If this had been a student, they'd have been expelled under the Zero Tolerance policy, regardless of mitigating circumstances under which it happened. But, this involves an AP who brought a handgun onto school grounds, and a School Resource Officer who failed to follow policy, so they get a small penalty. And we wonder why students have no respect for adults or the law. Perhaps they see a double standard being employed. http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/03/16/1057507/johnston-authorities-assistant.html "An assistant principal who unknowingly brought a gun to Princeton High School in the glove box of her car was suspended for three days but will not be charged, according to Johnston County Sheriff's officials. Catherine Bennett, an assistant principal at the Johnston County school, did not realize the handgun was in the car, which she had brought to school to be worked on by the auto mechanics class, said Tammy Amaon, spokeswoman for the Johnston County Sheriff's Office On March 4, after the car had been sitting at school for two weeks, Bennett sent school resource officer Andy Worley to check to see if the gun was in the car, Amaon said. Worley found the gun, returned it to the glove box, locked the vehicle and left to tell Bennett he had found the gun, Amaon said. Auto mechanic students later found the gun and showed it among themselves, then hid it under the car when the instructor walked in, Amaon said. Amaon said the sheriff's office had decided not to charge Bennett in the incident because she "had no idea" the gun was on campus, Amaon said. Amaon said Bennett was suspended from her job for three days. Johnston County schools spokeswoman Terri Sessoms confirmed that Bennett had been suspended. Bennett has been the assistant principal there since August. She has been a Johnston County schools employee since 2008. Worley, who is a sheriff's office employee, was suspended from his job for two days because he didn't take immediate action, Amaon said. He has been a deputy for several years, she said, but this is his first year as a resource officer. Sessoms declined to say whether the students involved faced discipline measures from the school system."
I think she should have been charged, after all - she had no idea where the gun was *period*. That is scary to me. And was the car unlocked for the two weeks it sat at the school?
When did ignorance or "I didn't know" become an excuse to break the law without penalty? Sure the school enforced a small penalty, but there was absolutely no penalty from law enforcement/DA. Definitely sending the wrong message.
"Auto mechanic students later found the gun and showed it among themselves, then hid it under the car when the instructor walked in, Amaon said." Wow. Was the gun loaded? If one of those students were shot accidently, I wonder how the "I had no idea there was a gun" excuse would fly?
Double standard. I don't understand why she wouldn't have even gone through her car to make sure there were no valuables in it before she put it in the hands of high school students. And what if a student had taken it...would she have bothered to report it as stolen?
My questions would be: 1. The car was at the school for 2 weeks before they thought to look for the gun there. Who loses track of a gun like that? 2. The school resource officer secured the gun in the vehicle. Why did he return the keys to the mechanics class? That was irresponsible. 3. How much time elapsed between the resource officer notifying the Asst. Principal and the students finding the gun? 4. Is there not a law against keeping a gun in a manner that it can be accessed by children?
As seen on Cops TV show daily, "Honest officer, I don't know how that (insert illegal material) got in there. It's not mine." Suppose someone unknown to the AP stashed something illegal inside. What then? This is not the example we want students to follow.
3. Two hours http://www.wtsbradio.com/pages/localnews.html Yet how many times does a kid go hunting over the weekend with a rifle/hunting knife/etc, and forget and leave it in their car/truck - and they are charged. http://www.carolinapoliticsonline.c...dent-charged-with-bringing-shotgun-to-school/ http://www.witn.com/bertieandmartincounty/headlines/94302799.html http://www.wmbfnews.com/story/13782...-alcohol-on-brunswick-co-high-school-property And let's not forget the paring knife incident - http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/301933 This is a handgun, and she is an adult. An educated adult. How do put it in your glove box and forget about it if you are a responsible gun owner? There are a few instances where a gun cannot accompany you somewhere, keep a lockbox in your car if your glovebox does not lock. She absolutely broke the law - http://www.ncsheriffs.org/images/2007 NC Firearms Laws Pub.pdf I would say that not knowing where the hell gun was, would lead a reasonable person to know it might be accessible to a minor. I am curious as to whether or not she has a concealed carry permit, if not - there is another law she broke.
Horse feathers. If "you" or "I" had done exactly what they have done, we would be under the jail. :evil:
I think that situation was a bit different, taking into account the road rage incident beforehand. None of the students in these articles were acting erratic or had a hit list made up. And those were firearms for hunting, too. This was a handgun that required a permit - and had specific laws attached to ownership.
