsh. Maybe a talk to would have suffice saying while you are waiting you must follow school rules would have been better. These draconian punishments get carried away.

But how is the school responsible for them when they aren't even on the bus yet? At what point do the kids come under the school's authority? If a kid shows up at the bus stop two hours early, is the school responsible for that child? Three hours? Thirty minutes? Fifteen minutes? At the exact moment the bus arrives? Is supposed to arrive? What's the magical point at which all activity at the bus stop becomes the school's problem? And for that matter, the article makes it sound like they weren't actually at the bus stop, but near the bus stop on private property (at least one of them in his own yard). So now it's outside school hours and they're not even at the bus stop, let alone on school property, and as far as I can tell there was no representative of the school present. It's pretty hard for me to see any argument for the school having authority in that situation. Once the kids are on the bus, sure. But until then, I'd say they're fully their parents' responsibility.

When I was a kid, my bus stop was at the end of my driveway. And there wasn't a clearly delineated spot -- I just went to the end of the driveway and waited for the bus. Could the school dictate what I could and couldn't do at the end of my driveway? At what times did their rules apply? Did their rules trump my parents' rules as the property owners? What about on days I didn't ride the bus? I was the only one at my stop, so if I wasn't there the bus didn't stop.

[mamabearCali]

It is bovine excrement....This is the close to the neighborhood I grew up in. That is the middle school my siblings went to. Even in VA you have to be at the school bus stop to be considered under school authority. Being in a yard half a block away is not under the authority of the schools--I know this because I experienced thier "not my table policies" in my day.

These particular schools did such a "good job" protecting my siblings and I that we would not send our dogs to these schools and they are considered "good schools." They are pretentious miserable places where the majority of the teachers, if you were not in a gifted class, did not try to teach you anything. If you were the 100lb 12 year old being bullied you were told to "stand up to the bully" that was 100 lbs heavier and a foot and a half taller--but don't get yourself punched because then they will have you suspended for a week.

How I despise these schools. The teachers are happy to let Lord of the Flies take place as long as it makes their path smooth. They get all uppity about kids playing in a yard half a block from the bus stop, but did not bother to stop me being thrown into thorn bushes and having to run home from school and lock my doors. It got to the point where I joined enough after school clubs to be able to stay after nearly everyday till my mom was done with work--those days I could not stay after I took another bus and sat on my moms car till she was done.

No, I have nothing but contempt for them and their policies, and my kids will never ever darken the door of a VA public school.

[longhorn_92]

Do you understand what these socialists are doing? They are nudging... They as shoving... They are educating the children and everyone else that guns are the most evil things in the world. They take events like this and make examples out of those children. Just like the parent who was arrested and charged with second degree assault on a police officer for asking questions about Common Core. They are making examples so the rest of the people become scared cattle.

[jmra]

Told my wife about this at Walmart last night. I guess I caught her off guard because her reaction was so emotional I thought someone might go get security. She immediately personalized the situation and it became our kids that had been suspended.
People around us at the checkout who had not heard me state that it was a news story were getting fired up (thinking it was our kids suspended for playing with toy guns in our own yard). I'm sure that had we not been in the 20 or less items lane, a petition drive would have started right there.
To make matters worse, my son grabbed a book and put it on the conveyor which meant after everything was totaled we had 21 items - I'm so ashamed.