Peabody kindergartner suspended for bringing knife to school
By Andrew Hickey
Staff writer
PEABODY — A Welch School kindergartner was suspended for one day yesterday after he brought a knife to school, police and school officials said.
The young boy apparently didn't threaten any other students or teachers with the knife, but he was sent home and then suspended to illustrate the seriousness of bringing a weapon to school, School Superintendent Nadine Binkley said last night.
Neither Binkley nor police could say what type of knife the boy brought to school.
The suspension was handed down by Principal Phyllis Dubina to show the child and his parents that "this is a dangerous thing to do," she said. Binkley added that any student who brings a weapon to school, whether it's used or not, is subject to suspension, despite that student's age.
"When a little kid makes a mistake," Binkley said, "our job is to let that child know they made a mistake and make sure it doesn't happen again."
Binkley said not allowing a young child to go to school for a day is the "perfect opportunity" for the parents and the child to discuss the situation, because often times a young student doesn't realize the severity of such actions.
Police would release few details of the incident at the South Peabody school, but a police report indicates that "no criminal charges will be taken out" against the student. Sgt. William Cook said a kindergartner is too young to have criminal intent.
Binkley, reached at home late last night, said she did not know the names of the student or his parents. She added that she only spoke briefly with Dubina and did not have all the details.
Binkley said she does not know how adults in the school first learned that the knife was brought to the elementary school. Parents of other children in the class had not been notified of the incident.
Cook said School Resource Officer Mario Alves investigated.
"Whenever a weapon is involved, police are called," Binkley said. "We take the safety of the students very, very seriously."
Beverley Dunne, a School Committee member and Welch School parent, said late last night she had not heard about the knife incident. Although, she said, she was not surprised because the school is very careful to protect students' privacy.
Dunne said she could not judge the situation without knowing all the details. But she did wonder about the value of suspending a student so young.
"That's pretty hard on him. A kindergarten kid isn't going to know what a suspension is," Dunne said. "It's all a judgment call on what you do with a kid and how you make him understand the ramifications of what he's done."
Staff reporter Ben Casselman contributed to this report.
By Andrew Hickey
Staff writer
PEABODY — A Welch School kindergartner was suspended for one day yesterday after he brought a knife to school, police and school officials said.
The young boy apparently didn't threaten any other students or teachers with the knife, but he was sent home and then suspended to illustrate the seriousness of bringing a weapon to school, School Superintendent Nadine Binkley said last night.
Neither Binkley nor police could say what type of knife the boy brought to school.
The suspension was handed down by Principal Phyllis Dubina to show the child and his parents that "this is a dangerous thing to do," she said. Binkley added that any student who brings a weapon to school, whether it's used or not, is subject to suspension, despite that student's age.
"When a little kid makes a mistake," Binkley said, "our job is to let that child know they made a mistake and make sure it doesn't happen again."
Binkley said not allowing a young child to go to school for a day is the "perfect opportunity" for the parents and the child to discuss the situation, because often times a young student doesn't realize the severity of such actions.
Police would release few details of the incident at the South Peabody school, but a police report indicates that "no criminal charges will be taken out" against the student. Sgt. William Cook said a kindergartner is too young to have criminal intent.
Binkley, reached at home late last night, said she did not know the names of the student or his parents. She added that she only spoke briefly with Dubina and did not have all the details.
Binkley said she does not know how adults in the school first learned that the knife was brought to the elementary school. Parents of other children in the class had not been notified of the incident.
Cook said School Resource Officer Mario Alves investigated.
"Whenever a weapon is involved, police are called," Binkley said. "We take the safety of the students very, very seriously."
Beverley Dunne, a School Committee member and Welch School parent, said late last night she had not heard about the knife incident. Although, she said, she was not surprised because the school is very careful to protect students' privacy.
Dunne said she could not judge the situation without knowing all the details. But she did wonder about the value of suspending a student so young.
"That's pretty hard on him. A kindergarten kid isn't going to know what a suspension is," Dunne said. "It's all a judgment call on what you do with a kid and how you make him understand the ramifications of what he's done."
Staff reporter Ben Casselman contributed to this report.
