POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — A Poplar Bluff Middle School student recently was suspended and referred to juvenile authorities after bringing an airsoft replica gun to school.

It was the second incident involving the controversial toys this semester.

School officials said no students were threatened or harmed in either incident.

“These are isolated incidents,” superintendent Scott Dill said. “Consider the number of days we’ve been in school and the number of students we have here. Obviously, it is two too many. But at the same time, I’ve seen incidents like this in every district with which I have been associated.

“Kids make poor choices. And the important thing is the adults in their lives respond accordingly and help them make better choices moving forward,” he said.

According to a Poplar Bluff police report, students Nov. 14 informed a teacher another student had an airsoft gun in his backpack. Airsoft guns are replica firearms that fire spherical projectiles, but not bullets.

School administrators checked the backpack and found the replica gun.

Dill commended the students who came forward.

“We appreciate the fact that they stepped forward and made us aware of the situation. We were able to, based on the information given, track the item down quickly and then begin the investigative process. Giving our students a voice is essential. They know about these things, a lot of times, before we do,” Dill said.

Another airsoft replica was discovered Oct. 17 in a janitor’s closet at the junior high.

School officials investigated but were not able to link the airsoft gun to the student suspected of bringing it to school.

The student was found in possession of four .40-caliber cartridges and prescription medication, and was suspended on those violations.

The student suspects’ names in incidents are withheld because of their status as juveniles.

School officials did not provide specific terms for the suspensions, citing student privacy laws.

According to school officials, both violations can incur an up to 180-day suspension.

“I will tell you, both of these incidents were fully investigated. As a school district, we are committed to only punishing when we are absolutely certain and based on what we can prove. We want to be fair when we mete out justice,” Dill said.

In light of these incidents, the district hopes parents will help prevent the appearance of these toy weapons at school.

Airsoft replica guns are manufactured with a orange safety tip, but people often remove those to bolster their appearance. They have been mistaken as real weapons in several high-profile incidents.

Pertinent address:

1300 Victory Lane, Poplar Bluff, Mo.