Outrage Over Elementary School Suspension for Finger Gun Play
An Alabama elementary school faces criticism from a concerned parent and gun rights groups after suspending a first-grader for allegedly making a finger gun. Jerrod Belcher, the father of six-year-old J.B., a student at Bagley Elementary School in Jefferson County, Alabama, believes the school’s reaction to a game of “cops and robbers” was excessive. According to a notice of suspension shared with Fox News Digital, J.B. was accused of a “Class III” infraction on September 1 for using his fingers to mimic shooting at another student.
In response, Belcher’s attorney, M. Reed Martz, sent a letter to Jefferson County school officials, demanding that the school promptly and publicly remove any mention of the infraction from J.B.’s record. Gun Owners of America, a national Second Amendment group, joined forces with BamaCarry in Alabama to support the attorney’s efforts. Despite multiple requests, school officials have not commented on the matter.
On September 1, J.B. and another student engaged in a game of “cops and robbers” during recess. They playfully formed finger guns and exclaimed “Bang, bang” at each other. According to both the attorney and school staff, this playful interaction did not threaten other students, disrupt class activities, or interfere with school operations.
However, the school administration received a report about J.B.’s “gun fingers,” leading Donna Page, Assistant Principal at Bagley Elementary School, to initiate a disciplinary process against him. Martz expressed his initial skepticism but confirmed the authenticity of the school’s paperwork.
The suspension notice cited a “3.22 Threat” infraction, referring to Article 3.22 in the Student and Parent Handbook for Bagley Elementary, which pertains to “THREAT / INTIMIDATION (OF STUDENT).” This category includes threats of serious bodily harm, violence, cyberbullying, or intimidation inducing fear. Belcher’s attorney argued that J.B.’s actions during a make-believe game do not fit this prohibition.
Notably, “Class III” infractions are categorized as major offenses, equating them with serious crimes. The attorney pointed out that this classification places J.B.’s behavior on par with offenses such as arson, battery of a school board employee, bomb threats, burglary, drug-related activities, possession of weapons on school property, robbery, and other acts that could cause significant harm or disrupt the educational process.
Martz emphasized the irony that intentionally hitting or physically aggressing against another student is only classified as a “Class II Infraction,” carrying a lesser penalty than J.B.’s finger gun incident.
Although J.B.’s disciplinary action was downgraded to a “Class II Infraction,” allowing him to return to class, his attorney deemed this insufficient. The attorney’s letter calls for the school district to publicly remove any records of the September 1, 2023, incident from J.B.’s records and eliminate any classification of J.B. as a potentially violent or dangerous student.
Furthermore, it urges the school district to permit age-appropriate playtime activities that do not disrupt school operations and do not pose any actual or perceived threats.
Gun Owners of America Senior Vice President Erich Pratt criticized the incident as an example of an “anti-gun mindset” prevalent in many communities, asserting that children were merely engaging in typical childhood play.
Jerrod Belcher expressed his dismay at how his son was treated, highlighting the inconsistency of labeling a finger gun incident as more serious than physical aggression. He remarked that while fists have broken many noses over the years, no one has been harmed by a “finger gun” in the 600 years since firearms were invented.