A Baltimore County, Md., fifth-grader got a visit from the police after his teacher called to report that she had seen a BB gun on the wall behind the student during a class video call.
The boy’s mother, Courtney Lancaster Sperry, a Navy veteran, is warning other parents about a lack of privacy during virtual classes after her son was targeted by a teacher who saw what she thought was a scary-looking gun hanging on the wall of the boy’s bedroom.
“While my son was on a Zoom call, a ‘concerned parent’ and subsequently two teachers saw his properly stowed and mounted Red Ryder BB gun and one other BB gun in the background,” Sperry wrote on Facebook. “He was not holding them and never intentionally showed them on video. In fact, he was oblivious that they could even be seen in the background.”
After the teacher reported the gun, the principal, Jason Feiler, decided to call the police to report the guns and ask that the home be searched.
The principal and the teacher cited a rule stating that students may not bring guns to school and claimed it extended to virtual classes as well, Sperry said, adding that the school handbook does not address rules for virtual learning at all. Besides, “he did not BRING anything to this meeting and he is in his own home,” she said. “They were simply in the background in our home, safely stowed in a room behind a closed door, with no ammunition (if you can even call it that)"...
The 11-year-old in question is a Boy Scout, pursuing the rank of Eagle Scout and is an “outdoors / all-boy kind of kid,” his mom said. “And as his parents and by way of legal rights, he is allowed to own said guns.” In addition to the BB gun, she said her son is training in archery and enjoys shooting his Airsoft gun...
“The officers that responded were appalled at the call and even commended the set-up that my son has for his toys and commended him also on his respect and understanding of the BB guns,” Sperry wrote on Facebook.
Sperry asked the principal why the issue couldn’t have been handled privately by phone rather than sending the police. “He said that was not their policy,” she said...
“I felt violated as a parent, for my child, who’s standing there with police officers in his room, just to see the fear on his face,” she added...
“I have explained to my son that he did nothing wrong,” Sperry said. “He said, ‘I’m just sad because I thought the teachers were my friends.' "...
“My child and my home will no longer be subjected to video to allow room for any other violation of my rights and how I legally manage my home,” she declared.
The teacher, the vice principal, and the principal involved are disgraces to our profession.
4 comments:
That's some crazytown, all right.
What education departments produced these credentialed morons?
Sadly, even though we live in Baltimore County, this did not make the local news, either on television on in the newspaper. Now I have to warn my 7th grade grandson to be sure that his BB gun in not in sight during his on-line "classes."
Wow. I now wonder what my co-workers think because on my video meetings, my crossed West Point cadet sabers are clearly visible on the wall behind me.
Steve, you're a warmonger!
Post a Comment