About those water pistols again

[Heather Norris <HGNorris@AOL.COM>]

While I completely understand Jeff's reaction to the seemingly ridiculous
policy regarding "replica" weapons, working in a school system (Fairfax
County, VA) which also has a weapons policy that includes "replicas," I can
understand the stand taken by the Marshfield School District.  It is often
very difficult to tell the toy guns from the real thing--my son came home
from spring break in France with a lighter that looked exactly like a real
gun.  He bought it expressly to show to me because he couldn't believe how
real it looked.  In fact, for half a second, it even fooled his
ex-Ranger-Army Dad. Anybody brandishing this thing around would probably get
shot at by a policeman for sure, that's how real it looked.  We have since
disposed of it (I still don't know how he got it on the plane--no one even
questioned it--although it was in his checked baggage.)  Now how is a
security officer or teacher supposed to know the real from the fake when some
look like this?  And it would be hard to draw a line at just how realistic a
weapon had to be before it was banned from the schools.  Where would you
start and stop the policy? It is easier to just ban ALL replicas.

Students and their parents KNOW the policy.  It is drilled into their heads
from the first day of school each year and it starts in Kindergarten.  We all
sign written statements to that effect each year along with the drug policy.
Heck, my son took a cake into school for an end-or-the-year party in his Art
Class and we sliced it here at home, knowing he could get into trouble by
bringing a knife to school.  Besides students shouldn't be bringing water
pistols to school anyway even if there was no "replica" policy.  :)

You just know these things and accept them.  It's no big deal.  And no one
hides the policy from students or parents--it's all spelled out.

OK, well, this was rambling and long.  Sorry.  I just wanted to say that
although I understand how ridiculous the policy seems from the outside, it
really works and helps support the "zero tolerance" policy the schools have
toward drugs and weapons.  I really think that is a good thing and a little
inconvenience is a minor matter.  Rules are rules.  They are published and
available to everyone.  The seniors are aware of the policy, especially in
the case in Marshfield where the principal reminded them.

Heather Norris
Graduate Student
University of Maryland College of Library and Information Services
College Park, Md.

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