Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 10, 1995 TAG: 9505100086
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: MELISSA DeVAUGHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Short
The board unanimously agreed with Superintendent Herman Bartlett and Blacksburg High Principal Alfred Smith to suspend a male student for the remainder of the school year. The student will be allowed to return to school in August.
Last month, a student at the high school was expelled for a year after he brought a gun to school. That student must reapply for admission after the year is up but is not guaranteed a return to Montgomery County schools.
"We believe what we've done was totally in line with policy," Bartlett said. "While it's up to the discretion of the principal to recommend [a punishment], it's the board that decides on all long-term suspensions and expulsions."
Long-term suspension in Montgomery County is anywhere from 11 to 180 days. Short-term suspension and expulsion represent the opposite ends of the spectrum.
Details on the knife incident were not available, as the board discussed the matter behind closed doors Tuesday night. However, Smith did confirm that the boy had the knife at school but did not brandish the weapon.
Last year at Blacksburg High School, seven students - three female and four male - were caught with weapons in school.
Other than the two recent incidents, a total statistic on this year's weapons violations will not be available until the end of the school year.
Memo: NOTE: Shorter version ran in Metro edition.