An alleged “Pop Tart killer” was recently apprehended at Park Elementary school in Rosenwald County, Maryland where this seven year old gun crazed maniac resided. For readers unfamiliar with this story, a young boy was suspended indefinitely for nibbling his Pop Tart into the form of a gun, pointing it at the principal and saying, “Bang!”

The Washington Post reportsthe young killer’s father as being “miffed”… He was nearly speechless, “It was a danish!” He exclaims.

There is no need to worry though, because the government intervened to prevent any future Pop Tart killers. State Senator J.B. Jennings (R-Baltimore) introduced the monumental legislation, the law to end all debate, titled: The Reasonable School Discipline Act of 2013. In this billprincipals are prevented from “suspending or expellinga student who brings to school or possesses on school property a picture of a gun, a computer image of a gun, a facsimile of a gun, or any other object that resembles a gun but serves another purpose.” However, the legislation allows principals to expel a student if the student uses a gun gesture as an act of violence.

I find it funny that the government has to step in and create legislation for how to discipline  a student who makes a gun gesture.

Like I always say, “You can never disarm young boys.” As long as I have been alive, young boys mindlessly make an “L” shape with their hands and call it a gun. It was nothing dangerous, and my parents did not call a psychiatrist to make sure I was mentally stable.

No doubt our security is important as individuals, but when do we cross the line? When do our worries about guns and violence become too excessive?

The legislation written by Senator Jennings is quite reasonable. That is not the issue here. The issue is how the school official reacted to a child who nibbled a pastry into a shape that resembles a gun. No need to point out this principal individually, but I will draw from my own experience in school.

As a young boy I was fidgety and energetic like most young boys. Sitting in a chair all day learning about poetic devices was not my idea of a good time. I wanted to be up and around playing dodgeball, climbing a tree, or something active. My restlessness got me in some trouble with a particular teacher, and I ended up having to stand up the whole day. I would say that is a fairly good way to deal with the issue.

Though this story has nothing to do with pop tarts or guns, the point I am trying to make is that young boys will make guns with their index finger and thumb, or in this case their lunch pastry, but that does not mean these young boys will grow up to become vicious killers.

Well, one may argue, what about Adam Lanza? “He was a normal keep-to-himself type of guy, but he grew up and killed 20 young children.”

That is true. No one saw the shootings at Newtown or the Aurora movie theater massacre coming. These two young men seemed like ordinary guys. They probably made “L” shaped gun gestures when they were younger as well, but they did turn out to be mass murderers… the thing every parent and teacher fears when they see their youngster pretending they are terminator or scarface with their imaginary machine guns.

However, just because a kid plays with imaginary guns does not mean he will turn out to be a mass murderer. More strict school discipline on young boys who play with imaginary guns is not the answer to preventing future shootings.

I agree with J.B. Jennings. He wasquoted in the Star Democratsaying,”If we think something is wrong, let’s talk about it… If it’s truly a violent threat, let’s talk about it. But let’s use some discretion …”

That is exactly my point. School officials, in Maryland specifically, and I am sure in other states as well, are on edge after all the violence that has been going on in the last year or so. Instead of overreacting to these playful incidents, administrators need to sit down and explain to the children what the gun symbol means.

Moreover, there have been other incidences of suspensions in Maryland of kids who, in the words of Jennings, “Can’t comprehend what they are doing or the ramification of their actions.”

So, the Pop Tart Killer will still be on the loose thanks to Senator Jennings, but maybe — just maybe — he will have learned his lesson and never pick up a Pop Tart gun again.

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Connor Clarke is a sophomore in history from Sherwood, Oregon.