Gift of toy guns at school leads to policy changes - WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

Gift of toy guns at school leads to policy changes

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MURFREESBORO, TN (WSMV) -

Rutherford County school leaders took steps to tighten loopholes in the district's suspension policy Thursday.

The move came about a month after a student at Barfield Elementary School handed out several toy guns to his classmates.

The toys were inside some gift bags the fourth-grader gave out to celebrate Eid al-Adha, an Islamic holiday.

While the school's handbook seems to prohibit toy guns, Rutherford County's policy did not, so the child was not suspended.

"It's not in the county discipline code, and it has to be before there can be a suspension," said district spokesman James Evans.

Some parents were outraged that students were allowed to celebrate the holiday in the classroom, while others were angry the child wasn't suspended.

"I don't care if they're white, black, red, yellow or pink. That has absolutely nothing to do with it. It's about a child and parent who broke the rules, and the implications could have been disastrous," said grandparent Vicki Twitty.

Thursday's meeting was the second reading of the policy revision. Now, a student can be suspended at the discretion of school officials.

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