HYANNIS, Mass. (CNN) — Most kids love to play with LEGOs and can build lots of things with them. A five-year-old boy on the Cape is facing possible school suspension for what he built with his LEGOs.
The boy’s family thinks school officials are going a little bit too far.
5-year-old Joe Cruz loves his LEGOs.
He was making a dinosaur. “It’s the one with the long neck,” Joe notes.
But Joe can also make a toy gun out of LEGOs. He did it for us, but when he made one of these at his after-school program, the teacher sent him home with a letter threatening the 5-year-old with a two week suspension.
“It was absurd. I couldn’t believe that they were gonna kick my son out of daycare for two weeks over a little toy gun. I mean, it wasn’t even a gun. It was a LEGO,” says mom Sheila.
According to school officials, Joe made the LEGO gun then began chasing other kids with it, while making shooting sounds.
Barnstable Superintendent Mary Czajkowski says, “Even a LEGO gun, okay? Pointing a gun and making shooting sounds can be uncomfortable to somebody and it’s not respectful, and if you’re told to stop it, the student should adhere to that.”
The Cruz family says they’re fully aware of the tragic events nationwide in recent years, but that school officials are overreacting to a 5-year-old using his imagination.
“How can a 5-year-old be expected to conform his behavior to that of an adult? You can’t,” says family attorney George Mackoul.
Sheila adds, “Yeah, it bothers me that he can’t go to school and be a kid.”
School officials told WBZ-TV that they’re just trying to create a culture of respect in all their classes.
See! People are nuts, even the ones in charge!
I can see punishing the kid but two weeks is over punishing
If only the teachers were that serious about making sure the kids were actually learning…
F*ing bull****!t!!! Kids have played cops and robbers, cowboys and Indians, g.I. Joe, ….etc since before I was a child and this was never a problem. When does this end? How can we call this a free country when everything is being taken away from us? Is okay and free as long as someone never gets offended I guess. He is 5 for crying out loud! Maybe people should be so damn sensitive.
Let children play like children. Some of these teachers today don’t care about the children they care about themselves to make life simple for themselves
The only thing this boy should have been punished for is not listening to the teacher. Maybe this teacher should be suspended for acting like the judge jury and executioner
kids are going to be kids
The teachers are only following whatever the protocol is for the school. They may feel differently but if not reported, they could get fired. I don’t think you can appreciate how difficult it is to be in a classroom today. No, I am not a teacher but my daughter is and she works at least 10 hrs/day, 6 days/wk. Don’t judge unless you KNOW!
OK, first we blame the NRA, now the NLA (National Lego Association) LOL!!!!! Really people, get a grip!!!!
Enough is enough what the ****
Sarajane, its not up to the teachers to decide what the punishment is or the length of the punishment is. That is the job of the principle, NOT THE TEACHER. The article stated it was the teacher that sent the letter. If this is true, then the teacher over stepped their boundries. Punishment should be determined by the principle.
Kenneth Lynch: Not in the judgment of the teachers and those in power. Remember, it’s their way or the highway
Any injuries? United states of over reaction.
THE KID WAS 5 YEARS OLD!!!!!! PLAYING WITH LEGOS!!!!! IF THIS HAS A NEGATIVE AFFECT ON YOUR DAUGHTER, TELL HER TO FIND A NEW CAREER!!!!! TRY BEING A COP!!!! I WISH THE ONLY THING I HAD TO WORRY ABOUT IS A TOY LEGO GUN!!!!!! DON”T JUDGE UNLESS YOU KNOW!!!!!! AND SINCE WE ARE ON THE TOPIC OF JUDGING….. THIS 5 YEAR OLD CHILD WAS JUDGED!!!! THOUGHT TO BE A THREAT FOR PLAYING WITH LEGOS!!!!! GET A GRIP PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!
I copied and pasted this from my reply to the infinitely stupid comment of Sarajane Kostek!!!!! THE KID WAS 5 YEARS OLD!!!!!! PLAYING WITH LEGOS!!!!! IF THIS HAS A NEGATIVE AFFECT ON YOUR DAUGHTER, TELL HER TO FIND A NEW CAREER!!!!! TRY BEING A COP!!!! I WISH THE ONLY THING I HAD TO WORRY ABOUT IS A TOY LEGO GUN!!!!!! DON”T JUDGE UNLESS YOU KNOW!!!!!! AND SINCE WE ARE ON THE TOPIC OF JUDGING….. THIS 5 YEAR OLD CHILD WAS JUDGED!!!! THOUGHT TO BE A THREAT FOR PLAYING WITH LEGOS!!!!! GET A GRIP PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!
give me a break. u have got to be kidding. so what if the child made a gun out of legos. the teacher and school all need to CHILL OUT.
what Mass should be upset bout is all the children who come out of their schools and dont know how to spell. learn how to teach.
Hey Sarajane Kostek, here goes a news headline to share with your daughter…. http://www.wggb.com/2013/01/31/conn-school-district-hires-armed-guards/ ……. Maybe your daughter can get some armed guards and LEGO DETECTORS for the DAY CARE she works in……. Just a thought
Tell her to work at Sci-Tech or Commerce High School for a month, then go back to her woulderful place of employment. I am sure she would never be scared of LEGOS again 
George, what about central where the teacher was stabbed for telling a student to remove his hat. This happened a couple of years ago
No doubt our education system has become laughing stocks of dis-functionality & sillyness, some laughs warranted, some not .. it seems the unions are perpetuating the insanity here as are the administrations ..
It is very easy to make excuses for lack of common sense today .. legal issues, union requirements, administration demands etc etc etc .. One thing is for sure .. anything made from a Lego is NOT dangerous .. neither is a drawing of a gun,
Our society is so paranoid and out of control we have become pitiful .. teachers should unite and demand common sense for everything children now a days .. if a kid can not assimilate or acclimate to a classroom they need to be OUT .. period .. expelled .. if we demanded the same treatment for unruly, disruptive, disrespectful students .. then we might have fewer problems in the classroom .. Common sense .. what has happened to it? we are doomed for sure if we do not capitulate and stop accommodating the folks who do not want to be in school anymore ..
Shame on the school officals!! What ever happened to little boys playing cowboys and indians or army? How is it the teacher was following protocal? This is just insane. My grandsons are all boy! They have toy guns to play with. But they are loving and caring little boys. Give these little ones a chance to be a kid.
Stupid people ( teacher)
My point was only to point out that all things are not equal…..and judgement based on an individual’s experience doesn’t make it the TRUTH. Tragedy is tragedy……
sarajane your daughter chose to teach or pretend to do so. if she cant hack it she needs to find a new job. and u need to find a hobby.
And Sarajane most of the worlds population works longer hours and harder and for far less than teachers make and with no benefits. so cry me a river.