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‘Zero Tolerance’ Wasn’t Tolerated By This Town


Subdeacon Joe

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‘Zero Tolerance’ Wasn’t Tolerated By This Town

 

Sawyer Shepherd is a normal teenage boy living in rural Missouri. Like many rural teens, he liked to hunt and fish. After an early morning turkey shoot, he made a costly mistake.

Although it was unloaded and disassembled, he forgot to take his turkey gun out of his truck before going to school at Carthage High School in the rural town of Carthage MO. The controversy began April 21st when Shepherd, a high school senior and member of the baseball team, went turkey hunting before school started. Having bagged a bird, he posted a picture to Facebook, then went home, cleaned up and went to school – forgetting his unloaded and disassembled shotgun in its case beneath the seat of his truck.

 

 

 

Shepherd’s attorney, Juddson McPherson, told Guns.com Thursday. “Had the presumed punishment gone unamended, Sawyer would have been expelled from school for a year and not been able to finish his baseball season, attended prom or graduated with the rest of his class.” According to McPherson, exposure of the story in the media and social media was instrumental in motivating the school board to do what Shepherd’s supporters believed was the right thing.

“While no one is arguing that students should have guns in school buildings, properly storing unloaded firearms in a locked vehicle for hunting purposes before or after school should certainly be allowed in the State of Missouri, just as it is under federal law,” McPherson said.

“He is now back in school, back on the baseball team, attending prom this Saturday and graduating with his class.” said McPherson who pledged to help make sure this is not repeated in other Missouri schools. McPherson said he will be working with Missouri State Rep. Mike Kelly to introduce amendments to the state’s Safe Schools Act to bring it in line with federal law.

Upon getting the news that he could return to school, Sawyer headed to the school baseball field to reunite with his team. He started back to school on Thursday, April 30th. For the record, Missouri’s turkey season doesn’t end until May 10th.

 

 

missingman-300x266.jpg

 

His team mates showing support for him.

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How exactly did the school know the unassembled, cased shotgun was beneath the seat of his truck if he didn't tell or show another student who then phoned in the anonymous call??

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How exactly did the school know the unassembled, cased shotgun was beneath the seat of his truck if he didn't tell or show another student whpo then phoned in the anonymous call??

 

"An anonymous tip called in to the school led to the Sawyer owning up to his mistake when confronted."

 

Was in story, but rather interresting. Kids in rural Missouri do a lot of hunting and often carry the guns in the trucks. Not long ago always found hanging in the back window. He must have been stupid and told someone he may have trusted, but that kid told someone not trustworthy, my guess. But showed he knew the gun was in the truck but had forgotten when he left home and realized too late. Don't have the full story.

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"An anonymous tip called in to the school led to the Sawyer owning up to his mistake when confronted."

 

Was in story, but rather interresting. Kids in rural Missouri do a lot of hunting and often carry the guns in the trucks. Not long ago always found hanging in the back window. He must have been stupid and told someone he may have trusted, but that kid told someone not trustworthy, my guess. But showed he knew the gun was in the truck but had forgotten when he left home and realized too late. Don't have the full story.

Maybe he forgot it was there, maybe he didn't. Like you said, we don't have the full story.

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My guesses - and only guesses - about how someone suspected he had a gun in his truck:

1.) person saw the gun case as he got out

2.) person knew he had gone hunting before school and made a guess that the gun was still in the truck

3.) person was looking in vehicles for items to steal, saw the gun case and decided to be a Concerned Citizen.

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What about the kids who showed up at a school with .22rf rifles (bolts removed, but at hand), ammo, and walked in the door, was greeted by several police officers...who escorted them to the gym where a bullet trap was set up along with matresses and targets...to instruct them in firearms safety and qualify them for NRA smallbore badges? :o Of course that was 61 years ago. Can you imagine such a thing today? They'd have the SWAT team out! Our parents would be charged with contributing to the deliquency of minors, etc. Times have changed...and NOT for the better! Of course you can't buy a box of .22 Long Rifle for 75 cents either. :(

 

At least somebody showed some common sense in this case...

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Zero tolerance has destroyed all common sense. If you were born in this country you have to obey EVERY statute ever written. If you cross into this country illegally, you don't have to obey anything!

 

Pf

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I have zero tolerance for zero tolerance GW

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We used to have shotguns and rifles hanging in racks in our pickups in the school parking lot. No one ever said a word except when a teacher wanted to check out your gun to see it so you could talk guns. That was only 35 years ago for me…can't even think about having one now without getting arrested.

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