Girl, 10, Arrested for Using Knife to Cut Food at School

[Yaddo 42]

Everyone was packing knives at my high school, couldn't be too big, don't remember what the size limit was. And they had to be folding knives, switchblades (even side folders) and butterfly knives were a no-no, but they still turned up. A coach even asked to borrow a knife from me at my prom to fix his camera. Then poked fun of the knife, even though it was exactly what he needed to fix the problem. Jerk.

Until the year before I had to do a demonstration speech, students were allowed to bring unloaded firearms to school to use them in their speeches.

[odinn7]

A point that I'd like to make here...what, exactly, is this teaching this innocent 10 year old? Fine...it's policy...take the knife away and send a note home telling her parents....No, instead...have the cops come and take her away in front of her friends and peers. Oh yes...make her hate authority and cops at such an early age...make her scared to do anything...someone should be held accountable for this.

[AndyC]

Speaking of holding someone accountable, I just remembered something that happened to my nephew a few years back. I don't know why I didn't think of this right away, but I guess it was a while ago I heard about this at a family gathering.

I'm a little fuzzy on the details, but he made some lighthearted threat (purely a joke) to a classmate, involving (get this) a laser. That's right. He was going to shoot this other kid with a fictitious weapon.

A teacher overhears, and next thing you know, he's pulled aside, the principal's on the phone and the machinery of stupidity is thrown into high gear. He wasn't arrested or anything, but I believe they did call the cops, and he missed the rest of the day.

Here's where I have to give my sister credit. She tore a strip off that principal. Made the woman cry. Kind of gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling to hear that, doesn't it?

[odinn7]

Wow...I can't believe they didn't arrest him...who knows...he may have made a laser...

That's sad...but your sister did a great job.

[AndyC]

That's sad...but your sister did a great job.

She's smart, outspoken, and definitely not a person to p**s off. I can't say anyone in my family is the type who suffers fools gladly.

[Yaddo 42]

A point that I'd like to make here...what, exactly, is this teaching this innocent 10 year old? Fine...it's policy...take the knife away and send a note home telling her parents....No, instead...have the cops come and take her away in front of her friends and peers. Oh yes...make her hate authority and cops at such an early age...make her scared to do anything...someone should be held accountable for this.

Exactly, calling in the cops is harsh and overkill. I suppose they can argue that if she brings a knife this time, she might bring a gun next time, but you could say that about any kid, especially one who hasn't been sent home already.

This is such a stupid overreaction to a girl using a tool for what it was designed for. Schools are full of things that can be used as weapons, do we have to remove or "childproof" all of them. The list would be limited only by your imagination, but anything with an edge, a sharp point, any blunt heavy object, or anything you could use as a club.

[AndyC]

Exactly, calling in the cops is harsh and overkill. I suppose they can argue that if she brings a knife this time, she might bring a gun next time, but you could say that about any kid, especially one who hasn't been sent home already.

In your best Connery voice: "If she brings a shteak knife, you bring a carving knife. If she cuts a shteak, you shlice a ham."