Nathan Entingh was suspended three days from school for making a gun shape with his fingers.
The ten-year-old father, Paul Entingh told CNN that his son was simply “goofing off” with his fellow fifth grade classmates. Entingh’s teacher didn’t see it as a joke as he took him out of class and explained to him Ohio’s zero-tolerance policy.
His father went on to describe the incident that got his son suspended from and his feelings toward the incident. Entingh said, “He was pointing it at a friend's head and he said 'boom.' The kid didn't see it. No other kids saw it. But the teacher saw it. It wasn't threatening. It wasn't hostile. It was a 10-year-old kid playing."
After the incident Entingh had to take his son to meet with Devonshire Alternative Elementary School Principal Patricia Price. Price told Entingh that if the incident occurred again the disciplinary action would be more serious. The reoccurrence of the situation could lead to a “longer, if not permanent” suspension.
Fox 13 added that Columbus City Schools spokesman Jeff Warner said that Principal Price has been setting a firm message to all the students to refrain from gun related behavior.
Warner said, “We’ve had a problem at this school. The boys have gone around fake shooting and making paper guns at class. It’s inappropriate. She has sent notes to parents for the past three weeks alerting them of the problem.”
According to Entingh he never received notification from the school. Though Entingh did know that the school administrators were making it clear to students that there would be disciplinary actions taken for the gun related activity.
Warner went on to defend the ten-year-olds action as harmless, “I know he (Nathan) felt it was funny and in jest, but the teacher felt it was inappropriate given the warnings that were given.”