Utica Mom, Vanda Wright Keeps Her Daughter Home From School Due To Bullying

One local mom decided to take matters into her own hands after her daughter came home one day complaining of bullying. Now, this wasn't your typical case where some kid was calling names or demanding lunch money, this one crossed an even bigger line according to the mother, Vanda Wright.

Her daughter, Novia came home and said that a fifth grade boy at Kernan School said THIS:

"I can get a gun on you and I can get my brother's gun and shoot you."

Vanda did what any parent would do and called the school and police to report the incident. Police and school officials investigated and turned up no evidence to support Novia's claim. (Editorial comment: That's because it's a he-said she-said among kids, duh.) These things are never 'proven' when there are no witnesses. Whether or not the other kid said those words or Vanda's daughter is exaggerating is irrelevant, it's scary stuff and Vanda is keeping her daughter home until the boy is suspended.

The school is reluctant to suspend a kid without any real evidence against the boy, and I understand but at what cost? Vanda's kid is safe at home and if this boy is an offender as he's being accused, this hasn't been his first offense nor will it be his last.

Should the school suspend him, should his parents pull him out as a precaution or should things just go on as business as usual? Is Vanda being extreme by pulling her kid out of school indefinitely? Is there anything the police can do that they haven't already?

Vanda is genuinely afraid for her kid's safety given the severe nature of the threat and is likely extra cautious given everything we've all heard about mass shootings at schools in recent years. As a parent myself, I'd be alarmed too and would pull my kid out if I felt that the system in place wasn't protecting my child from an immediate threat adequately. An airport gets a bomb threat and the whole place shuts down pending an investigation. Inconvenient sure. Sometimes erroneous claims? Sure. But this is our kids we're talking about. I'd gladly take on any inconvenience over attending my kid's funeral. [WKTV] Unwitting YouTube Star Ghyslain Raza, 'The Star Wars Kid' Speaks Out On Cyber Bullying