Magic Hobbit Ring Suspension: Boy Wanted to Make Classmate 'Disappear'

[Ockham]

Let me first state - I did not make this up.

A 9 year old was suspended from school in Texas because he pretended to have a magic Hobbit ring, and could make his classmate disappear. The suspension was for making "terroristic threats".

Did I mention I did NOT make this up?

A 9-year-old Texas boy was suspended from school after pretending to have the magic Hobbit ring from "The Lord of the Rings" and its prequel, telling a schoolmate that he would make him "disappear."

Aiden Steward had recently watched “The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies” with his family when he took his imagination to school in Kermit, Texas, his father, Jason Steward, told the New York Daily News.

When he heard that his son was suspended for making terroristic threats — saying he’d make someone disappear — Steward told the Daily News it was "unbelievable."

"Kids act out movies that they see. When I watched Superman as a kid, I went outside and tried to fly," he said.

"I assure you my son lacks the magical powers necessary to threaten his friend’s existence," Steward wrote in an email about his son’s claim that he could put a magic Hobbit ring on a boy’s head and make him invisible, the Daily News said. "If he did, I'm sure he'd bring him right back."

Magic Hobbit Ring Suspension: Boy Wanted Classmate to 'Disappear'

If this wasn't so boldly stupid on the schools part, it would be hilarious. So -- how is that zero tolerance policy working do you think? :lamo

​

 

[The Mark]

According to Snopes...

While there is no evidence contrary to the story as reported in the OP article, neither is their any evidence supporting it.

 

[Ockham]

According to Snopes...

While there is no evidence contrary to the story as reported in the OP article, neither is their any evidence supporting it.

So either the father is lying, and/or the school won't comment. Until otherwise shown, is there harm in discussing the story at face value?

 

[The Mark]

So either the father is lying, and/or the school won't comment. Until otherwise shown, is there harm in discussing the story at face value?

Not a bit.

Frankly it's hilarious either way - whether it actually happened, or whether it was reported as actually happened just because it was so amusing - entertainment value, basically.

 

[Kobie]

Schools overreact all the time because of the specter of a lawsuit if they happen to not take everything seriously and something happens. It's a hard hobbit to break.

 

[Ockham]

Schools overreact all the time because of the specter of a lawsuit if they happen to not take everything seriously and something happens. It's a hard hobbit to break.

:lamo

 

[TurtleDude]

Schools overreact all the time because of the specter of a lawsuit if they happen to not take everything seriously and something happens. It's a hard hobbit to break.

that was rather Ignomeous of you!

 

[Kobie]

that was rather Ignomeous of you!

It's my bag(gins).

 

[ludin]

actually this is what he really said

 

[Hard Truth]

There are few facts available beyond what is in the OP. The only good explanation for the suspension that I can imagine is if the kid bullied and upset a fellow student and the ring just happened to be involved in the incident. Since it is in Texas and it is also alleged that the kid got into trouble for having a book that included a section on pregnancy, this might be caused by conservative/religious fear of demons and the human body/sexuality rather than the type of liberal 'political correctness' that some conservatives like to publicize, misrepresent and exaggerate but actually only happens on very rare occasions.

 

[TeleKat]

Question: Would Harry Potter wands be considered assault weapons?

 

[The Mark]

Question: Would Harry Potter wands be considered assault weapons?

Yes.

Is why they're not allowed to use them outside school training facilities until of age.

Of course, the government can't tell who casts what at a wizard's/witch's residence, so that gets bent alot. Except for a wizard/witch from a non-magical family, in which case they're screwed.



Edit: I know way too damn much about this.

 

[JumpinJack]

So either the father is lying, and/or the school won't comment. Until otherwise shown, is there harm in discussing the story at face value?

In a lot of these kinds of stories, where just one side is presented, so often the facts tell a different story. Since it doesn't make sense they'd suspend an innocent kid for play acting, I suspect something else was done or said. Not enough to kick him out. But enough to want to send a stern message.

Also, over the years I've read and heard stories from the far right that have turned out not to be true. Emails, articles on partisan sites. For whatever reason, these seem to come from the conservative rather than the liberal side. So when all facts and sides are not presented in a far right story, I'm suspicious of the story, based on past experience.

 

[joG]

Let me first state - I did not make this up.

A 9 year old was suspended from school in Texas because he pretended to have a magic Hobbit ring, and could make his classmate disappear. The suspension was for making "terroristic threats".

Did I mention I did NOT make this up?




Magic Hobbit Ring Suspension: Boy Wanted Classmate to 'Disappear'

If this wasn't so boldly stupid on the schools part, it would be hilarious. So -- how is that zero tolerance policy working do you think? :lamo

​

If true as told the teachers and director should be suspended. Personally I would pull my kids from that school.

 

[reinoe]

It's Texas. They probably think magic is real.

 

[Ockham]

In a lot of these kinds of stories, where just one side is presented, so often the facts tell a different story. Since it doesn't make sense they'd suspend an innocent kid for play acting, I suspect something else was done or said. Not enough to kick him out. But enough to want to send a stern message.

Also, over the years I've read and heard stories from the far right that have turned out not to be true. Emails, articles on partisan sites. For whatever reason, these seem to come from the conservative rather than the liberal side. So when all facts and sides are not presented in a far right story, I'm suspicious of the story, based on past experience.

I can understand some of that - but I've also seen enough zero tolerance idiocy that such a suspension wouldn't surprise me. A child cutting out a paper gun out of construction board or making a play gun with his finger and thumb as another. The Daily News also ran this story which I don't believe is a far right paper.... and if the school would just give their side of the story there would be two sides. The parents (unless they are lying which I admit, could be the case) are talking... :shrug:

 

[Mason66]

Let me first state - I did not make this up.

A 9 year old was suspended from school in Texas because he pretended to have a magic Hobbit ring, and could make his classmate disappear. The suspension was for making "terroristic threats".

Did I mention I did NOT make this up?




Magic Hobbit Ring Suspension: Boy Wanted Classmate to 'Disappear'

If this wasn't so boldly stupid on the schools part, it would be hilarious. So -- how is that zero tolerance policy working do you think? :lamo

​

My son would be suspended in the first 5 minutes if he was in a US School, probably for the first gun sound he made.

 

[Mason66]

Schools overreact all the time because of the specter of a lawsuit if they happen to not take everything seriously and something happens. It's a hard hobbit to break.

I don't think this one was for fear of a lawsuit. You can't go into court and argue that anybody had a reasonable fear that this little boy would actually make his classmate disappear.

Why didn't anybody ask why he wanted to make the other boy disappear?

 

[blaxshep]

There are some people in this that should be made to disappear.

 

[radcen]

Schools overreact all the time because of the specter of a lawsuit if they happen to not take everything seriously and something happens. It's a hard hobbit to break.

*groan*

You're here all week, right?

 

[Ockham]

Apparently this story has lived another 24 hours...

Washington Times, WAPO, and others have picked it up. I love this quote by the Kermit ISD gradeschool principal as told by the Dad:

The principal said threats, real or imagined, to another child’s safety would not be tolerated, Mr. Steward said.

Read more: Texas boy, 9, suspended for threatening to use 'Hobbit' magic, dad says - Washington Times
Follow us: @washtimes on Twitter

So the school is now taking imagined threats seriously... I'd have to say to parents of that school: Run. Run Fast.

 

[Papa bull]

In a lot of these kinds of stories, where just one side is presented, so often the facts tell a different story. Since it doesn't make sense they'd suspend an innocent kid for play acting, I suspect something else was done or said. Not enough to kick him out. But enough to want to send a stern message.

Also, over the years I've read and heard stories from the far right that have turned out not to be true. Emails, articles on partisan sites. For whatever reason, these seem to come from the conservative rather than the liberal side. So when all facts and sides are not presented in a far right story, I'm suspicious of the story, based on past experience.

If you aren't AT LEAST as suspicious of left-wing propaganda bits (and all propaganda bits are presented from only one side), you're either not as smart as you think or not as unbiased as you think. I've found most left-wing propaganda bits to be not only suspicious but often outright lies (and worse, I've found that liberals will repeat these lies over and over again even after they've been debunked).

 

[Roadvirus]

If this is true, it just shows the deteriorating sanity of schools and those who run them.

 

[Gaius46]

Schools overreact all the time because of the specter of a lawsuit if they happen to not take everything seriously and something happens. It's a hard hobbit to break.

They've put their brains in neutral and decided to simply not think any longer. It's easier. Even if this isn't true - and I expect it is I read about it in the Volokh Conspiracy this morning - the mere fact that I could so easily believe it's true is a sad statement on the pure idiocy zero tolerance policies have perpetrated.