RedState readers are likely familiar with the story of Marjory Stoneman Douglas high student, Kyle Kashuv, who last week was questioned by School Resource Officers and a Broward County Sheriff deputy following a social media post of him at a gun range. Streiff detailed the incident here.
Earlier this week, and in the same vein, a Belleville, Illinois, student was suspended following his father’s tweet responding to Kashuv’s situation.
You might recall Ken Bone (a/k/a “Red Sweater Guy”), a power plant operator from Illinois, who gained a certain level of fame during the 2016 election season when he asked a pointed question regarding coal and energy question during the Presidential debate held in St. Louis.
In response to Kashuv’s tweet and account of his questioning by the officers, Bone posted the following:
Here's a pic of my son learning to shoot safely under my supervision. Maybe those security guys want to talk to him. pic.twitter.com/tLAfnVJv9z
— Ken Bone (@kenbone18) April 24, 2018
Bone announced Thursday that his son had been suspended from school as a result of the tweet.
Remember this photo from a few days ago? Well, a school administrator saw it and now my son is suspended from school pending a police investigation. pic.twitter.com/tTXSBDo39g
— Ken Bone (@kenbone18) April 26, 2018
Per the Post Dispatch:
Bone said he talked to a detective with the Belleville Police Department, who told Bone that they would call the principal of his son’s school, St. Clair ROE Safe School, in the morning. Belleville police confirmed that they took a report about the incident.
“I’m not sure what the school wants investigated,” Bone said Thursday evening. “There’s no threat to the school — the picture is over a year old.”
Bone said he pointed out to the principal that his son hadn’t posted the photo.
“It’s mine,” Bone said. “(My son) doesn’t even have a Twitter account.”
In fairness, given the recent events in Parkland, it’s easy to understand school administrators being sensitive to social media posts and wanting to err on the side of caution. Particularly in the face of (well-warranted) criticism directed at school and law enforcement officials who failed to take meaningful action despite the numerous red flags raised by the Parkland shooter.
On the other hand, it seems like this might have been cleared up with a fairly quick conversation with the parents without need of a suspension of the student — who did nothing wrong.
Friday, Bone reported that the suspension had been lifted:
Just talked to the principal of my son's school. He is cleared to return to school on Monday. Thanks for all the kind words and support, I'm glad this got resolved so quickly.
— Ken Bone (@kenbone18) April 27, 2018
Still, one has to wonder if it was necessary in the first place?
Join the conversation as a VIP Member