IMAGE: Courtesy Green Bay Area Public School District.
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The recent shooting of a student by police outside a school in Mount Horeb has Green Bay district leaders warning families about toy guns.
Last week, police fatally shot a boy outside Mount Horeb Middle School. Over the weekend, investigators said the boy had a pellet gun outside the school.
On Monday, Green Bay school district leaders sent a letter to families of middle and high school students. The letter warns of the risks of using toy guns — specifically Orbeez guns — on school property. Orbeez are water pellets; shooting them can cause injuries to body parts, especially eyes and ears.
District leaders say some students are painting their guns, which can make them look like lethal weapons.
“This creates great concern as this could solicit an unintended law enforcement response, one which could be fatal,” the district wrote.
The district threatens discipline, including possible expulsion, if the use of a toy weapon disrupts student learning.
The full letter to families reads:
May 6, 2024
Subject: Important Message Regarding Toy Guns on School Property
Dear GBAPS Families:
As a school district we continue to experience secondary students, as well as students from other school districts, using toy guns on school property, specifically orbeez guns. An orbeez gun uses water pellets that have potential risks due to accidental hits to vital body parts such as the face, especially the eyes or ears.
Besides potential injuries caused by orbeez guns, we are aware that some students have painted their orbeez guns, which results in the gun having the appearance of a lethal weapon. This creates great concern as this could solicit an unintended law enforcement response, one which could be fatal.
With the recent active shooter incident at Mt. Horeb, the school district and law enforcement remain vigilant in our efforts to provide a safe learning environment for students and staff.
Possession and/or use of a toy weapon will be addressed in accordance with Board policy. Discipline, including up to expulsion, may be warranted if possession and/or use of a toy weapon results in disruption to student learning.
With only five weeks of school remaining, it is important that students are at school engaged and learning. We encourage you to speak with your child about keeping their toy weapons at home and not bringing them to school campuses.
In partnership,
Green Bay Area Public Schools
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