Student expelled over weapons

Published 10:00 am Wednesday, October 23, 2002

A 15-year-old South Whidbey High School freshman was expelled from school Monday for having weapons in his backpack.

The school’s assistant principal, Eric Nerison, discovered a ceremonial knife and nunchucks, a type of martial arts equipment, in the student’s backpack after he was detained for leaving school property during the day.

School administration reported the incident to the Island County Sheriff’s Office, which sent a deputy to the school at about 11:45 a.m. According to Jan Smith, a spokeswoman for the sheriff’s office, the student was cited for possession of dangerous weapons.

School administrators contacted the student’s parents and sent him home.

“The principal followed normal procedures in a situation like this. We are not treating this lightly,” said Dan Blanton, the assistant superindent of schools. “We handle every situation on an individual basis.”

The student will get a disciplinary hearing to determine when he can return to school.