School Bans Pens and Pencils

This article talks about a school principal in North Brookfield, MA who banned pens and pencils in school. Mrs. Scott wrote a letter home to students and their parents informing them that the students were not allowed to bring and carry around pens and pencils. They banned students from bringing school supplies because they could be used as potential weapons. Students were provided with pencils from their teachers when they arrived to school, and they were collected upon leaving. In my opinion I think this is rediculous. These students are in sixth grade, they should be able to be trusted carrying around a pen. I could understand if this was a rule with yonger students in kindergarden, but not sixth grade. Students should have the right to simply carry around a pen/pencil just like every other student does in school. I feel like this is a lack of trust in students. Just because a couple of students have used pens/pencils inappropriately does not mean that every other student should not have the privledge to carry around necessary school supplies.