[lpm67]

I made my daughter a mini kit that she carries to school (school is around 6kms away). Anyway she was keeping it in her desk and was out of class when a friend decided to borrow something and came across my baby's tin (a mint tin), she thought it was sweets and unwrapped the duct tape around it and opened it up...teacher caught her....and now I'm getting it from the school for giving my daughter a knife (no I'm not stupid, its part of a mini tool similar to a leatherman), matches, my firesteel, barley sugars, emergency blanket, 1st aid items, tampon (tinder), etc.
The school has suddenly discovered that they have rules against this sort of thing and are considering expelling her (although I know they cant for anything in the tin). Watch this space because that is not something I'll take lying down, time to put away strong woman and bring out the B@#$%.

Anyone else had this prob? Any solutions/suggestions for providing your child discreetly with what they need?

[Cajunlady]

When I worked at school a junior high student got his hands on a butcher knife one of the cooks left lying around. While escorting students after lunch to get on a bus for vo-tech this one guy hung around. We were one on one and I just stared into his eyes and he just stared into mine. He finally decided to lay the knife down and got on the bus. I let him go 'cause I didn't want to confront him as he was bigger than I was. Principal gave him a slap on the wrist and said he didn't think he had any intentions of harming me. I said thank God I didn't have to find out.

I would fight this with nail and tooth. Don't back down no matter how dirty it gets. Go all the way with it. Also ask for an official copy of all rules and regulations concerning this issue. If they refuse then they're hiding something . It's usually to their discretion of any episode to take these drastic steps. Don't let them blindside you with their explanation. Dig deep and take it to the top. Your daughter definitely needs you in her corner now.

[crazydave]

get your friends to start ringing up as reporters/researchers from such and such paper or tv news show to get them panicking. even better get the real press involved as its PC gone mad again.

kids carry weapons every day, have you ever been poked with a pen or slashed with a ruler?

[Camdor]

This is just like a story I heard on tv a few days ago

A 6 y/o got expelled for carrying a swiss army knife from scouts

Apparently the school district has a zero tolerance policy and this fell under it

Well once the media got ahold of it, the schoolboard was inundated with calls and emails and all the kid got was a 2 day suspension

My suggestion is for her to always have it on her, never leave it.

However, keep in mind that in this day, most schools will see the blade and other implements as weapons.

I would fight it for sure. Just be prepared for them to tell you that the multi-tool is not allowed and you either keep it home or she is not permitted in school. That has happened more than a few times.

As was suggested, get as many allies in your corner as you can.

Good luck

[Cajunlady]

Originally Posted by crazydave

get your friends to start ringing up as reporters/researchers from such and such paper or tv news show to get them panicking. even better get the real press involved as its PC gone mad again.

kids carry weapons every day, have you ever been poked with a pen or slashed with a ruler?

Good point Crazy about pen and rulers, and get the actual press involved. Too if it's a zero tolerance zone ask all staff how many of them are guilty of carrying even a pocketknife on their person. I know I used to do it as well as others. Research similiar cases online to have more info to debate the issue.

[crazydave]

when you ban something it becomes all the more desirable as fr as kids are concerned. girls carry all sorts of nail files and chemicals in their bags which can do much more damage than an inch and a half long blade.

when I was a kid a lot of us boys had penknives, lock knives and butterfly knives and the teachers didnt bat an eyelid. my shop teacher showed us how to sharpen and appreciate them.

[Celticwarrior]

Yep, ZERO TOLERANCE!! The call of the inept bureaucratic drone. NY just suspended an Eagle scout for a 2 inch knife he kept in a BOB in HIS CAR TRUNK! Another student ratted him out, and now he might not be able to go to West Point with this suspension on his record! Idiots.

When I created my son's EDC to take to school (when I found out they have nothing in the way of supplies for emergencies that require a lockdown!) I had to make certain "allowances" for the Zero Tolerance policies for things like potential weapons and firemaking devices. I made him a paracord necklace, with a real flint arrowhead and two drilled flint bars "decorating" it, along with some wood and antler beads. Looks nice, but the rest is crap. The important thing is that he understands how to take it apart and use the cordage to wrap the arrowhead to something rigid and hand sized as a weapon. The flint bars will allow the "fish scaler" on his mini-multitool plier unit, that was made for fishing kits, to strike sparks from them to make fire. Matches and lighters, and yes even Mag bars and Firesteels, are banned from school property. Flint and steel can't be regulated like that though. Hehehe. The tool has a file (no sharp point), the plier tip, a bottle opener, & the fish scaler (looks like a dull saw) but no blade or screwdriver/awl tips. It meets his school's criteria. Schools are run by people who want to get to retirement without being fired or sued.

I have also shown him how to lash things like geometric compass points or to break apart a pair of school scissors and attach them to a ruler or yardstick as a weapon, and how to use a variety of things like the cotton tips from Q-tips and cotton square pads from the FAK, along with squeezable lip balm (petroleum jelly) or alcohol from FAK pads or hand sanitizer, along with kleenex or TP to create a decent firestarting kit. Eventually, if there is a prolonged quarantine or lockdown where parents can't get their kids and the kids have to rely on what is available until they are "rescued" and allowed to go home, I want to make sure he has the tools and training to take care of himself. I included food, water purifier tabs, light, space bag, poncho, and other things that the school didn't object to. They were very weird about it though, and asked a whole lot of questions in an incredulous manner that was almost accusatory, like "You think WE can't take care of your son in an emergency?" My answer to that, of course, is NO, I don't think you could find your collective asses with a searchlamp and both hands if a disaster actually happened. I trust my son. I taught him what to do and how to do it. He will be able to help himself, and his classmates, if anything happens. He has first aid and scout training to fall back on, and the Red Cross manual and a set of "survival tip" laminated cards in his EDC to help him out with some of the finer points he might not remember.

You keep fighting this, LPM. This kind of mindless idiocy has to be stopped and common sense used in cases where we aren't talking about someone bringing in a dangerous object and threatening or brandishing it like a weapon. What's next? Can't bring ziplock bags because you could smother someone with it???

[crazydave]

cant you sneak into school and hide and m4, assault vest and bob in a locker for him?

[cowgirlup]

That is rediculous. I know they have no idea what they are in for. :)

Keep us posted!

[lpm67]

-The school doesnt have a zero tolerance policy or any written policy on blades
- her blade was just 1/2 inch inside her multi tool
- Her kit was properly sealed and not being played with by her...it was another student who discovered and decided to play
- The complaint doesn't fit any of our Ministry of Educations criteria for expulsion.
- If they want a fight, I'll give them one!!!! And I play dirty, as it is I actually do have contacts in the local media and have at least one national television news show that will cover it (the host hates bureaucracy and what they are doing to our kids)
- Thanks for the suggestion CW but the kids arent permitted to wear necklaces unless religious or 'approved cultural' (translated: Maori) as they wear uniforms
- its got at least one other parent interested in providing for her children
- yet another parent has 2 boys at the same school who carry a discreet kit so she'll be interested in the outcome
- before doing anything else I will wait to see how the board decides to handle it...so I know what approach is best
- personally I think they are really trying to target me for fighting to keep the kids school bus running...they were planning to scrap the service and I made merry he%% about it.