Skit shows seriousness of gun possession

The play-acting that took place on a sunny Wednesday afternoon in a fifth grade class at Brookville Elementary School in Adamsville was innocent enough- but the message it relayed was extremely serious.

Giggling students raised their eager hands hoping to be picked as a volunteer for an impromptu skit. Probation officer Tiffany Large of Jefferson County’s specialized delinquent unit of Family Court took her time choosing from the selection of hands that were waving across the room. After her selections were made three children snuggled into their rearranged desk chairs that were doubling for the seats in a make-believe car.

Larry Hooks, senior probation officer and supervisor for Family Court’s specialized delinquent unit, immediately took his cue from Large who was sitting in the driver’s seat of the pretend convertible acting our listening to the car radio with her buddies.

Hooks urged the class to make sire noises and to picture red and blue blinking lights while he acted out a patrolman stopping the car for having a taillight that was out.

As the scene unfolds one unfortunate boy is shocked to find that he has been sitting in the seat where a pretend gun is hidden. “But it’s not mine, I didn’t know about it,” the child said. “Well it’s certainly not mine,” denied Large.

“I bet all of you thought the person driving the car would be the one getting into trouble, didn’t you,” Hooks asked his shocked audience as heads nodded.

The class became quiet as the officers took turns listing off the chain of events that take place when a youth is caught with possession of a gun at school or otherwise.

Sobering questions were asked by the young listeners as they learned about Gun Court, getting arrested, weeks of strenuous boot camp, expulsion from school, probation, electronic monitoring and restrictions on activities if they bring a gun to school or are caught with one in their possession.

Any student in Jefferson County caught with a gun on school property is automatically expelled for one calendar year, Hooks explained.