Crossing the Rubicon of The Most Complete Lunacy
This story is so ridiculous that it really makes us wonder how people that are that much disconnected from reality manage to make their ways and reach such key management positions in the school system. This case more, than any other, drives us to question the the vey sanity of those so-called schools officials. This time just a “talk” with a friend about a pink toy bubble gun got a five-year-old kindergarten girl in the Mount Carmel Area School District labeled as a “terrorist threat,” according to an attorney. [1] The incident occurred on January 10 2013 while the girl was waiting in line for a school bus, said Robin Ficker, the Maryland lawyer retained by the girl’s family. He would not identify the girl or her parents, but gave this version of events: Talking with a friend, the girl said something to the effect “I’m going to shoot you and I will shoot myself” in reference to the device that shoots out bubbles. [2] The girl did not even have the bubble gun with her when she was heard talking about it and has obviously never shot or even touched anything close to a real gun in her life. [3] Elementary school officials learned of the conversation and questioned the girls the next day, Fickler said. “This logic, which was not said in malice, came from the mind of this beautiful 5-year-old child who was playing with her friends, whom she hugs every day,” Ficker told the Daily Item. [4] Another thing that may raise eyebrowls is the fact that the little girl did not have a parent present during the 30 minutes of questioning. [5]
What parent that you know would want their 5-year-old questioned about making terroristic threats without them in the room? – Robin Ficker, attorney [6]
The result, the lawyer said, was that school district officials labeled the girl a “terrorist threat” after the incident. [7] As if they wanted to add insult to injury, the school also required her to be evaluated by a psychologist. [8] “The mother has tried to get the girl in another school since this time, and they won’t take the little girl because of this mark on her record,” Ficker said. [9]
She has been branded a troubled person. But she was suspended for her words. She had no gun. She had a bubble-making machine. [10]
Talking about lack of judgment and cognitive dissonance. The parents of the kindergartener have every right to be outraged and the are probably very worried about the fact that the school attended by their daughter seems to be run by people that are instable and disconnected enough to consider a kindergardener as a terrorist threat. Ficker told The Daily Item that school employees have become “hysterical” since the tragedy at Sandy Hook, and while we need to address genuine issues, there’s certainly a line to be drawn. [11] The family is seeking to fight the suspension, since their daughter did not have the bubble gun with her at the time the remark was made on January 10 2013. [12] The overeaction of the school’s administrators about a matter of “bubble gun” and the speed in which they tried to tag a 5-year-old as a “terrorist threat” makes us question the quality of their “judgment not only it the current matter but in all departments. When we go back to simple everyday common sense just for a minute, you cannot refrain to see this situation for what is really is, like that family’s lawyer said:
This little girl is the least terroristic person in Pennsylvania [13]
This statement was confirmed by the person who conducted the so-called psychological evaluation requested by the school. In a letter written by a professional counselor, who talked to the suspended girl and her mother two days after the incident, the therapist describes the child as an apparently “typical 5-year-old by temperament and interests” with no history of mood swings, irritability, depression, attention deficit disorder, learning issues or other problems. [14] Also, according to the counselor’s letter, the girl had “no play guns or play knives,” either in the bus line or at home, where her mother prohibited them. [15] “It would appear that (the girl) does not have those risk factors identified for violent behavior,” the therapist wrote. “It would also seem that (she) had no harmful or predatory intent in the comments she made to her friends about the bubble ‘gun’ but did not recognize the heightened sensitivity and awareness of her friends and the response that may result from her comments.” [16]
Ficker, who said he was contacted because the mother had read he handled a similar case in Maryland, suggested she ask the principal to expunge the record. That did not happen, but her suspension was reduced to two school days, and the reason for it changed to being labeled as a threat to harm another student. “It’s laughable,” Robin Ficker, the girl’s attorney told FoxNews.com. “This is a girl who had no idea about killing or what happened in Connecticut.” [17] School district solicitor Edward Greco said Friday the allegations are being looked into but neither he nor school officials could discuss disciplinary actions. Greco and Ficker acknowledged they are trying to arrange a meeting to discuss the situation. Ficker believes the girl’s record should be expunged and she be offered an apology.
Do You Think the Shool Officials Were Justified in Handling the Young Girl as a “Terrorist Threat” ?
[myo_poll poll=12120 type=”bar” perc=”yes”]The Bubble Gun Matter is Finally Resolved
Robin Ficker
Finally, it has been anounced that the 5-year-old little girl will return Thursday to Mount Carmel Area Elementary School. [18] That was the word coming from Robin Ficker, the Maryland attorney who represented the girl’s family at a meeting with Mount Carmel Area School District Superintendent Bernard Stellar, solicitor Edward Greco, the girl’s mother and two other family members. “We worked it out,” he said, add all issues were resolved. He considers the case closed, he said. The family, who requested anonymity, sought to have the girl’s record expunged and an apology issued to the girl who has not attended kindergarten since the incident. [19] The agreement reportedly expunges her suspension from her scholastic record. During a telephone interview after the meeting, Guarna said, “We got everything we requested. I wasn’t after any money in this. I just wanted what was in the best interests of my daughter. I just want this whole thing to be over with and I’m satisfied with the agreement that was reached.” [20] When asked if she was still considering suing the district over its action to suspend her daughter, she replied, “As long as they hold up their end of the bargain, I don’t plan on filing any lawsuits.” [21]
