A Louisiana fourth grader facing suspension and possible expulsion after a BB gun was spotted in his bedroom during virtual classes was reportedly allowed to return to class on Thursday.
WDSU's Sherman Desselle reports Ka Mauri Harrison, 9, participated in virtual classes after initially being suspended by the Jefferson Parish School System.
Ka Mauri's parents chose to start fourth grade virtually due to concerns over COVID-19. However, he faced a six-day suspension from Woodmere Elemntary after a BB gun was spotted in his bedroom during an online class.
“My brother walked in the room and tripped over the BB gun and I put it on the side of me,” Ka Mauri told WDSU prior to being reinstated. His father, Nyron, told WDSU that the handle of the BB gun was still visible on the computer screen before Ka Mauri was kicked offline.
Nyron told WDSU his son was immediately suspended and faced expulsion. During a disciplinary hearing, Ka Mauri's account of the incident matched his teacher's and the hearing officer determined "Ka Mauri Harrison is guilty of displaying a facsimile weapon while receiving virtual instruction from Woodmere Elementary School," before Ka Mauri was ruled to serve a six-day suspension.
WDSU obtained the Louisiana Department of Education School Behavior Report's review of the incident, which reportedly listed it as "possesses weapons prohibited under federal law," and identifies the suspension and also recommends expulsion.
The Harrisons' attorney, Chelsea Cusimano, told WDSU that the disciplinary ruling "is a terrible overreaction" and noted that it did not involve "a child bringing a weapon to school."
"This was a toy that was in his bedroom," Cusimano added. "This would be the same as if you had two siblings in a room and one's ADHD medication was in the background and that child's getting charged with a drug charge."
Cusimano also noted that the Jefferson Parish Public School System does not have a specific rule book for its online education platform.
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