Deaf student accused of theatening sign language

[Miss-Delectable]

Deaf student accused of theatening sign language | DesMoinesRegister.com | The Des Moines Register

A student at the Iowa School for the Deaf used sign language to threaten teachers and staff, police said.

Benjamin L. Finley, 18, of Grandview, became angry with a staff member on Monday and signed that he wanted to go home, police said.

When he was told he could not leave, Finley signed that he was going to shoot the person and other teachers at the school, police said.

He was charged with intimidation with a dangerous weapon and transported to jail.

No weapons were found during a search of Finley or his living quarters, police said.

Pottawattamie County Attorney Matt Wilbur said Tuesday that the charges were dropped and Finley was released.

"We take incidents like this very seriously, and the school has a policy in the student handbook for handling events such as this," said Dr. Jeanne Prickett, the school's superintendent. "The safety of all our students is our highest priority."

Finley was sent back to his home school district.

 

[jillio]

Deaf student accused of theatening sign language | DesMoinesRegister.com | The Des Moines Register

A student at the Iowa School for the Deaf used sign language to threaten teachers and staff, police said.

Benjamin L. Finley, 18, of Grandview, became angry with a staff member on Monday and signed that he wanted to go home, police said.

When he was told he could not leave, Finley signed that he was going to shoot the person and other teachers at the school, police said.

He was charged with intimidation with a dangerous weapon and transported to jail.

No weapons were found during a search of Finley or his living quarters, police said.

Pottawattamie County Attorney Matt Wilbur said Tuesday that the charges were dropped and Finley was released.

"We take incidents like this very seriously, and the school has a policy in the student handbook for handling events such as this," said Dr. Jeanne Prickett, the school's superintendent. "The safety of all our students is our highest priority."

Finley was sent back to his home school district.

I can understand why they felt the need to take threats seriously, but since when is sign language a dangerous weapon?

 

[GarnetTigerMom]

I can understand why they felt the need to take threats seriously, but since when is sign language a dangerous weapon?

I think in the other way using sign langauges that gangs see it and make it mistake to think deaf person in gang as hearing person and end up getting shot or killed. Gangs always makes messy mistake thinking deaf person is a hearing person in the gang using hand signs. But I don't believe signs is dangerous for a deaf person. geezz.

 

[Tousi]

I think it was cuz it was a verbal threat and under most education codes, you get shown the door.

 

[jillio]

I think it was cuz it was a verbal threat and under most education codes, you get shown the door.

Yeah, but he was originally charged with using a dangerous weapon. I agree that his threats should not be tolerated, I just thought the charge of "dangerous weapon" was a bit over the top.

 

[Chase]

In light of students shooting up schools, I can understand treating this student's threats seriously, and of course the school administration will paint as horrible a picture as possible to cover themselves and make them all look like victims under seige.

However, as Jillio said, if there was no actual gun involved (especially if he had no gun he could readily lay hands on) then a good defense attorney may be able to get charges reduced to simple assault (in most places, an unlawful threat or unsuccessful attempt to do physical harm to another).

I'm just supposing, but what if this were the case? What if he signed that he hated them and was going to run away and become a cowboy? One sign for the last word is using the index fingers as six-guns and blazing away. What if they misunderstood and jumped to a wrong conclusion? Woudn't be the first time it happened to a deafie.

I know, I know, I'm condoning the action of someone who's probably a brat, but I still don't think a deaf kid should go to jail just for using his own language.

 

[SxyPorkie]

I think it was cuz it was a verbal threat and under most education codes, you get shown the door.

Yeah.... either a threat with signs or voice.. still is a violence threat.... too many school shootings nowadays...

 

[Reba]

The headline is poorly worded. It could even be interpreted that the student threatened to use sign language! (Mercy! Was it an oral school?)

"Deaf student accused of theatening (sic) sign language" should probably be worded "Deaf student accused of making threat" or "Student at deaf school accused of making threat" or "Deaf student uses sign language to make threat", etc.

That aside, I don't think he was charged because he used the "gun" or "shooting" sign because of the sign's hand shape. The people he signed to understood his message, and it was a specific threat to shoot people. That threat, especially in a school, is taken very seriously these days. Also, the student is 18 years old, which makes him legally an adult.

So, I don't think he was arrested for using a sign that looks like a gun. (What would happen anytime someone signed "21"?) I think he got arrested for an actual threat of harm against people at the school.

"He was charged with intimidation with a dangerous weapon and transported to jail."

I don't think the "dangerous weapon" is referring to his hand shape. The content of his threat (whether verbal or signed or fingerspelled) included mention of using a dangerous weapon, and that was the charge.

It would have probably been the same charge if he had written a threatening note to the staff and shoved it in their faces, if it included the words "gun" or "shoot".

Of course, it's really hard to know exactly what happened from such a brief article, which focused on the sensational and unusual aspects of the situation.

 

[authentic]

He should have think 5 times before say something.

 

[Bebonang]

The headline is poorly worded. It could even be interpreted that the student threatened to use sign language! (Mercy! Was it an oral school?)

"Deaf student accused of theatening (sic) sign language" should probably be worded "Deaf student accused of making threat" or "Student at deaf school accused of making threat" or "Deaf student uses sign language to make threat", etc.

That aside, I don't think he was charged because he used the "gun" or "shooting" sign because of the sign's hand shape. The people he signed to understood his message, and it was a specific threat to shoot people. That threat, especially in a school, is taken very seriously these days. Also, the student is 18 years old, which makes him legally an adult.

So, I don't think he was arrested for using a sign that looks like a gun. (What would happen anytime someone signed "21"?) I think he got arrested for an actual threat of harm against people at the school.

"He was charged with intimidation with a dangerous weapon and transported to jail."

I don't think the "dangerous weapon" is referring to his hand shape. The content of his threat (whether verbal or signed or fingerspelled) included mention of using a dangerous weapon, and that was the charge.

It would have probably been the same charge if he had written a threatening note to the staff and shoved it in their faces, if it included the words "gun" or "shoot".

Of course, it's really hard to know exactly what happened from such a brief article, which focused on the sensational and unusual aspects of the situation.

The incident was at the Iowa School for the Deaf. It is not a oral school. I think you might have a point saying that he might have sign "21" like a gun or trying to say what he want to say when he was refuse not allowing him to go home. He need to talk to the School Counselor about why he was angry. He have to be careful of what he is saying that would get him in trouble with threatening gesture. I guess you just have to watch out for children who are angry. That is sad that it happen to a Deaf boy who is not thinking rationally.