"I think it's a huge over-reaction, I mean, come on, it's not .. it's obviously not a real weapon, I mean, yeah.. I mean like I said before, if it was, you know, look like real weapon, I can understand, but common, I mean eh .. I fail to believe that that could be actually perceived as a real weapon," said Aron Anderson, a parent.
The Portland public school district says the punishment for the eight year old fits because the toy -- no matter how small -- is a simulated weapon.