Why police were called to a South Jersey third-grade class party

[Photographer]

On June 16, police were called to an unlikely scene: an end-of-the-year class party at the William P. Tatem Elementary School in Collingswood. A third grader had made a comment about the brownies being served to the class. After another student exclaimed that the remark was "racist," the school called the Collingswood Police Department, according to the mother of the boy who made the comment.

The police officer spoke to the student, who is 9, said the boy's mother, Stacy dos Santos, and local authorities.

Dos Santos said that the school overreacted and that her son made a comment about snacks, not skin color.

"He said they were talking about brownies. . . . Who exactly did he offend?" dos Santos said.

The boy's father was contacted by Collingswood police later in the day. Police said the incident had been referred to the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency. The student stayed home for his last day of third grade.

More at http://www.philly.com/philly/education/20160629_Why_police_were_called_to_a_South_Jersey_third_grade_class_party.html

Wow. I'd probably be doing life for all the dumb things I did during grades 1-7 if I attended school today. Smoking in the boy's room, a fight after school, skipping a class here and there....

[yeoman6987]

1. The kid who complained should have to pay all police and investigative costs

This is as bad as those who call 911 when the order is wrong at Burger King. Talk about a waste of police resources.

[gratuitous]

2. The school called the cops?!

Dear administrators at William P. Tatem Elementary School:

You're a school; TEACH something. Don't call the cops, you ninnies.

Sincerely,
Your friendly neighborhood
gratuitous

[sinkingfeeling]

3. Hoax. See snopes....

http://www.snopes.com/2016/06/30/collingswood-racist-brownie

The National Review also (predictably) published nothing indicating they had performed any checking of their own into the claim's veracity, citing only the original Inquirer article. We contacted Collingswood Public Schools to find out whether it was true police were called over "racist brownies" in an elementary school classroom, and the representative with whom we spoke stated (without elaboration) that the rumor was completely "false." We also attempted to contact the Collingswood Police Department about the issue but have so far been unsuccessful in obtaining a response from anyone there.

[Igel]

4. I'm releved.

And still annoyed that some defended the actions that were allegedly taken as proper and correct.

[cwydro]

5. ..was waiting to see how long before that got caught!