The Board is committed to providing the students of the District with an educational environment which is free of the dangers of firearms, knives, and other dangerous weapons in the schools.

The definition of a firearm shall include any weapon (including a starter gun) which will or is designed to or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive, the frame or receiver of any such weapon, any firearm muffler or firearm silencer, or any destructive device (as defined in 18 U.S.C. 921 through 924), which includes but is not limited to any explosive, incendiary, or poisonous gas, bomb, grenade, or rocket having a propellant charge of more than four (4) ounces, missile having an explosive or incendiary charge of more than one-quarter (1/4) ounce, mine or device similar to any of the devices described above.

Students are prohibited from bringing or possessing a firearm or an object indistinguishable from a firearm, whether or not the object is capable of being fired, on school property, in a school vehicle (including a school bus), to an interscholastic competition, an extra-curricular event, or to any other school program or activity that is not located in a school or on property that is owned or controlled by the District. If a student brings or possesses a firearm on school property, in a school vehicle, to an interscholastic competition, an extra-curricular event, or to any school program or activity that is not located in a school or on property that is owned or controlled by the District, the Superintendent shall expel the student from the school for a period of one (1) calendar year and notify the appropriate criminal justice or juvenile delinquency authorities. Any such expulsion shall extend, as necessary, into the school year following the school year in which the incident occurred. The Superintendent may reduce this requirement on a case-by-case basis in accordance with State law and this policy.

Matters which might lead to a reduction of the expulsion period include: an incident involving a disabled student and the incident is a manifestation of the disability, the age of the student and its relevance to the punishment, the prior disciplinary history of the student, and/or the intent of the student perpetrator.

Students are also prohibited from bringing or possessing knives on school property, in a school vehicle, to an interscholastic competition, an extra-curricular event, or to any school program or activity sponsored by the School District or in which the District is a participant. The definition of a knife includes, but is not limited to a cutting instrument consisting or a sharp blade fastened to a handle. If a student brings or possesses a knife on school property, in a school vehicle or to any school-sponsored activity, the Superintendent may expel the student from school for a period not to exceed one (1) calendar year, with the same expulsion implications as noted above.

The Board extends the right to expel a student for reasons beyond the possession of a firearm or knife. Students who possess or use other dangerous weapons, which are defined but not limited to metal knuckles, straight razors, explosives, noxious irritation or poisonous gases, poisons, drugs, or other times possessed with the intent to use, sell, harm, threaten or harass students, staff members, parents, or community members may be subject to expulsion.

The Superintendent may also expel a student for a period not to exceed one (1) calendar year for committing an act that is a criminal offense when committed by an adult and that results in serious physical harm to persons or property while the student is at school, on any other property owned or controlled by the Board, or at any interscholastic competition, extra-curricular event, or any other school program or activity.

Adopted 7/31/03