Dad outraged after Mich. school removes plastic soldiers from son’s birthday cupcakes

A Michigan third-grader who brought cupcakes topped with plastic army soldiers into class for his birthday was told they were “insensitive” and needed to be removed.

The boy’s father, Casey Fountain, said the principal of Schall Elementary School in Caro, Mich., called and told him that dressing the cupcakes with soldiers was inappropriate in light of recent gun-related tragedies, specifically Sandy Hook, according to WNEM, a Saginaw-area CBS affiliate.

“I think it’s disgusting that they won’t allow them in our schools and that they’re lumping [soldiers] together with sociopaths that shoot children,” Mr. Fountain said.

Principal Susan Wright said the school is standing by its decision.

“These are toys that were commonplace in the past,” she said in a statement. “However some parents prohibit all guns as toys. In light of that difference, the school offered to replace the soldiers with another item and the soldiers were returned home with the student.

“In hindsight, one can always second guess a course of action. Schools walk a tightrope on many topics. By not permitting toy soldiers on cupcakes at school, no disrespect for our military or for the brave men and women who defend our right to have differences was intended. Our commitment is always to our children and creating a safe place for them to learn, grow and have respectful dialogues about their differences,” the statement read.

The boy’s father made it clear that though he doesn’t support the school’s decision, he still advocates for the children’s safety.

“If [kids are] afraid of our military, if they’re afraid of our soldiers, especially WWII soldiers, there’s bigger issues there in my opinion,” Mr. Fountain told the station.

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