by Jennifer P.
Member since:
November 19, 2006

Second Grader from Newark School Suspended for a Drawing He Made.

October 12, 2007 11:07 AM EDT (Updated: October 12, 2007 11:40 AM EDT)
views: 80 | comments: 28

As I was getting my daughters ready for school this morning, I was watching the local news as I always do.   During the news broadcast, a story came on about a 7 year old from Newark, NJ who was  suspended from school for a picture he drew.  Turns out he drew a picture of his school on fire while someone was standing outside with a gun.  He was suspended from school for 5 days because he is considered a threat to the school.   His mom says he just has an active imagination.  The school disagrees.  Me, I am not sure what to think on this.  The boy is only 7 years old after all but to draw this type of picture at that age is a little scary to me.  

 

You can read more about it here.   And you can view the picture here.  There is also a link to the picture from the news website.

 

What do you think?  Was the suspension to severe?  Not severe enough?

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Comments: 28

Sheryl O. Oct 12, 2007, 11:16am EDT
What good is a suspension going to do the kid? Either he has a great imagination, or he is expressing some inner turmoil. If the latter is true, wouldn't it be better to have him meet with the school counselor and talk about his issues, rather than punish him and send him home to mom?

What's the matter with the schools nowadays? Is there NO common sense at ALL?
Sarah (I want points) Oct 12, 2007, 11:18am EDT
Sounds like he needs someone to sit down with him. Maybe a counselor or someone. Maybe it was a vivid imagination. It's not all that much imagination though. Maybe he has seen it on the news, after all, kids have a tendency to reproduce what they see. Who knows.
David Smith Oct 12, 2007, 11:22am EDT
I've got to agree. Suspensions don't serve much use at that age. He needs counseling of some kind. Whether he needs help coping with the world's realities, or if he is suffering some inner turmoil like Sheryl said.
what happened to his freedom of speech?
or freedom to express himself? yup, i think you all have it correct, he needs to talk w/ someone rather then just being suspended!
Ron Jenkins Oct 12, 2007, 11:34am EDT
I remember drawing pictures of airplanes dogfighting with a line of pencil point dots being the bullets? I have yet to fly a fighter plane and dogfight anyone. This is just they typical craziness of a world gone totally mad.

For more dogfights go to:

www.ronnierayjenkins.com

Where drawings are allowed.
Shannon W Oct 12, 2007, 11:59am EDT
I too, don't think that suspension is the answer. There is the possibilty that he has an over active imagination or maybe he drew it because this has been all over the news. It seems like every week, someone is shooting in a school or other violence. Regardless, this boy does need to be talked to.
Sheryl O. Oct 12, 2007, 12:02pm EDT
Oh, my, Ron - you sound JUST like my son. He used to be so bored in school that he would create these elaborate military drawings in his notebooks in early elementary grades, full of planes, tanks, "army guys", pencil dots for bullets, etc. They were so intricate, I'd wonder if he spent anytime actually doing work in school (they ended up skipping him up a grade). They were in black and white, except for the occasional blood in deep red. I would imagine that in this school he would have gotten suspended and been branded a psycho! LOL.
Michelle W. Oct 12, 2007, 12:12pm EDT
A seven year old has a very active imagination. He isn't going to truly understand why he is being suspended. He will just think he is getting a free vacation.
Juan J Martinez Oct 12, 2007, 12:39pm EDT
The kid needs mental help! Suspension was the right thing, but now someone needs to address, the reason behind the violent images drawn by the little boy.
Lavonne www.bildurdreams.com Oct 12, 2007, 3:03pm EDT
He needs counseling. Suspension only removes him for a short period of time so hopefully his parents will get him the counseling he needs.
j - Frugal Mom - r. Oct 12, 2007, 7:46pm EDT
It sounds like this boy have been watching the news lately. Sad story, and even worse when the school don't know how to handle a case like this.

Thank you for posting your article to !!!Today's Top Three Photos and Articles!!!@

http://bestoftoday.gather.com/
Vivian P. Oct 12, 2007, 7:53pm EDT
Why in the H--- isn't anybody concerned about this young childs anger issues ???
Throwing him out helps no one. Helping him early does
Duh DUh
stupid school!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Vikki M. Oct 12, 2007, 8:42pm EDT
Wow. I hadn't heard about this. Age 7 is so young! I'd like to have faith that he just has an overactive imagination, but with the way the world is, I have fears that it could lead to more than just imagining. I do hope that his mother gets him to talk to someone. I don't think the suspension will help at all.
Denise B. Oct 13, 2007, 10:53am EDT
as long as it WASN"T HIM with the gun outside I see no reason for the suspension. He may just have anxiety issues, and someone needs to TALK to him!!!
Amanda "middle of nowhere" C. Oct 14, 2007, 7:46pm EDT
I don't think suspension is the answer either. My six-year-old niece would love to stay home for a few days. I think counseling might be in order.
Bundy P Oct 15, 2007, 2:35pm EDT
Maybe he should see a counselor to see where this idea came from.
nicole g. Oct 15, 2007, 10:29pm EDT
with as much stuff as they put on the news , why would you think that a child would not pick things up. They need to find out why he would draw something like this. not just say get out . their maybe nothing behind it at all- there maybe something he over heard but will never get to tell since he was just dismissed!
B F. Oct 16, 2007, 9:13am EDT
My step-son got suspended in 1st grade for saying "maybe she died" when answering another students question as to where the teacher was. Apparently she was there, because she heard it... He has anger management issues. He LOVED his 3 day vacation and I LOVED reaming the Principal, Vice Principal, and Teacher, for not sending his butt to the counselor... The stupidest part was that they were expelling him from the school district and of course his mother (who has custody) didn't bother to say anything to anyone or attend the meeting regarding his expulsion... His "deadbeat father" as the school officials put it and his mean old wicked stepmother did attend the meeting...
B F. Oct 16, 2007, 9:14am EDT
Oh and I should add that the school counselor found nothing wrong with him or his actions at that age... We took him to a counselor outside of school who laughed us out of his office over the whole deal...
Roberta A. Oct 17, 2007, 8:15pm EDT
I agree, Suspension is not the answer. Sounds to my over- active imagination like the boy is afraid about all of the things he has been hearing on the news that have been happening in schools. A place he is suppose to be safe. A couselor certainly can't hurt at this point. Ppl assume that only the students at the school involved may face trauma. Whereas when 9/11 happened they knew children all over the country would be effected from watching it on TV. Why not the school shootings?
Jerri H. Oct 20, 2007, 8:27pm EDT
Wow....that is scary....I don't know about the suspension...I think it might encourage bad behavior to get attention, but I would require counseling.
Kylee S. Oct 20, 2007, 8:39pm EDT
I don't thing he should have been suspended. If the school officials were really concerned about the boys well-being they would have kept a close eye on him and then investigated the incident further
Kelly M. Oct 21, 2007, 1:43am EDT
That is scary, I don't think suspension was necessarily the right thing - but counseling should definately be taking place! Kids today do not realize how real these things can become!
Birdee F. Oct 21, 2007, 3:34pm EDT
All suspension does his give kids time to thing up their plans & hate the school more... that is my thought. I like what someone said about the news thing...they probably did see it on the news. Kids draw what they see. In this day & age though you can never be too careful with things like this...so I have no idea. ;o)
Scott L. Oct 21, 2007, 6:50pm EDT
I'd agree that there's something seriously wrong there. I'd say the suspension is in order along with a trip to a counselor. If the parents refused I'd say call social services. You can't ignore stuff like that.
Sherine W. Oct 24, 2007, 7:37pm EDT
I would think that the school would have some idea of the past behavior of the child, so may have made the call to suspend based also on past history, not just the picture. But I do think he needs top see a counselor to find out WHY he drew the picture. He is just seven years old, and some early intervention is probably a good idea.

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