A 7-year-old boy has been suspended for throwing an imaginary grenade. The child, a second-grade student at Mary Blair Elementary School in Colorado, was reportedly playing a game in which he was trying to “rescue the world.”
Alex Watkins, age seven, was playing the game alone during school recess. His role was that of a soldier who was on a mission to save the world from “evil.” He threw his imaginary grenade into a “box” and made a sound that would indicate that the grenade had exploded. As reported by KDVR , Alex explains the game he was playing:
“I was trying to save people and I just can’t believe I got dispended. It’s called ‘rescue the world.’ I pretended the box, there’s something shaking in it, and I go ‘pshhh.”
Unfortunately for Alex, the school has a zero tolerance policy against any real or imaginary weapons . The school has a list of “Absolutes,” that when violated may lead to suspension. This list includes “no weapons (real or play). ” The list is intended to make “Mary Blair a safe environment.”
As reported by Fox News , Alex’s mother, Mandie Watkins, disagrees with her son’s punishment:
“Honestly, I don’t think the rule is very realistic for kids this age. I think that when a child is trying to save the world, I don’t think he should be punished for it.”
Alex’s mother intends to keep her son home from school until their family and the school can further discuss why her 7-year-old son was suspended for throwing an imaginary grenade.