Two students violate OHS weapons policy

Two Onaway High School students, who violated the weapons on school property in a weapon free school zone, as found in Public Act 451, were expelled by the Onaway Area Community Schools Board of Education Monday night following two lengthy closed sessions.

?It is regretful that these incidents occurred in our school,? stated principal Matt Lukshaitis. ?Every measure possible is being taken to ensure future occurrences do not happen.

?We need everyone?s help in teaching our kids about the serious nature of bringing even a pocket knife to school; knives are not needed in school and any knife, regardless of size, is not allowed on school property.?

One case involved a student brandishing a knife at another high school student during class. The other case involved a high school student transporting stolen martial arts weapons to school on a district bus, delivery of the same to another high school student, and then later selling the remaining two weapons to two middle school students for $1.

?QUICK THINKING and calm responses from district personnel quietly resulted in the confiscation of the weapons and the immediate involvement of law enforcement personnel,? Lukshaitis stated. ?Safety of our students will always be our top priority.?

A provision of Michigan Compiled Law 380.1311 states that if a student possesses a dangerous weapon in a weapon free school zone 1 (on school property and/or a vehicle used by a school to transport students to or from school property)? on school grounds, the student must be expelled from school permanently, subject to possible reinstatement provided for in the law.?

WHEN DANGEROUS weapons legislation was enacted at the federal level in 1994 it required ?local education agencies,? if a policy of expulsion

of a year or more was not in place, to approve similar measures or lose federal funding.

A reinstatement petition for high school students can be filed after 150 days following the date of expulsion, while the policy states that reinstatement is allowed only after a 180-day period.

Within 10 school days of receiving a petition for reinstatement, the school board must appoint a committee comprised of two school board members, one school administrator, one teacher, and one parent of a student in the school district to review the petition and any supporting information submitted by the petitioner.

During this time, the superintendent may prepare and submit information concerning the circumstances of the expulsion and any factors weighing in favor of or against reinstatement.