A knife-packing 5th grader came to school with the intent to allegedly harm others at one suburban Houston elementary school, a major violation of the student code of conduct. Parents, worried this can happen again, are angry and want the student expelled.
The 11-year old had a kitchen knife in his backpack at Hall Elementary in League City. School officials said the boy admitted he planned to use it on kids he did not like, FOX 26 reported. A faculty member spotted the knife in the 5th grade student’s backpack on the “drug free, weapon free” school zone. Possession of a knife is a prohibited item. The school suspended the student, although he will return and parents worry this will happen again.
School officials waited eight days before disclosing the knife threat to families. Parents like Andy and Amber Strickler were not happy with the district’s handling of the matter. They told the local FOX affiliate that their son was identified as one of the boy’s targets.
“When we got the call from the school we were blindsided. We didn’t know how to react to that,” said Andy Strickler. “We should have been notified immediately.” Wife Amber added: “Parents shouldn’t have to tolerate that, shouldn’t have to live in fear that this could happen and it can be kept from them.”
They said that Hall Elementary officials told them the offending 5th grade boy will be allowed to return to school after the suspension period ends but the Stricklers believe this is “risky” and feel certain other parents with children enrolled in Hall would agree.
Andy Strickler told FOX 26 that a parent cannot overreact when it comes to safety. “You can’t overreact to a potential threat on your own son or own daughter. There’s no way to overreact.”
Clear Creek ISD issued a statement to its families:
“On October 19, 2015, a kitchen knife was found inside a student’s backpack at Hall Elementary by a staff member. An immediate investigation started and continues today. The student was removed from school. Discipline action has been taken in accordance with the CCISD Code of Conduct and the Texas Penal Code which articulates students age six through fifth grade can be sent to an alternative placement facility for a specified period of time. On matters of student safety, our practice is to notify parents immediately. We regret this communication did not occur in a timely manner.”
Follow Merrill Hope on Twitter @OutOfTheBoxMom.
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