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Mom: School suspends boy, 7, for turning in toy gun found in backpack

NEW KENSINGTON, Pa. — A local mother says she is outraged after her 7-year-old son was suspended from school because he accidentally had a toy gun in his backpack.

Channel 11's Joe Holden spoke to Jennifer Mathabell Thursday, who said her son, Darin, has been suspended since Tuesday from Martin School in the New Kensington-Arnold School District.

Mathabell said it was an honest mistake and her son did the right thing, turning in the toy gun to his teacher.

Mathabell said he normally takes another bag to school, but left it at a friend’s house. Mathabell said she gave her son another bag to use Wednesday, which had the toy inside.

Darin said when he went to get his lunch out of the bag, he found the toy gun and gave it to teacher because he, “knew he shouldn’t have it.”

“In the middle of math, I had to go to the principal and have a talk with her. As I’m telling the truth and then I got expelled,” Darin said.

Superintendent John Pallone said until a hearing scheduled for Friday, he is unable to comment on the case. He did say, that in these instances, they have to “apply the policy.”

“He brought it immediately to the teacher’s attention and handed it over and said, ‘I’m not supposed to have this,’” Mathabell said.

Mathabell believes the policies are going too far.

“What kind of message are we sending to our kids? To tell the truth, yet you get in trouble for it and you get punished for it,” Mathabell said.

WPXI

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