ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, May 11, 1995                   TAG: 9505110094
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

ROANOKE BOARD EXPELS 2 WHO HAD BB GUN AT SCHOOL

Two students have been expelled from Roanoke's Woodrow Wilson Middle School for at least one year for possessing a BB pistol, but they will have the opportunity to receive homebound instruction.

The city School Board voted Wednesday to approve Superintendent Wayne Harris' recommendation that the two seventh-graders be expelled.

The students are a girl who said she didn't know the pistol was in her book bag and a boy to whom she gave the gun.

They can apply for readmission in a year, but there is no assurance they will be allowed to return.

Because of the students' age, Harris recommended that they be allowed to receive instruction in their homes. The board approved the proposal.

Principal Kay Duffy recommended the expulsions last month when the incident occurred, in keeping with the city's disciplinary policy on gun possession on school property.

Duffy said the pistol did not create any danger because no ammunition was brought to school. The girl told school officials she didn't realize the gun had been put into her book bag while it was in her sister's car the previous night. She showed the weapon to some other students and gave it to the boy.

Five students have been expelled from Roanoke schools this year for weapon possession, down from 10 a year ago. 


 by CNB