A nine-year-old boy was suspended by his school because he had a BB gun in his bedroom, and it was visible during an online class. Ka Mauri Harrison was taking a test on September 11, when his brother walked into his bedroom and tripped over the toy gun. Ka Mauri picked up the gun, moved it off the floor, and placed it next to him. His fourth-grade teacher at Woodmere Elementary School in Harvey, Louisiana, saw the gun and contacted the school's principal.

School officials claimed that Ka Mauri violated school policy and possibly federal law, which makes it illegal to possess a gun on school property, and tried to expel him.

"You know, she had an obligation to report this to the principal, but her obligation ended there, and from there is where everything went awry," the family's attorney, Chelsea Cusimano, said.

After a hearing, officials decided to suspend Ka Mauri for six days. While his parents were glad he wasn't expelled, they felt the school violated their privacy.

"I feel like they were picking and totally just invading privacy. We can't have no privacy in the house," the boy's father, Nyron Harrison, told WVUE.

After learning about Ka Mauri's suspension, Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry opened an investigation into the case.

"I am alarmed by what appears to not only be multiple violations of both the State and Federal Constitutions, but also blatant government overreach by the school system," said Landry. "I have begun investigating this matter and plan to take action in defense of this young man and his family and all families who could suffer the same invasion of their homes and constitutional rights."

Ka Mauri's parents are concerned about the impact the incident will have on their son. They said his classmates were asked to write letters about the situation and that he was "embarrassed, and he felt like he did something wrong."

His case has also been sent to a social worker who will conduct an assessment of the family. Additionally, the incident will remain on his permanent record.

"It's going to follow him going to college, picking colleges and whatnot," Harrison said.

Photo: Getty Images

Spotlight on Capital Region Entrepreneurs