5-year-old suspended

Sometimes, common sense should be used in punishment of small children. It's obvious, none was apparent in the principal's actions.

A novelty firework has landed a 5-year-old boy in hot water.

This is the kind of stuff little boys do, I think it's genetic.

Quinn Lucier was suspended from kindergarten for four days after he brought to school a "popper," a novelty firework that makes a loud pop when its string is pulled. He found it in his older brother's drawer.

4 days? That's ridiculous!

When Lucier popped the item at Jerstad-Agerholm Elementary School in Racine on Monday, the noise startled his teacher and earned him a trip to the principal's office.

She probably wet her pants, and is embarrassed.

The principal, Cecilia Holley-Young, imposed the four-day suspension, telling the boy's mother the item qualified as an explosive device. Rachel Lucier said she understood that her son shouldn't have brought the popper to school but she thought the punishment was unnecessarily severe.

Some sort of punishment, ok, but 4 days suspension? Yeesh!

"I don't want it on his record, either elementary (school) or police-wise," she said. "I'm just worried, anything he does later in life, if this is going to come back to haunt him. Is he going to be considered the bad boy?"

The mythical "permanent record" for 5 year olds.

The district doesn't have a zero-tolerance policy and principals can use their discretion in applying punishments in these cases, Laing said.

Discretion is one thing, stupidity is another.

"The parents seem to think it was harmless," Laing said. "The principal and the teacher thought it was harmful."

School officials seem to think it's ok to give out condoms, but it's a serious offense to have aspirin in your purse. Yep, common sense, on vacation! Haven't we gotten a bit absurd? H/T: Charlie Sykes