School called police on six-year-old girl with Down syndrome after she pointed ‘finger gun’ at teacher
A SCHOOL called police after a six-year-old girl with Down syndrome made a gun gesture with her finger at her teacher.
Officials launched a "threat assessment" into kindergartner Margot Gaines and cops in Pennsylvania filed a report on her.
Her mother Maggie blasted the "insane" overreaction and said the schools policy was ";criminalising" normal child behavior.
Maggie said her daughter was frustrated when she pointed her finger and said "I shoot you" to a teacher at Valley Forge Elementary School in Tredyffrin, near Philadelphia.
“It was very clear from the beginning that she didn’t understand what she was saying, and the teacher and the principal agreed,” she told .
"Having Down syndrome is one aspect, but I’m sure all six-year-olds don’t really know what that means.
“But then they said they needed to convene a threat assessment team.
“Now, there is a record at the police that says she made a threat to her teacher.”
Maggie said the school principal agreed Margot did not want to harm anyone.
But he claimed he had no choice but to call in the police under a district protocol meant to identify future Columbine-style shooters.
Maggie and her husband then found themselves being interrogated by a local officer.
“You don’t understand, this is insane,” she recalls saying.
She added to CBS Philly: “I was fine with everything up until calling the police.
“And I said, ‘You absolutely do not have to call the police. You know, this is ridiculous.’”
Pennsylvania state law requires all school districts to form threat assessment teams to intervene when students' behavior "may indicate a threat to the safety of the student, other students, school employees, school facilities, the community or others.”
But there is no requirement to involve the police while evaluating reports, .
Police wrote up an incident report but stressed Margot does not have a criminal record.
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Tredyffrin/Easttown schools district said it follows threat assessment guidelines developed at the University of Virginia.
The district “utilizes this evidence-based model to identify, evaluate, and respond to student threats,” spokesperson Chris Connolly said.
Last year a Pennsylvania man who pointed a finger gun at his neighbor had his conviction for disorderly behaviour upheld by the state Superior Court.
In 2017, a Florida court ruled that pointing a finger gun at an off-duty police officer was not protected First Amendment free speech.
Last night a dad was charged with neglect after in Milwaukee.
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