With an incomparable demonstration of compassion and forgiveness, the administration at St. Mary's Catholic School and the Brownsville Catholic Diocese reacted to the discovery of a five-year-old child possessing a handgun in his backpack put there by his father by...expelling him from school.
It didn't matter that the person who placed the weapon there without the child's knowledge is being prosecuted for endangerment of a child and a felon in possession of a handgun, as he surely must be, but to punish and stigmatize the innocent five-year-old smacks of appeasement to the good righteous Catholics who send their children there.His father (or stepfather) Noe Cruz, 23, was charged with one count of child endangerment and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
His bond was set at $12,500.
Word has now reached us that the boy's mother was at her job (apparently, Cruz does not work) when she received a phone call from the church officials informing her that her child had been expelled. She then had to hurry to the school to pick up the child.
Now, we've all heard of criminal parents (men and women) who have been caught at the international bridges and agents have found drugs stashed in the diaper or formula packs in their baby carriages. But do the federal authorities deport (or charge) the innocent children?
The mother, who said she knew nothing of what her feckless mate had done, now has to find somewhere else to place her child, or to simply deprive him of pre-k instruction and place him at a day care. The boy will no doubt be stigmatized at an early age and will suffer as a result.
To make matters worse, the school sent out fliers to all the parents of children attending St. Mary's apologizing to them for the incident and warning them to check their children's backpacks.
This is the same school where a priest was found hanging from a tree near the rectory not long ago. At that time there was no mass mailing of fliers to anyone. But then again, the embarrassment would have been the school's and diocese's, not the relatives of the dead priest.
Obviously, the school and diocese are trying to appease the patrons of the private school. But there is a small victim here that is being overlooked. The state will doubtless take the course it should and prosecute Cruz for his misdeeds. It is bad enough that the boy had to be under his influence at home, but should the child also suffer a punishment he obviously doesn't deserve?
He is, after all, just a child, isn't he?
18 comments:
If its good enough to expell or suspend public school kids for their "errors", then its good enough for private school. The child suffers for the parents failures.
The mother left her son with this ass hole and u want the school to give mother mother of the award
Take the kid away from the mother...... Good job for the teacher that caught this kid!
Unfortunately that’s life; different parents react in different ways. I do feel sorry for the little boy but if that teacher wouldn’t have taken the gun away, we might be grieving for fatalities maybe even the little boy who had the gun himself, so I think the little boy just being expelled, got away with a good lesson at a cheap price, that didn’t take his life or that of others. You really need to count your blessings! What I don’t care for is the Stupid people saying stuff like the man must be a drug dealer! They don’t know him or at least who is paying the tuition? It might be grandparents, assistants from the school, etc… Not everyone that sends their kids to a Private school is crooked! Most are hard working parents that make the sacrifice to send them to get a basic religious orientated education.
By the way the Bishop did send a letter about the Priest hanging, you must have missed the Memo?
Who was the judge that put a $12500 bond on the asshole
It should have been $100000 get rid of the judge......NOW
Because of the quick action of the teacher we were not on CNN News ...... Thank God
Would you still say the boy didn't deserve to be expelled if your child would have been accidently shot in the head? Would you still feel this way??? What I don’t understand is why this teacher which in my opinion is a hero who saved the day isn’t even mentioned! You can only imagine the consequences if a child was hurt or killed. I understand this teacher, after securing the weapon (stressful enough to handle a gun) and even after doing this had the intelligence and mental fortitude to continue to protect the students around her and downplayed the situation by telling them they should know better not to bring toys to school. This also was an attempt in protecting the boy with the gun. By doing this, she showed the kind of teachers they have at St. Mary’s school always looking out for their student’s wellbeing in not creating a chaotic and stressful situation for the students. Kudos! for that brave teacher who ever she may be?
Remember November, the first of November.
Do they have a zero tolerance policy in place? If they do, then there is no grace to be given for the unfortunate student. However, it is a catholic school and usually they turn the other cheek.
I kind of understand what you’re saying that this kid is innocent but at the same time he is marked and the best thing for him is a fresh start at a new school. Unfortunately he is a victim of circumstance but if that gun would have gone off and killed the teacher, the boy or a fellow student?! Poor kid but I think St. Mary’s did the best thing for the boy.
To the person that wrote..."However, it is a catholic school and usually they turn the other cheek" Remember the cheek you turn today maybe shot off tomorrow! No turning of cheeks here! To smart for that!!!
So you don't believe in turning the other cheek because you are too smart for that. I guess you really understand that "turn the other cheek" business.
Common sense, you can't turn the other check with guns involved! It's like a lion biting your right arm, would you turn the other check and let it bit you left arm? I think not and this would be the smart thing to do Einstein!
There was a letter sent out about Father Ricardo and a meeting was held with the patents.
Montoya's point is well taken. The whole point of a "religious" school is to look at things differently than if in the public sphere. I am sure that Fr. Bert will speak about "prudence" and etc (turning the other cheek, is, of course, imprudent) and will make sense, in his own way. Doesn't help this kid much, though.
What is wrong with these people? I agree with Montoya an innocent five year old is being punished for the actions of a cowardly adult ACTING like a 5 year old. Expelling the child is only beneficial to an intollerant administration that finds guilt more acceptable then forgiveness.
St. Mary’s followed the dioceses protocol, the expelling of this boy is not written in stone! I’m sure if the parents have a good explanation the boy might be accepted back, this would have to come from the diocese of Brownsville…But if he was my child I wouldn’t want him to attend the same school and be ridiculed by other students, maybe a fresh start is in order. I sent my children to St. Mary’s and know there are many teachers that look out for the welfare of their student be it being bullied, harmed or other wise. They are concerned and to try and make them look like the bad guys is wrong.
The truth about the death of Father Ricardo is just begging for a well researched investigate article. Mr.Montoya?
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