IN response to your report about the furious Selby mother (October 27), if anyone takes a toy or replica firearm capable of discharging a missile that can chip a tooth, it follows that it could, and probably would, do serious harm to someone's sight.

To blame an over-the-top reaction is seriously wrong.

The mother claims her son doesn't drink or smoke. I should think not at 15 years old.

No matter what she says, her son has started down the road to being a hooligan.

The parents should be in court because they have failed to instil enough discipline into their son to realise what is right and wrong - basic principles.

I applaud Selby High School head Paul Eckersly and his staff for having enough guts to do this and hope that other head teachers will follow his example.

Paul Jackson,

Main Street,

Riccall.

Updated: 11:33 Saturday, November 01, 2003