Lacey Township, NJ school suspends students over gun range pics

[CoGirl303]

Who do these people think they are? And since when do schools dictate what a student does off school property on their own time? [emoji35] They have absolutely zero authority what a student does in their free time away from school.

https://www.themaven.net/bluelivesmatter/news/2-students-disciplined-for-going-to-gun-range-outside-of-school-hours-S_rsIBv3y0OS3Y_ocUKPVQ

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The students lawyered up and the shool district received a very rapid and unfriendly response.

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[UrbanWolf]

Did the students post the link to their social media picture on their school's website? If they did then the law suit is baseless, however I didn't see that mentioned. So how exactly did the school admin became aware of the pictures of the students shooting guns? Were they stalking students' social media?

[Rumline]

So how exactly did the school admin became aware of the pictures of the students shooting guns? Were they stalking students' social media?
No shortage of Nervous Nellies / Detective Dipshits on social media; I'm sure they got reported by "concerned" "friends".

[BPTactical]

Mixed bag IMHO.
Yes, it's a absolutely Draconian set of rules and wholly unconstitutional.
But....did the students/guardians/parents agree to the rules when enrolling?


Even if the district backs down litigation should ensue. Considerable over reach on this one.

[CoGirl303]

Did the students post the link to their social media picture on their school's website? If they did then the law suit is baseless, however I didn't see that mentioned. So how exactly did the school admin became aware of the pictures of the students shooting guns? Were they stalking students' social media?

nope, on their own personal instagram. good question.


No shortage of Nervous Nellies / Detective Dipshits on social media; I'm sure they got reported by "concerned" "friends".

I was just about to post the same thing, that someone no doubt tattle-taled. They posted the pics to instagram. So it wasn't on the school's website, facebook or twitter accounts. It was on their own.

https://www.app.com/story/news/education/2018/03/20/lacey-second-amendment-rights/440534002/


LACEY - Hundreds of gun rights advocates crowded a Lacey Township school board meeting to protest a district weapons policy they said was used to unjustly punish two students who took to social media to share a photo from a firearms training session.

The school board officials denied that any student was disciplined for violating a specific district policy on weapons, but refused to clarify whether students were disciplined for violating any other policy, citing privacy rules.

The denial notwithstanding, the Second Amendment advocates and parents insisted that students had been wronged, creating a furor that sent the story national. Fox News among other outlets picked up the story, even as advocates declined to identify the students or make them available to reporters.

Lacey mother Amanda Buron, who led the local protest, said two friends of her daughter faced five days of in-school suspension after they posted a photo on Instagram of guns. The photo purportedly was taken when the students were at firearms range. Buron said Lacey Township High School officials suspended the boys for sharing the photo.

“We were outraged, completely outraged,” Buron said to a Press reporter. Buron identified her family as gun owners and said her husband uses guns for hunting.

School Superintendent Craig Wigley said information circulated on social media about the incident was “incorrect," and noted that school officials were unable to talk about it because of the students' privacy rights.

Wigley and school board attorney Chris Supsie said the school’s weapons policy was not invoked, and no student has been disciplined under it. The superintendent added that no rights were violated but that the school district's weapons policy would be modified for clarity.

The school's Policy 5611 — now being revised by the district — called for barring students from having weapons for any reason on or off school grounds. Penalties included an evaluation by the Child Study Team and a recommendation that a student be suspended from school for at least one year, according to the association.

That policy has come under scrutiny by gun-rights supporters, who said the district violated the First and Second Amendment rights of students who lawfully use guns.

“My son is a skilled marksman” and competitive shooter in firearms sports, said Martin Naughton, a Lacey resident and member of the National Rifle Association.

Naughton worried that under the school's policy, his own son could also face discipline.

“They’re putting their agenda on my kids and it’s not their place to do so,” he said.

Lacey resident John Amoroso, a father of two children in the district, said school officials were "overreaching."

"Sometimes politically correct is not law-abiding," he said.

Related: Gun-rights advocates push Lacey high school to amend weapons policy

Supsie, the board attorney, said the policy was designed to align with the U.S. Secret Service Safe School Initiative, which was designed to prevent school attacks in the wake of the Columbine Massacre of 1999.

The policy also follows New Jersey's Zero Tolerance for Guns Act, he said.

Prompted by the controversy, Supsie said, the district's policy is being clarified so that it would apply to a student who performed a criminal activity, even off-campus, using a firearm; was found to possess an illegal firearm; or brought any firearm onto school property or a school bus. It would not apply to a student lawfully possessing and using a firearm off school property.

The controversy comes little more than a month since a gunman killed 17 people at a high school in Parkland, Florida, reigniting debate over gun control and fears over school safety. Last week, students across New Jersey and the nation held events remembering the Parkland slayings and advocating for more gun controls.

The narrative from Monday night's meeting at the district high school struck a different chord.

School board President Robert C. Klaus II said the board was not anti-gun, and noted that he and other board members are members of the National Rifle Association.

The school district has drawn criticism from numerous Second Amendment proponents, including the Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs and the New Jersey Second Amendment Society. Both groups sent representatives to Monday's meeting.

Daniel L. Schmutter, an attorney who represents the association of gun clubs, said he sees a pattern that violates students' First Amendment rights. For example, one Lacey student was forced to remove a sticker depicting a gun from his vehicle, said Schmutter and the student's father.

"We became very concerned that there appears to be a pervasive atmosphere of a suppression of speech here," said Schmutter.

The association threatened to sue the district if it did not rescind discipline of the two students they said posted the gun picture to social media as well as clear their records of the incident.

The association also demanded the district issue a formal apology to the students and their families. The group's demand that the district rewrite the weapons policy is already underway by school officials.

The school officials, responding to pleas from the New Jersey Second Amendment Society, told the audience that they would support student training in firearms at a local range.

Regina Discenza, a former member of the school board, was one of the few to object.

"I believe in all our constitutional rights; however, I also believe that 4,000 kids in this district should be able to attend school without worry," she said.

"I personally have no fear of guns," she added. "I just know there is a time and a place for such things, and school is no such place. In light of what just happened in Parkland, Florida, how can anyone say our administration did not do the right thing?"

The school is denying that it was for violating a weapons policy. yeah right.

[UrbanWolf]

No shortage of Nervous Nellies / Detective Dipshits on social media; I'm sure they got reported by "concerned" "friends".

When getting hints like that, then the school should have someone talk to the student and call their family to voice possible concern, if the parents said "Oh we just took our kids to the range and the guns and secure in our house" then I'd say the school did nothing wrong. But straight suspension it is way out of line, whoever made that decision at the school should be fired.

[hurley842002]

When getting hints like that, then the school should have someone talk to the student and call their family to voice possible concern, if the parents said "Oh we just took our kids to the range and the guns and secure in our house" then I'd say the school did nothing wrong. But straight suspension it is way out of line, whoever made that decision at the school should be fired.Unless my kid goes to school and tells his teachers he's being beaten, sexually assaulted, or is the victim of any other illegal activity, I don't expect to be explaining squat to the school.

ETA: it's already been established in my household, that my wife will be the liaison between me and the school.

[mattiooo]

Something on school grounds = the school is in control. Outside school grounds = outside their jurisdiction. Forget the firearm angle. They have no business doing that regardless of what it is if it's off school premises (unless during a sanctioned school event like a field trip).

[CoGirl303]

wow...

how is the community and the school board to have a discussion on anything if they're gonna "hide behind the students privacy"? I'm sure the students and the parents would have no issue waiving their right to privacy if it benefited everyone.

https://patch.com/new-jersey/lacey/few-issues-resolved-stormy-lacey-board-ed-meeting


LACEY TOWNSHIP, NJ - Monday night's Lacey Board of Education meeting began with a plea for civility from Superintendent Craig Wigley, but soon deteriorated with boos and catcalls from the audience that packed much of the high school auditorium.

In the end, no one got what they came for - details about the apparent in-school suspension of two advanced placement students who some say were punished because they posted photos of themselves at a gun range on a social media page.

The board almost immediately went into closed session at 5:45 p.m., the beginning of the caucus session. The came out after 7 p.m., shortly after the regular meeting began.

Before they came out, one resident addressed the crowd with a loudspeaker. She thanked them for coming, thanked them for their support. Then she had an unusual request. She asked the audience to stand up and clap when board members administration returned.

When they returned, they applauded.

One by one, audience members lambasted the board of the reported suspensions, but got no details.

Board President Robert C. Klaus II made it clear at the start of the meeting that board members and the administration were prohibited from discussing any confidential details involving students. He did say he was a member of the NRA and grew up in a family with guns.

He cautioned residents about the dangers of spreading rumors, especially social media.

"One you put it out there, you can't take it back," he said.

Resident John Pinto asked what would happen if he took his son to a gun range on Tuesday, took some pictures and posted them on Facebook.

"We can't discuss what would happen in a hypothetical situation," Supsis said.

Several representatives from gun rights groups also went to the microphone during the public portion of the meeting, including Alexander Brubain, a member of the Hightstown-based new Jersey Second Amendment Society.

"No school board should become a left-wing propaganda machine," he said.

The audience jeered at former board member Regina Discenza when she defended board members and administrators for not providing details on the matter.

"In light of what just happened in Parkland. Florida, how can anyone say our administration did not do the right thing?," Discenza said. "Enforcing policy or rules is administration's job. Students KNOW the District has a code of conduct and behavior policy. Parents should know there is a code of conduct and behavior policy. We all know decisions like this need to be made sometimes and they may not be very popular. Why is the gun lobby attempting to exploit children and the privacy of students?"

[Irving]

Something on school grounds = the school is in control. Outside school grounds = outside their jurisdiction. Forget the firearm angle. They have no business doing that regardless of what it is if it's off school premises (unless during a sanctioned school event like a field trip).

This isn't strictly true. There is a thing called a Nexus that gives the school a lot of room to suspend for things you'd think they wouldn't. I don't agree with it, but it exists as far as I know.

[Skip]

Yay for public schools!!!

[Gman]

Zero tolerance = zero grey matter engagement

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[Irving]

Zero tolerance = zero grey matter engagement


Truth

[Great-Kazoo]

Yet the entire school was empowered by teachers and administrators for their participation in the Anti-Gun protest that happened across the countries schools (ok 2000ish) last week. Students at this school were joined by teachers and administrators chanting and holding signs, calling for the ban and confiscation of assault weapons, of war.

Gun Range = [panic]

Time off for protest = [Love2]

[Gman]

Public schools have been hijacked by the leftists? You don't say.