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Published July 26, 2007 09:54 pm - CARTHAGE, Mo. — The Carthage R-9 School Board has reduced the suspension time for a student who faced missing his entire senior year after he fired an air pistol at another student in May, according to a Carthage attorney. Suspension reduced for Carthage student w/ Missouri Revised Statutes related to student suspensions, expulsions and school districts‚ obligation to educateFrom staff reports
news@joplinglobe.com CARTHAGE, Mo. — The Carthage R-9 School Board has reduced the suspension time for a student who faced missing his entire senior year after he fired an air pistol at another student in May, according to a Carthage attorney. William Lasley, representing student Stefan Hukill and his mother, Kris Esch, said he received word Thursday that the board had reduced the suspension to one semester. The board met Tuesday after the student appealed an administrative decision imposing a yearlong suspension. Superintendent Gary Reed said the law prohibited him from discussing the student’s case, but he did release the following statement: “It is frustrating for public-school administrators to be restricted by federal right-to-privacy laws that prohibit our disclosure of personal information pertaining to individual students when their parents and attorneys can release information that the media prints as factual.” In a letter to Hukill’s mother, Reed had written that the student violated school policy by possessing and firing an airsoft gun at another student on or adjacent to school property. He wrote that the district’s policy called for a 10-day suspension, with a recommendation for long-term suspension or expulsion. Administrators recommended the one-year suspension Lasley described the incident as a prank, and said that his client shot a friend one time with a plastic, spring-operated airsoft gun that shoots round, plastic or rubber balls about the size of a pencil eraser. He said the incident took place on Main Street near the high school during an open lunch hour. He said his client’s friend was not hurt, and that no report on the incident was made by police Sgt. Van Bennett, school resource officer. Esch said Thursday that she was waiting to talk with her son’s school counselor to see how many credits he needs to graduate. She said she believes he needs 7.5 hours. She said he failed three classes during his junior year because of the 10-day suspension he received in May. Esch also said that according to the school district’s decision, she will be financially responsible for her son’s classes during the fall semester while he is suspended. Lasley said Missouri law states that suspension or expulsion do not prevent the school district from providing education in an alternative setting for the suspended student. He made reference to Section 167 of the Missouri Revised Statutes and a portion of the Missouri Safe Schools Act that sets out the responsibilities of a school district when students are suspended or expelled. Lasley said he and his clients are still awaiting complete findings from the school board. Esch said her position as a parent is that her son did something wrong and needs to be punished, but she said the punishment should be a proper one. “Wouldn’t a summer of working in the school to scrub the floors or the toilets be far more appropriate in this case?” she said. “He’s not a violent kid. He doesn’t get into fights. There’s no reason to keep him out of school.” 
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