Alabama school suspends 1st-grader for making finger gun while playing cops and robbers, says outraged parent
Gun Owners of America and state gun rights groups in Alabama sent a letter to Bagley Elementary School demanding corrective action
The suspension notice states that J.B. committed a "3.22 Threat" infraction. According to the Student and Parent Handbook for Bagley Elementary, Article 3.22 is "THREAT / INTIMIDATION (OF STUDENT)." Potential violations include "A threat to do serious bodily harm or violence to another student by word or act, cyber bullying, or intimidation that may induce fear into another." Examples given are "a threat to kill, maim, or inflict serious harm; a threat to inflict harm involving the use of any weapon, explosive, firearm, knife, prohibited object, or other object which may be perceived by the individual being threatened as capable of inflicting bodily harm."
Belcher's attorney said, "No reasonable argument can be made that J.B.'s conduct fits with this prohibition," noting that J.B. had been playing a make-believe game. The letter observes that "Class III" infractions are categorized as a "major infraction" under school policies. Other such infractions include arson; battery of a school board employee; bomb threats; burglary; sale of drugs or drug paraphernalia; possession of explosives or firearms on school property; robbery; and "other offenses reasonably likely to cause great harm to person or property or seriously disrupt the educational process."
