These stories show how devoid of common sense some of us have become.
According to a criminal complaint charging a 17-year-old junior, the dean of students searched the boy’s car and found a rifle, a bayonet, five knives and nearly 400 rounds of ammunition. That quickly brought out Village of Pewaukee police.
“It’s taken very seriously. We can’t have weapons, guns and knives in a school zone,” Village of Pewaukee police Detective Craig Drummy said.
[…]
Pewaukee police said while they don’t believe he intended to harm anyone, he’s still facing two criminal charges.
Village of Pewaukee police said they believe everyone is safe at the school. The boy is suspended and could be expelled.
After WISN 12 News inquired Wednesday afternoon, the Pewaukee school superintendent emailed all parents, saying in part, “This incident did not and does not pose any threat or risk to the safety and security of our campus.”
It makes sense for the vice principal to call the police to investigate. Having a rifle and hundreds of round of ammunition (meaning: a few boxes and perfectly normal for spending a little time at the range) on campus should be evaluated. But after speaking with the kid, it appears that neither the school officials nor the police thought that the kid was planning anything untoward. The school made a point of telling parents that it “did not and does not pose any threat or risk to the safety and security of our campus.”
So why the pending criminal charges and expulsion from school? The other kids are safe and were never in danger. The kid made a mistake bringing his weapon – unloaded and in his vehicle – to the school parking lot. If the goal is to deter him from doing it again, wouldn’t a simple ticket and/or detention – not to mention the hours of police questioning already endured – do the trick? Why waste thousands of dollars and hours prosecuting him? Why yank him out of school and damage his education when nobody was ever in danger?
Hopefully both the Pewaukee school officials and district attorney come to their senses and drop the severe measures. The odds are that this kid won’t make the same mistake again. There’s no need to damage his education and saddle him with a criminal record for something that didn’t harm another soul.
Zero tolerance makes zero sense. Doesn’t matter if it is about guns, drugs, or practically anything else a student might have…especially in their own vehicle. If someone ain’t being harmed then the school shouldn’t be prosecuting the student.
Since the goal of the persecuti…er…prosecution is to make sure the student can never be legally armed again, what has happened thus far is not enough for them.
Grandson spent the whole summer with us here in the country. He’s been fascinated with guns from an early age. (He’s 11 now.) Grandpa has been training him re: responsibility, etc. Grandpa is his hunting mentor until he can take hunter safety. We make him keep his “collection” here because we keep telling him, “They won’t understand in (town, school, park, etc.). You might get in trouble.” This story is another example to back up our rule.