ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, January 31, 1997 TAG: 9701310074
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-5 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: FINCASTLE
SOURCE: MATT CHITTUM STAFF WRITER
A Cloverdale Elementary School student who brandished a knife on a school bus last week was suspended until Feb. 7 by the Botetourt County School Board on Thursday.
Until about a year ago, state law required that students who bring weapons to school be expelled for a calendar year, but a change in the law allowed the board to use its discretion.
The boy, who attended the special executive session of the board, appeared to be about 10 years old.
He was riding a school bus the afternoon of Jan. 22 when he pulled out a pocket knife and held it over another boy's head as though threatening to cut him, said Botetourt County Sheriff's Deputy Jeff Wood, a DARE resource officer. The boy said he was only pretending, according to Wood. The boy under the opened knife was not so sure, Wood said.
Wood said the knife was "just a little old bitty thing," and he's certain the boy didn't realize the gravity of what he was doing. He said the board's action was appropriate.
School system policy prohibits weapons - including guns, toy guns, slingshots and blackjacks - on schools grounds and vehicles and at any school-sponsored activity.
Neither Cloverdale Principal Carol Wickersham nor School Board Chairwoman Sally Eads would say if the boy was suspended immediately or if punishment was delayed until the board could act. School system policy requires that "proceedings for the discipline of the student involved be initiated immediately by the principal."
Eads said the board is rarely called on to discipline a student. The last time was about a year and a half ago, she said.
The boy is also suspended from riding the bus until March 7.
LENGTH: Short : 41 linesby CNB