Georgia student suspended for reporting classmate with bullet

An 11-year-old sixth-grader at St John the Apostle Catholic School in Virginia Beach was suspended for a day and a half after he reported a classmate showing him a bullet. The incident occurred on September 5, when the boy, who found the bullet in his parent's coin jar, waited two hours to report it, believing it was not a threat. He chose to make an anonymous report after completing a math test and during a fire drill approached the interim principal to disclose the information. The school administration emphasized the importance of immediate reporting of potential threats, citing a recent school shooting in Georgia as a reason for their strict policy. They argued that delays in reporting could have serious consequences for student safety. Both the student who reported the bullet and the classmate who showed it were suspended, which raised concerns among parents and advocates about the message being sent to students regarding safety and reporting threats. The student's mother, Rachel Wigand, expressed disbelief at the suspension, noting that the school handbook did not specify reporting requirements for non-threatening situations. She has attempted to communicate with school officials to have the suspension removed from her son's record but has received no response. The situation escalated to the point where the school had to hire temporary private security after receiving an email threat related to the punishment. Wigand's son is now worried about being labeled a 'snitch' and facing bullying, despite his mother encouraging him to report unsafe situations. This incident has sparked a broader discussion about school safety policies and the implications of punishing students for reporting potential threats.