Callahan kids fashion homemade weapons

LYNN – The principal of the Callahan School suspended two fifth-graders and disciplined eight others after school officials found them with so-called “marker weapons.””We’re concerned about why they felt the need to have such a thing,” principal Edward Turmenne said Monday.The marker weapons are created by taking the end off a magic marker or crayola marker and sticking a thumb tack – as was the case in this incident – a push pin or any other sharp, short object into the hollow area created. The entire marker then can be used as a weapon with the sharp instrument on one end.Turmenne said that one fifth-grader heard about the marker weapons from a student at the Breed Middle School, then went home and watched a video on the Internet about how to make them.The fifth-grader brought several to school on Thursday and gave some away, including one to a fifth-grader who apparently tried to sell a couple of them, Turmenne said. That fifth-grader was immediately suspended too, the principal said.No one was hurt or threatened by the marker weapons, Turmenne said, and it was likely something the fifth-grader made because he “thought it was cool.”The incident underscores how dangerous it can be for elementary school students to be able to hop on the Internet and watch a video that explains in explicit detail how to make such a devise.”There’s no question it’s a grave concern. Any child can go on the computer and get so much information” Turmenne said. “How do you monitor that, how do you keep control of what kids are watching when they go home? That’s why the parents have to be involved.”Turmenne said he will be meeting with all the students and the parents of the students involved next Monday when school resumes after February vacation.”Basically we want to create a culture of safety at the Callahan School,” Turmenne said when asked what he planned to talk to the parents about at the meeting. “We need their help and we want their help and if they see things like this and they’re not sure, please call us, contact the school and we’d be more than willing to check it out.”School Committee member Rick Starbard said he believes the principal handled the matter correctly and stressed that it was fortunate no one was hurt”As serious as having kids with weapons in elementary school is, it’s not totally shocking, Starbard said. “It’s something kids do out of curiosity.”Starbard said the Internet offers kids limitless information, which is both good and bad.”It’s not just what’s on the Internet,” he said. “I remember when we were kids, kids were trying to devise ways to make things like this. Not to hurt anybody, just for the shock value of having it.”He also noted that although fifth-graders will make things like the marker weapons, “fortunately kids at that age talk too.”Starbard said the superintendent’s office was unaware of the incident when he contacted them Monday.”I found out about it from asking them,” he said. “They said they were unaware.”Asked if the superintendent’s office should have known about the incident, he said, “It depends. If the principal informed the superintendent on every infraction, they would need more than two new deputies to handle the work that’s assigned to them.”Superintendent Catherine Latham could not be reached for comment because her office closed early.Turmenne said he was encouraged that all of the kids involved cooperated with school officials once they realized how serious the situation had become.”I’m very thankful they did the right thing,” he said of the students. “They really responded.”Turmenne also stressed that the student who made the marker weapons didn’t do so because he had been threatened or wanted to threaten someone else.”There was no indication of that,” he said. “They weren’t afraid of anyone else.”