I would have done exactly as you did. I would not confiscate. If it had been a real knife, he could have turned it on me. If it had been a real knife, I would have called security. I'm not going to put myself in danger.
I agree with you. I meant I didn't confiscate it, though, after having discovered it was a comb. Now I'd do that to prevent the kid from repeating this cute trick with one of my colleagues.
This situation sounds familiar--I think the same thing happened to me! I tried a dumber approach: "What is it?" Should it be confiscated? That's a great question. Great first-year-teacher test! It's not technically a weapon, but it couldn't it be considered a nuisance item? We have a list of nuisance items that can be confiscated, but that list is flexible, as students are continually finding new nuisance items. And the games play on...
I still wouldn't confiscate it. Kid might let you take his comb and pull out something more deadly instead.
Real OR simulated weapons are a threat.
After seeing it was simulated, I would have probably had someone at the principals office come down to take care of it.
My friend confiscated what appeared to be a silver lighter from one of her eighth graders. She put it in her pocket and a forgot about it in the course of the hectic day. She got home and remembered it and took it out to examine it. On the side was a little button. She pushed it and out popped a little blade.
My own kids found similar "switch combs" in a flea market many years ago, which I would not allow them to purchase.
Your response is okay in my book. Do you remember the look in his eyes during this exchange?
Personally, I would have shat, so I commend you for your composure.
The look in his eyes? This happened almost 23 years ago, so I'm afraid that detail has escaped me.
I would say, "Very funny. Good thing I'm here, instead of the principal. You probably need to leave that with me before you get in LOADS more trouble."
If he was a good kid, I would let his parent get it after school as long as it didn't come back to school. If a bad kid, I would hand it over to the principal with a referral. And if he didn't hand it over, I wouldn't force him, but I would report him as soon as he left me.
In my school district, that thing is considered a weapon. And yeah, he probably had three more just like them at home.
Your students or my students? If it were one of my students, I'd play it pretty cool. One of yours- or anyone else's? I would probably freak.
In my younger days? I probably would have been more of a happychyck. (What is that?)
Commenting by HaloScan
