11-15-2023 2:05am

Parent Says Student Pointed BB Gun at His Son at Saline High School

A text sent by school officials to parents of Saline High School students reported that school administrators confiscated a BB gun from the backpack of a student. The text said that the student was no longer on campus and there was no threat to the school community.

The Saline Post has reached out to Pittsfield Township Police, who have a resource officer working within Saline High School, for further details. The text from school officials said administrators worked “in conjunction with” the resource officer to confiscate the BB gun. Pittsfield Township Police did not respond Tuesday.

In the Saline Posts community Facebook Group, a parent of a Saline High School student shared concerning information. Brett Pollington said his son told him that the student pointed the BB gun at him. Pollington said his son was not aware it was a BB gun.

“My son also made me aware that this has been an ongoing rumor this kid had a gun. The first time my son found out it was a BB gun was when I told him. He told me he was scared all day, and fearful that this kid will come back with a real gun and harm him,” Pollington wrote. “As a parent, this is something I think about and fear every day I send my kids to school.”

Pollington said the school’s lack of communication with him is “infuriating.”

“The fact that they didn’t include that it was pointed at someone in the text, almost as if to make it seem as though this was less of a big deal. This was a huge deal. I’m not sure how I can send my kid back to a school that clearly is so cavalier about such a huge problem in our schools today,” Pollington wrote.

The Saline Board of Education did not address the matter during a 3-hour board meeting Tuesday. One member of the board told The Saline Post that about 50 percent of Pollington’s Facebook post was not accurate and that the administrators handled the situation well, although, the board member said, the parent should have been notified earlier.

Pollington said that an administrator called him about 10 minutes after he shared his post. He said the administrator said the school could not provide information about the child with the BB gun or whether or not he’d be allowed to return to school.

“They would only tell me that my son wouldn’t have to be worried about him this week,” Pollington said. “That gives me very little comfort that I can send my son to school and know that he’ll be safe.”.