A Grandview Middle School student unknowingly brought a gun onto school grounds last month, Grandview R-2 School District officials announced Dec. 18.
District officials said the student did not threaten anyone with violence.
“The Grandview R-2 (School District) makes safety the highest priority of our students and staff, and in that spirit, we ask for your assistance and diligence in ensuring that materials such as these are not brought to school in the future,” the district said Dec. 18 in a post on its Facebook page.
On Jan. 5, Grandview schools officials posted on Facebook that the middle school student arrived on campus the afternoon of Dec. 18 with a backpack the student usually does not carry. The district’s school resource officer and building administrators searched the backpack and found the gun.
“The incident happened at 2:15 p.m. and the community was notified at 3:30 p.m.,” district communications director Jason Van Houten said. “The student is being disciplined according to state law and school board policy.”
Van Houten said a student found with a weapon on school grounds would receive a minimum one-year suspension. For any subsequent offenses, the student would be recommended for expulsion.
“I know parents would like more information on student discipline, but those are protected records that we are not allowed to share,” Van Houten said. “Every discipline is unique, but the administration always follows Board (of Education) policy and Board-approved student handbooks when assigning discipline. It is always our goal to treat all students equally.”
Parents and guardians were notified about the incident through the district’s voice and email mass communication system, the district’s website and official social media accounts.