The family of a Rhode Island seventh-grader who was suspended for three days for having a small toy gun keychain at school is appealing the suspension.

WJAR-TV (http://bit.ly/198ZOTV) reports the family of 12-year-old Joseph Lyssikatos (lis-ih-KAH'-tos) is appealing Monday to the superintendent in the town of Coventry.

Joseph was suspended last month after bringing a 2-inch keychain he won at an arcade to Alan Shawn Feinstein Middle School. Another student found it and showed it off to classmates, and Joseph was suspended. . . .

A police officer who dropped off his daughter at her Phoenix elementary school was asked by the school’s principal not to wear his uniform to the school because other parents were concerned that he was carrying a gun, MyFoxPhoenix.com reported.

Scott Urkov is a police officer for the Coolidge Police Department. The department told him not to comment to media inquiries, but immediately after he received the no-uniform request, he posted on Facebook.

"Nothing like your kids school calling and asking if I could not come to pick up my daughter in uniform cause parents were concerned when their kids came home telling them there was a man at school with a gun, “ he posted. “Are you freaking kidding me?"

His daughter attends Entz Elementary School, which is in the Mesa Unified School District. . . .