Texas GOPer wants to defund schools that ban imaginary guns

Steve Stockman's bill says these rules teach kids to "be afraid of inanimate objects that are shaped like guns"

Published July 10, 2013 6:46PM (EDT)

 Rep. Steve Stockman, R-Texas                (Facebook/congressmanstockman)
Rep. Steve Stockman, R-Texas (Facebook/congressmanstockman)

Rep. Steve Stockman, R-Texas, is pushing legislation that would cut funding to schools that punish students for playing with imaginary guns.The Student Protection Act would crack down on schools with policies that hamper "harmless expressions of childhood play," and teach students to "be afraid of inanimate objects that are shaped like guns."

"This government-sanctioned political correctness is traumatizing children and spreading irrational fear," the bill says.

The Hill reports:

Stockman cited several examples, such as a school in Nebraska that demanded a three-year old deaf boy change his name because it resembled a gun when expressed in sign language. He said a seven-year-old in Colorado was suspended for throwing an imaginary hand grenade, and that two six-year-old boys in Maryland were suspended for playing cops and robbers and using their fingers as guns.

 

 


By Jillian Rayfield

Jillian Rayfield is an Assistant News Editor for Salon, focusing on politics. Follow her on Twitter at @jillrayfield or email her at jrayfield@salon.com.

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Education Gun Control House Republicans Steve Stockman Texas