Weapons in School

(Refer to Policy and Regulation 2620 - Weapons in School)

The District recognizes weapon possession as a potential threat to the health, safety and security of students, employees, and other persons. The District will not tolerate the presence of firearms on the premises of our schools. In order to maintain this safety of the educational community, the District will strictly enforce the necessary disciplinary consequences. This prohibition includes possession of firearms and weapons on school playground, school parking lots, school buses and at school activities, whether on or off school property. The District complies with the provisions of the Improving America's Act of 1994, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and other applicable federal and state law.

Nothing in this Regulation shall prohibit the district from permitting a Civil War or other historical reenactor to bring a Civil War or other historical weapon to school for educational purposes so long as the weapon is not loaded and prior permission from the building principal has been granted.

A weapon is defined as:

1. A firearm as defined in 18 U.S.C. 921
2. A blackjack, concealable firearm, explosive weapon, firearm, firearm silencer, gas gun, machine gun, knuckles, projectile weapon, rifle, shotgun, spring gun, switchblade, knife with blade exceeding four (4) inches,as these terms are defined in Section 571.010, RSMo.
3. A dangerous weapon as defined in 18 U.S.C. 930(g)(2)
4. All knives and any other instrument or device used or designed to be used to threaten or assault, whether for attack or defense.
5. Any object designed to look like or imitate a device as described in 1-4
6. Any explosive, incendiary, or poison gas, such as bombs, grenades, rockets with a propellant, or any combination of parts for use in converting any device into a device as described above.

Students Who Bring a Weapon to School

Pursuant to the Missouri Safe Schools Act and the federal Gun-Free Schools Act of 1994, any student who brings or possesses a weapon as defined in (1) or (2) above on school property or at any school activity will be suspended for at least one year (365 days) or expelled and will be referred to the appropriate legal authorities. This suspension or expulsion may be modified on a case-by-case basis upon recommendation by the Superintendent to the Board. The district may, at its discretion, provide a student suspended under this Regulation with educational services in an alternative setting.

Students who bring or possess a weapon as defined in (3), (4) and (5) above will be suspended up to 10 days out-of-school suspension and/or recommendation to the Superintendent for a hearing to determine additional days of suspension. The district may refer the student to appropriate legal authorities.

The district may, at its discretion, provide a student suspended under this Regulation with educational services in an alternative setting.

The possession of a replica weapon is prohibited. Students who use or possess weapons, or weapon replicas, other than those defined in this Regulation, in a threatening manner or misrepresents a replica weapon as a real weapon, will be subject to an out-of-school suspension for up to 180 days, or expulsion. It may be documented in the student’s discipline record and legal authorities may be contacted.

Applicability Of Regulation to Students with Disabilities

If the student who is determined to be in violation of this Regulation is a student with a disability under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the district will assign the student to an alternative education placement for a period of up to forty-five (45) school days and/or take other steps to address the student’s misconduct, as permitted by law.