A Staten Island student was nearly suspended after bringing a similar 2-inch figurine in to school.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. (WPIX)—
A fourth-grader from Staten Island was nearly suspended for bringing to school what a principal deemed a dangerous weapon: a two-inch LEGO toy gun.9-year-old Patrick Timoney, a student at PS 52, was playing with LEGOs in the cafeteria, when he claims the principal, Evelyn Mastroianni, suddenly pulled him aside and called his parents when she noticed one of the toys included a tiny plastic machine gun.
In addition, Timoney claims Mastroianni threatened to suspend him.
A spokesman for the city's Department of Education says Matroianni was following typical protocol under the institution's "no tolerance" policy, in which no weapons of any kind are permitted on campus.
However, Laura Timoney believes the school overreacted. She said her son was in tears when she got to school and wanted to stay home from school Wednesday because he was afraid the principal was mad at him.
Laura Timoney is still fuming over the treatment of her son and is now threatening to sue.
The toy, which is connected to a policeman figure, is reportedly Timoney's favorite because his father, Pat Timoney is a retired police officer.
Phone calls to Mastroianni's office were not immediately returned.
