CUMBERLAND – A student of Cumberland County High School has been expelled for a year because of an unloaded BB gun.

At 8:02 a.m. on Thursday November 8, an unloaded BB gun was found in a student's book bag, according to Superintendent of Schools Dr. Amy Griffin. She also stated that no students were ever in danger.

The student was suspended, charges were filed and the student was taken into custody by the Cumberland Sheriff's Department.

According to Dr. Griffin, on the day of the incident the student reported picking up the wrong book bag.

During closed session of the December 10 meeting of the school board, a hearing before the school board was held for the student. When a student is expelled, and therefore unable to attend the school for a full year, the school board must approve the disciplinary measure, according to school policy.

During its public meeting following the hearing, the board voted to approve the superintendent's recommendation for disci-plinary action. According to Dr. Griffin, the recommendation was “for expulsion for possession of a weapon (unloaded BB gun) on school property. This is in accordance with Cumberland School Board Policy JGD/JGE and JFCD.”

The vote was unanimous, with three members present: Chairman Ginger Sanderson, District One; George Lee Dowdy III, District Two; and George Reid Jr., District Four.

In a statement given to The Herald the day following the board's decision, Dr. Griffin urged parents to “please use this as a learning opportunity with your children by having age-appropriate conversations about the dangers and serious consequences of bringing weapons on school property and to school activities. Please reinforce with your children the importance of communi-cating any concerns or possible dangers to a teacher, administrator, and any adult immediately.”

The student will not be able to attend Cumberland High School for the next 365 days. According to Dr. Griffin, the student has been offered alternate instruction at home utilizing online courses.

Expelled students must petition the board for admission in order to return to school.

While bringing a weapon to school is grounds for disciplinary action, not all weapons are created equal. Weapons that are not permitted on school property or at school activities include toy guns, sling shots, nun chucks, knives, explosives and, of course, firearms.

Forms of discipline could include a short suspension, which may be up to ten days, and can be authorized by the superinten-dent; a long-term suspension of up to 364 days which requires authorization of the Disciplinary Committee; and expulsion, which requires a hearing before and motion by the school board.

However, firearms, firearm silencers, pneumatic guns and “destructive weapons”, such as explosives of a certain size, are explicitly listed as automatic grounds for year-long expulsion.

Paintball and BB guns are listed as examples of pneumatic guns in the policy.

Drug offenses are the only other explicitly listed grounds for expulsion.

The policy leaves room for expulsion for other reasons besides those of drug offense and possession of a firearm. For these other cases, the board is to take into consideration such factors as a student's age, disciplinary history or attendance record. The nature and seriousness of the crime and the degree of danger to the student community are also considerations.

However, according to the policy, these considerations are not factors when dealing with the more egregious firearm and drug offenses.

Within its discussion of expulsion based on firearm and drug offenses, the policy also leaves room for the board to change or lessen its disciplinary action, stating that the board may determine, “based on the facts of a particular situation that special cir-cumstances exist and no disciplinary action or another disciplinary action or another term of expulsion is appropriate.”