Tot, 5, Suspended For Having Nail File

A 5-year-old girl was suspended from kindergarten for a day for bringing a nail file to school, violating a zero-tolerance policy on items that resemble weapons.

The girl, whose name was withheld, served the suspension Friday. She was the first Emerald Shores Elementary School pupil suspended under the policy adopted in November.

“We try and stress safety every day in school. … Where do we lay the foundation for education? We start in kindergarten,” Principal Sonny Foster said.

On Thursday, the girl took out her metal fingernail file in class and other children had access to it, Foster said. “When we asked her, she knew it was wrong that she brought it to school,” Foster said.