Somerset elementary schools ban talk or gestures of weapons
SOMERSET - When Somerset elementary students return to school on Wednesday, they'll be following a few new guidelines. One would ban any talk or gestures of weapons.
New school year, new rules across Somerset elementary schools.
"So there have been several cases where kids on the bus are making gestures and we didn't have anything in there to discipline them," Chace Street Elementary School principal Timothy Plante told the school committee.
During the meeting, he mimicked the shape of a gun with his hands. Gesturing of weapons or any talk about guns or knives won't be allowed on school grounds. Plante didn't mention what the punishment would be.
"It's absolutely silly. It's foolish," Andrew Speeckaert told WBZ-TV upon hearing the new guideline.
His son is starting kindergarten next week.
"The fact that they're trying to control speech, I think, is ridiculous beyond words," Speeckaert said. "The fact that they're trying to do it with children as innocent as kindergarteners. I don't really understand what the intent there is."
Principal Plante said the request came from staff at all three elementary schools in town in an effort to curb school violence.
While Speeckaert understands the importance of safety, he doesn't see how this new rule would benefit kids.
"Why should you keep them in a shell? It doesn't make any sense," he said.
"Kids nowadays are saying things probably inappropriate or so forth," Plante explained. "It could be video games, it could be TV, but it's not appropriate in our schools."