Principal Has SwitchBlade

[2manyloopholes]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? GA.
Trying to stick to short FACTS on this ongoing situation:

1. Principal of HS is accused of displaying a SWITCHBLADE to a group of 4 students (with the School Resource Officer present). Student reports that the SRO was commenting on student's new tattoo. Student claims that principal opens switchblade in joking manner and pokes student.

2. Student's mother files report with County Sheriff's Department and the Board of Education for that county.

3. All witnesses "had consistent stories" as determined by sheriff's investigation, however, the SRO denies it!! (The SRO has now been relocated to another school)

4. Concerned parents contact Superintendent for information. The only interview yet to take place is with Principal. Principal was out of town for conference for 3 days,( M, T, W) yet does not report to campus on his return (TH, F).

5. When principal returns to school, superintendent reports investigators will interview principal.

6. Principal refuses interview and hires attorney.

Those are the facts.

Contributing information is as follows: There are MULTIPLE negative reports and grievances filed against principal previous to knife incident. Principal has history of intimidation towards faculty, parents, administrators. (all factual)

Mother of student is getting conflicting information as to the legality of possession of weapons on school property. There is a ZERO TOLERANCE clause in our handbook.

According to written LAW, the only person(s) allowed to have any weapon on campus is: School Resource Officers, security, or police officers.
(many descriptions of definitions of weapons in law including ANY blade, knife, revolver, billyclub, brass knuckles, ball bat, razor, etc.) EXCEPTIONS are items used in the instructional part of school such as science (blades/knives for dissecting animals, Ball Bat or hockey stick used in organized games, etc.)

Here's the information being given to mother of student: That a principal can make any determination on the legality of any BLADE which is 2 inches or under in length.

There have been students in nearby schools arrested and expelled for having a fingernail file (the little ones which twist out from a small clipper).

This could potentially drag out for YEARS. In the meantime, the majority of parents want to know if the principal is legally allowed to operate in his professional capacity while investigation is ongoing? Doesn't the magnitude of these charges dictate his leave (paid or not) until the case is settled?

Being found guilty of illegal possession of any weapon on school grounds, buses, sporting events, or any activity on campus is a FELONY punishable with 2-10 years incarceration and/or up to a $10,000.00 fine.

Seems as though a felonious investigation would merit the removal of a principal from his position since his being there could lead to more incidents.

What can we do as a body of parents? Our state superintendent says it's out of her hands. Is our only option to file a report with the Professional Standards Commission??

Thank You Ahead Of Time

[lealea1005]

Looks a lot like someone's homework to me.

[FlyingRon]

Mandatory expulsion rules have no bearing on staff. You can put what you want in your handbook, but it means nothing.

Hearsay evidence by a disciplined student's mother is not going to carry any weight in court and probably isn't probable cause.

If there are school district polices being violated, personnel action is the appropriate action.

Georgia weapons laws bans weapons on school grounds with a number of exemptions. While you did catch the one for security guards, there's also the one that allows the school to "authorize in writing" others.

[FlyingRon]

WHOA... was this your school?

[url=http://www.wsbtv.com/news/18961010/detail.html]Student: Principal Joked About Cutting Off Tattoo - News Story - WSB Atlanta[/url]

[cyjeff]

Originally Posted by FlyingRon

WHOA... was this your school?

[url=http://www.wsbtv.com/news/18961010/detail.html]Student: Principal Joked About Cutting Off Tattoo - News Story - WSB Atlanta[/url]

Let's hope so... I would hate to think there are two of these nutjob principals running around.

to the OP, the investigation is ongoing... you are not going to hear a lot until it has completed.

[lealea1005]

WOW!
OK, I take my post back and apologize for assuming it was homework. I'll just crawl back into my protected bubble now where people are good, flowers bloom, and it's always sunny.

[2manyloopholes]

Yes, this is the school.

Here's the current information: The principal has been on "administrative leave" for a week and will continue to until 3-27-09. The public nor staff know what will happen after that. The only reason he is on this leave is because parents bombarded the county office with phone calls. We demanded that, based on the magnitude of the charges, the principal needed to be off campus. Imagine that!!!

We are all scratching our heads about the next move the county will make. As of two days ago, an official from our county office has been on campus in the principals absence.

We are told that when the principal "finally" agreed to be interviewed by the sheriff's department, he reportedly told them that "if it happened" he doesn't "recall" having a knife. And that he was a "city boy and city boys don't carry knives". REALLY? Thought that's where switchblades come from!! Country boys carry pocket knives in my experience!

The superintendent says that the outcome of the principal's employment hinges on the report from the Sheriff's office, which I find ridiculous...With a sensitive position like his, this principal should be closely scrutinized by the SCHOOL BOARD!! They DO have a vested interest and he should be judged by their ethics even more stringently!!! Don't you all agree?

We were told that the investigation would be "wrapped up" by yesterday. As of today, no announcements, which is driving us crazy! We are all nervous by the notion that he could theoretically return and that this "leave" is merely time to allow the dust to settle.

If we don't feel satisfied by the decisions made, I feel as though filing a complaint with the Georgia Professional Standards Commision would be in order.

Any advice would be very appreciated. There is so much more to this than the knife incident. SO much more. It may come out...it may not. But the info being held close to the vest could potentially blow this thing sky-high. It involves an audio tape of the principal making horrendous statements to an employee. The county office has begged this faculty member not to release it to the public.

The faculty member doesn't want to, either, because he doesn't want future employers to see him as a whistle-blower. But the content is appalling.....