Given the number of school shootings in the United States over the past two decades, it would make sense that school officials would want to impose strict limits on what is allowed in buildings.

However, some parents didn’t expect their 6-year-old son’s toy to be considered a prohibited item.

The little boy was forbidden from bringing one of his toys to show off because it had a “weapon”.

Taking to the r/slightly infuriating subreddit, one of the boy’s parents explained the situation and even shared a photo of the controversial toy.

“My 6 year old chose to bring a pirate figurine for show and tell. He wasn’t allowed to show it because of the ‘gun,’” the relative wrote. The weapon in question is a two-centimeter-long plastic sword attached to the figure’s hand.

Reddit

RELATED: Teacher condemned by parent for ‘wasting time’ during fun classroom activity – ‘I demand an apology’

It looks harmless enough from the photo, but the teacher said the toy was banned, likely following a school policy to keep kids from bringing in Nerf toys and Super Soakers.

The parent asked for his opinion on whether or not his son’s school had the right to ban him from bringing the toy.

Almost every Reddit user in the comments section was completely baffled by the school’s decision.

Many people argued that not only was the toy harmless, but that swords were an important tool used by pirates at the time and could serve as good history lessons.

“What are they going to say in history class, they had feather dusters?” noted one user.

“It makes perfect sense. We don’t want kids to start bringing swords and growing beards/losing legs due to the influence of a plastic (expletive) toy, that’s what we’re doing now,” another user commented sarcastically.

“Well, in that case, remind this teacher that first graders are exposed to weapons every day. Like well-sharpened pencils,” another user wrote.

RELATED: Teachers share the 7 phrases they “know they will have to say” every day in class once school starts

Today, we should make a particular effort to denounce violence in all its forms, especially in schools.

While it makes sense to ban pocket knives and guns in the classroom, a plastic sword as thin as a toothpick and as big as a thumbtack shouldn’t fall under the same weapons umbrella .

The worst the pirate figurine could do to anyone at this school would be if someone accidentally stepped on it!

Instead of banning the toy altogether, teachers could even use it as a learning opportunity to give their students a history lesson on why pirates relied on swords, and even make a day of it theme based on the origins of pirates.

That being said, we don’t know the school’s policy on showing and telling, and sometimes it’s easier for administrators to make a general rule that may not address every individual circumstance, but will solve a bigger problem in the fairest way possible.

Showing and telling as a practice has become a somewhat controversial activity among educators in recent years, with some arguing that it has lost its value as a lesson in confidence and public speaking.

One teacher explained that the structured environment of classrooms, where show and tell was the norm, has long since been replaced by “kids moving around and sharing ideas all day.” The teacher went on to say that because of this more modern approach, show and tell has turned into bragging sessions about who has the coolest toys instead of a creative, sharing experience.

Despite differing views on this practice, in this case it’s hard to say why the pirate figurine was banned without more details in the Reddit post, but chances are the reason behind it isn’t is not as scandalous as everyone makes it out to be. .

RELATED: Teacher says her students put hand sanitizer in classroom fish tank while she was on leave: ‘It won’t survive’

Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango covering entertainment & news, self, love & relationships.