Parent Arrested for Handing Cardboard with the word "Gun" printed on it to Teacher, Staff

The Village of Shorewood Hills is an upscale bedroom community on the shore of lake Mendota, surrounded by Madison, Wisconsin, Lake Mendota, and the University of Wisconsin, Madison. On 23 February, 2018, Jonathan M. Fitzgerald showed some parental concern.

Jonathan, who is a 35 year old graduate student in a Ph.D program of molecular and cellular pharmacology, was buzzed into the school and calmly walked to his child’s classroom. There he handed a piece of cardboard with the word “Gun” written on it to the teacher. From madison.com:

Shorewood Hills Police Chief Aaron Chapin said Jonathan M. Fitzgerald, 35, activated a front door buzzer at the school, 1105 Shorewood Blvd., around 10 a.m., requesting access to the building. When he was allowed in, he walked past the school office where visitors are required to check in, Chapin said.

A staff member followed Fitzgerald as he went down the hall to the classroom his child was in, Chapin said.

“Fitzgerald made statements to the teacher in the room about being an intruder who was allowed access to the school and gave the teacher a piece of cardboard with the word ‘gun’ on it,” Chapin said.

Chapin said Fitzgerald left the classroom and went to the administrative office where he made similar statements and handed staff another piece of cardboard with “gun” written on it, then left the school building.

The article at madison.com says the police understand that there was no threat to the school or public safety. The police arrested Fitzgerald on the “tentative charge of disorderly conduct”.

Jonathan has been banned from the school district grounds.

It is obvious to most readers that Jonathan was demonstrating how easily an intruder could enter the school with a gun and access the children in a classroom. It was done in perhaps the least intrusive way possible to make a physical demonstration. Fitzgerald is cooperating with the police.

The authorities in the school district did not appreciate his demonstration showing the weakness of their security.

I hope the University of Wisconsin does not kick Mr. Fitzgerald out of the Ph.D program for showing such parental concern. The University is “gathering more information”.

©2018 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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