The headmaster at Scottsdale Country Day School is not having it with your “highly disturbing” pictures, young man. Look, even if you’re drawing potential costumes you’ll be wearing for Halloween; it’s still not okay to display images of characters holding either a knife or gun –we’re not taking any risks here.
A couple in Scottdale, Arizona removed their 8-year-old from school after he was threatened by the principal with expulsion for drawing three images depicting a ninja, a soldier, and a Star Wars character wielding weapons.
“In this situation, it’s actually the principal of school who bullied the parents – so much that we couldn’t even be safe in that environment,” said Jeff, whose last name is omitted for the sake of protecting the identity of his son.
“I think we really send our children the wrong message when we show that, as adults, we’re so afraid of our shadow that an innocent picture – that any 8-year-old might’ve drawn – is cause for this kind of concern.” Jeff told KPHO.
During a meeting to discuss the 8-year-old’s artwork, the principal bestowed Jeff with his son’s journal, highlighting passages he found to be too violent and inappropriate.
One story by Jeff’s son talked about excepting a killer zombie at a haunted school, that read:
“I’d open the windows, but, stand back quickly. Booby-trapped. Shoot the gadget – a rope gun – I’d swing across without getting hit.”
One entry mentioned how he wished for the ability to save the world from atom bombs, and stopping bullets. Other third-grader’s journal entries surrounded themes of saving the world and protecting humanity.
Jeff said that the headmaster told him that he couldn’t guarantee the safety of other students around his son.
“I don’t under how somebody can say that about an 8-year-old that has no history of violence, no history of making threats – nothing at all.”
According to the Scottsdale Country Day School’s online student and parent handbook, “Any behavior that is deemed threatening such as violent behavior, drawings depicting weapons, blood, or aggression, or any verbal actions causing or threatening to cause harm to a person, group of persons, animal, or facility.” are grounds for expulsion.
The school declined to comment on the situation.
(Pictures via CBS 5)