Perhaps many of us have been numbed by news of kids bringing their airsoft guns to school with intent to mischief that a good number of airsoft players have been advocating restricting access to airsoft guns only to adults. But of course, that will be up to the industry, community, and the ultimately, the politicians to decide. But in this case, it's not about the kids doing something wrong at school, it's more about a school overreacting to photos of kids holding airsoft guns at home.

This is how airsofter, Tito Villar, explains the predicament that he and his girlfriend, Jamie Periera are in as posted on his Facebook Page:

See this photo? Yea, well this photo got me and my gf suspended from our high school for 10 days. possible expulsion too. Today we were taken right before the Cross Country states meet. We were asked, “why would you post something like that?” when we tried saying something, they told us to be quiet and they separated us. I was sent to a room and my bag was searched, along with my clothes and locker. The school called the police and they had a cop speak to us without reading our rights and without our parents permission. We had no say in what happened and we never got a chance to defend ourselves. We are both out of school now, in a school that only allows 4½ days absent. Which means if they don't expel us, we pay for overpriced saturday school and winter school. I understand it was wrong to take a picture with guns but come on. My dad took the photos, in my house. The guns were pointed at the floor, on safety, mock mags in, and our fingers weren't on the trigger. We had a responsible adult and he isnt againts airsoft. He knows gun safety and he keeps my guns, i dont have them unless im out at the fields. Well the dance was friday, and it went perfectly fine. No fights or anything. Today is monday, and now were both defenseless. The school took away whatever rights we had about speech. Our parents didnt have a say either. In 10 days we will have to have a conference with the school board, they will decide if we get suspended or not. I think its bullshit that we get suspended over a photo taken at my house because it was “threatening”. If my school wanted to suspend everyone who posted a “threatening” photo, then i couldnt have a photo with a car because cars kill people. honestly i think its unfair and its not right. My school could care less if you post a picture of you smoking or getting drunk. but you post a photo of a gun and everyone loses their mind. So right now im trying to get this story out to people to try to show that the school is wrong and that it wasnt a threat to anyone. The school is Bristol-Plymouth Voc/Tech in Taunton, MA. Please help me out guys. Thanks.

This smacks of school overreach. The photo is a light moment for Tito and Jamie and parents as they prepared for the school dance when they decided to have photos of them holding airsoft guns  inside their own home with an adult watching them. The photos were not taken inside a classroom, nor on school grounds, nor in a public place. In no way were the photos menacing nor threatening. It's not a business for a school to intrude into the affairs of a home unless it affects a student's health, behavior, or grades. The suspension of the Tito and Jamie are not even about this. It's just all about photos with airsoft guns which are not even real firearms.

We understand the need of schools to be vigilant given that incidents of mass shootings in the USA happen in schools. We all need to be on the lookout to threats to children, wherever in the world and try to prevent these. We also know that some suspects in recent mass shootings posted threatening stuff on social media. But the photos of this very young couple don't even indicate they are planning to massacre students at a school dance, they were just being goofy.

Every weekend, we see hundreds of kids playing airsoft at various airsoft fields. They all carry airsoft guns and wear military gear. They also have videos and photos of them in action, or posing with their guns. We see kids on YouTube doing their own airsoft reviews, showing their personal airsoft arsenal that their mom or dad bought for them. Would schools all over the U.S. suspend them and subject them to threats of expulsion? That's a lot of kids who would be out of school for playing a hobby they love and it promotes team work and honesty.

The best thing for the school of Tito and Jamie to do is to have an open mind and undestand that there is no intention by the couple to do mischief. There is no solid case for suspension, much more of expulsion for the school.  If the school officials persist they will be dragged to court, wasting time and resources that could have been devoted to the kids' education.

The airsoft community can lend its support to Tito and Jamie by emailing the school on what airsoft is all about or the local airsoft community, which includes teams, field owners, and airsoft retailers can have a dialogue with the school officials.  This issue is one big misunderstanding that led to an overreaction by school officials wary of students with guns given the recent Marysville-Pilchuck High School shooting in Washington State. 

Tito and Jamie should not have been suspended in the first place and now the issue is now in the news and social media. It is the last thing that the school would want if it approached this issue with an open mind rather than a drastic action that was not properly thought over.