District adjusts weapons policy

COEUR d'ALENE - School trustees in Coeur d'Alene have tweaked the district's weapons policy to give principals and the superintendent more discretion regarding disciplinary action when a student unwittingly brings a pocketknife to school.

"It's so common. It's as simple as, 'I went fishing with my grandpa and I forgot it was in my backpack," said Trustee Tom Hamilton.

Until Monday's board meeting, a student in that situation would have been automatically suspended for several days. The child would have to go to an expulsion hearing before the board before being allowed to return to school.

Now, if a child immediately reports that he or she brought a pocketknife to school, the policy calls for the principal to conduct an investigation into the child's possession of the item. The principal must then alert the superintendent to the matter, and together, they will determine the appropriate disciplinary action.

Provided the child didn't brandish the knife, the consequence will likely be less severe than suspension. The incident will be noted in the student's record.

The "brandishment" component is key, Hamilton said.

"A pocketknife is not necessarily a weapon unless it is used under circumstances where serious physical injury is caused, attempted or threatened," states the policy.

It's not uncommon for a child who hunts or fishes, or works after school at a job requiring a small box-cutter, to forget to take the item out of a backpack or pocket before going to school.

Last year there were 50 student disciplinary hearings that went before the school board in Coeur d'Alene. Of those cases, 20 involved pocketknives and in each instance, the board immediately reinstated the student.

Changing the policy will free up the hours of administrative time needed to prepare for a disciplinary hearing, and keep a child in school, said Trustee Terri Seymour.