Madison Parent hand cardboard "gun" to teacher

[LakeArenal]

A Madison man has been arrested and banned from Shorewood Hills Elementary School after he handed a piece of cardboard with “gun” written on it to a teacher Thursday morning........

.....Shorewood Hills Police Chief Aaron Chapin said Jonathan M. Fitzgerald, 35, activated a front door buzzer at the school, 1105 Shorewood Blvd., around 10 a.m., requesting access to the building. When he was allowed in, he walked past the school office where visitors are required to check in, Chapin said.....

...“Fitzgerald made statements to the teacher in the room about being an intruder who was allowed access to the school and gave the teacher a piece of cardboard with the word ‘gun’ on it,” Chapin said......

Read more......

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/crime/parent-hands-cardboard-with-gun-written-on-it-to-teacher/article_0db5b6b7-76e9-565a-9713-f91940c8874a.html

Now he's arrested? He should be rewarded.

[DemocracyMouse]

1. He should have also written:

That was a great and nervy protest. The man's a patriot. But he should have written on the cardboard gun "This would only be a paper gun if real guns were outlawed".

[LakeArenal]

2. Yes

Edit: Welcome to DU.

[Heartstrings]

3. So, he was arrested for "disorderly conduct"?

Disorderly conduct is basically just a catch all phrase for "we really didn't like what you did".

Only question I have is; if the teacher had been armed, would that be grounds for her to shoot him? Hmmmmmm.........

I say, give this guy a participation medal.....

[LakeArenal]

4. Still, He has a mug shot where there was no mug shot before...

He did take a huge chance. Good thing he didn't do it Waukesha or Milwaukee.

I guess a mug shot is better than a coffin...

[Heartstrings]

8. Wonder how this will affect his pursuit of a degree at UW? Nt

[Phoenix61]

5. Arrested for what?

His child attends school there. He didn't threaten anyone although he certainly showed them how vulnerable they are to the same type of incident that happened in Florida.

[ProfessorGAC]

6. Charges Likely Dropped?

Based upon what you just said. Seems a likely outcome, to me.

[Mosby]

7. he won't be prosecuted in my opinion

The cops can refer whatever they want to the da.

[bluestarone]

10. probably because THEY don't want ANYBODY to make THEM look bad

total BULLSHIT here! He's pointing out THAT A KILLER CAN ACCESS the school! To me he's out to SAVE LIVES!!!

[elehhhhna]

9. Terrorize the teacher to make a point? No. That's bullshit.

[Freedomofspeech]

11. I had a school board member do that to me after Columbine...

Bolted into my library, all dressed in camo and acting like he was going to hold us all hostage. It was terrifying.

[elehhhhna]

13. My cousin just talked her boss principal out of a secret surprise drill

In a fucking middle school, this week. Shes the Union whatever and the Principal backed down.

[Tipperary]

16. I agree with you. eom

[ProudLib72]

12. Did someone say "door buzzard"?

Time for the prestigious Orange Door Buzzard Award, given only to the most asinine "heroes".

[lindysalsagal]

14. It's the same as a bank teller: That was a threat. Until you know otherwise, it's a threat.

It means, "I've got a gun and you're going to do my bidding and/or be my hostage. " No one gets the benefit of the doubt about guns.

The school was right to arrest him.

Schools are far more controlled than the rest of society: You do not enjoy the same breadth of rights inside a school as you do outside. This is for good reasons: Schools hold trusting defenceless innocents.

You can't wear clothing with threatening or violent words or images, you can't wear insulting statements, your person or backpack is far more likely to be searched: Schools are different, and they should be. Hundreds of children are housed in closed, intimate spaces, and there is no freedom to get up and move away: The government is compelling you to be in your room, in your seat, with the other children from your town, and you have no choice.

So-

Rights are not the same, nor should they be. Responsibilities are stiffer and more specific: If a school goes no peanuts, you can't have them. Period. At halloween, masks and plastic weapons are not allowed. Lots of rights are curtailed inside a school.

So, the school was right to involve the police: An adult may have just told someone they have a gun. There are too many vulnerable people there to handle it any other way.

[Tipperary]

17. This.

+1000

[NightWatcher]

15. He just "Red Teamed" then and showed their vulnerabilities.

He should be rewarded and the school should get more security conscious and harden up.