Another Victory for "Zero Tolerance"

[AK-74me]

We are getting closer and closer....... see my sig line.

http://www.cumberlink.com/articles/2007/03/14/news/news876.txt

District to punish boy for taking knife from harasser


By Joseph Cress, Sentinel Reporter, March 14, 2007

Last updated: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 10:28 AM EDT

Mechanicsburg Area School Superintendent Joseph Hood is recommending that a 14-year-old middle school student accused of possessing a knife on school property last month be expelled for the remainder of the academic year.

That is less than the one-year minimum that could have been applied.

State law requires school districts to expel students found to be in possession of weapons, no matter what the intent, Hood said Tuesday. However, the school code gives superintendents the discretion to modify the minimum one-year expulsion for the offense if circumstances warrant it.

The final decision is up to the school board, which cannot release the outcome of student disciplinary actions.

Expulsion hearings also normally are closed to the public, but in this case, the boy’s expulsion hearing Tuesday was open at the request of the boy’s mother, Judy Negron, who claims her son is being treated unfairly.



“He tried to do a good deed and it went in the opposite direction ... smacking him in the face,” Negron said prior to the hearing.

School officials testified that the 14-year-old kept a knife in his backpack in his locker Feb. 27 after taking the weapon from a 12-year-old boy during the morning bus ride.

The testimony supported his story that he took the knife after the other student showed the weapon to a girl and threatened to kill her.

Hood said he took into consideration the older boy’s action to protect the girl in recommending a shorter period of expulsion.



The boy took the knife, but kept it in his backpack all day, Hood said. Anyone could have taken the knife for the unlocked locker and used it to threaten or harm other students.

Hood testified that during the afternoon bus ride, the boy returned the knife to the 12-year-old, who then threatened the same girl — who had to endure an entire day of school fearing for her life if she told an adult about the earlier threat.

“The victim at no time could feel safe during the school day,” Hood said, adding some amount of expulsion is necessary for the boy and other students to realize the weapons ban has to be taken seriously.

Otherwise, the district would be sending the wrong message and contradicting its own policy of encouraging students to promote school safety by telling adults when a threat is made or when they see a weapon, the superintendent said.

Middle School Principal Len Ference testified that had the boy taken the knife to the school office and reported the threat to administrators, they would have investigated, but he probably would not have been disciplined.

Ference said the middle school, through its anti-bullying program, encourages students to take a stand and come forward to officials any time there may be an infraction of the rules. The boy did not do that.

The principal added students are advised of the weapons ban in the school handbook distributed at the beginning of the year or when a new student is enrolled.

The boy testified he was aware of the policy but kept the knife in his locker because he thought it was safe.

He added the other boy did not know the location of his locker.

Boy told truth when asked



Negron spoke out against two suggestions made by Hood — one, that her son be enrolled in alternative education program during his expulsion; the other that he may have to undergo a psychological evaluation before being allowed back in school.

“My son had no intention of bringing a weapon to school in the first place,” Negron said. “He did a good deed and got shamed for it. A psychological evaluation is a bit extreme.”

She described her son as quiet, easy-going and something of a homebody who enjoys playing piano.

Negron said her son is fine and has no problems that warrant an evaluation.

“He’s a good kid,” she said.

Negron added that instead of lying to officials during interviews, her son told the truth about the knife.

As to why he thought the weapon would be safer in his locker, that’s just him being a kid, Negron said.

Expelling her son from school may send a message to students not to intervene when there is an immediate threat of violence, Negron said.

“I don’t deserve to be expelled,” the boy said after the hearing.

“This whole thing doesn’t make sense to me. I would have been better off if I didn’t do anything to save the girl.”



Negron said she would rather homeschool her son than see him enrolled in alternative education.

She is worried such a setting may expose him to students with serious problems and influence him the wrong way.

Alternative ed recommended

Supervisor of Special Education Joel Dixon said the district is recommending the boy be enrolled in the Manito school, which does accept students who have problems with drug use, truancy, weapons possession and criminal activity.

Dixon said alternative education is for students who, for a variety of reasons, are not successful in regular education.

There are plenty of success stories coming out of Manito concerning Mechanicsburg Area students who came back to a district school or have graduated through the alternative education program, Dixon said.

He added it is difficult to shield any child from negative influences, arguing the same problems exhibited by Manito students are present in society and the general population.

Mother has 30 days to respond

Hood added the Manito program is one form of alternative education the district uses this time of year.

The district is only making a recommendation to Negron, who has 30 days from today to suggest an alternative.



The superintendent said the district would be willing to negotiate with Negron on the need for an evaluation when the time comes for her son to return to regular school.

It is standard procedure for the district to make any necessary referrals, Hood said.

Paul Bigham, assistant middle school principal, testified the boy has a record of truancy that has resulted in detention and in-school suspension.

Upper Allen Township police never identified the boy by name in press reports. They reported charging a 14-year-old boy with possession of a weapon on school property.

Police charged the 12-year-old boy with terroristic threats, simple assault, harassment and possession of a weapon on school property.