Yesterday, we talked about the Lacey High School students who were sentenced to five days of in-school suspension for posting pictures of their day at the range to social media. NJ.com reports that the school board heard from about 200 angry parents last night;
Frank Horvath, whose son is a senior at Lacey High, put things in blunter terms.
“It’s none of your damn business what our children do outside of school,” Horvath told the seven board members toward the end of a four-hour meeting, most of it occupied by speaker after speaker.
Before the meeting, the board revamped their policy on students and guns;
Before the policy was changed, it had stated that, “any student who is reported to be in possession of a weapon of any type for any reason or purpose whether on or off school grounds,” would be subject to penalties including up to a one-year suspension.
Now, the policy omits any mention of possessing a weapon off school grounds or the length of a suspension. The revamped policy also adds a note about school buses.
“Students are forbidden to carry any type of weapon or simulated weapon to school,” the revamped policy states. “Strict disciplinary action and legal actions will result if this occurs. Any person who knowingly has in his possession any imitation firearm in or upon any part of the building… without the written authorization of the governing officer of the institution, or while on any school bus is a disorderly person.”
That’s called staying in your lane. The school really has no jurisdiction over students after school hours and off of school property.
One speaker, former Lacey school board member Regina Discenza, defended the district’s actions, which were prompted by a report of the photo from a concerned parent, after 17 students and adults were shot and killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
“In light of what happened in Parkland, Florida, how can anyone say this board did not do its job?”
In the Parkland incident, school officials interdicted police and justice officials when they should have been putting the future school shooter in the justice system, but the school had an agreement with police that the police wouldn’t arrest their students for their activities outside of school. You know, like Lacey High school officials did – stepping outside their lane into community issues.
[Board President Robert] Klaus told the crowd that he himself was a gun owner and a member of the National Rifle Association, as is Giordano.
“I have guns, I grew up in a family with guns,” said Klaus. “We learned about guns, we respect guns.”
I’ll bet that he has a Black friend, too.
