Misdiagnosed "Gun Violence"

by Dan Lacca

As the country tries to heal from the horrifying event that occurred in Newtown, CT, lawmakers at the national, state, and local levels have been searching for ways to prevent yet another tragedy from occurring. However, a massive gun-control hysteria has hit the nation by storm, forcing at least the Maryland state legislature to delay the search for a solution to school shootings, and focus their efforts on stopping school officials from abusing students due to a national fire arm phobia. An unprecedented amount of harsh school disciplining begs one to ask the question: “what happened to common sense in the United States?”

Pop Tart "gun"

According to the Huffington Post and Daily Caller, second grade student Josh Welch, was suspended for two days after his teacher noticed his pop-tart took the shape of a gun after little Josh bit it. Josh suffers from ADHD and struggles academically, however he excels in art. Josh admitted to shaping his pop-tart, but a gun was not what he had envisioned. He was trying to make a mountain. To justify the suspension, the school claimed that Josh threatened other students by pointing his half eaten breakfast at them saying “Bang Bang”, which Josh denied in press interviews. “I didn’t say bang, bang. I just pointed it at the ceiling.” The school sent home a letters home with students, asking parents to discuss the incident with their children in a manner they feel appropriate and that the school councilor would be available for anyone who feels they are in some way traumatized by Josh’s behavior. The incident has forced Maryland State Senator JB Jennings to propose the Reasonable School Discipline Act of 2013, commonly referred to by the media as “The Toaster Pastry Gun Freedom Act.”  The act restricts what actions can be taken to discipline students that make innocent gestures that an over sensitive school official may deem offensive. Jennings reasoned that “These suspensions are going on their (the students) permanent records and could have lasting effects on their education.”

Little Josh is not the only victim of unnecessarily harsh school discipline. In early March this year, Hunter Fountain was celebrating his ninth birthday in Michigan in the traditional way that many children have done for generations in this country. The Fountains baked cupcakes for young Hunter to generously share with his class and decorated the top of each treat with World War II Army men. A classic American tradition and a classic American child’s toy, is there a better mix? Apparently the principle of Hunter’s school believed so. According to multiple news outlets such as, FOX, Yahoo news, The Daily Caller, and other sources the Principle of Schall Elementary School deemed the cupcakes “insensitive” in the wake of Sandy Hook and confiscated the desserts until Hunter’s mother told the school to just take the toy soldiers off and serve the cupcakes without them. Hunter’s Father stated in an interview with FOX News “It disgusted me. It’s vile they lump true American heroes with psychopathic killers.