R-2 student brings weapon to school

By Roxie Murphy, Staff Writer
Posted 3/11/20

BELLE — Maries County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a report on March 5 of a Maries County R-2 student in possession of a handgun.

Deputies were dispatched to a Maries County road …

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R-2 student brings weapon to school

Posted

BELLE — Maries County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a report on March 5 of a Maries County R-2 student in possession of a handgun.

Deputies were dispatched to a Maries County road near Vichy on Thursday afternoon  where the bus driver of a Maries R-2 school bus had separated a student from a backpack that contained a CO2 BB gun that closely resembled a Springfield Armory handgun.

“The bus driver maintained control of the backpack, and the student was not allowed to leave the bus,” sheriff’s deputies reported on Facebook. “The parents are cooperating, the student is very remorseful, and the juvenile authorities are being contracted.”

Maries R-2 Superintendent Dr. Lenice Basham said students were at no point in danger.

“Students were safe at all times, the bus driver responded to keep all the kids safe on the bus and we are thankful that everyone made it home safely,” Basham said. “We are appreciative of the bus driver’s attention of what was going on in his bus.”

The student’s identity is not being released.

“Student discipline is covered under Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), it is a privacy issue,” Basham explained. “We just don’t discuss individual student discipline because of the FERPA rights.”
Basham confirmed that disciplinary action was taken, and she has no concerns about the situation for the immediate future.