Randy Cassingham's Blog

Posted by Doug W, Wheaton, Ill on February 8, 2010:

When I saw this on the Today Show, Al Roker said "Well, better safe than sorry."

The other hosts seemed shocked at the story, saying, it was not a toy gun, it was a toy's toy gun.

Please keep up the fight against ZT.

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I had no idea Al Roker was that stupid. -rc

Posted by Liz in Ohio on February 8, 2010:

Man, that is one enormous gun! Compared to the man holding it anyway.

Posted by Paul (Erie, PA) on February 8, 2010:

Did anyone think to ask where the Legos came from? If they were provided by the school for the children's use, there's an even larger problem.

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I'm pretty sure he brought it from home. -rc

Posted by Agagooga (Singapore) on February 8, 2010:

I am led to believe that the madness of zero tolerance (like the madness of 8 year old boys being frisked at airports because their names appear on no-fly lists because they share names with terrorists) is because when more discretion was given to officials, they were accused of racial profiling. As such, their discretion has now been taken away.

The cost of a false positive (tormenting an innocent person) is much less than the cost of a false negative (missing a guilty person) so naturally they will go for overkill.

Posted by Chris, Roy WA on February 8, 2010:

Unbelievable. I've spent twelve years in elementary education and have been lucky enough to work with administrators who (usually) apply common sense and human decency to their job -- that some idiot would terrorize a kid in this manner is intolerable. I'm just so sick and tired of these zero-tolerance zealots traumatizing kids and ruining my entire profession's reputation. Keep up the good fight, Randy -- believe me, there are many, many teachers out here who are just as eager as you to eliminate this zero-tolerance nonsense!

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I know there are, Chris, and I salute you! I can't imagine how maddening it would be to watch cases like this up close. -rc

Posted by Terry, New Zealand on February 8, 2010:

Just sent the school administrator my personal thoughts. (Not abusive, but hopefully it will provoke some sort of thought process), doesn't seem like theres any of it going on in the adult side of the school as it stands.

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I appreciate you weren't abusive. -rc

Posted by David, Atlanta on February 8, 2010:

It wasn't quite the same situation, but a response equivalent to the bit in "Uncle Buck" seems appropriate:

Buck Russell: ...I don't have a college degree. I don't even have a job. But I know a good kid when I see one. Because they're ALL good kids, until dried-out, brain-dead skags like you drag them down and convince them they're no good. You so much as scowl at my niece, or any other kid in this school, and I hear about it, and I'm coming looking for you!

[looking at the mole on administrator's face]

Buck Russell: Take this quarter, go downtown, and have a rat gnaw that thing off your face! Good day to you, madam.

Posted by Matt in MA on February 8, 2010:

Not only is doing this kind of thing incredibly stupid and traumatic for the victim, it completely undermines the purpose of the school in the first place. Kids don't learn as much or as well if they view school as a hostile environment. Wouldn't be surprised if this affects his performance for years to come, perhaps not dramatically, but measurably, at least until he changes schools.

Not to mention that telling a kid that a 2 cm toy's toy gun is the equivalent of an actual loaded weapon hardly encourages critical thinking....

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It's hard to teach it if the educators don't understand it in the first place. -rc

Posted by Keith in Connecticut on February 8, 2010:

This principal has gone too far. She's practicing witchcraft if she sees that toy as a weapon. She's the real threat in my opinion.

I hope you send all these responses to the mother so she can tell her son that he's okay, and the problem lies with an 'adult' whose power has caused her to lose her way.

Send them to the mayor too, so he won't forget what he's up against.

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I suspect mom will see this page (and I hope she drops me a line). The mayor I'm less sure about.... -rc

Posted by Dave, Niceville FL on February 8, 2010:

Yea, lawsuits are drawn out affairs, but I bet it wouldn't be hard to find a lawyer who would be willing to take this case for a portion of the proceeds. I mean the document you provided should be enough in and of itself to find her liable. I would be willing to settle for lawyer's costs and the firing of the principal with the understanding that if she ever worked in education again anywhere in the country the settlement is void and the suit is again on. Oh, and if she makes any money in any way associated with the case (like a book or movie), it is mine.

I know, that is pretty harsh, but that is the only way to stop this idiocy.