Air soft gun gets student expelled

[WhiteFeather]

How did they know the air soft guns were in car?
Might have been the drywal saw that did him in.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07227/809546-298.stm

Bethel Park board boots student after adding item to agenda at last minute
Wednesday, August 15, 2007

By Laura Pace, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Tyler Stay, 17, will start his senior year in a few weeks but it may not be at Bethel Park High School.

Tyler was expelled a week ago, because district officials found two Airsoft guns and a drywall saw in the trunk of his car in April.

Airsoft guns look like real guns but shoot plastic pellets.

"I'm pretty mad, but I think the way they handled it is just plain wrong," Tyler said.

He and his family had planned to attend the public meeting at which the board was to vote on his expulsion. But the item never appeared on the publicized agenda for the Aug. 8 meeting.

The only item on the agenda posted to the district's Web site was the hiring of a middle school assistant principal. At the last minute, the school board placed his expulsion on the agenda.

Even after the public 4-3 vote with one abstention, the family said no one from the district told them.

District spokeswoman Vicki Flotta said the district's attorney, Michael Brungo, called the Stays' attorney, Craig Lee, the next day and spoke to him about the decision.

"Our procedure is, once you are represented by legal counsel, our legal counsel communicates with your legal counsel," Mrs. Flotta said.

Mr. Lee said the ruling would allow Tyler to return to Bethel Park at the end of April. Mr. Lee said he is considering filing a petition in Common Pleas Court to review the decision.

Board members Daniel Duff, Charles Koch, Charles Scheuble and Connie Ruhl voted to expel Tyler, who admits he had the items in his car because he forgot to take them out.

Board members Donna Cook, Susan Gout and Ronald Sustich voted against the expulsion. David Amaditz abstained.

Board member Richard Rose was absent.

Mr. Sustich said adding the item on the agenda at the last minute was not meant to be sneaky.

Terry Stay, the boy's father, said the family would have gone to the meeting if the item had been on the agenda.

"I would have had the TV cameras in front of them," he said. "They don't want the publicity but they're not going to be able to get away from it."

Schools typically do not release student discipline information because of privacy rules but expulsion votes must happen in public.



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Laura Pace can be reached at lpace@post-gazette.com or 412-851-1867

[RandomTask]

I didn't know that toys from Walmart and tools from Lowe's were illegal in a kids car. Are schools now "Gun, Tool & Toy-Free Zones?"

[fultonCoShooter]

this is the type of stuff that is wrong with this country now adays

oh im sorry u had 2 pellet guns and a saw in the trunk of your car which we found while we most likly illegally searched your car. no edu mication for you.

although if he was running his mouth to his friends and someone told on him then i hope he heard his lesson "loose lips sink ships"

i really dont think these people on the board understand they are affecting someones life over nothing

[knight0334]

Since their son no longer is allowed to go to school - I think the parent's should no long have to pay any school taxes.

[djturnz]

My highschool had a policy of no weapons, toy or real, on school property. I don't think they could bring legal charges against him, but if it's a rule, it's a rule.

There was an AIRSOFT gun taken from a student at the local college not too long ago. It was confiscated and the student got written up.

[ChamberedRound]

There was an AIRSOFT gun taken from a student at the local college not too long ago. It was confiscated and the student got written up.

Exactly, he got written up, he didn't get EXPELLED. I think expulsion is a bit harsh for something like this. I wasn't like the kid was toting it in the hallways, it was locked up in the trunk of his car. Why is it that there's no such thing as a rational response to a situation anymore? Why does everything have to be a knee-jerk, disproportionate, punitive reaction? They just ruined this kid's life over an unregulated toy you can buy in any sporting goods store. It makes me worry about what could happen to my son when he becomes a teenager and makes some stupid mistakes, as we all did at that age... will he be given the chance to learn from them with a rational punishment, or will the powers that be "throw the book" at him?

[normanvin]

my boy was suspended because he had a band patch with an ar on the patch.

the first time he wore it the teacher told him just put a piece of tape over it. no problem the second time the teacher went nuts. took the boy to the office. the boy was susspended for 5 days.

this all happened under the pretence of zero tolerance.

[Triggerh4ppy]

my boy was suspended because he had a band patch with an ar on the patch.

the first time he wore it the teacher told him just put a piece of tape over it. no problem the second time the teacher went nuts. took the boy to the office. the boy was susspended for 5 days.

this all happened under the pretence of zero tolerance.

this is why homeschoolin is good lol no idiots to deal with exept siblings

[RocketFoot]

We really have to watch these schools...I am convinced that they have an anti-gun agenda from the word go! I constantly ask my kids if anyone asks them about daddy's guns or anything. Low and behold, last year...my youngest son's teacher asked the class if their parents had guns in the house...turned out to be ok, because she was having her state trooper husband come in to talk about gun safety. They never made a list or anything, but I was glad my kids told me! But it still pi$$es me off that kids aren't aloud to wear gun t-shirts, patches...I wore lots of gun shirts when I was in school (AK Legends t-shirt FTW!) now days, they get expelled for such a 'criminal' act! Schools are trying to make kids think guns are bad!

[Calvin]

Well if gun shirts are against the rules what about a shirt with an Atomic Explosion. Is that chalked up to terror threats?
My kids have all been told if a teacher asks about guns in the household TELL DADDY.